Friday Five Questions Cobbled Together and Randomly Answered

[shadowkat]

Grabbing random questions from the Friday Five because I feel like answering random questions.

1. Have you ever been to summer camp?

Yes. But mainly day camps, which are very different than overnight camps and a lot more fun. Only over night camps were brief and in girl scouts, and when I was a kid (6-12) and each time, I had a parent along for the ride.

2. Have you ever made a s'more?

Many many times. Not so much now for various reasons.

3. Have you ever slept under the stars (no tent/tarp)?

Kind of? And I ended up going inside. I don't like bugs?

4. What type of bed do you have (queen, twin, bunk, etc.)?

Queen

5. If you could retroactively erase one TV show from the history of entertainment, which one would you choose?

Toss up between Fox News, and the Bachelor/Bachelorette. For more or less the same reasons.

6. Are you more like your mother or your father?

It's kind of 50/50?

7. If you could take a year-long vacation, what would you do?

Cruise around the world? Or maybe take various train journeys and boat journeys, and walking trips?


8. If you were a crayon, which color would you want to be?

Violet or Purple - a deep purple

9. Which color do you think you would be regardless of what you wanted?

Green

10. Would you rather be used and get blunt, broken and lose your wrapper, or not be used and stay pristine?

Used and get blunt, broken and lose the wrapper.

11. Would you rather be in a small set of crayons or a large set?

Small

12. Would you rather be Crayola, or a different brand?

Different brand.

13. How often do you typically shower/bath?

Two to three times a week now or every other day or every two days, depending. Reason? My hair has gotten older and changed in its oil distribution and taking a shower every day was making it brittle and fizzy. When I was younger I'd wash it every single day - very oily. Same with skin - it strips the natural oils if I wash every day - and I get dry skin and clogged pores. I need to make sure I don't.

14. Do you prefer showering or taking a bath?

Showering. I'm six foot, most of the height is in my legs - baths and me are kind of umixy things, it hard to find one big enough for the legs.

15. What's the longest you've ever gone without a shower/bath?

A week - camping trip. I think it was a week? Yeah, it was a week. We slept in tents, there were no showers to speak of.

16. What do you like most: Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays (and why)?

Saturdays. Because I still have another day off, and the week isn't encroaching yet? Also, I don't have to go to church - not that I am going to church right now - but.

17. Who was your first crush?

You mean outside of Robin Hood, Davy Jones, and Kimba? Hmmm. I think it was Lee Martin. Yeah, Lee Martin - he was a swimmer and I was in the fourth grade. I was also a swimmer. (I'm not sure my Aunt's gay boyfriend who looked like Spike counts?)

18. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

Introvert, or extroverted introvert - basically an introvert who will talk to lots of people, but prefers alone time or doing things by myself, and gets more energy from being alone. People think I'm extroverted when I'm around them, but I'm definitely not.

19. Do you believe in monogamous relationships?

What an oddly worded question? Clearly they exist. I don't know of any non-monogamous relationships at the moment - not that they don't exist either, because they do (see Utah and the Mormons) and various other non-traditional polygamous pairings. Just because I don't personally know of any - doesn't mean it doesn't exist. It's like saying I don't believe in dirt because I've not seen dirt. People? Really?

I think the question should be "do you prefer monogamous relationships"? Because if you don't believe in them? You clearly haven't gotten out much and interacted with many people?? And are a bit self-involved?

20. What are you reading right now?

I can't make up my mind. I keep jumping around. Currently its The Rook by Daniel O'Malley - an Australian author. And when I've got the time, Fair Folk.

I have an itch and I can't seem to find the right book to scratch it so keep jumping about.

21. What is your favorite show on TV?

Apparently still Buffy at the moment? I keep watching things on streaming and forgetting what I watched. Okay, not true - I love love love The Bear. So that's a favorite. And I like General Hospital (although not sure it's a favorite? I kind of hate-watch it with my mother?)

