The Greatest Country in the World

You must watch this video before reading the post.

This video has said what everyone has never wanted to say.  Everyone has maybe thought it, but no one has had the guts to actually speak up and put into words what the rest of us are thinking and wouldn't dare to actually admit.

I suppose I should first state that I'm proud to be an American.  Just as the Brits should be proud they're Brits, Aussies should be proud of Australia, Germans should be nationalistic of their beer and brat days and harsh sounding language, and Chinese should be proud of their population, long history and impossibly hard language.  I am so thankful to be in part of the country in which I was raised.

But to be honest, one reason I moved away from America is because it was mundane and I wanted a challenge.  I was always provided for my every whim.  I could grab cherry limeade whenever I felt the craving, if I was sick I could get into my own car and drive myself to a doctor's office, if something quit working in my house it was so easy to get on the phone and get the problem solved without anyone ever physically being in the house.  If I was lost somewhere I could pull over to a gas station and ask someone for directions.

You all have read the many adventures of me struggling my way around China but this is mainly due to language barrier.  As soon as a Chinese friend gets on the phone, the problem is almost instantly or on the way to being solved, just as it would be in America.

Each country has humans that are, in fact, human.  They have the same thoughts, feelings, fears, hopes, and dreams just like any human with soul does.  Every human feels guilt, supremacy, defeat, victory... Just because this big spot of land on the North American continent is stamped with the name AMERICA on every map does NOT give it any more power than another country.  Heck, Russia takes up more space on a globe but do you ever hear of people saying, "Ah Russia! I've always wanted to live there!" I have seen the Angkor Wat, The Great Wall of China, the Dead Sea, and countless cathedrals throughout Europe but do you ever really, honestly hear advertisements for these places in America? Then you go somewhere overseas and constantly nationals will ask you, the american, "Have you been to Los Angeles? Have you seen the Grand Canyon? Have you met Obama? Have you been to Washington D.C.? What is New York like? How much money do you make? "  Those statements reveal what America looks like to the rest of the world.  A huge, populous, diverse country who's president gives great speeches, we have all sorts of cool natural landscapes (ie Yosemite as mentioned above), and basically people that gallivant all over the country doing whatever the ___ we want and not giving 2 ___ about anyone but ourselves.



Ok I have to pause.....Breathe....continue...

I am not trying to hate on America but more so hate on ignorant people, myself included.  Our country was founded on principles that we have forgotten. Morals that people apparently no longer have or believe in. Seriously, our founding fathers knew what was up.  I don't know if you guys have read the Declaration of Independence lately but that thing was some pretty real stuff.  Read it. We actually thought about what we said before saying it and considered others and future people's needs before ours.  We were forward thinkers instead of present thinkers.  That, in my opinion, is one of the problems we need to recognize.  We are so wrapped up in the here and now, we don't take two seconds to consider how that may influence the future.  Now some will over analyze the future but that's not what I'm talking about.  I'm talking about educating yourself to educate others.  Be informed.

I know I'll try to be.

Thankful Month 6 (A bit late)

Day 28-  I'm thankful for new TV shows that some how got freaking cancelled.  And by this I mean SELFIE starring John Cho (Sulu in the new Star Trek films and Harold from Harold and Kumar) and Karen Gillan (Amy Pond from Doctor Who).  It's based off of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion or for some that may know it by its more familiar musical name My Fair Lady.   I can't stop watching the show.  I already liked both of them separately and now together?  Perhaps its my growing affinity for Asian men that keeps me coming back. HA!

Day 29- On Friday, my friend and coworker, Abby, and I took off to Xi'an as a Tgiving and birthday gift to Abby.  It was about a 4 hour flight with one stopover.  We arrived at the airport, were then picked up by a younger guy holding a sign with our names on it and he took us immediately to our hostel.  We checked in smoothly and paid for our stay, taxi rides, and tour all in one go.  Here is what we saw in just a short 24 hours.

The magic archer

This is the butt-half of a horse. Heehee

Pit 1 with a couple thousand restored soldiers

The history of this place is definitely worth some research but too long to post here.

Day 30- I'm thankful for TAEYANG and Roy Kim.  Number 1 because I can't freaking stop listening to them. Number 2 is that they have made me have a closer connection to my students in less than 24 hours.  I won't go on with backstories of who they are because I'm not sure of all the details myself but just know that Taeyang is a solo artist who is still part of a kpop boy band called BigBang and Roy Kim was the winner of a Korean star finder show called Superstar K4.  I had their songs stuck in my head most of yesterday and even figured out the chords to their signature songs.  I started plinking around on the piano and my secondary girls practically started screaming as if Taeyang was standing in the room when I played the opening chords.  Soon it was

"(GASP) MISS MCCLURE! YOU KNOW THIS SONG?!?!?! YOU KNOW TAEYANG?!?!"

"I mean, I've listened to this song.  It's catchy. I can only hum the tune and play part of it.  It's not like I can sing it in Korean."

"WE CAN!!! PLAY IT MISS MCCLURE!!"

I obliged. They started singing. So for that I'll thank you Taeyang for making my students perhaps respect me a little bit more and look at me in a different light.

