Alright I’m off; the apartment is clean, I’m packed and the car is picking us up at 4 am! Of course after our last night out, which consisted of 2 house parties, a strip club, the bar, and another after party house party, I haven’t gotten much done today. The couch is being too good to me.
I cant wait to get out of Surfers and get to the city to see some of real Australia!
Have a great summer, winter in my case, and Ill email again when I get back in a couple of weeks.
Happy Adventures!
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Friday, June 17, 2005
Mercy
My sister got a new puppy this week. Her name is Mercy and she is a German Shorthaired Pointer. I’m sure Colleen is doing all the right things and spoiling this little cutie well.
You can click on her link to check out more photos of her if you wish. Is there anything cuter than a puppy, I mean besides me?
http://mercyme.myphotoalbum.com/
You can click on her link to check out more photos of her if you wish. Is there anything cuter than a puppy, I mean besides me?
http://mercyme.myphotoalbum.com/
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
3 R's
We are told to follow the 3 R's for many things.
Reduce, reuse, recycle etc...Why doesn't anyone teach the 3 R's for life?
Respect for self
Respect for others
Responsibility for your actions
Reduce, reuse, recycle etc...Why doesn't anyone teach the 3 R's for life?
Respect for self
Respect for others
Responsibility for your actions
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Smootch!
My baby is back! My little iBook came home safe and sound and as good as new. It couldn’t have come sooner. I have 3 days left of school, 2 exams to study for and write, PLUS my portfolio to write for my teaching practicum. God help me, I feel like a truck has hit me.
Monday, June 13, 2005
Here we go loopy loo, here we go loopy lie…
5 days to go and I’m done semester one!
First exam is tomorrow, English. 12 hours of studying today has made me a bit loopy.
Then there’s only 2 left, Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.
I’m still waiting for my computer to come back to me so I can finish my portfolio for my teaching project…my poor little Mac, I miss her so much!
I fly to Melbourne on Monday and meet up with Mom and Dad on Wed. I can’t wait to see them, but selfishly I really cant wait to be on vacation. This semester has taken a lot out of me, I don’t remember Uni being so time consuming and tough. I guess that’s why it’s a masters program.
Alright, there’s only one more thing to say, and that’s
BRING IT ON!
First exam is tomorrow, English. 12 hours of studying today has made me a bit loopy.
Then there’s only 2 left, Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.
I’m still waiting for my computer to come back to me so I can finish my portfolio for my teaching project…my poor little Mac, I miss her so much!
I fly to Melbourne on Monday and meet up with Mom and Dad on Wed. I can’t wait to see them, but selfishly I really cant wait to be on vacation. This semester has taken a lot out of me, I don’t remember Uni being so time consuming and tough. I guess that’s why it’s a masters program.
Alright, there’s only one more thing to say, and that’s
BRING IT ON!
Sunday, June 05, 2005
Im so sad I could cry.
My baby has died...my ibook, the screen went all fuzzy and weird yesterday and then it went blank, and now nothing. The stench of death is in the air. And my credit card is feeling heavy with the decision of patching it or buying a new one. The only big problem is I NEED the computer this week! Its exam study week and I have one of my biggest projects due...which EVERYTHING is on my computer. Hopefully they can salvage the hard drive. But I have a feeling ill be spending 1500 on a new one in the next few days.
So if you don’t see me on line, its because I'm morning the loss of my other half.
Send your contributions to my "I’m a poor grad student and now I have to buy a new computer" fund. Tell all your friends about it.
So if you don’t see me on line, its because I'm morning the loss of my other half.
Send your contributions to my "I’m a poor grad student and now I have to buy a new computer" fund. Tell all your friends about it.
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Here's a thought...
Karla Homolka, who was convicted in 1993 in the sex slayings of two Ontario schoolgirls has served her full 12-year manslaughter sentence (yes I said 12 year FULL sentence for manslaughter of 2, count them, 2 girls) and she is due to be released from prison sometime in the next few weeks.
And yet Chapelle Corby got 20 years in a Bali prison for 4 kg of weed!
This is messed up...come on Canada! Step up, show some guts and punish the people that deserve it. I think Karla should switch places with Chapelle, really see what jail is like.
What kind of warped system do we have?
How can Canadians not be disturbed by this? There should be a countrywide uproar, I know I am, uproared. Grrr.
And yet Chapelle Corby got 20 years in a Bali prison for 4 kg of weed!
This is messed up...come on Canada! Step up, show some guts and punish the people that deserve it. I think Karla should switch places with Chapelle, really see what jail is like.
What kind of warped system do we have?
How can Canadians not be disturbed by this? There should be a countrywide uproar, I know I am, uproared. Grrr.
Great news for education...and me!!!
From the Toronto Star Tuesday May 31:
Schools get more cash to reduce class sizes
The province is spending $126 million to reduce class sizes in early grades, Premier Dalton McGuinty announced yesterday.
By September, 70 per cent of Ontario's junior kindergarten to Grade 3 students — 381,000 children — will be in smaller classes.
"Smaller class sizes ensure our children can get the individual attention they need to succeed," McGuinty told media reporters at Toronto's Holy Rosary School.
"We know that children who start their education in small classes are more likely to stay in school, graduate on time and take on challenging courses later in their education."
By 2007-'08 the government hopes to cap elementary school classes at 20 students.
Yesterday's announcement includes $90 million to hire 1,275 more teachers and $36 million to create more classroom space to support the smaller class size initiative.
The announcement builds on a $90-million investment last year to hire 1,100 teachers to begin reducing class size.
