Marking time

I'm pretty whacked at the mo - we've had exams, and that's theoretically a time when you have a bit of time for a breather, but no - I haven't found that to be the case at all in the last couple of weeks. There have been so many administration/management/discipline things I've had to do that my own marking hasn't had a look-in, so I've spent the whole weekend on it. In fact, I've been in to work, as it's the only time I get "my" office to myself. The rest of the time it's like Grand Central Station, as it's less office and more technician prep room. Anyway, it's light and bright and I've been able to spread all the papers out and make really good progress. It's a terribly tedious way to spend time, though, and very isolationalist. And it really really doesn't give me much to write about!

I had to take a couple of books back to the library without having a chance to read them this week. I'd reached the "renewal" limit, and if I kept them any longer I was going to get fined. So disappointing. I'll keep an eye out for them another time. And that's about as exciting as it gets, this week.

Well, since I wrote that earlier, I've found myself reading the same sentence answer over and over for about 5 minutes, and decided it's definately time to stop. I'm so glad we only do one set of mock exams these days instead of the two we used to do!

Enz of an Era - x2

Priceless music video

Well worth waiting patiently for it to download:)

The band is OK Go.

Walkies

This is the map of the walk I plan to do! Today was very nice. The body clock woke me at weekday time, annoyingly, but at least it meant I got the washing done before heading out to watch the under 69kg rugby team from my school play in the Final for their grade against my old school. Twas very pleasant (our team lost :( ) except for one particularly yobbo father who began abusing the ref. Doesn't matter which team he belonged to, he only embarrassed himself, with his poor example of unsportsmanship. Dearie me, but I found myself telling him so, too. Oof!

This was all followed by a veery pleasant lunch and walk to the edge of the reserve. The clouds looked very menacing, so we decided to investigate another time. A very wise choice as it turned out - got home in the knickers of time!

Am I mad???

Barking! Why? This week I've accepted the Head of Faculty position. Scary but exciting is how I see it. 2 years ago it was all too much, but I feel like enough has changed now for it to be within my capabilities. The decision didn't come lightly - and was certainly assisted by some quite consistent encouragement from the ex-HOF: that I had more than enough of what was required to take it on. His confidence in my strengths, in spite of being well versed in my weaknesses, meant a lot. It also made me realise that what I really didn't want was to have to train yet another boss - I wanted it myself. And (so far at least) it's a comfortable fit, rather than a burden.

Meanwhile, yesterday we farewelled our principal. He's off to be somebody big and important in Wellington, and hopefully to iron out some of the wrinkles that still exist in our qualifications system. I'll always remember him as the man who had enough vision (and more confidence!!!) to create a better (promotion) position for me, because he felt that I was underselling myself in the original job I'd applied for. I still had to compete for it, but I was up for the challenge then, as I guess I'm up for it again now! He has been a "change agent" in our school, and some people have loved him and others have left. I'm sorry to see him go.

Smug

Got notified tonight that our students have won 2 of the categories in the regional science fair - in both cases for the 3rd year running. Take THAT you other schools!!!
Hat tricks R us!

edit... Turned out that one of those "first's" was actually a 2nd (well 2 of ours were 2=) so I shouldn't be quite so smug. That pair did pick up "best year 13 innovation, invention or investigation" for their respective projects, too.

Meanwhile, in spite of a few teary patches around the place (heh! not all mine, either, I might add) on Monday, the week just flashed by. The tension seemed to build to a peak about Thursday, but then it was all downhill again after that. Helped, I'm sure, by some de-stressing activities that are just too silly to write about, let alone post the pictures!

tonight...

I read this essay, in the book published by Gordon Atkinson based on his blog "reallivepreacher.com".
While the subject of the story wasn't applicable to me, some of the emotions in it resonated. This bit here reached out and grabbed me:

They tried to hold Mr. Grief at bay, but this was his hour. Denial worked pretty well, some days. Bargaining never did much for them, though some people swear by it. Anger was like heroin – a quick, powerful fix, but anger takes energy and Mr. Grief was patient. In the end, he swept onto the dance floor with a triumphant flourish, and ate them all to pieces.

Excellent essay, great book. Recommended.