Below is the video for 'Eyes, Nose, Lips' the song that was discussed above.

There are English covers of this song.  Just takes a quick YouTube search.  A short translation is that he was with a girl. She left him and he reminisces what she looks like but finally comes to terms with the fact that even though it's hard, he'll get over her.  Seriously, if people knew about this song in America it would beat out TSwift and 'Say Something' in a hot minute.  Also, anyone that would like can just TRY to look at Taeyang and tell me he is NOT a beautiful man. I dare you.

I can now play the below song 'Bom, Bom, Bom' on the uke at a decent pace.

And the English cover version.  This guy does a BUNCH of English covers of Korean songs! It's great to be able to understand.  But let me tell you, the songs sound better and probably have more meaning in their native tongue.

I think that's it.  This was a long 'un.
Till the next time.

Thankful Month 5

Day 23- I'm somewhat thankful it's getting cold outside.  More thankful I have warm things to keep me warm and PM 2.5 mask for the pollution that's getting worse by the day.  Also it just keeps my face warm.  I snapped this elevator selfie before heading out to the grocery store.  Also, I got told last night that I apparently dress like a child. Sorry not sorry that I wear warm clothes.

Day 24- I am thankful...for this:

Kind of. But I guess Thanksgiving is past now so it's allowed to get Christmasy.  Yantai sure isn't wasting any time with their massive Xmas tree.

Day 25-  I am thankful that Our Father is more powerful and bigger than anything going on in our country at the moment.  I honestly have had no real desire to delve too deep into any media or news stories regarding Ferguson.  I find out enough from skimming my Newsfeed.

Day 26- 

I am thankful for tight-knit groups of students.  I wouldn't go so far as to say our students are all BEST friends with one another, but for the most part they are pretty cordial with each other.  We definitely have cliques in our school just like anywhere else but in a school our size where everyone knows everyone's business and the Asian culture of saving face and the Korean hierarchy system there is a level of respect among them. These are 10-12 grade students playing an orange relay game in which they couldn't use their hands.  It was colonial days in which students participated in many colonial games and activities like candle and butter making, writing with quills and colonial games of orange relay and marbles.

Day 27-  I'm so thankful my grandma knows how to use technology and can Skype me every Tuesday and send me recipes when I need to make something for work Thanksgiving.  I'm fairly certain I successfully prepared her delectable fruit salad.  We'll see how it goes over with everyone tomorrow at our staff Thanksgiving!

HAPPY TURKEY DAY EVERYONE!

UNthankful Post

So this happened DID NOT happen. I was all set to fork out some money to go see Mockingjay on the SAME day as everyone else on IMAX.  Yantai recently opened a brand new SEVEN floor mall with multiple international stores AND an IMAX movie theater.  A friend and I visited the theater about a week ago to inquire when we could buy tickets.  There was a MASSIVE sign hanging behind the desk advertising the movie and countdown to the opening.  The man kindly informed us of potential movie times and when we could buy tickets (2 days in advance).  Fast forward to today.  My friend returned to the theater today in order to buy tickets only to discover the gigantic sign was removed and the workers basically acted as if they had no idea what she was talking about when asked about the movie.

Here's the "answer": Why are China and Thailand scared of the 'Hunger Games'?

I can't make this stuff up people.  Anyways there was much gnashing of teeth, beating of the chest, fist to inanimate objects and frustrated yelling at the sky (internally).  But then while contemplating reasons it became quite obvious.  I won't elaborate for reasons but if you don't know the story of Mockingjay it is basically a community of rebels that rise against the government that claims to have control and perfected life for its citizens in order to maintain peace and fairness.  Just mull over that for little while. :)

Thankful Month Post 4

Day 20- I'm thankful for this clever picture that made me laugh quite heartily.  It also reminds me of something an old college friend used to remind everyone of when they were going in a direction that he thought they ought not go. (It's a TRAP)

Day 21-  I'm grateful for reasons to dress up (sometimes).  On Friday, YAS held a formal Winter Dance.  Apparently, YAS in the past tried to hold an event like this but to no real success.  This time, almost 50 or so kids showed up, dressed their absolute best all practically too shy to even talk to their best friends they see everyday, much less talk to someone of the opposite gender.  A few of the students had a 'date' but honestly I don't think any of the 'couples' talked to each other, much less danced together.  We as the teachers tried to limit ourselves to the amount of dancing we did so as not to discourage the kids.  We hired a photographer to come and take pictures of the kids just like a normal high school dance.  Two kids were the designated DJs and they must have done a good job as there was always someone on the dance floor.  Granted, you had some of the kids playing on their phones the entire time avoiding everyone and the ones that were tired before they came and slept the whole time and then you had the boys who thought they would be clever and sneak outside to cross the street just to see how far away they could get. Are you freaking kidding me?  But all in all, I got some exercise, got closer to the kids while they all laughed at my dance moves and got second-looks since I was wearing a formal dress and 3 inch heels with heavier than usual makeup (which is normally none).

