10 Things About Me - Rain

I live in one of the hottest places in Queensland.  It's also pretty dry. Yesterday was the first bit of rain we have all year - and possibly the first in over 6 months.

But I was born and grew up in one of the wettest parts of Queensland.  The sight of drizzle over the hills was something that I was used to. Rainy days are my favourite. I still love the smell of rain.

The lack of rain is one of the few things that I dislike about the place I live.   

Every night, I listen to rain sounds to help me fall to sleep.  I've also been wanting to try some rain scented essential oil - but I don't think they will really smell like rain.

10 Things About Me - Asian dramas

Do you know what an otaku is? 

It's someone who is so into their hobby that it's obsessive - it's usually about anime and manga.  My brother is an otaku. I'm not so much but I do like to read manga comics and watch anime, but I also really love watching Asian dramas. 

Asian dramas are different from western TV shows.  Here, a TV show is made for a season, with the idea that there will be more seasons.  So the storylines get boring or they amp it up by having someone die in the last episode, only to find out that they weren't dead, and then someone starts sleeping with someone they shouldn't and then a stalker comes along... they just keep stringing the characters along. 

Asian dramas are written for one season - and that's your lot burger.  The whole story is usually pieced together and there are very few threads left over at the end of it. I've found it's rare for a second season to be made. 

There are all sorts of genres - but I love romantic comedy the best - even better if there is a food or fashion theme.  

The stories from different countries have different feels about them - I like South Korean and Japanese ones at the moment, but for a while there I was really into Taiwanese.  South Korean stories are wrapped up in a happy ending, they often go past when the couple finally gets together. Japanese stories usually have sadder endings or like there is no real conclusion and the audience is left to assume it.

Nobody I personally know watches them, and I have no idea how I came about it.  I think what puts people off it is that you have to read the subtitles, and in some cases the subtitles are very Engrish. It just makes the whole experience even better I think.

When C and I went to Sydney we went into a shop jam packed with (probably dodgy) Asian drama DVDs. It was so cool, I was walking around pointing out the shows I had watched to C, but then he pointed out that we were the only non-Asians in the shop. So I guess I'm a little more otaku then I like to admit.

This a screen shot of the last movie I watched - Antique Bakery. Good looking men and cakes - how can it get better then that?

10 Things About Me - Teaching

I am a high school teacher. My majors are English and Home Economics.  

I love teaching. I love interacting with my students. I love planning lessons and units. Today I have been reworking a unit that I call, 'Horrorific'. I can't wait to tear horror texts into shreds to find out how they work with my kids - they obviously have to write a horror short story by the end of it.

I hate the politics. I hate the increasing expectations without the increasing wages. I hate the marginalisation of practical subjects. I'm fine with being told what to teach - that's the way it's always been - not good with being told how to teach. End of rant. Hopefully I won't get fired lol.

I am a senior teacher. I take on leadership roles. I've had some great prac teachers and some not so great prac teachers. I am a mentor and coach.

I must be doing something right because on last year's NAPLAN (the holier than grail test) my students where either  above or substantially above other similar students. I am pretty chuffed for my kids. 

Because of how our school is structured, they come to me in year 7 and stick with me all the way through to year 10 - and then hopefully stay in my English class for senior as well.  So I have to make sure those kids like me and vice versa because we're together to four years.

Teaching is hard but it's more than a job; for me it's a lifestyle.

10 Things About Me - Collections

In my family there is this gene that completely takes over when you are near a 2nd hand store,,, or any shop really.  There is potential for this gene to mutate at any moment.  We call it the 'collecting gene'.

C says that I have a collection of collections - which is right. He also says that I have too much shit - which is wrong.

I collect:
pens
nail polish
shoes
yarn
dolls - Asian ball jointed, Blythe, Pullip, Sylvanian Families, Pure Neemo, Nikki -  mostly Asian stuff really but I put them away last year to give myself and my bank account a breather

I think that's it.

Edit: Nope - I forgot necklaces, books, patterned paper, fabric and patterns. Dam!

10 Things About Me - Craftist not Artist

I love working with my hands. I sew, I crochet, I knit (not very often because crochet is my first love), I make stuff.

I wish I was more arsty then crafty though. What I wouldn't give to be able to say, 'Oh, I'm an artist.' But I can't. It just doesn't sit right.  Although I love teaching visual art classes.

Craft seems to have these terrible connotations of 'craft corner' from primary school or 'home eccy beccy' which is totally insulting being a HOME EC teacher and all. What's wrong with that?


Nothing, that's what I say!  So anyway,

'Hi, I'm Pammy and I'm a craftist.'

10 Things About Me - dyscalculia

What the? Dyscalculia?

It's like dyslexia but for numbers.

You can go here for more info, thanks Wikipedia!

When I was going through primary school I really struggled with maths, but by high school I had formed systems to get me through - I did pretty well in year 11 and 12 actually. 

• I still don't understand fractions. 
• I don't know the times tables. 
• My left from my right - I have to think about it
• I could never read music even though I played an instrument for 8 years
• I suck at names.
• I use an analogue watch to make myself practise reading a clock.
• My understanding of money is terrible and I can't tell the difference between 1000 and 10,000 - it literally means nothing to me. 
• I often write numbers mixed up - but when I read them off the paper I will still say them as they should be.
• I don't know my own mobile phone number, or my husbands.  I know the telephone number for home, my parents and my school - except it recently changed so I really need to practise the new one.

This is self diagnosed, as an adult. I wish some teacher when I was in primary school had understand what was going on with me. 

10 Things About Me - meal planning

I'm not like some blogging meal planning queens that are out there. But I do like to try.

My plans are weekly and even then most weeks don't work out perfectly.

When I'm really up to it I try a new recipe each week.

I try to repeat ingredients during the week, like mushrooms, broccoli, chicken. That way my shopping list is small and fits onto a sticky note.

My husband and I take turns cooking so I leave a few nights were he has to decide what to cook, or I just tell him.

Friday is usually a night out to the pub and on the weekends we tend to be lazy.

Tonight I wanted to try something a little decadent - my husband is going away on a conference. It was really tasty. I added a breast of finely sliced chicken and halved all the other ingredients except for the pasta. There is enough left over to two more meals. So I will probably eat it tomorrow instead of what I had planned.