Bloody sponsors

I get that without them, the Olympics might not even happen, but it irks me to no end that these companies are letting prime seats go to waste when there are avid fans who pay big bucks for worse seats and/or can't even get tickets. I saw it first hand in Torino. Before than, I really was naive enough to not realize that that's how the world worked. My earlier post from those games and even notes from that post actually showed that I thought that people just didn't buy tickets. Little did I know. Sigh. It was quite upsetting to me and it seems as though things won't be changing anytime soon.

Sherry Turkle: Connected, but alone?

Sherry Turkle says everything that I've been thinking these past couple of years as technology innovations have become mainstream. Sure, I deeply respect the benefits of these technologies, but the issues that Ms. Turkle shares really concern me. As someone who is actively bucking these technologies, I thought I was alone in my thoughts. And as someone in a field that is really advocating for pushing forward with these advances (although, I would think that most fields engage in these innovations), I feel conflicted. By no means do I think these advances should be banished from our existence, but I'm uneasy about how it will change our society. As an individual who is sentimental and appreciative of our past and certain values and norms, maybe I'm flawed to not just accept an inevitable shift. I know I can be resistant to change, and I can't help but be reminded of the words of educational theorist Paulo Freire, "Change is difficult, but possible", but these words were written to refer to a positive change. Do the benefits of these advances outweigh the drawbacks? I'm not sure.
Having watched the video, my tension with the matter has not been resolved, but I am glad that the debate is out there. I didn't think it was.

(Thanks b, for passing this along.)
A related post.

Oh wow...

"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana." 

I came across this saying today.
It just clicked. I kid you not.
Boy am I slow. To give me a little bit of credit, I haven't heard someone say this (or read it somewhere) in years. Decades, even.
Ha ha ha ha ha...I'm so glad that I can laugh at myself. Sometimes I take myself way too seriously. Luckily, this was a LOL moment.
And for that grand breakthrough in understanding, I deserve a weekend. If only I could finish this assignment and those conference proposals...I give myself 2 hours before I call it quits for the week.

Play Me, I'm Yours

I've seen a couple around the city...have you?
What a wonderful idea!

A nice find

I'm a snob. I can admit it.
So, after being spoiled in Europe with yummy crepes (mostly, courtesy of Bach & Buck) I came back to Toronto, not really wanting to 'risk' eating crepes here. I just figure that my standards are so ridiculously high, that nothing here in the city will compare. And I don't want to ruin the awesomeness that I know crepes are.
Today, I needed to grab something quick to eat and the most convenient thing in the area was a crepe place. I thought, well, I can't be a snob forever (or more importantly, starve...I was really hungry), so I gave it a go.
While I was looking at the menu and waiting for the person in front of me to complete his order, I realized that they were speaking French to one another. Real French. Super French, French. I figured this guy must be a regular, or a friend, or a tourist. The menu was in English, the drink menu that was written on the mirror was in English. Every other customer eating and chatting with their friends, seated in the restaurant were speaking in English. I did notice, however, Frenchie items on the shelf as part of the decor (e.g., a macaron box from Laduree, a shopper from Hermes, a canister from Mariage Freres, un petit pot de la Fleur de Sel). I was intrigued. How would the serveuse address me?
"Bonjour!"
"Ah, oui? Vraiment? On parle en Francais?"
"Uh..."
Quickly, I realise that this is the real deal. I am absolutely giddy but try to remain cool (as if our initial exchange didn't blow my cover!). I place my order, and wait, gobsmacked. I think this can be my happy place when I need a little 'home away from home'.
I'm flattered that the serveuse continues to carry on speaking to me in French. Honoured, actually.
I'm already dreaming about coming back to make this place a regular haunt. It's small, and the menu's not that extensive, but I could make it work. I will make it work.
The only problem is...the crepe wasn't that great...

A woman's woes

I'm not really sure how to process these two articles from The Atlantic. Separately, and in relation to one another.

The Mini-Golf Open

As per usual, this is all kind of awesome.

Spoiled Rotten - Why do kids rule the roost?

This article was mentioned in class last week. It raises a lot of issues to ponder and reflect upon our experiences and practices based on our society, culture, and generation.
One idea that I enjoy is that we should set high expectations for our students (I know the article is about children and focusing on parenting behaviours, but actually, you can apply it to almost any context you want). I haven't, however, read anything about when it gets taken too far and too much pressure is put on the student to achieve at a level that may not be realistic. Now, is that because I have an (incorrect) impression that individuals have a pre-determined potential? Or at what point can the teacher say, "Don't worry, you tried your best", without turning into a "spoiling" behaviour?
That's what I love about teaching (and parenting and coaching and mentoring and managing and..). It's so complex.

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity

I watch this video a couple times each year and every time I watch it, I feel like I get something that I didn't previously get. It's an awesome talk on so many levels.

Celebrating an anniversary with a flashmob

"On the 130th anniversary of the founding of Banco Sabadell we wanted to pay homage to our city by means of the campaign 'Som Sabadell' (We are Sabadell). This is the flashmob that we arranged as a final culmination with the participation of 100 people from the Vallès Symphony Orchestra, the Lieder, Amics de l'Òpera and Coral Belles Arts choirs."

I love me a flashmob. And Beethoven's 9th, well, you can't go wrong with that. It wouldn't encourage me to open an account at their bank, but it's a nice way to celebrate an occassion...and bring a smile to many people's faces.

Art of Packing

I've been seeing this everywhere on the internet in the last little while. Some interesting little tips and tricks, even if you don't own any LV.