Deja vu

..Well, that's what it felt like, standing in the staffroom farewelling yet another Head of Faculty. Abandoned again! By some extreme miracle, I managed not to tremble and snuffle my way through it, but instead was actually quite calm and measured and it went really well. Not that there weren't tears! On my own early in the day, when I was sitting contemplating what on earth I was going to write in my card, and then again, right at the end, when we finally went our separate ways. Oh I do a fine line in blub!

In my speech I said that he had enlivened, enthused and entertained us. So true. He's been hugely important in my personal and professional development in the last year or so - his ability to read where I'm at, and his perception in being able to say just the right thing - to push me a little harder when I'm less confident about taking the next step, or to reign me in if I'm over the top. His confidence in my ability to do a good job has meant a lot, and we've been a darn good team. I wasn't able to really put a name to it, but on the way home my friend said it's cos he has a high EQ, and by golly she's nailed it! That, and a hugely professional demeanor, combined with a bigger still sense of humour. It's not going to be the same without him at all! I'm not the only one who thinks so! Only yesterday morning he had me in such fits of laughter that I nearly vomited! Gift of the Blarney indeed!

So, come Monday the buck stops back with me again. And we await the appointment of a new Head of Faculty. It's really unsettling for staff, this interim period, and I was also really sad telling my year 12's that I had to consequently abandon them to another teacher, in order to resolve my workload. They were sooooo sweet, and it nearly sent me off into tears again! They've been SUCH a great bunch.

A couple of links:
This one combines how your Empathy Quotient and Systemising Quotient work together. Allegedly I have a balanced brain.
The one below alleges I've an average EQ....

Your EQ is 107

50 or less: Thanks for answering honestly. Now get yourself a shrink, quick! 51-70: When it comes to understanding human emotions, you'd have better luck understanding Chinese. 71-90: You've got more emotional intelligence than the average frat boy. Barely. 91-110: You're average. It's easy to predict how you'll react to things. But anyone could have guessed that. 111-130: You usually have it going on emotionally, but roadblocks tend to land you on your butt. 131-150: You are remarkable when it comes to relating with others. Only the biggest losers get under your skin. 150+: Two possibilities - you've either out "Dr. Phil-ed" Dr. Phil... or you're a dirty liar.

What's Your EQ (Emotional Intelligence Quotient)?

Sleepy...

I went to 2 lectures yesterday, by the 2006 Rutherford Memorial Lecturer, Nobel Laureate Sir Paul Nurse. At the first, he described what he considered to be the 5 most significant discoveries in biology (see here for more details of both). The other big attraction was the award of a UNESCO scholarship to one of my ex-students from last year. The second lecture was titled "Milton and Darwin - 2 views of creation". I'd like to say I was gripped and attentive, but as soon as he started reading Milton, I was gone. I hope my friend didn't let me snore. I believe he was very interesting, but I think my focus gene got exhausted earlier in the afternoon. Besides, it was nice and warm in the Cathedral. Oh, and the sound system was less than helpful - I found it very hard to hear clearly.



and meanwhile: "Andrew Greig, a New Zealand airforce officer who was due to move to a post which was bombed in southern Lebanon, escaped the attack because his journey there was delayed.

The Defence Force says Squadron Leader Greig has taken up a new military observer's role in Israel, but is giving no details."

Peace be with you and yours, Andy.

Way, way, way too close for comfort....

Hang in there, Andy...

Safe...

Really good to see Bron on tv tonight - press play to see the video, it won't start automatically:

Oops!

I just found I had a strange setting on the comments.....
Sorry folks! Fixed it now, so they'll show up! I deleted the ones that you tried to do twice.

The new one...

It's growing on me, slowly....
Saw it twice tonight, as the pub got too crowded for comfort, so we went and found dessert somewhere else, before going home to watch the delayed coverage.
Graham Henry sure is ringing the changes, and a fairly safe win in the end.

Thoughts & prayers are with Andy, having had to say goodbye to Bron and the boys, who got on a boat for Cyprus today, while he remains in Tyre.

Woohoo!!!!!

