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Hey all, we’re effing engaged! (And showing off a dwarf lilac bush.)
Monthly Archives: May 2006
Tagged with Diane Arbus
I totally effed my c when I saw this:
Anton and Dena have been playing with this style of art, and it never occured to me to spread the love of well-known artists this way. Diane Arbus is one of my heros. She used to bring two cameras to her shoots with carnie folk, and would bring out this rigged camera that would fall apart as she used it. Then she’d cry, and gain sympathy. Then she’d pull out her usual camera, and get these amazing shots.
“Most people go through life dreading they’ll have a traumatic experience. Freaks were born with their trauma. They’ve already passed their test in life. They’re aristocrats.”
Read more about Arbus, and see the original photo. You’ll notice that the graffiti is reversed.
ISIS forms may have impact!
One of my Bloglines feeds is Cognitive Daily, a website that posts interesting cognitive psychology articles, breaking them down into layperson’s terms. (Yup. Layperson.)
My eye was caught by the article: The Six-second Teacher Evaluation .
From the article:
From the teacher’s perspective, however, the students can’t possibly have enough information to make an effective evaluation of their teaching. A college course represents just a tiny sliver of the total knowledge in a discipline, and even after a semester in a college course, students are in no position to make judgements that will impact a faculty member’s entire career.
A 1993 study by Nalini Ambady and Robert Rosenthal found just the opposite: students actually need much less information to make judgements that accurately predict end-of-semester evaluations.
This makes me feel better about spending time filling out the University of Illinois’ ISIS forms. I’ve found that all through the semester, I think of things I am dissatisfied with, but come ISIS time, I’ve completely forgotten – most likely because I have finished the course, and therefore don’t care anymore.
This semester, I tried taking notes as I thought of stuff. This is kind of scary and incriminating (if, say, my mini Post It becomes affixed to something I hand in), but in the end, I tend to come up with more constructive comments than just “LIS502 needs an overhaul”.
I like the idea of having the opportunity to give feedback that will help teacher become better – and make classes better for those who come after me (Marti and Sara).
DIY Food
Overheard last night at Steak ‘N Shake:
(two young female voices)
“I’ll have the chicken strip basket and fries.”
“Nothing for me.”
(waitress leaves)
“You can’t not eat! I’m not eating by myself.”
“I already ate – I’m just company for you.”
“You should totally eat – you’re so skinny anyway. You’re like 90 pounds.”
“Yeah, but I’m only five feet tall. You’re the lucky one, you’re tall.”
“Whatever, you’re skinny. And last night at the show there was this, like, really short girl down in front and she totally got pinned against the guard rail and they had to, like, rescue her. She was super short. She was like four-eight.”
(silence, then same girl speaks)
“She was literally a midget.”
“Oh my god – I’m so glad I’m not any shorter!”
“Yeah, I think anyone shorter than five feet is legally a midget.”
“Wow. We’ll I’d better not shrink.”
“Why not? You could have a handicapped sticker.”
“And park anywhere I want?”
(discussion of handicap benefits continues as Jason and I pack up and leave)
Much like the DIY frappuccinos from Lifehacker,
I was pondering how I could indulge my desire for tiramisu.
I looked around my kitchen,
and decided that I could do it, using animal crackers, decaf coffee, and plain yogurt.
Then I thought about it more, and decided that as much as Food Mcguyver sounds like fun, soggy animal crackers smeared with unsweetened yogurt was just not going to cut it.
I think animal crackers COULD work, with maybe some actual espresso and some heavy whipping cream.
I suppose a nice summery snack would be animal crackers, coffee, and fat-free cool-whip. That ought to do. Right?
Literally a midget
Overheard last night at Steak ‘N Shake:
(two young female voices)
“I’ll have the chicken strip basket and fries.”
“Nothing for me.”
(waitress leaves)
“You can’t not eat! I’m not eating by myself.”
“I already ate – I’m just company for you.”
“You should totally eat – you’re so skinny anyway. You’re like 90 pounds.”
“Yeah, but I’m only five feet tall. You’re the lucky one, you’re tall.”
“Whatever, you’re skinny. And last night at the show there was this, like, really short girl down in front and she totally got pinned against the guard rail and they had to, like, rescue her. She was super short. She was like four-eight.”
(silence, then same girl speaks)
“She was literally a midget.”
“Oh my god – I’m so glad I’m not any shorter!”
“Yeah, I think anyone shorter than five feet is legally a midget.”
“Wow. We’ll I’d better not shrink.”
“Why not? You could have a handicapped sticker.”
“And park anywhere I want?”
(discussion of handicap benefits continues as Jason and I pack up and leave)