Play-by-Play

In my last year at University I became a born again Toronto Maple Leafs fan.  That year, I watched or listened to every game.  This was no mean feat as I didn’t have cable TV and there wasn’t widespread adoption of the internet.  The games weren’t broadcast in HD either, but that’s a rant for another day.

If you read the second sentence, you will  have already picked out that I listened to many games that year.  Whenever a game was on and it wasn’t broadcast on a station I could get with the rabbit ears, I turned on the radio and listened to the play-by-play calls.  It wasn’t watching, but it was still pretty good.  It had a different kind of feel to it.

I wasn’t going to be home this evening so I set the PVR to record the game.  However, I managed to catch most of it at my Mom’s place and decided to listen to the last period as I drove home.  In fact, I was listening to the game when I drove past the arena (Scotia Bank Arena) where the game I was listening to and half of the games in this Covid 19 confused playoffs are being played.

Although the result was not what I hoped for, it was still nice to listen to the very excited announcer on the radio.  I wasn’t quite transported back to that last year of University (the names are all different now), but I was taken to someplace nice.

No Dinosaur Here

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I am not a technophobe.  As evidenced by this blog, I have at least a minor ability to use the computer and cellphone.  However, I must admit that I have clearly not picked up enough of the tricks or technical skills to transfer all of my teaching skills online.  I am trying hard to produce a worthwhile class, but I am finding some aspects difficult.

Today’s Perfect Moment is not a whine festival.  Instead, it is a celebration that I found at least one work around for one of the many challenges that online teaching has put up in front of me.  Until today, I had no way of getting the students to do any listening tasks.  Today I found a crude and if I am being honest, a bit desperate way to accomplish that.  Instead of worrying about it, I want to celebrate.

It has taken me a few weeks to figure this out.  I have never wanted to be an old dog that couldn’t learn new tricks.  I know things are changing, and this enforced working from home has sped those changes up.  We all may have to adjust to more than staying six feet away from people and no longer shaking hands or high-fiving at every available opportunity.  I cannot predict what changes will be long lasting, but I know they are coming.

Today’s Perfect Moment was coming up with a solution to a problem and not declaring myself a dinosaur just yet.

Kinder Redemption

Long time readers to this blog might know that I have a particular disdain for Kinder Surprise eggs. The story is a good one and you should probably read it first before continuing with this blog.  Please click here.

So, if you’ve read this, and sympathize (or empathize) with me, you should also know that I have told this story to my students on many occasions–usually when the subject of chocolate comes up or when they are eating the aforementioned eggs during the breaks between classes. They find it amusing, but they don’t share my frustration.  They have always gotten cool stuff.

One of my students took this story to heart and wanted very much to change my opinion. Rather than get me the little egg, he got me a rather large, palm size, Kinder surprise egg.  He felt that the quality of toy inside would redeem the company in my eyes.

I was quite touched by my student’s gift. Maybe it was because he listened to me, or maybe it was because he wanted to do something beyond the ordinary.

As you can see, the toy turned out to be quite nice and surprisingly difficult for me to assemble.  The student who gave me the gift was the one who eventually put it together.  He even came up with a cool title for this post–but I have forgotten it.  Sorry Val.

When I showed my colleagues the toy, they mentioned that these things were banned in the US.  One teacher even wondered what would happen if she tried to drive across the border with a few eggs on the backseat.  I am not sure Kinder smuggling ranks high on the list for homeland security, but I have to imagine the border guards have been given some kind of directive.

Things Are Looking Up

A good friend was feeling down.  It was one of those situations in which I wanted to do something, but couldn’t.    It was a tough situation until I remembered that I wasn’t the one having the tough time really.  It wasn’t about me and I shouldn’t make it about me.

What does this have to do with Today’s Perfect Moment?  Well, today this good friend was feeling much better.  When someone is down and they pick themselves up, it is a pretty amazing sight.  It affirms one’s faith in the universe.

Listening Gets You Free Stuff

A co-worker was lamenting the state of Christmas. It was not the commercial aspect that everyone seems to always grumble about (and do nothing about)  but rather the state of her own family Christmas and gift giving traditions.

Unlike a lot of people, she is in favour of a gift card. While many say that it is impersonal, she thinks that it is very personal–as in she can get what she personally wants.  She also likes consumable gift ideas.  When one of her relatives asked her what they could get for her, she requested coffee pods.  When they rejected the suggestion as it didn’t seem like a “true Christmas gift”, she said they could get “special ones” or “deluxe flavour ones’ if that would make them feel better.  Instead, they bought her some clothing that she didn’t like and had to fake smile while she held it up.  The same thing happened to her husband.  He got an awesome shirt in a style and colour that he would never wear.

Now, if they were to follow TV advice from supposed experts, I suppose she could have just asked if they had a gift receipt or asked them to return it for something else–but even I know how uncomfortable that situation can be.

These days, I try and make a list of things that I plan to eventually buy myself and if anyone asks me, I just forward them a copy of the list.   A few of my family members have caught on and have even found my Amazon wish list.  In fact, my nephew chose something from the list rather sceptically, and was surprised when I was happy to receive a lamp for Christmas.  He repeatedly asked me if that was okay.  I was overjoyed because I didn’t have to spend my money on a lamp.  Now I have a cool lamp for my stamp desk.