Leo(10 grade), Han(10), Jimmy(10), Harry(11), Tom(10)

Two of my sweet HS choir girls Kelly and Ellie (Grade 9)

These boys make me laugh everyday. Paul(11), William(11), Ken(11)

Day 22- I'm thankful for things that still make me laugh in this country.

Like fat carrots with dirt still on it to show you its freshness of being picked earlier in the day

Someone please inform me as to what exactly IS Pork Floss Bread?  I could make several funny comments about but I think the name itself is enough.

Thankful Month 3

Day 17-  I am thankful for a new haircut.  And that even though I can barely speak any Chinese the nice workers at the hair salon were patient enough to get me what I wanted.  It's a bit shorter than what I'd like but my students told me that this hairstyle 'suits me more better'.  And that apparently I should wear my hair curly more often.

Day 18- I am thankful for silly memes on the internet. 

Day 19-  I am thankful for my small class of 6 wonderful girls everyday during 7th period.  They are my high school choir.  The beginning of the year was worrisome for all of us as we sized each other up and how days would go in choir.  They put forth a good amount of effort everyday and we still have fun days where we will talk about life things and I hear the gossip of what's going on in the social area of school.  But not to worry, I do monitor if negative things are said about themselves and others and I hope that I have taught these girls to respect themselves and other people even if there are things they don't like. I look forward to my time with them at the end of each day! 

Thankful Month Post 2

Day 4-  I'm thankful for my apartment because even though it's -1000 degrees Celsius, I at least have a roof and four walls that (kind of) keeps out the wind. ***Update: I now have HEAT in my apartment!***

This is me. But for real.

Day 5- Is it superficial to say I am thankful for the internetz? Cuz I am.  Fur seriouznezz 'does. I needz me some internetz. Erry. Day. Besides the fact that it is a wonderful database for finding out anything you ever wanted to know, it keeps me connected to my American home.  Without the internet, contact would be very difficult and I'm not sure if life would be so easy if I couldn't see/watch/hear pieces of America/English once in a while.

Day 6- (Geezum I have lots of days to catch up on.)  I am so thankful for my clogged toilets, leaky sinks, and frigid apartments because I become fix-it woman in China.  If I ever live in America again I won't have to worry about calling a plumber at the drop of a hat because I've fixed all 3. Well, currently I'm still working on the clogged toilet one.  I've tried plunging and the hot water/soap trick but to no avail. Any suggestions? ***Update: It unclogged later that night!***

Day 7- I like the fact that children are so freaking smart.  I taught this song to them in one day.

Peace in My Heart

Day 8- I'm thankful for having friends that are bilingual.  It comes in handy when you get in a jam in a jam in a foreign country.

Day 9- I am so happy that I like children now.  For many years, I was very uncomfortable around them and didn't really know what to do with them or look at them or play with them.  My junior year of university I went on a mission trip and worked with several very young MKs.  One boy in particular was 5 years old at the time and I was never bothered or annoyed by him the entire 2 weeks I was abroad.  Our favorite thing to do was look for scorpions under rocks and I was always in awe whenever he could already understand Arabic at the age of 5.  Previously in the year, I also became acquainted with a young girl in America who was around 6 at the time that I still occasionally get to hug now even 2 years later whenever I am home in the US.  She was probably one of the first children to say, "I love you," even when she had only met/seen me a few times.

Day 10- I enjoy movies.  And escaping into the worlds they create for me for a few hours.  Whether it be hundreds of years in the future on the USS Enterprise, go through the Fire Swamp with Buttercup and Wesley for 500th time in the medieval times, or watching superheros bust through brick walls and swim to the depths of the oceans.

Day 11-  I enjoy that China has a special holiday of 11/11.  Everything is on sale.  It's like Black Friday for China. Except I didn't buy anything or go shopping. Because I can't read sales signs anyway.  And I was too tired from work.

Day 12- I am thankful for my ukulele.  Piano always use to be a go to stress reliever for me when I was a teenager.  Now having my own apartment but no piano readily available I make do with what I have.  Which is the uke.  I first picked up a uke in my early teens but then didn't see think of it again until around my freshman/sophomore year of college.  I now can pick out almost any simple song in a matter of minutes.  My students love it and I'd really like to think about teaching the uke to some kids next year as a part of music class.

Day 13- I am thankful for all the different languages in the world. This world would be boring if everyone could understand each other.

Day 14- I am thankful for a grocery store within walking distance of my apartment.  I don't have a car or bike so I have to take a taxi, bus or walk everywhere I need to go.  Walking is obviously the cheapest option, then the bus with taxi coming in last with that still not even being THAT expensive.  It still less than 20 dollars to go somewhere even 30 minutes away.  Anyway, I then buy everything I need food wise put it all in my reusable grocery bag (since you have to buy plastic bags at the register is you want to use them).

Day 15-  I am thankful for Sonic and their crushed ice. And Butterfinger Blasts. And Cherry Limeades.  And many hours spent discussing stresses, people, music, dating, professors, existentialism, screaming, singing, and stuffing our faces on many Sonic Wednesdays during university years at 3pm every Wednesday after Chorale.  What started as 3 people sometimes grew to as many as 6 but we always had our foundation of 3.

