Jump to content

Menu

Imprimis

Members
  • Posts

    1,399
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by Imprimis

  1.  

     

     

    I assume that a rational, thinking adult is capable of knowing that "What the..." can end with other words.

     

     

     

    Why are this person's standards more important than that of the OP's family?

    If she had simply said "hey, that can be taken wrong", then I would be more forgiving. As described, the teacher comes across as a bit of a busy body.

     

    Yep. And, I wouldn't have had any problem with the teacher advising the child to not use the phrase while in co-op, but that's where it should have ended, imo.

  2. I understand that she didn't say the word. That's why I asked if you would feel the same way if she had. She wasn't being corrected for something she didn't do. She was being corrected for saying, "What the..." which was obviously deeply offensive to the teacher. As evidenced by myriad opinions in this thread, the meaning is not ambiguous to a great many people.

     

    The bottom line is that this woman felt like the child might as well have said it, that she implied it. So, of course she would address it. You have to get into her head a little, to understand my reasoning for defending her, I think.

     

     

    So, a grown woman is deeply offended by an 11 yo child's use of the phrase "what the," and that makes it ok for her to use a blatantly vulgar word in front of the child to "correct" her? Talk about being offensive!

  3. I believe the co-op teacher was way out of line.

     

    It's one thing for her to pull your daughter aside and tell her that particular phrase is not permitted in her class (and I wouldn't take issue with that), but, for her to insist that it means something it obviously does not to your daughter, is ridiculous.

     

    As others have expressed here, "what the" is an ambiguous expression. I certainly wouldn't want someone imposing their own interpretation of an ambiguous (and innocent, to many of us) phrase on my children.

     

    And, for her to actually use a vulgar (an definitely NOT ambiguous) word in your child's presence pushes it beyond appropriate.

     

    I have two older kids, and around here "what the" IS the full expression. Used to express surprise, confusion, or incredulity. Honestly, if the "F" were intended, kids today do not stop at "the."

     

    I'm very sorry your daughter experienced something like this. :grouphug:

  4.  

    When I read Frankenstein last year, I also read a biography of Mary Shelley: The Monsters: Mary Shelley and the Curse of Frankenstein. If you found her fiction depressing, you would find her real life even more depressing and sad.

     

    Have you read Dracula yet? That's another 'classic horror' I finally read in the past couple of years. Even though I'm glad I read Frankenstein, I enjoyed Dracula much more overall as a story.

     

     

     

     

    Haven't read Dracula yet.

     

    But, now I really want to read the biography you linked, and have added it to my list. It looks really, really good, albeit sad. (I will never get through my wish list, Stacia, if you keep linking all these compelling books :)) I've always been so fascinated by the ties between Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, and some of the other young writers of their time.

  5. I finished Mary Shelley's Frankenstein this week.

     

    Like Robin and Stacia, I found it to be different from what I expected. But, of course, I grew up with "The Munsters," and Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein :) (a fun movie, btw!)

     

    I was shocked to read Mary Shelley was just 19 years old when she wrote Frankenstein; the broad range of themes covered seem beyond the scope of the average teen----Nature vs. nurture, good vs. evil, blind ambition, rejection, revenge, science and technology being just some of them.

     

    While I found the book interesting, I also found it a bit depressing.

     

    I did, however, chuckle a bit when reading the monster educated himself by reading Paradise Lost and Plutarch's Lives. TWTM (The Well-Trained Monster?) :D

     

    For a complete change of pace, I'm now reading Bella Tuscany: The Sweet Life in Italy, Frances Mayes' follow-up to Under the Tuscan Sun.

  6. Lots of good dining recommendations so far!

     

    One thing I would add: Don't hesitate to try some of the resort restaurants just because you're not staying onsite. It's very easy to take the monorail to The Contemporary, The Polynesian, or The Grand Floridian from the Magic Kingdom.

     

    And, if you're in Epcot, you can walk to the Epcot resorts---The Yacht and Beach Club and The Boardwalk to dine at their restaurants using the back entry/exit of Epcot located just past the United Kingdom pavilion in The World Showcase.

     

    One of our favorite new restaurants is The Wave in Disney's Contemporary resort. The focus is on seasonal, fresh, local (when available), healthy (but delicious!) ingredients. The vegetarians as well as the meat-eaters in my family love The Wave. I love the Grilled Tenderloin and the Avocado and Citrus salad there. My vegetarian daughter always orders the Seasonal Vegetable Stew.

     

    Another favorite is The Flying Fish at The Boardwalk. My not to be missed dish there is the Potato wrapped snapper.

