| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Honestly, Vid, after seven years of stumbling around as the white head teacher at a Chinese-American private school, trying to navigate etiquette rules, the owner's insistence on proper Feng Shui, etc., all of which I was expected to just know even though I'd never been taught (I find I am *still* handing even small things to people with two hands, just out of habit, and I get a lot of strange looks)... well, careful social navigation is something I'm used to. Not always good at.I don't know anything about Feng Shui, and I'm freaking Chinese. I'm also not known to be particularly religious, nor superstitious.
Mort, the boss was one of those older Chinese expats whose constant complaint was about how "this modern generation doesn't care about traditional values".
She would go on and on about it.
But the business manager, also an expat of the same age, would shake her head and whisper to me, "I've never even heard of that [arcane rule just mentioned]". She would suggest, very politely, that some of these "rules" might just have been made up on the spot.
Well, in fairness, I *do* need to go shower and get ready for work.
Consider me clothed.
Well, in fairness, I *do* need to go shower and get ready for work.
Consider me clothed.
but...but...
| 6 people marked this as a favorite. |
Raining again. I picked a bad time to start reading Dune.
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
"Hey, can I go talk to [guidance counselor] about [thing]?"
"Yeah, hurry."
"It's for [lengthy explanation]-"
"...I already told you yes. You don't need to keep asking."
"Oh." "...do you want me to explain it again?"
TIL my kids are NPCs.
Honestly, Vid, after seven years of stumbling around as the white head teacher at a Chinese-American private school, trying to navigate etiquette rules, the owner's insistence on proper Feng Shui, etc., all of which I was expected to just know even though I'd never been taught (I find I am *still* handing even small things to people with two hands, just out of habit, and I get a lot of strange looks)... well, careful social navigation is something I'm used to. Not always good at.I don't know anything about Feng Shui, and I'm freaking Chinese. I'm also not known to be particularly religious, nor superstitious.
Yeah I think I remember some show disproving the whole feng shui craz.
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So, I knew that religion was going to be a little different here in Texas (easy there, Fritzy, no flaming bikes are going to be needed) but I didn't realize how much it was going to come into my classroom.
For example: in California, I occasionally had acquaintances who were Jehovah's Witnesses, but had never met a child who was one. Now I have one in my class. And yesterday she turned five. Getting a year older is a big happy deal for kids. But we're not supposed to say "Happy Birthday". We're also supposed to walk her down to the office if someone else is celebrating a birthday in class. I just said "Congratulations on being five!" She grinned.
Last night I received an email from the mother of one of my Kindergartners, asking me to please monitor/offer him alternative snack if the offering at the snack table violates his "only God-made foods" diet. (No gluten, dairy, sugar, or anything with the ingredients mixed together and cooked; his lunches are usually whole nuts, chickpeas, vegetables, etc.) Just out of curiosity, after I read this, I tried to do some internet research on the background/rationale/extended belief system around this diet, just so I can understand the family a little better. And, wow, was THAT a rabbit hole.
...it amuses me that you're commenting on weird dietary stuff when you were a teacher in the fricking Bay Area!
I swear, EVERY family around here just makes restrictive dietary s*** up just to seem cool.
"Oh, my child isn't allowed to eat any food that blossoms in February, nor any meat where the animal's scientific name contains the letter 'n'."
Living in California, you just learn not to feed people. Or just bring something and say, "No, it's *not* gluten-free, nor vegan, nor low-salt, nor low-fat, nor Kosher, nor anything else. I just made food. If you have a dietary restriction, I'm sure it's bad for you."
And then they eat it anyway.
(NobodysHome's fun fact of the day: As of my last research on the topic, 0.5% of the U.S. population has some form of gluten intolerance. 15% of the U.S. population practices some form of low-gluten or gluten-free diet. It's great for people who actually have an issue, since now every store carries gluten-free alternatives, but I swear, going into a public grocery chain and being unable to find cookies that aren't low-fat, low-sugar, gluten-free abominations is just kind of sad.)
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We spent so much time asking if we could compact jello, we never asked ourselves should we compact jello.
The answer to both is a resounding no.
Yet, here I am.
You're..doing...what?
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Working with Windows is a fantastic way to understand senility:
It starts off as tiresome and depressing. Then, when I was getting a "VPN up/VPN down" message every 5 seconds, I realized that I'd turned on wireless to run the kids' game last night, and Windows 10 wireless is, quite honestly, the worst implementation of wireless I've ever seen.
I turned wireless back off, and suddenly all the error messages vanished.
Stupid Windows 10.
You're..doing...what?
It's hard to explain, but long story short, our base gravel is the consistency of jello.