Ethan, Me, Shannon

Day 16-(Phew I never thought I'd catch up)

I am forever thankful for my years at Worlds of Fun.  I remember as a 15 year old kid working at a lovely little pizza place as my first ever job thinking I would NEVER under ANY circumstances work at WOF as all I had heard was horror stories about it from people but secretly hating touching weird food and working only 2 hour shifts 3 times a week.  (Seriously, I don't even know why the pizza place kept me on as an employee as I hardly put in any hours there at all).  I was finally convinced by a good friend to at least apply and he got me in (through some connections) straight to a second interview.  I don't even remember the interview but 2 days later I was coming in for my first day.  I kept returning year after year working my way from the wonderful life of a ticket taker, being deathly afraid of handling money and practically refusing to be a ticket seller, to spending days on end being fried by tropical sun rays out at toll plaza, cleaning up bodily fluids, running/speedwalking a few miles everyday, and then being left alone at an amusement park gate clicking through thousands of will call orders trying to find ONE barcode because parents had given their 5 year child a ticket to hold on to which the child then promptly tore in half or ate.  I also dealt with many animal incidences one being some deer that lept over the turnstiles down at RSG in the wee hours of the morning and us rallying together with height sticks to beat them off, naming the spiders that lived in the corners by the computers, and watching people wade through Syphilis Swamp and Gonorrhea Gulch to find snapping turtles.  Then discovering how honest and dishonest people can be.  This place taught me people skills to the MAX.  Though the job took me away from home a lot in the summers, I think it is the way I could deal through any hardships.  It distracted me from stuff that could have sent me over the edge in many ways.  I knew I could go to work, put in my hours, work as hard as I could, and not really have to think about things outside of work.  Even though there were 2 summers I was completing tests or discussion boards for online classes I was taking during my breaks.  The first picture is of my second summer at WOF with a coworker Megan and the one on the right is of myself and my dear friend Darren.  He listened to so much of my crap over the years and watched me cry on more than one occasion.  I'd also like to credit myself partly to the person and position he is in today. I was his first ever lead down at our home sweet home, the Turnstiles!

Thankful Month

So I thought since I've been at a loss of what to write about lately I'd jump on in the bandwagon and do some Thankfulness Thoughts.

November 1st-

I am thankful for my friends here in China.  I have posted a few but here is a recent one.

Me, Jackson, Bri

November 2nd-

Soup because now I have dinner for the next few nights due to leftovers.  I attended a soup party on Sunday night with several other teachers and university students.  We had roughly 10 different kinds of soup, American and Chinese alike.  It was a wonderful night of fellowship and eating with new and old friends.

Look at what Irene put on my head! :P

November 3- For so many years, I didn't know normal social skills due to no siblings and my own shyness which resulted in few friends and no 'bosom friend'  (as Anne of Green Gables would describe) that I so long and desired for.  In the eighth grade, the year after I decided to follow Jesus with my life, I found her.  He blessed me with a person I could be completely and utterly transparent with.  I honestly can't think of a single thing that she doesn't know about me.  She has seen me at so many different points in my life and yet she's stuck it out for some crazy reason or another.  I have said countless stupid things in front of her or sounded completely ignorant about things.  She shocks me still with things she will say or do in front of people which inspires and teaches me to be bold.  She is almost the complete opposite of me which is why we are so compatible.  It pains me that it isn't so easy to just call her or go get Sonic/Starbucks or just watch School or Rock or The Emperor's New Groove for the 4000th time. And have concerts in the car (especially when I don't know the words), cruising along the freeway sticking our feet out the window screaming, "I'M DRIVING!"

Me and Shelby Lee Bell.
I look like a freakin' gopher.
A gopher?!

The more you are in a state of gratitude, the more you will attract things to be grateful for.
-Walt Disney

IMPORTANT: Yarp request

This weekend I had a lovely change of pace from the normal, be a recluse and have no human interaction for 2 straight days weekend.

I spent several hours with a friend I do not get to often see, much less spend significant time with on Saturday. And on Sunday, had some personal/life discussion with another friend who doesn't always like to open up about personal matters.

What is interests me about both encounters I had is that the Father showed up in both of them.

Let's see to explain these stories, there need to be names. Ok, uh... Son and Chan. That works.

Ok so on Saturday I hung out with Son.  I met Son through a mutual friend last year and our interactions have been strictly only through hanging out with the mutual friend at the same time.  Anyway, Son contacted me last week asking to hang out and we met up on Saturday.  We decided to hike a nearby mountain.  I almost died while Son was practically sprinting up the mountain like an Olympic athlete.  We stopped to rest and happened to hear a guitar and people singing (in Chinese).  I recognized the song and started singing in English.  They sang a few more songs and Son was translating some into English.  One line said , "I give all my life to J"  Son stopped translating at that point and said quietly,

"I don't want to do that."

"Why not?"

"Because then I won't be able to make my own decisions.  I can't make fun decisions or do what I want to do if I live for Him."

"Son, you do know people can follow J and still have fun, right?"

(pause) "You can?"

"Yeah. I'm doing and working what I love to do and I still follow Him."

"Well...that is the difference between you and me.  I don't think it is possible."