McGuinty also announced a $30.4-million funding package for other elementary school improvements, including:
$18 million for 160 special projects to improve students' reading, writing and math.
$7 million for specialized summer teacher training in writing, reading, math and geometry.
$5.4 million for teams of "turnaround" experts to help in schools where students are having the most problems with reading.
Schools get more cash to reduce class sizes
The province is spending $126 million to reduce class sizes in early grades, Premier Dalton McGuinty announced yesterday.
By September, 70 per cent of Ontario's junior kindergarten to Grade 3 students — 381,000 children — will be in smaller classes.
"Smaller class sizes ensure our children can get the individual attention they need to succeed," McGuinty told media reporters at Toronto's Holy Rosary School.
"We know that children who start their education in small classes are more likely to stay in school, graduate on time and take on challenging courses later in their education."
By 2007-'08 the government hopes to cap elementary school classes at 20 students.
Yesterday's announcement includes $90 million to hire 1,275 more teachers and $36 million to create more classroom space to support the smaller class size initiative.
The announcement builds on a $90-million investment last year to hire 1,100 teachers to begin reducing class size.
McGuinty also announced a $30.4-million funding package for other elementary school improvements, including:
$18 million for 160 special projects to improve students' reading, writing and math.
$7 million for specialized summer teacher training in writing, reading, math and geometry.
$5.4 million for teams of "turnaround" experts to help in schools where students are having the most problems with reading.
Monday, May 30, 2005
News today from grade one
Heather, a quite cute little girl with long brown hair brought in her news today (at home we call this show and tell) Proudly she stood in front of the class and said...
"Good morning everyone, on the weekend my mom cut my hair for me, she cut off 22 cm and here it is!"
Out of a plastic bag she pulled a pony tail of her use to be hair...
A nice little morning wake up for Miss Downes to say the least!
"Good morning everyone, on the weekend my mom cut my hair for me, she cut off 22 cm and here it is!"
Out of a plastic bag she pulled a pony tail of her use to be hair...
A nice little morning wake up for Miss Downes to say the least!
Sunday, May 29, 2005
Schapelle Corby
Here on the Gold Coast there is a lot of talk about Schapelle Corby and the drug case of the century. In case you don’t know much about it:
Schapelle Leigh Corby (born July 10, 1977 SAME BIRTHDAY AS ME!!!!) is a former beauty student from Australia convicted by an Indonesian court of attempting to smuggle 4.1 kg of cannabis into Indonesia.
In October 2004 she was stopped by customs agents at Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali, and found to have a large package of drugs in her boogie board bag, 4.1 kilos of marijuana valued at $80,000.
Despite protesting her innocence, on May 27, 2005, she was found guilty and sentenced to 20 years jail. She was also fined AUD $13,875, with an additional six months if unpaid.
The verdict in the Corby trial was broadcast live on television in Australia, and the Nine Network television coverage was also broadcast live in New Zealand. The coverage included the trial outline, of some 80 pages, the verdict and sentencing.
The defence and prosecution now have seven days to appeal, after which the case could proceed to the High Court, which would then have 150 days to make a decision. If a further appeal were to occur, the case could ascend to the Supreme Court, which would then have 170 days to reach their decision. Both sides have indicated they will appeal the verdict.
The Corby case has generated intense controversy in Australia, where the prevailing public opinion in support of Corby has confronted the Commonwealth Government and caused tension in the relationship with Indonesia.
The Australians are all up in arms about it all and there is a huge ban on traveling to Bali. Many Aussies are protesting the ruling by trying to hurt Indonesia through tourism. For Australians Bali is a number one holiday place and now with all of this going on no one feels safe going there.
Schapelle’s lawyers have put in an Appeal already so hopefully we will find out more and this case will come to a true end, soon.
Saturday, May 28, 2005
beauty waterfall
Walking along the trail we came across this waterfall that we walked behind. The rainforest here is just amazing, what a great hike! And only about an hour from my house!
Mt. Warning lookout
Hiking up to a lookout point was well worth it. Mt Warning is in the background. Bryon Bay, the most easternly point in Oz, can be seen on the coast line.
Kangaroos and Wallabies oh my
We kept a keen eye on the side of the road and just as we were giving up hope we pulled into this parking area and on the grass we saw like 10 wallabies. (Wallabies are just small kangaroos, they weigh something like 20 lbs when a full size kangaroo weighs the same as a person) They are super cute, they look like rat/dog/rabbit/kangaroos.
Drive on the left Stupid!
We took off one Saturday and went for a drive in the mountains, oh yes, they have signs like this all over the coast because of all the tourists driving around...and driving on the wrong side of the road!
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Still here...
Only a week left of teaching and I'm still standing. My class is good, fun, busy, loud, cute, bad, horrible, devils, angels, funny, and most of all tiring.
Today we had the 'stranger danger' talk with the policeman and an old video from the 70's. Too funny for us teachers who are cracking up while the kids are amazed with it.
After that I taught gymnastics...jumping on the trampoline, summersaults, balance beam and jumping through hoops. Needless to say it was a fun day.
But again, I'm zonked...its 9pm and I'm going to bed. I don’t know how my mom has done it for so long, or how I'm going to do it for so long....
Give me strength!
Today we had the 'stranger danger' talk with the policeman and an old video from the 70's. Too funny for us teachers who are cracking up while the kids are amazed with it.
After that I taught gymnastics...jumping on the trampoline, summersaults, balance beam and jumping through hoops. Needless to say it was a fun day.
But again, I'm zonked...its 9pm and I'm going to bed. I don’t know how my mom has done it for so long, or how I'm going to do it for so long....
Give me strength!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)