Sorry to talk about all this Christmas stuff well into the New Year, but bear with me, this does have relevance.

So, let’s retrace our steps back to my co-worker’s husband. He received a shirt in a colour and style that he did not like.  The item was too large for him.  He had neither the gift receipt nor the name of the store to enable him to return it.  He couldn’t stomach the idea of approaching the giver and dealing with it.

I hope you can see where this is going…

 I know lots of bloggers get free stuff to review all the time, but that is not me.  This is also not a review, that is another story distracting us from Today’s Perfect Moment.

So now, thanks to my dimensions, and being there at the right time, (as well as perhaps for being the sounding board for these ideas) I am now the proud owner of an Adidas Climachill shirt.

Not Today’s Perfect Moment

What I am about to write is not Today’s Perfect Moment. It was definitely a moment, but beyond that I am a little unsure.

I accompanied one of my co-workers to the subway. We have been on a hello, how was your weekend basis for a while now and I had no fear that a walk to the subway would a trek of uncomfortable silence.  Usually when ESL teachers walk to the subway, they are either blowing off steam at the students or at the company (or both).  Neither of these holds a lot of excitement for me, but neither requires much of effort to listen to–a few head nods, a few I know what you mean glances, maybe even a few what are you gonna do shrugs are usually sufficient.

This co-worker is relatively new and probably will come up short when student numbers decline as the weather gets colder. The first year at any ESL school is likely to contain the same drama.  Winter is not a time when the majority of students from warm climates want to experience Canada.

Unbeknownst to me, this person has been having a bad time. Looking for new work to replace the slowly disappearing one has yielded only negative comments about the person’s nationality from some countries that perceive English speakers in only one shade.  Adding to this misery, this person’s current class has managed to wrest power from the teacher and make the lessons seem far longer and far less engaging than they should be.

While relating the above traumatic recent present, this person started crying. While some of that was drowned out by the traffic and hum of construction equipment, much of it was not. I tried to be helpful and supportive, but we don’t have that kind of relationship and I am somewhat ignorant of the cultural aspects I might be breaking if I offer the comfort in the wrong way.  I made jokes and seemingly made all the right sounds that seemed to bring about a bit of relief.

Later in the subway, this person confided more difficult aspects of their personal life and doubts about where it is going. They apologized for the crying, to which I responded that an apology is not necessary and that I wish I could do more.  This person merely shook their head and said something rather profound to me.  “You’re listening.  That’s a big help.”

I found it profound because I get the feeling that many of us need someone to listen to us. We need someone just to hear the words we are saying.  Maybe this is so it doesn’t seem like we are talking to ourselves.  Maybe this is so we can articulate what is bothering us more clearly and more truthfully.  Maybe it is because we just don’t want to feel alone.

As I stated above. This is not Today’s Perfect Moment.  It is something else.

The Sound of Snow Falling

Today had two Perfect Moments.

The first was the early morning snowfall. I was out of the house before the sun had cleared the horizon.  It was a short walk to my bus stop, but it was a quiet one.  No cars passed me and I felt no need to rush.  When I got to the stop, I caught sight of a fine curtain of snow that had been falling during my entire walk.

With no bus in sight, but expected soon, I had time to soak it all in. I was able to tune out the few cars that passed by and even the neon from the nearby gas station seemed less bright and intrusive.  I couldn’t hear the snow falling, but I felt like I could.  It was sort of like when rain is falling in a drizzle and though you can hear it, you feel like you can’t.

It was Perfect.

The second was that a co-worker brought me my favourite Japanese chocolates (filled with coffee nougat). They are truly delicious, but I was more appreciative of the fact that she took time out of her visit to Japan to buy them for me.  It might only have taken a little thought while in line at the convenience store, but when you’re on vacation that seems like quite a bit.

Now I only have to worry about not eating them too quickly.

 

On another note…….

my reader only shows two or three blogs at a time.  If more than that get published, I lose the opportunity to see yours.  So sorry, I am not neglecting you, I just don’t see that you’ve put up a new post unless I check the site every five minutes.  Hopefully, this situation will resolve itself soon.

 

A Sweet Thing

Today’s Perfect Moment occurred at the supermarket. It wasn’t free food.  It wasn’t an encounter with a beautiful woman in the produce aisle.  It wasn’t getting a shopping cart that rolled well–which is a rare enough feet that it could be a Perfect Moment contender.  Surprisingly it is music.

Like most of you, I have suffered through some horribly bad muzak in stores and elevators and even on hold with the phone company. It used to be so bad that I got lots of practice tuning it out completely.

Today, while searching for some chocolate and cherry yogurt (which I did not find) I became aware that the store was playing some pretty good music. Then, it got incredibly better. They played “Sweet Thing” by Van Morrison.  While Van the Man has had some incredible tunes, this is the one that really gets to me.  It’s beautiful.

I probably looked odd standing in the middle of the frozen food aisle listening to the music. I don’t care though.  It was awesome.  If you’ve never heard it, I encourage you to take a listen