Here's to seven years. Happy anniversary, tio. Ya tin bajo.

Merry Christmas.

I've noticed that many of the Santas at the malls this year are wearing pajamas. I want to know what happened to his fuzzy red suit. I miss it.

Why is it that when one emotional thing happens, the rest of all my emotional instabilities come bursting forth? It's a torrent. The dam has burst! Quick! Get out of the way!

12 days of Christmas

I know I already posted a clip of Kathleen Battle and Frederica von Stade singing at Carnegie Hall, but I couldn't resist this one. Just look at Kathleen's face. And the puffed sleeves (which seem to double as a barrier to keep Frederica at bay). And check out the conductor's glasses. Awesome.

things i've learned this semester

1. One rotten student can profoundly influence a classroom...for the worse.
2. In Russian, if you say "I want you..." it can mean only one thing, and one thing only.
3. My students prefer me to wear boots.
4. Some students will always cheat, even if they know the answers.
5. Some students will never understand students who cheat. It boggles their mind to even think about it.
6. Armenians are some of the most charming people I have ever met.
7. I'm a dang good reading teacher even though it's my least favorite class to teach.
8. Sometimes cultural differences really do make things unworkable, in and out of the classroom.
9. It's more enjoyable to hug people who are slightly squishy.
10. Koreans generally stiffen like a board when receiving a hug from an American.
11. I can be quite spiteful when it comes down to it.
12. Community education classes (made up of mostly Hispanic residents with full time jobs and families) have the best students.
    
13. Small classes just might be more fun than large ones.
14. I'm too emotionally invested in my job.
15. Some girls really do go to college solely to find a husband.
    
16. I regret to say that I am a pushover. Which isn't really a recent revelation.
17. Cliques are bad.
18. They always say don't grade emotionally...how do you not?
19. Korean Christmases are more like Valentine's day.
20. Wearing a Muslim headscarf can be a fashion statement, even if you're an inactive Muslim and only wear a scarf once a week.
21. Having one or two students who desperately want to learn make all the rest of the crud worth it.
22. I'm very happy to be done with this semester.

a missing t?

Well, it's not really new, just being used in a different way. A few weeks ago, I asked how you pronounce words that have a t in the middle. Words like mountain, center, cater, and rotten. I was hoping to get a wide variety of responses, but then I remembered that only my western friends look at my blog. I've kind of fallen out of contact with my east coast friends who might possibly have had something different to add.

But then again, maybe my east coast friends would have had similar results. You see, dear Utahns, a glottal stop (or the stopping of air in the back of your throat) replacing a t in the middle of a word might not be a true Utahism. Some linguists think that it's actually quite common throughout the country. A linguist from the U of U says that she has observed this pronunciation all around the country, but that it has received a negative reaction only in Utah and Vermont. (Utahns are always quick to be critical of the way other Utahns speak, especially when it's perceived to be "wrong" or "different." That definitely says something about Utah culture, doesn't it).

One of my former professors at BYU suggests that pronouncing mountain like "mow-un" is more common among females under 40 in the west (which happens to be the group of people most likely to initiate a language change...and also happens to be in harmony with your comments). He may be right (who am I do disagree with one of my thesis readers!), but I tend to agree with the U of U professor. I wouldn't be at all surprised to hear someone from Virginia or California or Iowa replacing their t with a glottal stop. I'm hoping the Uof U prof will do some research proving this is a nationwide phenomenon. Otherwise I might have to.

You can read/watch more about this here.

remodel #2

Spare room before:
I was almost fond of the blue sky-scape style wall paper. Almost. Ooo, and those lacy curtains!

Spare-room-turned-library after :

We have another shelf hidden off in the corner where you can't see it. Looking at these pictures makes me want more books. And more and more.

We still have a few things to do...like find a better place than the floor for our internet router. And finish painting the windows (one of us believes in avoiding the less pleasant tasks for as long as possible. The other wants to have them done yesterday. You decide which one of me and T-rav is which).