Read. Write. Teach.

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Modern Isolationism

Had a conversation with a professor about my college’s “insistence” on bringing hybrid classes into the mix more.  I can’t think of anything more insipid.  We, as a society, are isolating ourselves more and more from each other on a daily basis.

Consider this:  Draw a circle.  Inside the circle, put the initials of people you trust implicity.  You’d ask these people for help, for money, tell them your worst secrets.

Draw a circle around the first one.  Inside that circle, put the initials of people you trust, but not enough to ask for money or tell deep, dark secrets.

Draw a third circle around the first two.  Inside this circle, put initials of acquaintances.

I could barely fill the first circle.  In three years, we’re going to be a nation of people with NOTHING in the first circle.

And we want to isolate people further by insisting on online classes?  Really?

[clcalcutt]

The Learning Power of Chocolate

Everything I need to know about decision making I learned using chocolate.

No, seriously.  Chocolate.

You see, one of the classes I help to teach involves decision making and knowing how to make good life/situation choices.  Every year I have this unit--I like to call it the “What You Are In The Dark” unit-- that focuses on how to make good/rational decisions, even if you think no one is watching you or you think you won’t get caught.

Fact:  When you think no one is watching (or that you won’t get caught), you WILL attempt (or be tempted) to try to pocket things that don’t belong to you.  Doesn’t matter what that “thing” is:  money, food, some item you may possibly want.  If you think no one’s watching, chances are you’ve tried to sneak off with it.

Fact:  If you think someone’s watching (or there’s someone with you upon point of discovery), you will try to get the “thing” to its rightful owner if possible. 

These points have been illustrated time and again by my students.

But Corie, you’re thinking, I know you mentioned “chocolate” up there.  How does THAT work?

Here’s how:

When the students have left the room (gone to lunch, left for some meeting, whatever), I slip in a box of chocolate bars.  It is also a proven fact that if you use food in the classroom as a teaching tool, the lesson sticks longer. :-)

When the students return, there’s a box of chocolate available that no one’s claiming.  The question is, how will the students respond to the idea that there’s chocolate available that’s not theirs, but the owner is an unknown?

Every year, it depends on the students.  I’ve had several (though they are in the minority) that are insistent on finding the rightful owner.  I’ve had a few that fully believe in ‘finders keepers.’  But mostly, I find that they genuinely want to find the rightful owner, and if that fails, they believe they should eat it--because chocolate going to waste?  Egad!

It’s a great way to show students that it’s hard to make good decisions--especially when everyone in the room wants to be heard, and there’s a clash of personalities to contend with. 

What You Are In The Dark, indeed.

[half-feral]

Graphic to go with the Sunshine canon extension story “A Rare Find”.

Just because the damn thing still rips my heart out every time I read it. “I don’t want it. I don’t want it. I don’t want it.”

[clcalcutt]

Some amazing graphic work from the Sunshineverse.  Plus, the story it goes with is quite excellent.  I like.  A lot. :)

[sunshineverse]

Prompt- I would like for Feral Matty to be hopped up on Red Bull. Non-stop questions, touching things, & dangling upside down & just poor "WTF IS MY LIFE" Foggy when Matt doesn't sleep for 3 days!

“I made a huge mistake,” Foggy said, rubbing his face and trying not to groan.

Keep reading

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I am a HUGE fan of the Sunshineverse -- a Daredevil AU series in which the flippin’ aliens come back, level New York (and possibly the rest of the world), a virus turns people into feral critters with a short life span and a 99.9% agonizing death rate.

99.9%, only because Matt Murdock refuses to roll over and accept fate.  Neither does Foggy Nelson, who takes on the role of teacher in addition to best friend, confidante, reasonably competent self-taught medic and ex-lawyer.  Imagine having to teach your best friend, quite literally your only living semblance of family in a fucked-up post-apocalyptic hellhole, how to decipher basic emotions and even speak coherently again.  Why?  Because the virus has rendered Matt emotionally and linguistically childlike, reducing his understanding of things like loneliness and fear to “It hurts” and his speech to an aphasic’s word salad structure on a good day.

The canon stories are a treat (I highly recommend them, and you can find them through the author’s Tumblr and AO3 sites), but this bit is by far the most entertaining.  Foggy learns the hard way that Matt + aged caffiene via an old can of Red Bull = three days of hyperactiveness and ABSOLUTELY NO SLEEPING!!!   Oh, poor Foggy.  FHL. :-)

[agarthanguide]

[katemcginty]

How to love a writer.

[bismillanh-nu-deactivated202006]

Keeping this for my tol writer

[half-feral]

I’m gonna start hoarding tea, cocoa, baked goods, wine, cookies and lovingly crafted fanworks.

[clcalcutt]

This just about sums up all writers in general, really. :-)

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Carrot Juice Is Murder: Music Video This is just too friggin' hilarious. I love the camera work and the veggies were great!

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The Legend of Zelda Theme Song on Wine Glasses, Pots and Beer Bottles It's the last minute or so that sells it--the dungeon theme. We owned Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, but the original was (and is) still iconic.

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Super Mario Bros Theme Song on Wine Glasses and a Frying Pan Because even us old school faithful like being reminded just how old we really are. :) I remember getting my first Nintendo. It was about 1988 or 1989, a Christmas present from Dad. My sister could play; I was more a Duck Hunt kinda girl. Never could coordinate the buttons. What makes the tune even cooler is that I have the theme as a ringtone and the iconic "Coin Noise" as my text alert tone. My students (all around the ages of 18 through 26) still ask who's got the video game in their pocket when it goes off in class. So awesome. :)

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Learning process and old comics

So...new to tumblr, so I forgot to add a post with the video. (Damn. Well, learning process, right?)

I'm kind of a fan of the old-style comic look, and that video (aside from being a catchy tune) reminds me of the Dick Tracy look.  My best friends are both artists, and they adore comics, but I think I'm the only one who likes this style.  Big fan of the old style classics, me. :)

[clcalcutt]

The Alan Parsons Project - Don't Answer Me