Saturday, October 22, 2005

One Flu OverThe Penguins Nest


Postcard for Lord Penguin
Originally uploaded by wastedpapiers.
No chickens encountered on my walk into town this morning thankfully but just incase I wore my balaclava helmet back to front and a bag over my head.
Not much to be found but a scratchy Lp of Bob Wallis and his Dixieland Jazz Band from the Help The Aged shop. Also a video of M. Hulot's Holiday which I've always wanted to see again.
I declined Ring Of Bright Water DVD in the Daily Wail as I don't remember it being all that great. I read lots of Henry Williamson when I was younger too.
Archie is actually taking part in a Book Quiz at school and will be getting a bad name as a "swot" if he's not careful. Its all girls mostly who are doing it. He's had to read a book about the first world war - a bit gloomy and depressing for a 13 year old! Ring of Bright Water or Tarka The Otter would have been a better bet. It's good to see him taking part in things though and just hope he doesn't get put off if he doesn't do well. They have a useless awards system at his school now were "Merits" are collected over the year and you have to get 300 or something stupidly high to get a ten pound book token. He says the teachers are very "tight" with them and only give out one or two, even for exeptional work. So far he's only aquired a measly 80 so impossible for him to get the maximum ammount before the end of term. Just adding this postscript. Back from seeing the new Tim Burton film "Corpse Bride" which is great though perhaps not so enjoyable as "The Nightmare Before Christmas". It was spoiled rather by a wailing infant about six rows behind us who's stupid parents seeemd oblivious to his torment and the torment of those in the audience. Poor child will have nightmares for weeks I expect!


Watch a short Quicktime movie about the 6oth birthday of the Regal from a local TV programme HERE.

14 comments:

Nan said...

Hub and I are back just now from seeing "North Country". We give it two thumbs up. No crying babies in this one thank goodness, although a few tears splashed down my cheeks. It's definitely not a movie for children. Few people at all actually. Of course, we were there at 4:30 in the afternoon.

Hub's only complaint was that since they built the new theater with stadium seating, the seat backs are so high he can't rest his arm on the back of my seat anymore. I miss that, too.

It makes me think. . . how do the youth of today date? The fellows can't put an arm around their girl in the movies without pushing her neck awkwardly forward. The cars have bucket seats. And worst of all, they turned our drive-in movie theater into a go-cart racetrack this summer. Poor kids. They don't know what they're missing.

Wastedpapiers said...

The Regal is a nice old fashioned cinema with a slight Art Deco look to it so i suppose it was built in the 30's. Thankfully it hasnt been changed into a multiplex like so many others and still retains its 300 plus auditorium. They have added a small cinema at the side which seats about 150 I guess. Watching a film there is a real treat most of the time.

One can see by your comments cate, how central cars are in the american way of life. In my youth hardly anybody had a car and the roads were pretty much empty! How times have changed! We don't have Drive In anythings - just not the space or the weather over here!

Wastedpapiers said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Wastedpapiers said...

300 seats doesnt sound like many it must be more than that. Ive added a short film of the Regal that was on TV at the end.

hazel said...

Archie is 10 percent diligant about doing his homework....never has a day off and is very well behaved...he takes part in extra lunch time clubs...and is a model pupil (this isn't me being biased the taechers say that too)...And somehow the naughty noisy kids get more merits because when they actually do something right they are showered with merits as its such a shock..it doesn't really encourage good behhaviour..I have even advised Archie that he could try the bad bot approach for a while see if it makes any difference...worth a go eh?

hazel said...

sorry I meant ONE HUNDRED PERCENT..not 10!

Wastedpapiers said...

10 per cent diligent? More than that surely? I think she means 100%. It counts for nothing at Archies school though it seems. I guess we are biased ofcourse and tend only to see Archies side of it.

Nan said...

Michael, your comment to my comment makes me rethink the whole car thing. We do overuse them to be sure, and are quite lazy about it. I never had one or knew anyone with one in college until I met Hub. He had a clunker, but I was very impressed anyhow. I notice in your posts how you and Hazel and Archie do so much walking. You must be much the healthier for it.

Hi, Hazel, It's so nice to meet you. Archie sounds like a fine young man. And it sounds like you've hit the nail on the head about the use of merits in his school. When I taught we used a daily card system in our school with everyone starting every day with five points. That way the well-behaved students still had theirs to tally at the end of the day. I liked that. Although I appreciated them (and thanked God for them every night!), it was easy to take them for granted and the cards made sure I didn't.

hazel said...

Hi Cate..nice to meet you too..
I like your idea of starting the day with 5 points then having taken off you for bad behaviour..much more sensible.I will suggest it at the next parents meeting.

Nan said...

Hazel, I'm glad to be of help. The plan comes from the book, "The First Days of School" by Harry K. Wong and Rosemary T. Wong.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0962936065/qid=1130085085/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_10_2/026-4923592-6894020

I notice there's a CD included that wasn't available before. It's subtitled "How to Be An Effective Teacher", but you don't have to mention that.

Of all the teacher's inservices I've sat through, and there were many, the one we had on this book was by far the most valuable I've ever had. Not only does it help the students, who love to know their teacher has actual plans for organization and discipline and is going to follow them, but it helps the teacher the same way, and when the whole school follows it, the kids know that what they do in any class (i.e. phys. ed.) will have consequences on their homeroom chart.

I always gave rewards based on the accumulated points. When we had a special event that kids with discipline problems were not allowed to attend, it was easy to look at the tallied daily points and simply say, "I'm sorry but you haven't earned enough points to go." I could go on and on but you get the idea. Good luck with it. Cate

sylviasometimes said...

Cates idea sounds very good so I look forward to the school's response when you present it. Sometimes schools can be rather stodgy & slow with changes...so even if they shouldn't go with it, I think the time, encouragemnt, and exposure to so many things will make Archie excel regardless. There may not be immediate "rewards" but surely in the long term. Archie is a son to be proud of, as I know you are.

Roger Stevens said...

Our long lost aunt has been over from Canada. She went back yesterday. She had a good time - her one complaint was all the walking she had to do. Well... walking to the bus stop? That's not much is it? I think she was used to stepping out her door - into a car - and stepping out at her destination.
I like to think she's gone home a little bit fitter than when she arrived.

Wastedpapiers said...

Some people are so incredibly lazy. It amazes me really these people who just drive everywhere, even to the local shop to get a paper!
Michael Rosen on C5 now I stumbled on this programme about childrens books and a new museum just opened called Seven Stories. Did you see it Roger? Quentin Blake was on too talking about illustrating which was interesting.

Roger Stevens said...

Missed it.

As a general rule programmes about children's books make me cross.

Jealousy I guess.