(no subject)

[gwydion]

* There is fighting in Tripoli. There are varying contradictory reports about the whereabouts of Ghadafi's sons. Green Square has fallen to the rebels and they have renamed it Martyr Square. Ghadafi and Saif were still at liberty when I wrote this, but there is no guarantee that will still be the case when you read this. They are planning an assault on Ghaddahi's compound. The Libyan state TV station has been captured by opposition forces. It is unclear as to how much of Tripoli has been captured, and the fighting keeps moving. There is hope that the Opposition in Libya may prevail in the near future, as in any day. O.o Obama has promised to quickly unfreeze their assets as soon as they have secured Tripoli and established clear control. Fingers crossed, Folks. I'm all excited and weepy.

* The historian in me is all pleased by the mentions in the news of Berber troops riding down from the hills to cut off the western flank.

* There are already some reports of ugly shit happening to women in Libya, just as there have been in Egypt. To be clear it is just as wrong when it's Opposition forces as it was when it was systematic rape and abuse from government forces.

* Mitt Romney, while claiming to be a man of the people, is tearing down his $3 million dollar mansion to make way for an $11 million dollar mansion.

* Rick Perry is now alternately telling people to read his book, published nine months ago, and claiming he never said the things into it. Thus he is alternately claiming social security is unconstitutional and should be abolished and that he never said that, often a day or so apart. This means he is either lying or suffering from dementia. It seems to me either way, it's a reason not to vote for him. After all, a man who can't remember what he said yesterday or wrote less than a year ago, should not be trusted with the highest office in the country, nor should a man who is so busy lying his ass off he doesn't remember that they can just show the tape from several campaign stops within the last week to refute him. It also does not speak well of his intelligence that it doesn't occur to him that they can just do that on the evening news.

I understand why his platform of abolishing social security, medicare, medicaid, public education, and the income tax is wildly popular with the super rich, but why are so many middle and working class Americans supporting him? This genuinely baffles me, as it seems as about as contrary to their interests as can be, yet he's currently neck and neck with Obama in the polls.

* Poor Mr. Huntsman keeps speaking up for objective reality, a stance that makes him entirely unsuited for the Republican nomination for which he is running.

* Bad News Roundup: http://www.sparkindarkness.com/2011/08/bad-news-round-up.html

* Yesterday's oppressive mugginess broke today into a day of Autumn rains. I love Autumn, I love the rains. I endorse this.

* I had two doctor's appointment, swimming, nine errands, and three optional errands. I managed the doctors, the swimming, and eight errands. No thanks to traffic jabs all over town. My errand list for tomorrow is growing already. Today was the first day the pool was open after annual cleaning, so everything smelled like paint and solvents, rough on lungs that already hate the chlorine, but I did okay. I think the time off and the effort expended on unknotting that back spasm helped. The spasm is down to a pain level I can mostly ignore.

While I was doing my hot tub physio, a collection of boys came and sat in a row like crows on a telephone line legs dangling into the forbidden hot tub. To my teacher's eye, they looked to be a mixed assortment of 4th-6th graders. Old habit had me reading their facial expressions, body language, and interactions, the way I used to read a room of kids before class started. I saw three followers, and one likeable class clown. The little guy on the far end likely has a too strict father and will struggle with issues with authority all his life. He had the look of suppressed anger, of alternating rebellion and desire to be loved and accepted unconditionally, of the hole in the heart that can never be filled. He called me Sir. Kids like that break my heart even when I want to strangle them. At the far end was a kid who had not decided yet if he was going to be a bully or a good guy, poised at the edge of a perilous adolescence. Next to him was a classic instigator bully, who I watched like a hawk, again out of habit. He was luring the class clown and the undecided kid into trouble, but they seemed to be okay with the teasing, so I let it go. eventually, the inevitable life guard came and shooed them off.

I would pity any teacher who had all of them at once. Imagine how hard the seating chart would be to arrange, to keep them all mostly out of trouble and limit the damage to neighboring kids. One would have to hope they had the right sort of girls to keep the three most difficult in line. (There are plenty of girl bullies out there, but in upper elementary and middle school you can generally find some girls who are good at suppressing the uglier impulses of boy bullies. Harness that and you do about half the work on quashing boy bullying.) Pity the teacher so dumb as to put their chart alphabetical, as geography is a key tool of keeping the room under control. Luckily, this group was mixed aged enough that no one teacher would have to juggle them at once. Still, it amused me to work out an appropriate pod geography with them and a typical mix of girls in my head while I finished physio. In my imaginary classroom geography, I totally put the instigator bully right up front where I could keep an eye on him, just like I'm betting every real life teacher he'd had for years has done.

* I was pleased by how inclusive Poison Eaters was, but her novels generally are.

* It turned out I lack the last Midnighter book, but that will need to await more money, as will cat meds. I have vitamins again, and emergency money to carry me through the next week. I'd hoped to be further ahead this month, but at least I'm not behind.

