Reprimanding a student for hogging a sheet with group-work questions
Me: Why won't you show her the question sheet? You know, sharing is caring.
Student: But what if we were sharing needles? That wouldn't be very caring.
Me: (retires)
Monday, December 8, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Food?
My grandmother once told me I should live to eat, not eat to live.
My mantra of late has been, just eat what you can, whenever you have time, which is never, really. Something like that, I don't know. I'm a bit too malnourished to make sense of it myself.
The past few weeks have been a nightmare. I am transitioning into the wonderful world of teaching from the slightly-more-wonderful world of being a barista with no responsibilities except determining the proper brewing temperature for the perfect doppio. Since then, I have subsisted on:
My per-hour income has more than quadrupled since I started teaching. But so has my blood pressure, commute time, blemishes and Clif bar wrappers. They say next year will be easier... hopefully by a factor of four.
My mantra of late has been, just eat what you can, whenever you have time, which is never, really. Something like that, I don't know. I'm a bit too malnourished to make sense of it myself.
The past few weeks have been a nightmare. I am transitioning into the wonderful world of teaching from the slightly-more-wonderful world of being a barista with no responsibilities except determining the proper brewing temperature for the perfect doppio. Since then, I have subsisted on:
- Dunkin Donuts coffee, percolated
- Clif Bars (lots and lots of Clif Bars)
- Peanut butter sandwiches... every single day. For lunch. Cute, if I wasn't 23.
- various snacks that comprise the remainder of my daily recommended caloric intake
My per-hour income has more than quadrupled since I started teaching. But so has my blood pressure, commute time, blemishes and Clif bar wrappers. They say next year will be easier... hopefully by a factor of four.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Rant, etc.
ATTENTION COFFEE STORE PATRONS:
If you order a quad-shot frozen mocha with whip cream, or any equally difficult drink, PLEASE TIP YOUR BARISTA. Last Friday, I must have made about 20 drinks in under half an hour (meaning I pulled at least twenty shots of espresso). Not ONE customer tipped! And all those people were going to the wine tasting next door... they're all just out for freebies.
Rule of thumb: If your drink costs $4, you should at LEAST be tipping $1, and you should always tip for any mixed drink. I get more tips for simple cups of coffee than I do for complicated espresso drinks. A barista's job is HARD work, and we put a lot of time and care into each and every beverage, regardless of whether you tip or not. And I make minimum wage, so I really rely on tips to pay bills and such.
One of the benefits of standing for 9 hours a day is that I can make myself fat-filled fully-hydrogenated chocolaty beverages, eat muffins and pastries for lunch and still manage to lose weight, all the while still bloating and PMSing like a raging bull (or cow, since bulls don't menstruate). Seriously. I eat like a monster, and since starting work I have consistently been 3 pounds lighter than before working.
On the downside, my skin is pissed off.
For all the health and wellness benefits that I received from my brief stint as a pesco-vega-tarian (that's my new word; meaning vegan plus fish), I should definitely reconsider. I've tried virtually every cheese in the store, and while I'll miss the St. Andre's Brie (best cheese in the world), I need to do something about this mid-adolescent boy skin. Mama D's muffins, the woman we buy our pastries from, have literally replaced all my muscle mass with fat. I haven't gained weight, but I have lost muscle tone. Boo.
And now for something completely different. I'm thinking of becoming an egg donor. More on that later, Mama D's oat bran muffin is about to put me in a sugar coma.
If you order a quad-shot frozen mocha with whip cream, or any equally difficult drink, PLEASE TIP YOUR BARISTA. Last Friday, I must have made about 20 drinks in under half an hour (meaning I pulled at least twenty shots of espresso). Not ONE customer tipped! And all those people were going to the wine tasting next door... they're all just out for freebies.
Rule of thumb: If your drink costs $4, you should at LEAST be tipping $1, and you should always tip for any mixed drink. I get more tips for simple cups of coffee than I do for complicated espresso drinks. A barista's job is HARD work, and we put a lot of time and care into each and every beverage, regardless of whether you tip or not. And I make minimum wage, so I really rely on tips to pay bills and such.
One of the benefits of standing for 9 hours a day is that I can make myself fat-filled fully-hydrogenated chocolaty beverages, eat muffins and pastries for lunch and still manage to lose weight, all the while still bloating and PMSing like a raging bull (or cow, since bulls don't menstruate). Seriously. I eat like a monster, and since starting work I have consistently been 3 pounds lighter than before working.
