Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts

Saturday, February 19, 2011

49/365 - learning a foreign language

"Quack,quack...quackity quack" - Sometimes that's all my students hear ;)

It was a good thing I took this picture during announcements. I came home from school and took a nap that ended up being 9 and a half hours long. Guess I was pretty tired!

This picture didn't turn out the way I had hoped, but at least I have one to post for day 49.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

34/365 - Spanish tortilla


My students love tortilla! During an annual school fundraiser for the needy, my classes compete against each other to see which one can raise the most money. My Spanish 3 class (not the buggers that made me cry) won this year. They chose tortilla as their reward.
I make several at a time and this time I made three. It's a small class so 2 are for them and one is for me to take pictures of (and to eat!) I don't make it very often, only about once or twice a year. It's time consuming since I make multiple batches. It took much longer tonight. I was out of the routine and I was stopping to take pictures. Total time: 3 hours.
Here's the recipe:
1 cup olive oil
coarse salt (Kosher salt is coarse)
4 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced (mild one like the 1044 if available) - optional I usually use onion powder or leave it out. (I HATE onions)
4 large eggs

1. Use a large non stick pan for the first part of preparation and a 9" or 10" non stick pan for
the final preparation.
2. In large pan, layer potato, onion slices, olive oil and coarse salt to taste.
3. Cook over medium heat, lifting and turning the potatoes/onion occasionally, until they are
tender but not brown.
4. Don't be afraid if they brown a little, you want them to be cooked.
5. The potatoes will remain separated, not in a "cake".
6. Meanwhile, in a large bowl beat the eggs with a fork until they are slightly foamy.
7. Let stand until potatoes are done.
8. Remove the potatoes from the skillet and drain them in a colander, reserving about 3
tablespoons of the oil.
9. Add the drained potato/onions to the beaten eggs while the potatoes are still hot.
10. Press the potatoes down into the eggs so they are completely covered.
11. Let mixture stand for 15 minutes.
12. Heat two tablespoons of the reserved oil in the 9" pan.
13. Add the potato/egg mixture to the pan rapidly spreading evenly with a pancake turner.
14. Move the pan around and shake once in a while to evenly brown the mixture and keep it
from sticking.
15. You can use the edge of the pancake turner (or a fork) as the mixture sets to form the
sides to a more vertical orientation away from the sides of the pan.
16. Once the mixture is brown (this is the tricky part) place a large plate upside down over
the pan.
17. Turn the pan upside down, add a little more of the reserved oil, then slide the uncooked
side of the potato/eggs back into the pan.
18. Continue cooking until browned.
19. Flipping the tortilla two or three more times will help give it shape.
20. Once cooked, allow to cool several hours and enjoy!

Monday, January 31, 2011

31/365- Raindrops and yesterdays that become todays


Yesterday I Cried by Iyanla Vanzant

Yesterday, I cried.
I came home, went straight to my room,
sat on the edge of my bed,
kicked off my shoes, unhooked my bra,
and I had myself a good cry.
I cried until my nose was running all over the silk blouse I got on sale.
I cried until my ears were hot.
I cried until my head was hurting so bad
that I could hardly see the pile of soiled tissues lying on the floor at my feet.
I want you to understand,
I had myself a really good cry yesterday.

Yesterday, I cried,
for all the days that I was too busy,
or too tired, or too mad to cry.
I cried for all the days, and all the ways,
and all the times I had dishonored, disrespected,
and disconnected my Self from myself,
only to have it reflected back to me in the ways others
did to me the same things I had already done to myself.
I cried for all the things I had given, only to have them stolen;
for all the things I had asked for that had yet to show up;
for all the things I had accomplished, only to give them away,
to people in circumstances, which left me feeling empty,
and battered and plain old used.
I cried because there really does come a time when
the only thing left for you to do is cry. ...

...Yesterday, I cried.
I cried because I hurt. I cried because I was hurt.
I cried because hurt has no place to go
except deeper into the pain that caused it in the first place,
and when it gets there, the hurt wakes you up.
I cried because it was too late.
I cried because it was time.
I cried because my soul knew that I didn't know
that my soul knew everything that I needed to know.
I cried a soulful cry yesterday, and it felt so good.
It felt so very, very bad.
In the midst of my crying,
I felt my freedom coming,
Because...

Yesterday, I cried
with an agenda.

My yesterday was wonderful. Today...not so much. While I haven't sat down to cry with an agenda, by the end of the last class period, I was fighting hard to keep it swallowed. Those lovely little darlings can sometimes reduce me to tears.

Friday, January 28, 2011

28/365-M and M Rap?

I wrote a new grammar rap for my students. I have written quite a few songs for them already, but this one was probably the hardest. It was about using the preterite or imperfect tense. What made it a challenge was that I did it to an Eminem song. I now have a greater appreciation for his lyrics and his style. Trying to "spit rhymes" like he can is difficult! I guess that's why he gets the big bucks and fame. I don't think I'll quit my day job...yet:)

Exposure 0.4
Aperture f/4.0
Focal Length 11.8 mm
ISO Speed 100
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire