Friday, August 24, 2007

Five More Random Facts about Random Kath: Back to School Edition

In no kind of order . . .

***I own four pairs of glasses that I wear pretty regularly. I’m pretty nearsighted, so I wear glasses from the time I open my eyes in the morning until I close my eyes at night (and sometimes, if I’m super-tired, they are still on even then!) So my glasses are pretty important to me and I like having choices.

One pair is my cat-eye, tortoise shell-type prescription sunglasses.

One pair is a pair of burgundy wire rimmed, almost reading-type glasses that I wear in the evenings when I’ve changed my clothes into my pajamas and am just hanging around the condo. They used to be my everyday glasses, but they are kind of small for my face and make my face look bigger and rounder than it needs to look. At home, I don’t really care that much. I usually get burgundy colored glasses since they go well with my skin tone. Usually when I pick them out at the optometrists,
they always comment on how people don’t usually pick that color, but it works
for me. My little way of being an individual, I guess . . .

One pair is a blue, oval, wire-framed extra pair that I wear when I’m wearing something blue – blue being one of my favorite colors. They are also around in case I accidentally lose or break my main pair.

My main pair of glasses is an interesting set of burgundy wire rims, in which the frame doesn’t fit around the lens, it sits in front of the lenses with at thin piece
at the top which screws into the lenses. I’d never seen anything like those
before, and they do frame my eyes pretty well – at least, Mr. Random thinks
so.

***When I sit in a classroom, I tend to sit towards the front. Usually, it’s just easier for me to see and hear that way, and I hate having to look around and over people. Also, being a teacher, I know what a pain it is to have everyone gravitate towards the back – What, you don’t like me? Come closer! I don’t want to have to yell the time so you all can hear me! It just makes it so much easier to keep people’s attention and stay engaged with the class. Also, it’s annoying when people come in late and they have to walk all the way to the front to get a seat. It’s kind of disruptive to both the class and the teacher. Now I understand the desire to want to sit in the back to slip out quickly if needed, but please, at least leave a FEW seats open back there . . .

***I’m an old fogey and I still take notes using a pen and paper. My pens of choice are extra-fine point rolling ball pens and my paper (which is getting harder to find) is a creamy beige/parchment colored college-ruled paper, which is easier on the eyes than a bright white paper. Also yellow college-ruled legal pads make me just as happy. I can’t type very fast, so bringing a laptop into class would be useless. I’ve been taking notes on paper my whole life and it works for me.

***I like to try to read ahead before class starts. I like having at least a little familiarity with the topic being discussed – then my brain is free to go down the thought processes of the teacher without having to first parse through what the heck are they are talking about.

***After class is over, I’m usually a little hyper. This is usually the best time for me to read over that day’s materials and start getting mentally ready for the next assignment. Then I usually have to do something mindless (like read a magazine or watch TV) to shut my mind down or I’ll just keep thinking about class stuff for the rest of the night and not get much sleep.

Well, it’s going to be a hot and humid weekend here in the swamps of Northern Virginia. Do you all have any fun weekend plans? Any Random bits you want to share?

2 comments:

mommanator said...

well you certainly r gung ho about your classes! I usually sit in the back,(my last name started with a "W" when a kid) but have as gotten older migrated more to the middle. I too take long hand notes!, although usually once I hear a teacher say something I can recall pretty easily! Helps me stay awake and mind not wander.
Here in MD, the kiddos are with their dad, and she is presently on a visit- so I am here at the house! man the quiet is defining! I can do what I want, so will prob start shortening some pants for the oldest kiddos school uniform, then we are making book bags so will start on one of them- we are crafters, plus the kiddos want individuality! they go to school on Monday-so must get started- did I say I work better under pressure LOL Have a blessed weekend

CS said...

I always sat in the front in college, because it made me more attentive. And when I taught college classes, I always appreciated those students hwo sat up front.