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"I like jello..." - Big (Slow) Pete might have said.
| 6 people marked this as a favorite. |
Too many posts to keep up with, so I'm going to say "Hi!"
Hi!
You're..doing...what?It's hard to explain, but long story short, our base gravel is the consistency of jello.
This is what happens when it rains for several weeks straight and you leave your gravel out in the yard. So what have we learned?
(We've learned to just add a bit of sand to that and we'll have concrete when it dries out.)
You're..doing...what?It's hard to explain, but long story short, our base gravel is the consistency of jello.This is what happens when it rains for several weeks straight and you leave your gravel out in the yard. So what have we learned?
(We've learned to just add a bit of sand to that and we'll have concrete when it dries out.)
SCIENCE RULES!
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Psssssst. Science relies heavily on math.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Too many posts to keep up with, so I'm going to say "Hi!"
Hi!
Greetings and Salutations, fine badger.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
You're..doing...what?It's hard to explain, but long story short, our base gravel is the consistency of jello.This is what happens when it rains for several weeks straight and you leave your gravel out in the yard. So what have we learned?
(We've learned to just add a bit of sand to that and we'll have concrete when it dries out.)
SCIENCE RULES!
** spoiler omitted **
Um, you do realize that math is heavily used in the making of concrete? The ratios of the ingredients are changed based on average temperatures, what kind of temperature swings the area gets, how much you have to worry about earthquakes...I mean, seriously, Freehold, math is what keeps you alive. You're so ungrateful.
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Psssssst. Science relies heavily on math.
it's why I vomit sometimes.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Um, you do realize that math is heavily used in the making of concrete? The ratios of the ingredients are changed based on average temperatures, what kind of temperature swings the area gets, how much you have to worry about earthquakes...I mean, seriously, Freehold, math is what keeps you alive. You're so ungrateful.You're..doing...what?It's hard to explain, but long story short, our base gravel is the consistency of jello.This is what happens when it rains for several weeks straight and you leave your gravel out in the yard. So what have we learned?
(We've learned to just add a bit of sand to that and we'll have concrete when it dries out.)
SCIENCE RULES!
** spoiler omitted **
I'm grateful science has found a way to make math useful.
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
Did...did I just win? Did I just get Freehold to be nice to math? There's a cash prize for that, right?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Did...did I just win? Did I just get Freehold to be nice to math? There's a cash prize for that, right?
I am always nice to math!
See? I'm taking them on a trip!
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I <3 math.
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Except for differential equations, which are an abomination unto math.
I <3 math.
you less than three math? Okay...
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
So, I knew that religion was going to be a little different here in Texas (easy there, Fritzy, no flaming bikes are going to be needed) but I didn't realize how much it was going to come into my classroom.
For example: in California, I occasionally had acquaintances who were Jehovah's Witnesses, but had never met a child who was one. Now I have one in my class. And yesterday she turned five. Getting a year older is a big happy deal for kids. But we're not supposed to say "Happy Birthday". We're also supposed to walk her down to the office if someone else is celebrating a birthday in class. I just said "Congratulations on being five!" She grinned.
Last night I received an email from the mother of one of my Kindergartners, asking me to please monitor/offer him alternative snack if the offering at the snack table violates his "only God-made foods" diet. (No gluten, dairy, sugar, or anything with the ingredients mixed together and cooked; his lunches are usually whole nuts, chickpeas, vegetables, etc.) Just out of curiosity, after I read this, I tried to do some internet research on the background/rationale/extended belief system around this diet, just so I can understand the family a little better. And, wow, was THAT a rabbit hole.
...it amuses me that you're commenting on weird dietary stuff when you were a teacher in the fricking Bay Area!
I swear, EVERY family around here just makes restrictive dietary s*** up just to seem cool.
"Oh, my child isn't allowed to eat any food that blossoms in February, nor any meat where the animal's scientific name contains the letter 'n'."
Living in California, you just learn not to feed people. Or just bring something and say, "No, it's *not* gluten-free, nor vegan, nor low-salt, nor low-fat, nor Kosher, nor anything else. I just made food. If you have a dietary restriction, I'm sure it's bad for you."
And then they eat it anyway.
(NobodysHome's fun fact of the day: As of my last research on the topic, 0.5% of the...
Which is why I would take a bundt cake to a potluck with a small placard that read "contains gluten, dairy, egg, nuts, and possibly uranium and cocaine. Best avoid it just to be safe." There were never leftovers.
Meanwhile my student on the special restrictive diet is sneaking handfuls of forbidden foods from the snack cabinet and eating them in the bathroom.