On the downside, my skin is pissed off.
For all the health and wellness benefits that I received from my brief stint as a pesco-vega-tarian (that's my new word; meaning vegan plus fish), I should definitely reconsider. I've tried virtually every cheese in the store, and while I'll miss the St. Andre's Brie (best cheese in the world), I need to do something about this mid-adolescent boy skin. Mama D's muffins, the woman we buy our pastries from, have literally replaced all my muscle mass with fat. I haven't gained weight, but I have lost muscle tone. Boo.
And now for something completely different. I'm thinking of becoming an egg donor. More on that later, Mama D's oat bran muffin is about to put me in a sugar coma.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Working hard... or just making coffee all day?
A little of both. I'm a barista now. Yay! In Italy, that would mean something, because there, "barista" is a viable career option. Here, it's what you do when you have a degree in anthropology. Minimum wage plus tips, which averages out to about ... $8 per hour. Yeah, New Yorkers aren't the most generous tippers, even in Ithaca where everything is wonderful and everyone is happy. The store is locally owned (read: not a commercial chain), and I love it, love the people.
I don't love the fact that I closed the store at 9:30 last night, and have to work at 7 this morning. I think that's illegal actually. I got about 4 hours of sleep.
Although I shudder at the thought of working for Starbucks, they do offer health insurance.
But they also have machines pulling their espresso... yuck. I think even my crappy espresso shots taste better than the Starbucks espressos. I guess their goal is to maintain uniformity in each of their beverages, and chose "below mediocre" as their mantra. You can't screw up mediocre!
I don't love the fact that I closed the store at 9:30 last night, and have to work at 7 this morning. I think that's illegal actually. I got about 4 hours of sleep.
Although I shudder at the thought of working for Starbucks, they do offer health insurance.
But they also have machines pulling their espresso... yuck. I think even my crappy espresso shots taste better than the Starbucks espressos. I guess their goal is to maintain uniformity in each of their beverages, and chose "below mediocre" as their mantra. You can't screw up mediocre!
Thursday, September 6, 2007
I'm it
Since I don't have anyone else to tag, here are eight totally random* facts about me:
(*Disclaimer: may or may not be all that random)
1. I love pumpkins. EVERYTHING pumpkins! Halloween makes me go crazy, whenever I see something orange I just want to eat it up. SO happy to have found and modified the perfect vegan pumpkin pie recipe.
2. I have dermatillomania, and have scars all over my back and arms, probably my scalp as well. It started with my scalp when I was little, and just spread out from there. I also chew the skin off the inside of my cheeks and around my nails (but I don't bite my nails).
3. I might be obessive-compulsive about groceries as well.. whenever at the supermarket, I have to arrange the groceries on the conveyer according to how they have to be put away when they get home. Frozen foods with frozen/cold foods. Milk always packed with frozen foods. Eggs and bread together.
4. I am addicted to tweezers! I can't let my eyebrows grow out. And there are large patches on my leg that won't grow because I've plucked them so much. (Maybe I have trichotillomania as well... maybe OCD, but I won't admit it!)
5. I know every bone in the human body, and can identify most from just fragments. I can tell which side they came from as well. But so can everyone else in my forensics and osteology classes.
6. I watch judge shows and talk shows like it's my job. Not having cable since we moved to Ithaca is helping me curb this addiction.
7. I have a pajama shirt that I've been using for at least 16 or 17 years. It's worn completely thin, but the picture is still clear and it doesn't have any holes in it. It's a bear in pjs holding a cup of coffee, and underneath it says "I'll rise, but I refuse to shine."
8. I was the creepy goth girl once upon a time. Now I'm a corporate sell-out. Whenever I show my I.D. (Learner's permit with a picture of me as a 17-year-old), I feel embarassed. I turned bright red a few weeks ago when the girl behind the counter said "That doesn't look anything like you...." I didn't know if she was accusing me of using a fake I.D. or what, but apparently I blushed like mad.
(*Disclaimer: may or may not be all that random)
1. I love pumpkins. EVERYTHING pumpkins! Halloween makes me go crazy, whenever I see something orange I just want to eat it up. SO happy to have found and modified the perfect vegan pumpkin pie recipe.
2. I have dermatillomania, and have scars all over my back and arms, probably my scalp as well. It started with my scalp when I was little, and just spread out from there. I also chew the skin off the inside of my cheeks and around my nails (but I don't bite my nails).
3. I might be obessive-compulsive about groceries as well.. whenever at the supermarket, I have to arrange the groceries on the conveyer according to how they have to be put away when they get home. Frozen foods with frozen/cold foods. Milk always packed with frozen foods. Eggs and bread together.
4. I am addicted to tweezers! I can't let my eyebrows grow out. And there are large patches on my leg that won't grow because I've plucked them so much. (Maybe I have trichotillomania as well... maybe OCD, but I won't admit it!)
5. I know every bone in the human body, and can identify most from just fragments. I can tell which side they came from as well. But so can everyone else in my forensics and osteology classes.
6. I watch judge shows and talk shows like it's my job. Not having cable since we moved to Ithaca is helping me curb this addiction.
7. I have a pajama shirt that I've been using for at least 16 or 17 years. It's worn completely thin, but the picture is still clear and it doesn't have any holes in it. It's a bear in pjs holding a cup of coffee, and underneath it says "I'll rise, but I refuse to shine."
8. I was the creepy goth girl once upon a time. Now I'm a corporate sell-out. Whenever I show my I.D. (Learner's permit with a picture of me as a 17-year-old), I feel embarassed. I turned bright red a few weeks ago when the girl behind the counter said "That doesn't look anything like you...." I didn't know if she was accusing me of using a fake I.D. or what, but apparently I blushed like mad.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Home in Ithaca
On the veg front, I think I've made myself lactose intolerant. I had cut out virtually all milk and egg products for about two weeks (still using honey though-- I never said I was vegan!), but decided the other night to reward my dedication... with a pizza-sized quesadilla, split between Aaron and myself.
I have found myself completely drained of energy, and I blame the lack of animal protein. As an evolutionist, I know better than most that humans evolved as omnivores, our teeth and gut perfectly suited to both meat and plant foods. Our brain runs on fat and cholesterol, our muscles repair themselves with protein, our organs run on carbohydrates, but to ensure an adequate balance of all these things, I think meat is an absolute necessity. My on-the-go veganism has wiped me out, I don't lead a sedentary enough lifestyle to rely on solely plant matter.
So my new plan, although Aaron still questions my resolve, is to leave out all dairy, eggs, and meat with the exception of fish on rare occassions. Once I have more time to balance out my meals, I'm sure that my modified flexigan (flexible + vegan, aren't I clever?) diet will work out better, and I can ensure proper brain functioning with the supplement of animal-based fats and protein once a week or every other week.
Oh yes, and Ithaca? It's wonderful. Could surely use a job though, because I can't see myself paying rent next month with the money I have now.
I have found myself completely drained of energy, and I blame the lack of animal protein. As an evolutionist, I know better than most that humans evolved as omnivores, our teeth and gut perfectly suited to both meat and plant foods. Our brain runs on fat and cholesterol, our muscles repair themselves with protein, our organs run on carbohydrates, but to ensure an adequate balance of all these things, I think meat is an absolute necessity. My on-the-go veganism has wiped me out, I don't lead a sedentary enough lifestyle to rely on solely plant matter.
So my new plan, although Aaron still questions my resolve, is to leave out all dairy, eggs, and meat with the exception of fish on rare occassions. Once I have more time to balance out my meals, I'm sure that my modified flexigan (flexible + vegan, aren't I clever?) diet will work out better, and I can ensure proper brain functioning with the supplement of animal-based fats and protein once a week or every other week.
Oh yes, and Ithaca? It's wonderful. Could surely use a job though, because I can't see myself paying rent next month with the money I have now.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
The plural relationship
Big Love makes me want to be a fundamentalist Mormon. Although I'm sure it's not without its grievances, I would definitely benefit from another woman around the house. Or maybe I could just use a female friend.
Got a haircut today. Boyfriend does not like it. I love it. I have an interview at a law firm tomorrow. No clean clothes to wear. I often write lists of things that happen to me in paragraph format.
Got a haircut today. Boyfriend does not like it. I love it. I have an interview at a law firm tomorrow. No clean clothes to wear. I often write lists of things that happen to me in paragraph format.
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