* A bottle of Midway and one of Quincey Morris listed today ware already individually up to 51.00 on ebay. I love Midway and QM, but not 51.00 worth. O.o I just sealed a swap for a Count Dracula, which I love like I love QM. No way could i afford an ebay bottle ever, so that's a serious win.

* Speaking of ebay, I really need to do listings soon, but it's so hard to get motivated with all this other stuff going on here.

* I wish I could do this: http://xkcd-rss.livejournal.com/236092.html

* A sweet little October Daye Vignette: http://seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com/381607.html?style=mine#cutid1

Comments

[il-volpe.livejournal.com]

Re: boys. That's hilarious.

I've just applied for a school librarian position, in a private school where the school librarians don't have to also be a certified teacher. I am afraid of this job, but what the hell.

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

Library's easier than classroom teaching. I used to do a lot of it. If you get it, we can talk over details and I can help you figure out what to expect.

[il-volpe.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It's the upper school library, but the academy does k-12 and I'll be expected to help out at the other libraries.

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

At the upper school level, it's mostly crowd control and normal librarian type activities. You may do the occational lesson on using references, citations for papers, and the like, but really, it's mostly ordering and processing new books, managing student helpers, keeping things running smoothly, kicking out miscreants, and the like. You may be responsible for textbook distribution and/or a pod of computers depending on the school. upper school is pretty easy on librarians.

Middle usually involves more lessons on library use and more close monitoring of students. Lower school, you do library lessons and story time. There is less worry about searching for porn on the computers and more teaching of basic skills, helping people find books, and cleaning up as they tend to make a mess of the shelves. Story time is really fun. There's usually a bunch of things involving leveling books and some schools have special reading programs. If you're pitching in rather than in charge, they'll likely orient you and ease you into it. Most likely a middle or lower school librarian will be doing things like lesson planning.

If I were picki8ng a level for you to start with, I'd have picked upper as it involves the least about of intensive socializing and lesson plans. Most high school kids know what they are doing in the library and either 1. are working on a project, researching, writing, or 2. messing around with friends. The kids in the first group will ask for help if they need it generally. The second batch, you warn if they are being loud or disruptive to the folks working. If a warning or two don't work you can bounce them. If they are part of a class using the library as a group, generally, the teacher will sort it before you have time to stalk over there, since the teachers are bored spitless watching their kids work.

A grim and steely glare goes a long way management wise. You can loom up on a loud group and glare them into lowering voices. It's a good idea to know your collection and what sorts of things are popular. There are book lists and publications to give you an idea of good new books. A lot of what you are doing is trying to build a good diverse collection that will help the social studies teachers out when it comes to report time, and a fun and diverse fiction collection so kids can find something they like in various genres.

Mostly, high school kids need light management and time to work on their assignments. They are way less dependent on adults to get where they are going. That goes double for private school kids. Lunch time at our school was crazy in the library, but the actual work periods were quiet because the paper load was heavy and most people were really focused on college.

I know you can do this. It's going to be okay.

[il-volpe.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

I need the confidence boost. If I should actually get a damn interview. I feel pretty set back emotionally these days, because of the Rock situation. Anxiety Kingdom.

What you described as the upper level duties sounds pretty much like the job description. I can handle it and have a good time if I can just get hired, darn it.

Interesting about private school kids being more independent. I don't doubt it, but really hadn't thought of it. Uni Freshmen very often need help learning to use a library, and the nursing-school folks I've been helping online of late do too. And I am forever running into people who need to be battered into recognizing that 'Google' is not a replacement for a library.

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

Oh they can be real assholes, private school kids, but college admitance is the bottom line and very few of them will jeopardize this. 10th grade and up in public or private schools are just generally more independent. A lot of it is developmental, but also, the ones that are still there want to be there on some level.

[greenwick.livejournal.com]

:/ I thought the Libyan rebels had already won. The news articles I'd been reading made it sound like they had stormed the capital, and that was really the last thing they needed to do. I hope they manage, and soon. I am glad to see Obama is pledging support for them.

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

They mostly have, but there is still sporadic fighting in Tripoli, the government forces have fallen back to Gaddafi's home town, and Gaddafi and Saif are still at large. Today, things are organized enough for diplomatic maneuvering to start.

So, technically not quite over, as government forces are still resisting in spots and there has been no formal surrender or capture of key leaders, but the rebels have essentially won. It's a matter of clean up and trying to get enough control quickly enough to limit terrorism, guerrilla warfare, and sabotage in the aftermath. They do hold more than 90% of the country including the capital and all the major cities.

In the real world, these things are often messier than they look on TV.

No guarantee that this will all be true even an hour after I write it.

[greenwick.livejournal.com]

Right, photo op moments are rarely true. So it does sound like they have the upper hand, even if things aren't over yet.