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you less than three math? Okay...I <3 math.
You used math to make that joke, Freehold. It has you now.
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You used math to make that joke, Freehold. It has you now.you less than three math? Okay...I <3 math.
No it doesn't!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
...So, I knew that religion was going to be a little different here in Texas (easy there, Fritzy, no flaming bikes are going to be needed) but I didn't realize how much it was going to come into my classroom.
For example: in California, I occasionally had acquaintances who were Jehovah's Witnesses, but had never met a child who was one. Now I have one in my class. And yesterday she turned five. Getting a year older is a big happy deal for kids. But we're not supposed to say "Happy Birthday". We're also supposed to walk her down to the office if someone else is celebrating a birthday in class. I just said "Congratulations on being five!" She grinned.
Last night I received an email from the mother of one of my Kindergartners, asking me to please monitor/offer him alternative snack if the offering at the snack table violates his "only God-made foods" diet. (No gluten, dairy, sugar, or anything with the ingredients mixed together and cooked; his lunches are usually whole nuts, chickpeas, vegetables, etc.) Just out of curiosity, after I read this, I tried to do some internet research on the background/rationale/extended belief system around this diet, just so I can understand the family a little better. And, wow, was THAT a rabbit hole.
...it amuses me that you're commenting on weird dietary stuff when you were a teacher in the fricking Bay Area!
I swear, EVERY family around here just makes restrictive dietary s*** up just to seem cool.
"Oh, my child isn't allowed to eat any food that blossoms in February, nor any meat where the animal's scientific name contains the letter 'n'."
Living in California, you just learn not to feed people. Or just bring something and say, "No, it's *not* gluten-free, nor vegan, nor low-salt, nor low-fat, nor Kosher, nor anything else. I just made food. If you have a dietary restriction, I'm sure it's bad for you."
And then they eat it anyway.
(NobodysHome's fun fact of the day: As of my last
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
You used math to make that joke, Freehold. It has you now.you less than three math? Okay...I <3 math.
Hahahahaha! All part of my sinister plan.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
You used math to make that joke, Freehold. It has you now.you less than three math? Okay...I <3 math.
No it doesn't!
I hope you calculated the thickness of the foil correctly to avoid being contaminated...
All I know is you're not supposed to bounce on 10 inches of gravel, fortunately there's another smaller wall I can build today (which I'm almost done with).
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
So, I knew that religion was going to be a little different here in Texas (easy there, Fritzy, no flaming bikes are going to be needed) but I didn't realize how much it was going to come into my classroom.
For example: in California, I occasionally had acquaintances who were Jehovah's Witnesses, but had never met a child who was one. Now I have one in my class. And yesterday she turned five. Getting a year older is a big happy deal for kids. But we're not supposed to say "Happy Birthday". We're also supposed to walk her down to the office if someone else is celebrating a birthday in class. I just said "Congratulations on being five!" She grinned.
Last night I received an email from the mother of one of my Kindergartners, asking me to please monitor/offer him alternative snack if the offering at the snack table violates his "only God-made foods" diet. (No gluten, dairy, sugar, or anything with the ingredients mixed together and cooked; his lunches are usually whole nuts, chickpeas, vegetables, etc.) Just out of curiosity, after I read this, I tried to do some internet research on the background/rationale/extended belief system around this diet, just so I can understand the family a little better. And, wow, was THAT a rabbit hole.
...it amuses me that you're commenting on weird dietary stuff when you were a teacher in the fricking Bay Area!
I swear, EVERY family around here just makes restrictive dietary s*** up just to seem cool.
"Oh, my child isn't allowed to eat any food that blossoms in February, nor any meat where the animal's scientific name contains the letter 'n'."
Living in California, you just learn not to feed people. Or just bring something and say, "No, it's *not* gluten-free, nor vegan, nor low-salt, nor low-fat, nor Kosher, nor anything else. I just made food. If you have a dietary restriction, I'm sure it's bad for you."
And then they eat it anyway.
(NobodysHome's fun fact of the day: As of my last research on the topic, 0.5% of the...
I question those numbers. Well, maybe not the second one, but the first. You try getting a doc to test for celiac. :/
But yes, as someone with a severe wheat allergy (like cross contamination is a huge issue and I label read even things that I've bought before just in case) I'm not a fan of those no anything that makes food taste good abominations. They aren't as prevalent at grocery stores here as there I think, but I'm still always super happy when I find stuff that's gluten free and still tastes like food! :POh, and I never trust food at get-togethers. The number of times I've ended a party curled up in a corner because the Benadryl I had to take to deal with the hives and swelling that happened when a supposedly gluten free food wasn't knocked me out is more than zero, and that is too many. :(
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I'm Quaker so I never trust the food at gatherings because I know it's going to be beyond inedible.