SUNDAY:

On Sunday, I hung out with my friend Chan.  I met Chan a few months ago and we have become pretty good friends.  Chan has never had much interaction with foreigners besides some foreign teachers and me so Chan is still getting used to my American-ness at times.  Chan likes to pull the China culture card a lot and say that is why Chan does or says things.  Turns out, Chan knew about a Chinese Fellowship some people attended. Chan had been invited to go by several people but was 'uninterested'.  I asked Chan what was the real reason and it finally came out.

"It's disrespectful if I go."

"Why do you say that?"

"It's disrespectful if I go and don't believe in it.  It is disrespectful to the people that do believe in J."

"Chan, no one will think it is disrespectful if you go."

"Elizabeth I have asked people before why they go and they said it is more to learn English and NOT learn about the Book or about religion"

"Yeah. That's true."

"You know this?!'

"Yes."

"And you don't think it's disrespectful?!"

"No."

(pause) "Well, in China..." (blah blah blah about how China is a collectivist culture and saving face and looking bad and being disrespectful things I already know about)

"Do you believe or not believe?"

"Now or forever?"

"Do you or do you not believe in J?"

"Now or forever?"

"Answer the question Chan."

"No."

"Ok so if you don't believe, what is there to be disrespectful about?  If you don't think this whole thing exists how will you be disrespectful about something that is not real?"

We both knew I had caught Chan between a rock and a hard place.  Chan collected their thoughts still saying they simply thought it was disrespectful to the people that actually believe and didn't want to be seen as a hypocrite.

Please be keeping Chan and Son in your yarps.  The Father is moving on their souls and thoughts.  Never before today has it been so obvious why I have been sent to China.  My time with Chan and Son is precious to me as I never know what I will say or do that will spark their interest.

67 Steps

67 steps.

 67.


Sixty-seven.


Steps.


67 steps is a lot and it is very few.   It is the number of steps I walk up every. single. day. Multiple times a day, or course.  I walk up them once to set my backpack and things down. Then walk BACK down to get hot water for my daily tea intake. Then sometimes I chill out in the teacher workroom or hike back UP the steps to escape into my batcave of a classroom.  Then I trudge down to the bottom floor again for lunchtime, and then climb back up. Then I normally come down about one more time before it's time to race down the steps to catch the bus home.  So, totaling that up comes to about...

402.

402 steps.  Not to mention all the running around I do INSIDE the classroom corralling children during London Bridge or trying to get 5th graders to understand the concept of Ms. McClure only possessing two ears with which to hear.

Also two of my third graders tried to tattle on another boy because he looked at them in the 'wrong' way or made a funny noise. I stopped, gave this face,

And then legitimately asked them what they wanted me to do about it.
Student: "Could you please say something to him?"
"Well.....he's not doing it anymore is he?  Annnndddd....the noise wasn't really directed at YOU soooooo..."

Nothing more happened after that.

Another one decided to start singing about poop and the different colors said feces could be. Sent him out of the classroom, told him third graders don't use that word, and asked if he could only use third-grade words from now on.  He sighed, tried to wriggle out of my hug, rolled his eyes, and sauntered back in.

Also, this gif is one of my favorite gifs to ever gif.

It is THE all encompassing REALLY?! face.  I give this look roughly 4000 times a day to students.  Particularly middle schoolers.  Since they are still elementary kids on the inside.   Never thought I would admit it but I actually really like my middle school students.  They are still at the age that they will stay interested and participate in a lesson but you can speak to them on a more real and personal level.  I think I surprised my sixth graders (my last year 5th grade) on how different I teach/act with different kids. 

Also my week has gotten considerably better in just 2 short days.
Reason #1

HECK. FREAKING. YES.  Except for the fact I have to wait an entire extra day to watch the new episode.  Really I just need me some Daryl (bow hunting action) and Glenn (Handsome Asian action).  I made the picture really big so that you can understand how big of a deal it is this show coming back on.  Last semester my friend Morgan and I would go on Walking Dead marathons.  We would promise each other we would only watch  1 MAYBE 2 episode and quit.  But we couldn't. The Walking Dead is a DRUG.  I can't not get enough zombie action.  Usually our viewing sessions take place on a couch, eyes glued to my computer screen, me smacking Morgan every time a zombie walks around a corner or Daryl/Glenn's life is hanging on the line, and Morgan yelling at me to stop hitting her and her gasping/whispering in awe with every thud of a machete. 

Reason #2

Royals Victory. I'm ready to party like it's 1985.  The best birthday present for me would be the Royals NOT playing on October 25th because that means they would've already won the World Series. 

Reason #3

I was actually quite productive this weekend. Got almost completely caught up with grading on Saturday AND went out for some drinks honoring a friend's birthday and met some lovely new people. 2 loads of laundry done, picked out literature to teach middle school music chillerens. HELLER! Wurrs gern ter ber lernern lerts erv muerserc! Praise the Lort!

And......yep. Done. Till the next time.

