One of those crazy teaching stories

At work today, I got one of those dreaded cover classes, the bane of all teachers. Never mind, I generally dont mind them, and I do not really get them that often, however, a quick check showed that not only did I have a cover class on but I had also been the lucky recipient of an exam supervision....at the same time. Doh, whoever organised that had not checked their own work properly.

I visited the administrator in question's office and politely let him know of his error. He asked me to do the cover class and he would sort out the exam supervision. Next problem, turns out the teacher missing the class had forgotten to set some work for the students and write out the class instructions.

It was an IT class, so I wander up to the room, the year 7's were out the front lined up, the previous class was just finishing up, and the teacher of that class, a regular IT teacher, invited me in.

I invited the year 7's asked them to continue their work and got to some of my work also. Roughly 15 minutes later the same IT teacher came back into the room to talk to me a confused look on his face.

IT teacher: "you have my class"
Me : "Have we both been put on the same cover then?"
IT teacher: "No, this is my regular class"

WTF?

turns out the cover class, I had been given wrong room number, but why on earth would a regular teacher just give me his class without question ? the class i was supposed to cover was next door.

Made me laugh.

Australia vs Indonesia in the Asian Cup Qualifiers

One perk of living in Asia is that going to the world class sports games is relatively cheaper, about $10 for front seat tickets to the soccer! The stadium, Bun Karno as it is affectionly known as was about 3/4 full and boy did they make some noise!

A-Leaguers grab point in Asian Cup qualifier

THE Socceroos' hastily assembled A-League outfit have pinched a 0-0 draw against Indonesia to start the country's Asian Cup campaign. In a match which was a 90-minute arm wrestle with few chances, the Australian team, featuring seven debutants, battled manfully to take a point from their first Group B qualifier.

The squad was thrown together within the past 48 hours with little preparation, and looked solid defensively but lacked cohesion in the final third. Indonesia had perhaps the two best chances of the match, while Australia put the ball in the back of the net in the second half only to have it ruled offside. The home side, ranked 144 in the world - 115 places below the Socceroos - gave the Australians a huge fright in the 35th minute when striker Talaohu Musafri shot just wide after the Socceroos lost possession in midfield. Then striker Budi Sudarsano found himself in a great position on 62 minutes, but his close range header from a Musafri cross lacked power.

Socceroos striker Archie Thompson tested goalkeeper Markus Horison three minutes later - his long-range shot spilled by the keeper and just falling short of substitute Matt Simon's despairing boot. Adelaide United midfielder Paul Reid went close in the 69th minute, bending a free-kick just wide of the left-hand post, before Central Coast's Simon headed home a cross 14 minutes from time which was correctly ruled offside. In a four-team group comprising the Socceroos, Indonesia, Kuwait and Oman, the top two sides qualify for the 2011 Asian Cup finals in Qatar.

The Socceroos will bring back their European-based stars for their next match - a World Cup qualifier against Japan in Yokohama on February 11. Their next Asian Cup qualifier is against Kuwait in Canberra on March 5, when Australia are again likely to field an all-A-League outfit.

Road Rage - Wonder Warrior

I hate leaving late for work, the traffic gets blocked up, if i leave at 6.30am the red route outlined is basically empty, if I leave at 6.45 the the traffic is backed up at least as far as the start of the red lines i've indicated.

The road leaving the roundabout has enough room for one car lane, the road entering the roundabout has room for 2.5 cars.

I'll let you figure what usually happens. Anyway today I'm just about to enter the roundabout and some Indo clown comes tearing up the inside lane, he had to stop right next to me (but had jumped at least a half dozen places in the queue.) So then its stop start with the car in front of me, and him trying to push his way in front of my car.

In indo its all a game of bluff, dont hit the other cars, but try and get your car as close as possible to the car in front, dont even leave a 30 inch gap that the other car can nose into.

Anyway, the inevitable happened, our side mirrors brushed, he had to give way, since he was hard against the shoulder, and I was slightly in front.

Nothing more said or down, in fact when we had brushed I'd looked over at him, and he just stared straight ahead, no acknowledgment no eye contact. Mind you he probably cannot see into my car, it has very dark tinted windows.

Ten minutes later, I am turning into my workplace so indicate early, I suddenly hear all this commotion car horn blowing and blowing, someone screaming, I look in the side mirror this same bloke is hanging half way out his drivers window wearing a shit eating grin to flip me the bird, up and down up and down like a fuckn deranged yoyo all the while leaning on his horn as he goes past me.

WTF?

Too scared to make a fuss until he knew I was gone?

Suddenly just thought of that reaction ?

He'd been stewing on it for the last 10 minutes and just suddenly snapped.

The security at my work asked me if they wanted them to stop him, but i dunno what for, extract some money, he has scratched my car after all.... but its only the plastic side mirror. I told them not to worry. I'm wishing i had not now, I should have go them to stop and detain the idiot, and I could have demanded money from him .... (well, maybe i'm dreaming, its always the westerners fault)

I was just too surprised to do anything, and by the time i realised it was me it was pretty much too late.

What would you have done?

Chili (Cabe) trees in Jakarta

A couple of months ago I noticed what I thought we weeds growing in my front garden, I very nearly ripped them out of the ground. They appeared next to each other right in the middle of the lawn.

They grew quickly, imagine my surprise when I realised that they were Chilli trees!




I do not know what type they are, not endemic to Java, I assume perhaps that they are left over kitchen scraps that were scattered or spilt in the garden.

Should I do anything special to help them grow?

I'm inclined to leave them be, since they have managed this far without my interference.