22. What is the last movie you saw in the theater?

Oppenheimer - yes I know, that was in 2023. I need to go see another one. Just ...movie theaters have become uncomfortable and annoying? And I have a 55 inch television set?

23. If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be?

Ceiliac/Gluten Intolerance - all my ailments stream from it.

24. If you could save other people's lives by completing an act that would lead to your own death, would you do it?

Yes. I have a savior complex. I admit it.

25. Would you commit murder if you knew that you could get away with it?

No. I don't want to live with the fact that I took another person or living thing's life. I have problems killing bugs.

26. If you were a fruit, which would you be and why?

Either a pomegrant or a pineapple - they are incredibly hard to eat and require work.

27. If you were stuck on an island, who would be the one person you would want with you and why?

My niece - she's an expert in surviving in the woods and outdoors.

28. If you could change one thing about your physical appearance, what would it be?

Get rid of the mole above my lip.

29. Who was your favorite teacher?

Everett Reese - English Lit Teacher in High School,
Mrs. Viola - in Second Grade
Mr. Simons - English Lit - College
Adrienne Seward - Folklore - College
Joan Stone - Poetry - College

30. Why was that teacher so special?

Everett Reese - English Lit Teacher in High School - taught me how to write critically and utilize words in a succinct manner.
Mrs. Viola - in Second Grade - taught me how to read
Mr. Simons - English Lit - College - taught me how to write meta on cinema, science fiction, and James Joyce, also discouraged me from becoming a professor
Adrienne Seward - Folklore - College - encouraged me to get a Literary Grant, and explore folklore, also helped me when I got one, went to Wales, and collected stories - by providing a place to stay free of charge in London during part of the trip.
Joan Stone - Poetry - College - figured out that I was dyslexic

Kind, taught me how to read, write, and write well and critically. Also figured out that I was dyslexic.

31. Do you think teachers get paid enough?

Nope. Although they have a lot of paid vacation time, just saying. [ETA: apparently they don't get any "paid" vacation time per the comments below. Which seems odd - damn, I thought they had a good union.]

32. Do you have a favorite year of school?

Honestly? It's a blur. I suppose I liked College best, and probably Junior Year.

33. If you could travel back in time and tell yourself something now that would have helped you get through school, what would you say?

Don't take classes that have multiple choice or computerized testing. Also avoid schools and classes that have large lectures and tests like the plague. Don't take Calculus. Don't take Sociology. Don't take French (you have no facility for language). Don't take Modern Dance or Ballet.

Go to a small law school, not a big one. Gonzaga - would have been a better choice.

And most important? Take a lot of art classes - there's no lectures or tests, and you get to draw and paint and work with clay all day. Win-win.

Also, avoid musicians and philosophy majors.

34. What disease are you afraid of getting?

It used to be COVID - but I've had that four or five times, so I'm over it.
Now? Cancer.

35. Are you a big baby when it comes to taking medicine/shots for your illnesses?

Not really.

36. Is going to the doctor really THAT bad?

Yes. It's the wait time. Sigh.

37. Would you have the flu twice a month if you were paid $1,000 for having it?

No.



That cheered me up greatly. Thank you, Friday Five.

Comments

[ann1962]

Most elementary, MS, and HS teachers are paid their summer hours by the money taken out of the school year cheque, and then paid out during the summer. Losing interest too on that. Or they get no pay. Most take other jobs during the summer to make up the salary or as some of the male teachers I knew, drove Uber. Most I knew took courses to get a MA/PhD so they could then get Admin jobs that would increase their salary. As to profs, they are on either a 9 month or a 12 month appointment (if not adjunct.) The ones on 9 don't get paid for the summer. They can write grants for those extra couple months, but then they work.

[shadowkat]

Are they paid for holidays and spring break, etc? Or just not for the summer?

[ann1962]

From my understanding they were paid for all regular paid holidays, per union rules, and state paid dates, and not for spring break. They didn't get anything more than any other job.

[shadowkat]

They aren't paid for Spring Break? I do know each state and school is different - and union contracts vary. NY has a strong teacher's union. So it may vary per school, district, union.

