Hey, Teacher! Leave Them Kids Alone

No this is not a post about Pink Floyd.

It was my daughter's parent's evening at school last night. I hate these nights but my wife always insists we go and listen to the teachers. Working as she has done for years in HR, she is a big believer in feedback and coaching etc. As for me I say every time that they are going to say she is a lively girl, participates well in class but lets herself down by rushing her work and not planning it out properly. And what did the teachers say last night? Exactly that. My daughter is in Year 12 (lower Sixth to us oldies)so the game has been upped a bit from GCSEs and she is expected to provide analysis and comment in her work not just regurgitate facts. Neither me or my wife are convinced that she can do proper analysis.I'm not saying she is stupid, it's just that she accepts everything more or less on face value.

I feel sorry for these teachers mind you. They are arranged like cowboys in the Wild West in a circle of wagons whilst the parents, like the Red Indians (not very PC , I know) roam around the circle picking them off on by one. There is an appointment system but some parents (this is a private school with highly, highly motivated parents)dive in and take your slot unless you are very firm with them. If you are very unlucky your appointments coincide with the parents who like to spend their ten minutes berating the teacher for their offspring's lack of achievement. I remember one year a parent- a father- bellowing at a poor teacher " You were useless when you taught me and you are even worse, now!" Our son did confirm that the said teacher was in fact useless but if I had been him I would have chinned the father. As it was the teacher just sat there and looked as if he didn't give a fuck. He did retire that year, mind. Who'd be a teacher? Not me.

Our daughter is a very good dancer and has innate rhythm and musical ability. Already our thoughts are turning to post AS and A levels and,perhaps, University, dance schools, performing arts academies. It won't be long before she is gone.

I had a quick conversation with our son- who has already gone- yesterday. It went something like this

ME " How are you?"
SON "OK- can't talk I am late for a lecture"
ME " OK, ring us in the next couple of days for a chat, then"
SON " OK. Bye , Dad!

I'm not complaining but he doesn't even post updates on Facebook.How is a parent supposed to know what their children are doing.Ha Ha!

My wife has calmed down a bit. Her last day will be Monday. The next few months will be tough and it is a bad time of year to be off work and on your own in the house. I will have to rearrange my work to make sure I spend more time with her.

This song is a repost but It is appropriate for the mood I am in.

It's the veteran German punk band Die Toten Hosen and their anthem "Steh auf, venn du am boden bist" , loosely translated as "stand up proud when you have been knocked down, or I suppose even more loosely and borrowing from Chumbawamba, "I get knocked down but I get up again". Get up, stand up Julie!! Illegitimi non carborundum

Steh auf wenn du am boden bist

A view from the edge

My wife's redundancy is pending, she will be going next week having chosen not to work her notice period. She is in a bit of an overexcited mood. Me, the reality has just sunk in. We are looking over the edge of a very high cliff and there is no way to go over except to jump. Hope we have a soft landing.

Down and Out

My wife is being made redundant.Despite the title of this entry , I think that this is a good thing. Her unwarranted demotion and the way she has been treated didn't really leave her much choice. She didn't realise until yesterday when her new boss started and asked for reports on things she could read herself that my wife realised she was definitely out of the senior management structure for good.

Fingers crossed it will all work out OK. I am sure that it will.

From Despair To Where?

Another defeat for Posh at Sheffield United. I'm glad I didn't go. Mark Cooper he enjoyed himself he says, Posh played well apparently. George missed a penalty.So no "new manager bounce". 11 points and at the bottom of the Championship. We are going down.

Have spent a lot of time listening to Editors new Cd " In This Light And On This Evening". It's not bad. The single Papillon is the stand out track for me. I do really want to love this band but so far they haven't made a classic album. They have achieved moments of supreme art (if you can call rock music art) , but have to yet make a great CD.

Below is a Live track recorded by Bradley of Bradley's Almanac fame from 22nd January 2006 from a club called Great Scott in Allston MA.

Blood- Editors

Thursday's View

This week has been frankly tedious. I have done precious little at work so far as I have cleared up any backlog that existed last week. This week has been mostly about chasing up other people to find out why they haven't done what they said they were going to do and interviewing /telephoning tenants who haven't paid their rent. It's always the same question " why are you trying to evict me". I have honed my response down over the years to the simple "Because you are not paying your rent". slightly insulting maybe but quite effective against the usual surly attitude of our "customers".

Thierry Henry has gone down in my estimation after last night's handball incident against Ireland in the Play offs for the 2010 World Cup.Clear handball. Having said that the Irish should have put it beyond such cheating and there was no guarantee they would have beaten France on penalties (where it was heading.It is a funny old game. It is now surely time for video technology. Platini will be chuffed.