Category: Uncategorized

I started TESOL training this week!!!

EmmaLeave a comment

Hey readers,

Keep visting b/c I’m always updating!  I want to see more comments, too.  I started my TESOL course, and think I’m the only one w/ experience of school teaching/subbing/tutoring in the class.  So, I feel pretty confidant!  (I need a boost after being down on myself for quite some time.)  The other students (a VERY diverese grp!) are interested in going to China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea.  Not everyone has decided- we have time.  I want to go somewhere to get the most money b/c I need it! 

All the best,

EMMA.

 

 

 

Quotes for today:

 

A man who fears love fears life.

-Father Peter Clifford, Ballykissangel (Series 1, Episode 4)

 

Peter says this to Ambrose, a young police officer who gets cold feet before his wedding to his long-time girfriend, Niamh. 

 

 

 

Let me tell you girls a secret- that took me 30 plus years to find out- men and boys are more afraid of you than you are of them.

 

-Ramona, The Real Housewives of New York City

 

Ramona gives a bit of advice to her 13 y.o. daughter Avery and her group of school friends.

 

  

 

 

Pics for today:

 

thurs-041609-001

 

thurs-041609-002

 

Movies I watched today:

 

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

 

This is a FUN 1954 musical w/ GREAT dance numbers!
A V fun 1954 musical w/ GREAT dance numbers!
Howard Keel and Jane Powell
Howard Keel and Jane Powell

 

 

13 Going On 30

 

Matt (Mark Ruffalo) & Jenna (Jennifer Garner) dance at a photo shoot.
Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner dancing
I'd watch ANY movie w/ Mark Ruffalo in it!
I'd watch ANY movie w/ Mark! (I put this pic as my desktop background.)

 

 

Recent iTunes Downloads:
 
 
– Born to be Wild (Adam Lambert)
– True Colors  (Anoop Desai)
 
– All I Want to Do (Sugarland)

I can relate to this…

EmmaLeave a comment

Hi readers,

I saw this in the Sunday Opinion section of the New York Times on March 29, 2009.   The author, a sociology prof at Columbia, Sudhir Venkatesh focused on the reasons why Americans are not rising up in large numbers to protest (like in UK or France). 

 

G20 protest
G20 protest

 

The title of Venkatesh’s article is “Feeling Too Down to Rise Up.” He wondered: “If Americans are so angry, where are the protests?  The riots?”  Now, I don’t think it’s cool to set fire to bridges (like in France) b/c you don’t have a job.  It’s not productive to have (some) rowdy/disrespectful protestors who are drinking alcohol during protests (like in London this past week). 

Here is an excerpt from that article:

As our shame grows, we shutter ourselves inside.  Afraid of acknowledging our anger and unable to join those similarly suffering, we grow distant.  Worse, we judge quickly and harshly the actions of others… 

To restore our social bonds, each one of us must overcome our isolating feelings of embarrassment and humiliation and understand that this is a shared plight. 

 

Can you relate to this?  Do you think (peaceful) protest is needed to enact change?  How do you keep a good attitude in a recession?

 

Besy wishes to all,

EMMA.

 

Protest grafitti on London
Protest grafitti on London

Thursday: “Idol” results and more!

EmmaLeave a comment

American Idol  results:

 

The bottom three this week: Matt (hard to believe!), Michael (sorry, but he’s not a strong contender), and Scott (I think he has potential).  Then it went to bottom two: Matt and Michael.   Sorry to Michael fans, BUT he lost out!

 

Wow, Ruben has lost QUITE a bit of weight!  He also got married- how cool is that!? 

 

Isn't this dress classy?
Isn't this dress classy?

 

 

 

Pics of Boston (where Dad went for a conference):

 

boston-012

 

boston-0111

 

boston-010

 

boston-009

 

boston-007

 

boston-004

 

boston-002

 

boston-0061

 

 

Indie films  from director Ramin Bahrani:

 

The Jackson Heights Film Festival (in my old ‘hood in Queens) showed Chop Shop last fall.  I wanted to see it, but got the info too late.  This film is about an orphaned Dominican boy who works at an auto repair shop in a rough area (near Shea Stadium).  Ale (as he is known) has never been to school and worries about his 16 y.o. sis.   The sibs’ big dream is to save enough money to buy (and eventually run) a food van.  I wondered who the director was.  

 

ramin1 

 

I read about director Ramin Bahrani, an Iranian American raised in Winston-Salem, NC,  in last weekend’s New York Times Magazine.  He has already made 3 movies and teaches at Columbia (where he received his BA).  And he’s only 34! 

 

 

ramin2

 

 

Bahrani’s 1st film, Man Push Cart, is about Ahmad (a young Pakistani immigrant) who runs a coffee cart in NYC.  He is also a dreamer, a lover, a hustler, a pop singer and, not incidentally, a Muslim man making his way through a city still gripped  by post-9/11 anxiety.

82589698TT001_Goodbye_Solo_

 

 

Bahrani’s latest film, Goodbye Solo, is set in his hometown of Winston-Salem.  It will be out tomorrow (March 27).  The protagonist is a young Senegalese family man who drives a taxi.  He becomes friends w/ one of his passengers, an elderly white Southern man who is nearing death. 

 

Goodbye Solo web site: http://www.goodbyesolomovie.com/

More about Bahrani: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramin_Bahrani

Bahrani’s film company: http://www.noruzfilms.com/index.html

 

 

 

 

Wednesday: “American Idol” and more…

Emma7 Comments
TCM movie I saw today: Great Expectations (1946)
A young Alec Guiness (left) as Herbert Pocket, Pip's roommate
A young Alec Guiness (left) as Pip's roommate

This is a GREAT classic film based on Dickens’ novel!  The grown-up Pip is played by John Mills (one of the UK’s most respected actors; father of actress Hayley Mills).  Alec Guiness is Pip’s bubbly, helpful roomie Herbert Pocket.  He’s fun to watch!   

 

A VERY young Jean Simmons plays Young Estella
A VERY young Jean Simmons plays Young Estella

The young Estella is the (unusually) pretty Jean Simmons; she was later in Spartacus, Guys and Dolls, etc.  And yes, she always had that posh speaking voice!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038574/

 

Some thoughts on American Idol

Adam Lambert
Adam Lambert

The best performances tonight were (in my order): Adam, Allison, Matt, Danny, and Anoop.  Adam (a stage actor who recently appeared in Wicked) showed that he has range; he looked SO different (but still original).  His song was GREAT!  Matt was very confidant onstage, and his song went smoothly. 

Anoop Desai
Anoop Desai
Anoop was good (as I expected), BUT could have been better.  Maybe it was song choice?  Maybe he needs to show more confidence or style?  Hmmm…  He looked even better than last wk (my mom said he looks great).
  
Danny Gokey
Danny Gokey

Danny showed that he has personality and energy; his performance was VERY fun!  I felt bad for Lil b/c she didn’t have a great performance.  Allison improved a LOT from last time; she is very natural (like Anoop) tonight.  Very good group of young people w/ humble, nice personalities (I feel).