But it seems odd they aren't paid for Christmas and Spring Break, and all the times that kids get off school? Also, odd they don't get paid vacation and sick time? I'd assume they would per union contract? If not, whomever is negotiating that contract sucks at it.

[shadowkat]

My mother was shocked I didn't know this. I didn't. It does explain a lot though - all those summer gigs that teachers grab. Hard profession - grossly underpaid. Bad compensation consultants.

[kazzy_cee]

As an ex-teacher myself, I can say that paid vacation time isn't a thing - it's time to get ahead of the next year, get all the work graded, sort out resources, and research the latest things so that your lessons are up to date and deal with all the fall out from the previous semester. I only ever worked four days a week in the classroom, but I worked full time outside of that, as there's always something to do. People don't understand how long it takes to write assignments, tests and grade papers (and I used to teach more than 100 students).

[shadowkat]

And per the post above, at least in the US, teachers apparently aren't paid for the summer break?

[shadowkat]

Thanks for the information.

I admittedly couldn't teach - the students alone would drive me insane. I was talked out of it by a professor, and my father. Also I didn't like school that much, which is kind of a prerequisite for teaching, I'd think? I remember asking a co-worker once if he ever considered teaching, and he said - "well considering I didn't particularly like school - no." Which is rather good point.

My niece was a TA this year, and hated it. She thought she'd like it - but grading people's essays nearly did her in, the essays they wrote sucked. Worse, they were using AI to write them. You think you had it bad teaching in the 20th Century and early 00s? Try now - now teachers have to deal with computers, the internet, and ugh AI. They are even creating AI programs that help kids cheat - so the teachers can't tell it's AI now. My niece figured out that her students were using AI to write their papers - because she taught AI how to write - and could pick up on it.

[kazzy_cee]

People bought assignments when I was teaching and plagiarised each other (!) and from the Internet. I know it's got a lot worse these days.

[shadowkat]

They don't have to buy them now - AI is embedded in the word processing systems. I'm constantly ignoring it - because I write better than AI does, coders don't write as well as they think they do.

[mefisto]

The Bachelor? I'd have chosen The Apprentice. For that reason.

[shadowkat]

I completely forgot about the Apprentice. I know, I know...

[trepkos]

You Aunt's gay boyfriend who looked like Spike DEFINITELY counts! The more unobtainable, the better the quality of the crush!
"Mr. Simons - English Lit - College - ... discouraged me from becoming a professor" -That's one way of reducing the competition for tenure!

[shadowkat]

Well actually the Professor talked my parents into discouraging me. LOL!

Yep, Aunt's gay boyfriend looked like Spike - and it was the 1970s, so punk rocker, 20 year old white blond hair, blue eyes, long leather jacket, black jeans, and earring. He apparently owned the building that Obama was renting. Also, gay. I remember being disappointed she didn't marry him and she told me that he was gay. I was about 7 or 8 at the time.

[trepkos]

I wonder what he's doing now - and whether he claimed that Spike copied him!

[shadowkat]

Billy Idol? Still touring and releasing albums. He's actually kind of cool. Much better than the Sex Pistols. He's punk too, but I like him better than the Pistols, you can actually hear the lyrics, and he can sing. The Pistols could not sing.

Just released a studio album. And is 69 years old (Marsters is 62).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRBGQHRRm9U

And here you go for what he is doing now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9V7AFAiSGA

He's known for White Wedding.

[trepkos]

Wow! Your aunt's gay boyfriend was Billy Idol? I love his stuff! (I made the DJ play "White Wedding" at both my sisters' wedding receptions!)

[shadowkat]

Oh, no. I got confused. LOL! I thought we were discussing Billy Idol not my Aunt's Gay Boyfriend.

The gay boyfriend died of cancer a few years ago - I think. Obama rented out his building for a bit in DC, when Obama was a Congressman.

[trepkos]

That's a shame. The cancer ... not the rental arrangement!