KRUP YOU and BLUE OCTOBER

In middle school, it's MOVIE WEEK!  We are watching West Side Story as a wrap-up to our musical theatre unit.  Of course, this is with middle schoolers and any kissing or romance/love is still gross to them.  But then when the exciting rumble scene comes on and people die/get stabbed that's when things get exciting and you hear the audible gasp from 22 twelve to fourteen year olds.

Random picture from a trip to the zoo last spring:

I'll let you figure out the problem.

Also I've decided to put out some music recommendations this go round:

1. Steven Curtis Chapman- Because he's awesome.  And a throwback 90s Christian artist that is still just as great now, if not better due to life circumstances that have been thrown at him in just a few short years.
2. David Phelps- Because I'm pretty sure his voice is a mix between King David's from the Bible and God.  In fact, he may be just King David incarnate what with the man's musical ability.
3. New American Classic- Make You Fall in Love.  I suggest taking a listen because it's good.

********************************

All that written above has been sitting in the drafts box for about 2 weeks.  Since then much has happened.

Ready?

And because I have to format the photos like that, I'm writing captions down here.

Photo 1: (Old man) This was an old man we had the pleasure of meeting at the Temple of Heaven.  The preying mantis on his head was his friend.  This bug just hung out with him and crawled on the man's sheng (Chinese instrument) when it was played.

Photo 2:  This is a photo of myself and an amazing person I have had the privilege of meeting since moving to China.  My friend Jordon is a unique, encouraging, man of God who lives and studies in Beijing.  He lived in Yantai my first year in China and I got to meet up with him again when visiting Beijing.

Photo 3:  I was nicknamed 'The Banker' on the McClure escapade through China.  I had all the monies so I gave my mother and aunt an allowance at the beginning of each day.

Photo 4: Aunt Daphne, me, and Momma in front of the Forbidden City.  Our tour guide April led us around an amazing day to the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and the Summer Palace.

I also talked to 3 of my friends in 2 days. About an hour each.  Please. I'm always willing to Skype or chat or email or fb message or text anyone.  But I must warn you, I'm pretty bad at texting people back sometimes. or responding. But on Skype, let's talk for an hour. or two. or three. I think the longest I've ever talked is 3 1/2 hours on Skype. It was an intense session. There's a couple of funny photos I've taken from convos and I would love to post them but I won't embarrass anyone (Andrew). 

I also spent the day hanging out with a Chinese friend yesterday.  We just talked, ate dinner, and walked around for several hours. It was wonderful to have face to face conversation with someone and some meaningful talk and some shooting the breeze.  I told this friend that I felt that sometimes Chinese people only wanted to be friends with foreigners(me) because they wanted to learn and speak English.  He wrinkled his nose and said, "That's a really shallow- no I need a more poetic word. Maybe...selfish? Yes, selfish, reason to be friends with someone."  This friend is one of the most interesting people with which to talk.  He always has something to say and is very easy to talk to. (I have to end that with a preposition. sorry English people)

Also I have to go on a teacher rant here:

I will try to be as delicate as possible.  I hope that music/academia is the not the most important thing I teach students.  I hope that I will never be the teacher that will spend hours upon hours upon hours stressing/worrying about WHAT I am teaching my students or being overly meticulous about lesson plans.  While I am in China, the title of my job is teaching children music.  My REAL job is LOVING my children/students/the people that I encounter on a daily basis as HE loves them.  Ya know what I mean?

REPPIN' THAT KC ROYALS PRIDE ON THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA!! #BlueOctober

LIGHTBULB!

I've had that title written for almost an hour and written nothing on the actual post.

I think I'm having writer's block.

A fourth grader told me today, "My IQ is going to DIE!"

A third grader was STILL talking about seeing a girl's 'panties'.  Those of you that don't know, I HATE bathroom talk ie pooping, peeing, peanut, panty, from kids.  It is perhaps funny outside of class but while I'm in the middle of teaching or if they're singing a song the words always get changed.

Example: Swimming pool song becomes....  POOPING, POOPING, IN A POOPING POOL, WHEN IT'S PEE, WHEN IT'S POOP, IN A POOPING POOL!!!!

or

Have you ever, ever, ever, in your POOPING life seen a PEEING sailor and his POOPING wife?

Maybe I get so angry because I'm afraid I'll start busting out laughing at 4,5,6 year olds sing/screaming about POOP at the top of their lungs.

John Jacobson needs to write children's songs about the bathroom.

I had a PBJ sammich, bell peppers, and carrots for dinner. With water.  Decently healthy. Except for the ranch dip I dipped the veggies in.

I successfully drew two pictures of animals on the board today and the children actually knew what they were!

Dishes are piling up in my sink.

I always have to have a cup of tea in the morning otherwise, the whole day goes down the drain.  Currently I have been on a TAZO passion tea and TEAvana Maharaja Chai Oolong.  (That a lady at the Teavana store on the KC Plaza shoved down my throat to buy.)  And by a kick I mean, that's all the tea flavors I have.  So if you would like to send me something, send different flavor teas.  Currently I have the TAZO, the TEAvana tea, some Plantation mint, and some chamomile mango.  I miss Earl Grey.

I have roughly 12 boxes of Mac and Cheese in my cupboard.

