Posted 4:19 AM by Lodger
Twelfth Night was fantastic. Best Shakespeare production I've seen. I'm looking forward to taking in as much Shakespeare as I can while being here. Also, would love to see Jerry Springer - The Opera, which has left the National Theatre and is now playing in the west end. A crazy idea, an opera about a sleazy talk show, but apparently very good - the second act sounds particularly entertaining. Jerry dies and goes to hell and hangs out with some other dead scumbags.

So... our school inspection begins Monday. The tension in the staff room has been unreal. However, they (the inspectors, the government) say now that it's a happier, kinder inspection these days and that the experience should be relatively painless. At dinner last night with some teachers from another school, I here about how after inspections firings do sometimes occur! Not sure what to believe, but quite confident I am not firing material. Still. It's a frightening thought.

Marking to do today. Planning tomorrow. Gonna squeeze in Kill Bill Part One tomorrow as well.

Bye.

Posted 8:32 AM by Lodger
Quick update from the staff room computers...

Today was a good day. Had a breakthrough lesson with my year ten boys (who are fourteen... said they were thirteen in last entry). Overhead projector is the key, I think. They need something to focus their attention on.

The week has gone by fast. Scares me a bit. In this job, time seems to just fly by because you never get a moment to stop and think... it's go, go, go. When these fast weeks have turned into fast years I may up one day and say, holy shit, was that really it? Where did the time go? Of course, everyone goes through this at some point in their lives, the obligatory existential crisis. For some it comes earlier, some later. Thirty-one seems to be magic number for me. For many it's probably later. For some neurotic types, I'm sure it comes earlier. For Woody Allen it began in the womb. The source of my recent existential angst is likely rooted in new career, new life as single man, new country. Understandable (or so I tell myself).

Tomorrow I get to smell the roses a bit, though. Some of us English staff members have tickets to the Globe to see Twelfth Night. I love the play, and it should be a good production. Saturday Fariba's hosting a Moroccan night at our place. Not sure what to expect, but know it will be, um, Morrocan.