Adrift in NS

rowboats in Peggy's Cove
Rowboats in Peggy’s Cove, NS
I’m in Halifax, Nova Scotia, for the first time ever, for the impending nuptials of my very dear friend Alison and her fiance, John. Today Ali and I toured around, hitting Peggy’s Cove, among other picturesque coastal towns. I’ll be adding more pictures as the week wears on, and in the meantime, there are more here.
Identification of the strange dark red flowers, by the way, would be much appreciated.

I swear to…

from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

God [definition #19] there is a God! spoken said when someone is explaining that something very good happened to them at a time when they thought that their situation was very bad: In walked four gorgeous, blond Swedish boys, and I thought, ‘There is a God!’

Psychology of Learning Journal Three

Reflections on Multiple Intelligences
Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences makes a lot of sense to me. Over the last few years, I have become increasingly aware of distinct differences among students in terms of the different tasks and texts they enjoy, their performance in different assessments, and their individual ways of approaching specific assignments such as oral presentations.

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This is only a test

What do the following people have in common:
Carson Daly
Freddie Prinze
Cyndi Lauper
Meryl Streep
Lindsay Wagner
Todd Rundgren
Ed Bradley
Kris Kristofferson
Billy Wilder
John Dillinger
… and me?

Now it can be told

Some of you are already familiar with the following. I wanted to wait until things were official before blogging about it, for what I assume are obvious reasons.
Spring 2005: Learn that I have a full course load for the Fall 2005 semester but that it’s doubtful that there will be any courses available for me in the Winter 2006 semester.
May 14: Clean up the office, store everything in a seldom-used AV closet across the hall, and come home for the summer.
May 18: On a routine surfing of relevant sites, discover that Vanier College has a last minute posting for positions in the English department.
May 19: Drop off my CV and cover letter at Vanier en route to the usual Friday lunch with Dina et al.
June 3: Get a phone call from the current coordinator of the English department at Vanier, requesting an interview.
June 7: Interview
June 9: Retrieve a phone message from same coordinator, asking me to confirm acceptance of three courses – a full course load – at Vanier for the Fall 2005 semester.
June 9: Accept
June 16: Drive to Lennoxville, say my goodbyes, and pack office into car:
carboot.jpg
Upshot: Get to live at home with husband and children!
The goodbyes were many and sad – I will miss Champlain so much! I made a lot of good friends there, and I had a great time working there. If the administration had agreed to my frequent suggestion of moving the whole shebang a mere 140 km closer to Montreal, I would still be there. As it stands, I haven’t officially quit, since Vanier can’t be any more definite about available courses after this coming semester. Realistically, though, I think everyone knows that this is pretty much the end of my Champlain career. Thankfully, everyone there is very supportive and understands why I have to leave.
I’m already scheduled to go back next week – the Rogue Women, a group of… well, women, who get together on a fairly regular basis to celebrate each other’s birthdays, and who welcomed me immediately into their ranks when I started at Champlain two years ago, are getting together for my birthday.
Obviously, I am very happy about the new gig at Vanier. I was at Vanier as a student years ago, and I consider that time the happiest I ever was as a student. Walking onto the campus feels good. There are teachers and other staff there who were there then, who remember me and are very welcoming! I have interesting courses to teach, and the department people I’ve met so far are friendly and interesting.
As I’ve said to a few people, if I can’t stay at Champlain forever, then Vanier is the place for me. Granted, there are not that many options when it comes to English Cegeps, but Vanier is at the top of my wish list – and even if there are no courses there in the Winter 2006 semester, my foot is in the door, and it’s only a matter of time before I’m there permanently.

Psychology of Learning Journal Two

One week ago, our class attended a lecture at John Abbott with Dr. Henry Giroux, a recent emigre from the US, who now teaches at McMaster, where he holds the Global Television Network Chair in Communication Studies. Giroux, who looks at little like the love child of Woody Allen and Joey Ramone, is a fascinating mind with a lot to say, especially when it comes the the US education and political systems.
Giroux and his wife, Dr. Susan Searls-Giroux, left the States for Canada – they are actual physical manifestations of the legendary intellectual arkload of people who fled the US when the Bush league were reinstated. Yes, Virginia, they really exist.
The following journal entry is how I responded to Giroux’s talk last week.

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