And probably contain zucchini.
So much zucchini...
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
I'm Quaker so I never trust the food at gatherings because I know it's going to be beyond inedible.
And probably contain zucchini.
So much zucchini...
You know they've gone too far when you find zucchini in the jello salad....
...So, I knew that religion was going to be a little different here in Texas (easy there, Fritzy, no flaming bikes are going to be needed) but I didn't realize how much it was going to come into my classroom.
For example: in California, I occasionally had acquaintances who were Jehovah's Witnesses, but had never met a child who was one. Now I have one in my class. And yesterday she turned five. Getting a year older is a big happy deal for kids. But we're not supposed to say "Happy Birthday". We're also supposed to walk her down to the office if someone else is celebrating a birthday in class. I just said "Congratulations on being five!" She grinned.
Last night I received an email from the mother of one of my Kindergartners, asking me to please monitor/offer him alternative snack if the offering at the snack table violates his "only God-made foods" diet. (No gluten, dairy, sugar, or anything with the ingredients mixed together and cooked; his lunches are usually whole nuts, chickpeas, vegetables, etc.) Just out of curiosity, after I read this, I tried to do some internet research on the background/rationale/extended belief system around this diet, just so I can understand the family a little better. And, wow, was THAT a rabbit hole.
...it amuses me that you're commenting on weird dietary stuff when you were a teacher in the fricking Bay Area!
I swear, EVERY family around here just makes restrictive dietary s*** up just to seem cool.
"Oh, my child isn't allowed to eat any food that blossoms in February, nor any meat where the animal's scientific name contains the letter 'n'."
Living in California, you just learn not to feed people. Or just bring something and say, "No, it's *not* gluten-free, nor vegan, nor low-salt, nor low-fat, nor Kosher, nor anything else. I just made food. If you have a dietary restriction, I'm sure it's bad for you."
And then they eat it anyway.
(NobodysHome's fun fact of the day: As of my last
.05% of the population is still about 16 and a quarter million people. Not a small number, really, though it probably seems it when you consider how spread out they'd be. I could believe it.
Statistics! All sorts of fun for presenting your info!
I'm Quaker so I never trust the food at gatherings because I know it's going to be beyond inedible.
And probably contain zucchini.
So much zucchini...
I bet anything with oats is on point, though...
...So, I knew that religion was going to be a little different here in Texas (easy there, Fritzy, no flaming bikes are going to be needed) but I didn't realize how much it was going to come into my classroom.
For example: in California, I occasionally had acquaintances who were Jehovah's Witnesses, but had never met a child who was one. Now I have one in my class. And yesterday she turned five. Getting a year older is a big happy deal for kids. But we're not supposed to say "Happy Birthday". We're also supposed to walk her down to the office if someone else is celebrating a birthday in class. I just said "Congratulations on being five!" She grinned.
Last night I received an email from the mother of one of my Kindergartners, asking me to please monitor/offer him alternative snack if the offering at the snack table violates his "only God-made foods" diet. (No gluten, dairy, sugar, or anything with the ingredients mixed together and cooked; his lunches are usually whole nuts, chickpeas, vegetables, etc.) Just out of curiosity, after I read this, I tried to do some internet research on the background/rationale/extended belief system around this diet, just so I can understand the family a little better. And, wow, was THAT a rabbit hole.
...it amuses me that you're commenting on weird dietary stuff when you were a teacher in the fricking Bay Area!
I swear, EVERY family around here just makes restrictive dietary s*** up just to seem cool.
"Oh, my child isn't allowed to eat any food that blossoms in February, nor any meat where the animal's scientific name contains the letter 'n'."
Living in California, you just learn not to feed people. Or just bring something and say, "No, it's *not* gluten-free, nor vegan, nor low-salt, nor low-fat, nor Kosher, nor anything else. I just made food. If you have a dietary restriction, I'm sure it's bad for you
And then they eat it anyway.
(NobodysHome's fun fact of the day: As of my last
that does indeed suck. I know it is an issue I face professionally as well as many medications are made out of corn, wheat or something similar for the capsule.
...So, I knew that religion was going to be a little different here in Texas (easy there, Fritzy, no flaming bikes are going to be needed) but I didn't realize how much it was going to come into my classroom.
For example: in California, I occasionally had acquaintances who were Jehovah's Witnesses, but had never met a child who was one. Now I have one in my class. And yesterday she turned five. Getting a year older is a big happy deal for kids. But we're not supposed to say "Happy Birthday". We're also supposed to walk her down to the office if someone else is celebrating a birthday in class. I just said "Congratulations on being five!" She grinned.