"U2 and tour promoters The Next Adventure (TNA) today announced new shows for those previously postponed on U2`s Vertigo Tour.
Auckland - Ericsson Stadium - (Old Date) Friday, March 17th/06 - (New Date) Friday, November 24/06"

Today...

And my car got it's WOF. Well, almost. Except for the thing that it failed on, but it's minor, and quick to fix, (I hope). I thought I'd have to get tires, or even that there'd be something else wrong, but maybe even the car is still getting over the automatic transmission transplant from a month ago. Yay!

Stupiderati

I like new words. An example of people who fit into this new category
are students who spend wet lunchtimes getting intentionally wetter and
colder. Frequently these students are also unpleasant to deal with.

Circles.

So, here we go again. Announced this morning, officially, the news that the "new" (as of beginning of 2005) HOD is on his way, although I've known now for at least a month. Sigh. He'll be gone in "24 more school days" he informed me this afternoon. And yep, I'll be back in the hot-seat short-term. Somehow, though, it doesn't seem so bad. I'm 2 years wiser than at this point last time and some of the things that made it so difficult and stressful previously are no longer issues. None of which, of course, alleviates the grief I feel at the thought of losing this brilliant friend from my daily life. I've been the leaver, previously, and I don't think I like being at this end. Compared to this loss, the news that our principal is also on his bike was reeeally small biscuits.

Meanwhile, time appears to have flown by again. The speed cam referred to below as the most prolific in the country has been replaced by the most humungous new mall. Well, on the other side of the road, and now there's a new set of traffic lights or 3, everyone's slowed right down. Such are the days of our lives.

Had a significant birthday event pass in the interim since last post - Mum turned 80. Yikes! She travelled up on the train with a caregiver, and I got a day's leave to spend with her on the big day. We had a brilliant week, and I was really sad when she went home. I've been down there again since then (since time has, allegedly, picked up it's mat and run), and got the chance to visit the Constable exhibition at Te Papa while I was in the vicinity. Here's a link to the same exhib, with audio, from its last location in Canberra. I was a bit cheesed off to find some of my fave huge pix from the National Gallery in London weren't there, but discovered they were actually at another huge exhibition at the Tate. Ah well. They don't look like ANYTHING much in their small, chocolate-box form.

Nuff rambling for now. My cell-phone is broken. It feels like I've lost a limb. Today I heard it's not irrefixable, yay, so in a couple of days hopefully I'll be able to pick it up, and this time I promise I'll make a backup of all the info stored on there that I was in dread of having lost for all time. Arrrgh!

Finished at last!

Yay! This morning I completed the last assignment for the last paper for the post grad diploma I've been working towards for the last far-too-many years. I'm really really grateful to my tutor, who has allowed me quite a lot of flexibility to get this last research project completed. But now it's done, and I'm glad. I could have given up, many times, but when it got to being just one paper to go, I was too stubborn to let go. I had no real choices in the end. I've actually been enrolled for this paper three times, paid twice (got it deferred once, and then failed to complete). It was getting towards the point where there would be no more flexibility at all, and I totally didn't want to pay another $600 to repeat it. (I already have a significant fine from the library, as my enrolment lapsed in April and I wouldn't be able to renew my books) This is the last year the course will be offered, and so if I didn't complete it, I was nearly out of time. I'm just SO pleased.
I sat, with the assessment schedule in one hand and the keyboard in the other, checking all the way that I'd done "just" enough to pass. My standards, once again, are just too high. I got an A. Yay for that too.
Happy happy happy.

Away again..

...This time with 42 students, visiting the big pulp (quote: "the bleached wood pulp is 99% water before it's dried and packed")and paper mill (supplies all of NZ's newsprint and 80% of Aussie's), and a geothermal reserve, where we were able to do lots of exciting chemistry thingy things. It was still the holidays, and I'm just impressed that so many students were keen to come. It rained, pretty solidly, in the morning of the day at the reserve, but cleared up fab later on. Sadly, other people in the region had worse days than us, and floods struck yet again. Speaking of struck. There was some thunder and lightning while we had the umbrellas up, and my colleague got a tiny shock.
Most of my photos were duds, at the reserve, because the camera focussed on the steam rather than the people. And there was a lot of steam!