I went to the mall last night in search of lightbulbs.  After two different stores and 4 different workers I gave up.  And I KNOW it was NOT due to a language barrier.  I brought the old lightbulb with me to the store, asked them if they had this (while pointing and SPEAKING in Chinese) and all they told me was to go ask someone else.  I even found LAMPS!! but no light bulbs.  I suppose I can just shower and pee in the dark.

Friday is a field day and I am paired with the 10th graders aka most rowdy (but most fun) boys and the girls that keep them in line (sometimes). Hopefully I can find a dark purple srhit shrit shirt to wear.

I wish I could speak 10 languages. English, Chinese, Korean, German, Italian, Czech, Russian, Arabic, Greek, and I don't know a last language.  Spanish is boring, French would be okay. Other candidates were Swedish, Dutch, Hebrew, and Swahili.

This is the most random post I think ever attached to this blog.  I also randomly creeped on people's blogs that I went to youth group and high school with.  They both still live in the KC area but on the other hand are married/engaged.  I watched 3 funny Youtube videos this evening.

Also I would like to tell you a story. A short story. A story about the old, elevator man.  He lives on the ninth floor of my apartment building.  He moves at a pace that makes snails look like they're sprinting.  I see him almost everyday.  The story is that he is VERY impatient when it comes to the elevator. On the first floor, for example, he will walk up to the button and start to press it. Not once, not twice. Not three times. But a CONSTANT pushing until the elevator arrives. Never. Stopping.  Then if that elevator doesn't come fast enough, he turns to the OTHER elevator and pulls the same stunt.  Once one of the elevators arrives, he gets in, presses his number, continuously presses the 'door close' arrows and then goes back to continue pushing his floor number button until he arrives at his floor.  For those of you that do not know if you double press a floor number in an elevator, the light will go out and the elevator will not stop, so the poor man sometimes has missed his floor due to his continuous pressing.

Pain demands to be felt

I can't believe I haven't made a TFIOS reference AT ALL in this blog. What's wrong with me?!

Though I suppose TECHNICALLY the title is a nod to An Imperial Affliction and NOT The Fault in Our Stars buuuuuuuuuuuuut..... details.

If you have not read The Fault in Our Stars yet,

No I'm kidding COMMMEE BAACKKK  (for the three people that actually read this blog)

I realize I've used this gif before but she's appropriate in a lot of different situations.

ANYWAY......

On to the actual blogstpost. blogpost? post? blog? blogst?

Also writing blogs over a few days' time, isn't helpful in sticking to one subject per post.  Though at the start of this post I had just watched The Fault in Our Stars for the second time since I'm now able to download everything again without getting my mother put on the WANTED criminals list. (ask myself or her for THAT story)

This weekened.

FRIDAY NIGHT: came home from school, conked out for 3 hours, downloaded TFIOS and ate cookies for dinner.

SATURDAY: Awoke, watched some GOT, skyped 2 people, graded some journals and projects, went out to get dinner and then laid around until getting out at night for a VERY full celebration of a teachers' birthday.

Me, Jaime, Brittney, Jess the bday girl, Abby, Morgan

Some friends standing outside our second stop of the night

SUNDAY: woke up completely exhausted and hurting from the night before.

A pretty accurate picture of me every morning as I wake up.

Then another Skype session with a recently engaged friend! And cleaning of the apartment! And going to the grocery store with the 6 million other people that live in Yantai and their closest friends. Then I made enchiladas for a Mexican night as continuation of birthday weekend.

Ok well that was probably a pretty boring play-by-play of my weekend. Sorry for those of you that don't particularly care. #sorrynotsorry

Now onto the actual Thoughts from My Head:  Pain demands to be felt.  Everyone feels pain. Everyone expresses it in different ways.  Some people don't know how to express it.  Many times I have expressed pain on this blog.  And through gifs.

 I also enjoy crying to express pain. In the first grade, I was a crybaby and cried everyday when I dropped a pencil on the floor or when another child talked to me.  Because I was socially inept. Then my second grade teacher, Ms. Shaff, basically taught me how to get in control of my emotions since she was a wipe-your-face-get-a-drink-stop-crying-and-sit-down woman which is what I needed.  The pain of having no friends demanded to be felt.

My students feel pain and they think that no one notices. That I don't notice.  Many times they subconsciously try to hid since this is a very private-keep-yourself-to-yourself culture.  So many times I follow the rule I've heard that Disney Princess actresses follow: When you hug a child, never be the first to let go; you never know how long they need it.  Now obviously, there are precautions and limits one has to set, especially being a school teacher and keeping a student-teacher line in place, but with all honestly, the Lord only knows what my students go home to. Academies? ayis? no dad at home? no mom at home? Family dinner? Youth group?  This is not to say I don't know my students because I do but only at a school level.  We as teachers never really know what happens to our students at home that affect their life at school.  We don't know what happens to our coworkers or friends or even people we see on the street on a daily basis.  Though I don't know how good I am telling this to other people, I always tell my students they can come talk to me even if it's about my class, other school, friends, stuff at home.  Many kids are too scared to approach anyone, much less a teacher, to talk to them about things but sometimes all they need is an invitation.