     

    The best burgers and milk shakes, imo, are at Beaches and Cream, located near the pool at Disney's Beach Club Resort.

     

    If you enjoy planning ahead, here's a link to menus from all (or at least most :)) WDW restaurants.

  7. Well, I would have preferred for my son to take piano first, but he wanted to go straight to guitar. So that's what he did. Two and a half years later, he is able to read music as well as guitar tabs, and is acquiring a good bit of music theory thanks to a wonderful instructor.

     

    You could ask any prospective instructors how much theory is incorporated in their lessons. For me, it was important to find an instructor who focused on theory.

  8.  

    If you like the idea of Victorian London, historical fiction, & steampunk, please, please read The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder. I *absolutely* loved it & it is by far the best book I've read this year.

    From Booklist:

    "*Starred Review* The usual superlatives for really clever fantasy (imaginative, mind-bending, phantasmagorical) aren’t nearly big enough for this debut novel. With this one book, Hodder has put himself on the genre map. The time is 1861; the place, London, England. The country is besieged by loups-garous (werewolves), and Spring Heeled Jack, the notorious (and possibly mythical) creature who appears out of nowhere to accost young women, is causing a bit of a ruckus. To deal with these problems, the prime minister recruits Sir Richard Francis Burton, the noted explorer, linguist, and self-promoter. With the help of his friend, the poet Algernon Swinburne, Burton wades in with both feet and uncovers a frightening conspiracy and a (potentially) world-altering technology. And that’s just the bare-bones story of this wildly inventive—another insufficient superlative—novel. Hodder has brilliantly combined various genre staples—time travel, alternate reality, steampunk—into something you’ve never quite seen before. His mid-nineteenth-century Britain features steam-driven velocipedes, rotorchairs, verbally abusive messenger parrots, a pneumatic rail system, and robotic street cleaners. The book’s supporting characters include Charles Darwin, Florence Nightingale, Francis Galton, and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the revolutionary civil engineer (although Hodder uses them in excitingly twisted new ways). The book is incredibly ambitious, and the author pulls it off like an old pro: not only is the setting exciting and fresh, the story is thrilling and full of surprises. Hodder’s only problem now is to find a way to follow up this exhilarating debut, which will appeal not only to sf/fantasy readers but also to mystery and historical-fiction fans."

     

    Mark%20Hodder%20-%20Spring%20Heeled%20Jack.jpg

     

    YES! You know, I had this on my B&N wishlist a couple of months ago, but, I guess it was deleted somehow. I had forgotten all about this book. Thanks for mentioning it again!

  9. I read "When We Were Orphans" earlier this year & really enjoyed the atmospheric feel of it. Have you read Ishiguro's "The Remains of the Day"? It's just perfect.

     

    I read "Frankenstein" last October & found it was somewhat different than what I expected. I am curious to hear your comments after you read it.

     

    I believe I learned about Ishiguro from you in a previous thread, Stacia. I haven't yet read Remains of the Day, but it's on my list.

     

    BTW, I've also added Map of Time to my list. Victorian London, historical fiction, steampunk? Sounds like a great read!

  10. I'll let you in on a secret, not my home, shhhh, don't tell anyone! :001_smile: They flew me to Michigan to film, close to where the historian and phonograph expert were. Saves money. It was a great house - 1920's Craftsman cottage which had been remodeled. Great kitchen!!

     

    Mary

     

    I was just coming back to post how my teen daughter and I loved your home and the segment! We really enjoyed watching.

  11. Is it possible to just get the book without the CD's and use the program this way? I know the older version book has the teaching right in the book as well as on the CD's. Does the newer version have the same amount of teaching in the books as the older version? Thanks!

     

    I've had both the old and now the new version of TT Algebra 1. The new version's text still has the written lessons, practice problems and problem sets.

  12. Wow. I guess I'm very lucky with my Barnes & Noble. They never question my educator purchases. I don't get a discount on the cheaper online prices, but I'm okay with that.

     

    I rarely buy from Amazon anymore. I want to support local businesses and especially bookstores. I've heard about too many bookstores closing. The thought of not having a bookstore nearby scares me!

     

    I'm sorry so many of you have had problems with B&N. That doesn't bode well for the store's future. :(

     

    I agree with all of this. I love my B&N educator card. I've never encountered a problem, even when using it out of state.

     

    I do also have a B&N membership, only because I spend a lot of time (and money) at B&N, and I use the membership card for discounts on magazines, DVDs, and the cafe (no educator discount for these items), as well as for the free shipping without a minimum online purchase.

×
×
  • Create New...