Last night I received an email from the mother of one of my Kindergartners, asking me to please monitor/offer him alternative snack if the offering at the snack table violates his "only God-made foods" diet. (No gluten, dairy, sugar, or anything with the ingredients mixed together and cooked; his lunches are usually whole nuts, chickpeas, vegetables, etc.) Just out of curiosity, after I read this, I tried to do some internet research on the background/rationale/extended belief system around this diet, just so I can understand the family a little better. And, wow, was THAT a rabbit hole.
...it amuses me that you're commenting on weird dietary stuff when you were a teacher in the fricking Bay Area!
I swear, EVERY family around here just makes restrictive dietary s*** up just to seem cool.
"Oh, my child isn't allowed to eat any food that blossoms in February, nor any meat where the animal's scientific name contains the letter 'n'."
Living in California, you just learn not to feed people. Or just bring something and say, "No, it's *not* gluten-free, nor vegan, nor low-salt, nor low-fat, nor Kosher, nor anything else. I just made food. If you have a dietary restriction, I'm sure it's bad for you."
And then they eat it anyway.
(NobodysHome's fun fact of the
I bet anything with oats is on point, though...I'm Quaker so I never trust the food at gatherings because I know it's going to be beyond inedible.
And probably contain zucchini.
So much zucchini...
mmm. Oatmeal.
Although I prefer porridge.| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I bet anything with oats is on point, though...I'm Quaker so I never trust the food at gatherings because I know it's going to be beyond inedible.
And probably contain zucchini.
So much zucchini...
Captain Yesterday fun fact: the only time I had burnt oatmeal it was at friend's meeting.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I question those numbers. Well, maybe not the second one, but the first. You try getting a doc to test for celiac. :/
But yes, as someone with a severe wheat allergy (like cross contamination is a huge issue and I label read even things that I've bought before just in case) I'm not a fan of those no anything that makes food taste good abominations. They aren't as prevalent at grocery stores here as there I think, but I'm still always super happy when I find stuff that's gluten free and still tastes like food! :P
Oh, and I never trust food at get-togethers. The number of times I've ended a party curled up in a corner because the Benadryl I had to take to deal with the hives and swelling that happened when a supposedly gluten free food wasn't knocked me out is more than zero, and that is too many. :(
Yeah, I was thinking of you when I wrote that.
But if you came here and met the sheer number of people who are on gluten-free diets because they've heard of gluten-free diets, you'd understand.
The West Coast: Where things people have to do to treat medical conditions turn into dietary fads...
Burnt oatmeal? That's a paddlin'.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Hi, Dr. Nick!
but...but...Well, in fairness, I *do* need to go shower and get ready for work.
Consider me clothed.
Tis' a butt indeed! Even clothed, a beautiful bouncing behind is a marvel to behold ;p
On the more serious point of view my mom is forever trying to foist weird stuff that I've no idea even existed on me.
*Gives Mort plenty of scratchies*
Kitty is her own cat, so no foisting allowed!
More seriously, traditions are…weird. Much more so if you, yourself, don't really consider yourself traditional. I don't really know what's "expected" of you by your family, other then few snippets you have shared…
But if its something you want to talk about, I'm willing to listen either here, by PM or some other medium.
Which is why I would take a bundt cake to a potluck with a small placard that read "contains gluten, dairy, egg, nuts, and possibly uranium and cocaine. Best avoid it just to be safe." There were never leftovers.
*Looks over cake, with tears welling up in his eyes*
Magnifique!!!
*Faceplants into the cake and inhales it through every facial orifice*
I question those numbers. Well, maybe not the second one, but the first. You try getting a doc to test for celiac. :/
But yes, as someone with a severe wheat allergy (like cross contamination is a huge issue and I label read even things that I've bought before just in case) I'm not a fan of those no anything that makes food taste good abominations. They aren't as prevalent at grocery stores here as there I think, but I'm still always super happy when I find stuff that's gluten free and still tastes like food! :P
Oh, and I never trust food at get-togethers. The number of times I've ended a party curled up in a corner because the Benadryl I had to take to deal with the hives and swelling that happened when a supposedly gluten free food wasn't knocked me out is more than zero, and that is too many. :(
*Looks through kitchen cupboards, finding plenty of wheat filled products*
*Sighs*
*Notes down, he might have to borrow Lyn kitchen + supplies, if he ever want to make her a nice meal*
Hi, everyone!
Hello John!
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
And The Crucible begins. Countdown to everyone hating Abigail...