 "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." -Atticus Finch

(Yet another shout-out to the wonderful Miller of teaching this book in the ninth grade)

Hurrah for the PIRATE KING!

In the experimental class of Middle School Exploratory Music, we are currently learning about and studying the topic of musical theatre.  I was actually really surprised because the kids chose this as a topic they wanted to learn about which was fine with me since I am actually an expert on the modern musical. (HA)

Anyway, today we were learning about the early forms of musical theatre which include the comic opera/operetta.  A fine example of this is Pirates of the Penzance.  For those unfamiliar the entire production it's basically people parading around making fun of serious opera singers and acting like swashbuckling fools.  Think Mel Brooks style parody with a pirate theme except written in the 1880s by the genius of Gilbert and Sullivan.  Personally I didn't really learn to appreciate the humor until later but these kids were cracking up over the Pirate King singing and proclaiming his manliness to Frederic and the crew.

Other hopeful showings will include West Side Story and perhaps Les Miserables because education, duh.  Music is not all kpop and Gagnam style and alternative sound.

Also I have discovered that teaching middle school is actually a lot of fun because most of the time, they are still pretty active and participate and plus you can treat them like secondary students.  The only thing is, they still have only the attention span of a kindergartner and you have to literally spell out and spoon food any and all information to them.

 Granted, this is in the culture of where students have been taught to memorize and regurgitate rather than think or come up with their own ideas so critical thinking is something that has to be taught.

I got caught up on some grading and attendance updates tonight, so that's good.

There's a blog I read periodically, Single Dad Laughing, that has Free-Write Mondays where all he does is just start typing and not edit his entry at all.

I don't like writing formal lesson plans.  I can't stand students who don't try (though I was always that kid in school where if something was too hard, I just would stop until someone held my hand through the whole thing).  Parents who complain about homework being too hard or who think we should treat their child special are...a bit... NOT SPECIAL!!!

Ok that's it...I need to get some pictures up or something.  For now I'm just writing.

Are you new here?

I have some really good gifs that I want to use in upcoming blogsts including a Big Bang Theory and Sherlock one but I don't know if they'll fit the mood of this one.

Ok so I've been running around like a mad woman ever since I got back in Yantai.  There were a few struggles and setbacks at the beginning that I quickly got over and now am starting to get into a routine.

The beginning of my second year of teaching is VASTLY different from first year. (obviously)  I know most of the students now and they know me.  I now have a middle school music class and high school music class.  I'm definitely taking those in some different directions than years past.  Some new students know very, VERY little English and sometimes I wonder if anything I'm saying is getting through to them.  New teachers are wading through the muck of learning names, learning personalities, learning about living in China, and learning to teach.  I've gotten the pleasure of seeing how many things stuck over the summer with the kids that I taught last year. And then I have my new 4th grader Oliver, brand new to YAS, who already knows all the names of the notes/rests/staff in ENGLISH and my middle/high school kids who I have taught for a year can't remember what a treble clef is.

Makes ya wanna SHAKE a chil'!!!

I have a few new kindy students.  One is Martin, who is little red-haired Emilie's brother.  He is a bundle of energy.  With hair as red as his sisters'.  One day he wouldn't sit still or listen at all so teachery-Ms. McClure came out.  He became very sullen and serene and in a pouty voice said, "I only speak a little bit English."  Then there is Clara who I'm still not sure actually knows her name yet, and Christina and Sean who's speaking voices I have yet to hear but who will sing to their new friend Rocky Raccoon.

Rachmaninoff aka ROCKY

Kindys are able to suspend the disbelief of Rocky as are first graders (most of the time). Second graders struggle to just have fun with Rocky and point out every thirty seconds they know it's my hand moving around.  THANKS A LOT FOR RUINING IT KID!!
I have only 5 girls in my high school music class but they listen and participate and can sing on pitch. I can already tell we're going to have some good times together as the girls are all very different and in a variety of friend circles but come and sing together everyday.

Friday was a game night for the secondary students.  I know I had fun.  My legs can still feel the repercussions and aches of running back and forth in Shipwrecked and picking up a fellow teacher every thirty seconds in Coconuts and Palm Trees. I think the kids enjoyed Amoeba, or the box game, a wonderful little game I learned my senior year of high school at Fall Retreat.  By the end of the evening, even the high school boys' eyes were drooping.

Saturday, I spent 3 hours talking a to and catching up with a friend from university.  Interesting to see how many things have changed for us over the year and a half since graduation.

Then Sunday, was grocery shopping day and lesson planning day where my roommate, Jaime, and I spent roughly eight hours planning. And by planning I mean played around on facebook for two hours, wasted time ordering honey bread and coffee, wechatted some people, then finally got around to actual planning and writing down notes.

I feel like there's a lot more to tell but for now that'll be good.

"Hey! THIS looks good!"

I have honestly felt like Cory the last few days of school seeing some students.  I mean, I understand making a statement now that we have uniforms set in place and I KNOW I am certainly not the best dressed or a fashion expert in any sense but please, looking in a mirror will do wonders for one's dignity.

I will write a blogst later of more adventures of the whole first week back.