Thanks for the percentage. That puts things into perspective.

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

The celebrations you are seeing are for taking the government compound in Tripoli and for taking most of Tripoli in general. As of a hour ago, government forces were still holding 30ish reporters and support personnel prisoner in a hotel in Tripoli. There is still fighting going on, but it looks like it's nearly over, and short of some massive game changer that no one has anticipated, the rebels are going to win.

[greenwick.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, that makes sense. It is something worth celebrating, then, even if it doesn't mean that everything is over. I hope if they do win and everything settles down over there that the media doesn't just decide to ignore Syria and places where other revolutions are happening. I'm afraid that people are going to just get tired of hearing about it.

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

If it's any comfort, I've been seeing a lot of pundit chatter comparing and contrasting with Syria/looking into implications for Syria wand Yemen.

Do keep in mind that the Libyan resistance asked, nay begged for the sort of intervention that the UN gave them (Air support and advisers, but not invasion). The Syrians are asking for witnesses and international pressure on the government, but not in6tervention. As long as they do not want military intervention, sending it is inappropriate. This is why I try to mention them regularly, lest people forget people are dieing over there, but not advocating more intense involvement.

I worry about exactly what you are talking about, that the eyes of 6the world will turn away.

[greenwick.livejournal.com]

Totally agreed, if they don't want help it isn't our place to send it. It is still so weird how the pundits and politicians talked about Egypt, as if the whole thing revolved around us and it was clearly our duty to go liberate them.

I'm glad that you do talk about this. It would be easy for some of the revolutions to be buried under other news, particularly now that another election cycle has revved up. I know I get too buried in North Korea and occasionally news about queer people, which makes it easy to just ignore all the other happenings.

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

I am always grateful for your Korea updates, as there is so little proper discussion of it.

To may way of thinking, the people in the country should have the biggest say as to what happens. The Middle east is not my specialty, but it's important, and I listen most to the people who speak the languages and have the most up to date information on what's happening and what people are saying there. The Middle East loomed huge in my childhood, and I have kept an eye out, even though I'm a generalist and not one of those experts.

this is why I periodically mention that I'm glad it's not my job to make policy, as there often is no right answer, or a choice between maybe disastrous ones that could turn out brilliantly if the luck falls the right way. That scares the pants off me honestly.

[yaseen101.livejournal.com]

The little guy on the far end likely has a too strict father and will struggle with issues with authority all his life. He had the look of suppressed anger, of alternating rebellion and desire to be loved and accepted unconditionally, of the hole in the heart that can never be filled.

I feel like you unintentionally ended up describing myself. That's pretty much me and my first 10 years of school life in a nut shell. :)

btw,uh, male or female? I can never tell on the internet.

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

There's one in every class, generally. I am always tempted to hit the fathers, so I used to limit contact lest I forget myself.

I hope things worked out for you later on.

I'm androgyne. My preferred pronouns are ze, zir, zim, but I'm not strict.

[yaseen101.livejournal.com]

It's not just father's in my case; it's both parents; emotionally distant-strict Dad and Overly-strict dotting mom.

Thanks.

Ah, I see. I'll keep them in mind. If you don't mind me saying, I think that's why I was getting mixed signals from your posts.

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

I generally don't let the mother's off the hook. it's just i couldn't read the situation with the mother in the small sample i had of the child.

Mixed signals is just fine.

[yaseen101.livejournal.com]

You sound like a very good teacher, judging from this post. There aren't many teachers, much less school officials that manages to understand kids and be on the same wavelength as them.

Ok, cool.

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

I was quite popular. Low levels of management problems, high levels of assignment completion. The kids liked me, the teachers who were good liked me, I generally got along with admin as I'd show up with warnings about fights in the offing, bullying, kids in immanent danger of harming themselves or others, sexual harassment, etc.. My body gave out though. too many genetic time bombs. I loved it, but i physically couldn't do it anymore.

I think I was good with the at risk kids because of my own fucked up childhood. Those would have been my friends if I was their age. People like me generally don't go into teaching. They drop out and do drugs or they end up too angry. I had a quality of unsentimental empathy that is a particularly useful in dealing with kids in trouble. I wouldn't let them off the hook if they were doing something heinous, but I was willing to cut a deal on the smaller stuff if they could pull themselves together. I was willing to go in an advocate for them if they needed help, and I treated the kids who were labelled "behavioral problems" just like everyone else. When they walked into my room, they got a clean slate and an opportunity to live up to the best expectations, just like every other kid coming through my door. for the most part, they hated disappointing me. I was careful to help them out academically in ways that let them save face. I didn't take things personally when things went wrong because it hardly ever was about me anyway. I was open about my goals which were 1. Work gets done. 2. we all treat each other decently. They knew they were safe with me and that i wasn't out to get them. Mutual respect goes a long way towards keeping things running smoothly.

It's how I would have liked to be treated.

I still miss it.