Pushing the Envelope

A usual post would not do the last few weeks justice. I have entered the beginning of the end, yet it seems like things just keep escalating in work and play. At Web, I have had to force myself to try and return to some sense of normalcy. For a time my English Corner presentations were becoming obscure and absurd. First there was my millenarian phase, with powerpoints on End-of-the-World scenarios and Nostradamus. This was naturally parlayed into NCAA Bracketology, only to devolve immediately into Lawnmower Racing. It's typical for Web instructors to put down a vague or nonsensical topic and then settle on something and revise it the day of, but I was actually creating whole lectures on vague and nonsensical topics (Strangely enough, my discussion on "Beating the System" went well, despite not knowing what the "system" was or how to beat it) It had to stop before I tapped my inner-Samuel Beckett and began to fry their brains (and mine). Lately we've been back to talking about housing and food.

My increasingly-abstract topics in EC was probably a reaction (and catharsis) to the outright boredom I was experiencing with the standard Web lesson plans, especially the "Business English" ones. I try and finish the truly-awful ones early, if I even attempt them at all, and try and have discussions with the students. I've had some interesting conversations, but most are repetitive. When I ask them for something they want to discuss, it is either my home or movies.

Fortunately my day job has become more interesting. My college students are talking more and I've been busier with things around campus. The sudden arrival of summer brought more opportunities for sports. I've played Tennis with Steve for several weekends now. Tragically I did not take a picture of his "tennis outfit" on the first day. Now not even the purple socks remain. Usually we end up having to share the courts with the Tennis classes--a gaggle of girls who hit the balls everywhere while the coaches just stand and gossip. My friend Max has more pull with the local powers so when I play with him we get the court to ourselves.

Gettin' it Done

It's also basketball season. I've been playing on our department team, managing not to embarrass myself too much. After years of watching, I'm starting to learn the fundamentals of actually playing the game. Basketball needs a position for someone who just passes the ball, because that is what I am good at--I mean, who needs two point guards? At the same time the student leagues have been playing, and I've had a chance to watch my tutor Shen Yang lead his team: The Foreign Language Institute "Denver Nuggets." They have some good players, especially a point guard who is named "Anthony" according to the back of his uniform.

Mach's gut (and hao bisai)