Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Things are going fine
Today, my dad had surgery. Everything turned out fine. I talked to my mom and my brother. Dad is okay. My mom and my brother are feeling okay too. The surgery went okay! So this is great news!
I was not able to talk to dad because he was resting and he was on medication. I will be talking to him in the morning. I hope he had a good night's sleep and he starts making the doctors crazy tomorrow, complaining, bitching and moaning! That's when I will know that Yaco is Yaco! Kuki
I was not able to talk to dad because he was resting and he was on medication. I will be talking to him in the morning. I hope he had a good night's sleep and he starts making the doctors crazy tomorrow, complaining, bitching and moaning! That's when I will know that Yaco is Yaco! Kuki
Sunday, May 15, 2005
What's happening?
Has what happened to me in the basketball forum killed the joy of participating in the forum? Has what happened to me in the forum killed the joy of participating in the chat discussions and broadcasting the games?
I don't know. What I DO know is that since last Thursday I have posted only one message, and this message has been done in the spirit of contributing to a positive discussion.
I went into the chatroom when the Spurs-Seattle game started. I stayed there for the second quarter. But I did not feel like staying. I have too much work to do. And I was somewhat depressed. At the same time, I said to myself: Kuki, are you willing to do this after you have been called names for standing up for what you believe in? So, at that point, I had to think of my own self-respect. And I said to myself: Kuki, it's time to get back to work and watch the game at the same time... So here I am... Blogging while I am watching the SPurs losing at the beginning of the fourth quarter.... I hope this is not a repeat of the Spurs-Lakers series last year... We started winning two games, and then we lost the other four games... It looks like a very bad movie rerun!
Now, I have a question: Why is it that people overgeneralize about people in the US? Why is it that people who dislike US policy blame everyone in the US for what the US government does? Why do people assume that we all think the same? And that we are all to be blamed for ALL the bad things that happen in the world? Basically, why do people write things like:
"Así que, parafraseándote, please cheer up, la vida no es tan dura y usualmente detrás de la corrección polìtica hay una hipocresía flagrante que le ha costado al mundo gran parte de la pobreza y muertes asociadas que hacen aflorar por el lado perverso lo que esconden para "guardar las apariencias".
OK. I think it's time to move on... To start thinking about the things that I need to think about. To focus on my work, on my TESOL Board responsibilities, and my father's surgery on Tuesday. These things have taken precedence over basketball, a basketball forum, and other things. Kuki
I don't know. What I DO know is that since last Thursday I have posted only one message, and this message has been done in the spirit of contributing to a positive discussion.
I went into the chatroom when the Spurs-Seattle game started. I stayed there for the second quarter. But I did not feel like staying. I have too much work to do. And I was somewhat depressed. At the same time, I said to myself: Kuki, are you willing to do this after you have been called names for standing up for what you believe in? So, at that point, I had to think of my own self-respect. And I said to myself: Kuki, it's time to get back to work and watch the game at the same time... So here I am... Blogging while I am watching the SPurs losing at the beginning of the fourth quarter.... I hope this is not a repeat of the Spurs-Lakers series last year... We started winning two games, and then we lost the other four games... It looks like a very bad movie rerun!
Now, I have a question: Why is it that people overgeneralize about people in the US? Why is it that people who dislike US policy blame everyone in the US for what the US government does? Why do people assume that we all think the same? And that we are all to be blamed for ALL the bad things that happen in the world? Basically, why do people write things like:
"Así que, parafraseándote, please cheer up, la vida no es tan dura y usualmente detrás de la corrección polìtica hay una hipocresía flagrante que le ha costado al mundo gran parte de la pobreza y muertes asociadas que hacen aflorar por el lado perverso lo que esconden para "guardar las apariencias".
OK. I think it's time to move on... To start thinking about the things that I need to think about. To focus on my work, on my TESOL Board responsibilities, and my father's surgery on Tuesday. These things have taken precedence over basketball, a basketball forum, and other things. Kuki
Saturday, May 14, 2005
The Story Continues...
A couple of days ago, I wrote about the problem that I had as a participant in a forum in which I was attacked for my "politically correct" views which resulted from my being married to an American... The guy who made that statement does not know that I have always been "politically correct." I do not appreciate of pictures that objectify women and if I see such pictures in a forum in which I participate, I will raise a question. I should say that picture fo which I am referring was not that offensive. I, and underline I, found it to be distatesful....But the point is that the guys in the forum, not all of them, attacked me for what I said... More later....
Friday, May 13, 2005
Flaming Messages
Today I would like to write about something that happened to me. As some of you know, I participate in a basketball forum and now I am a moderator. As a moderator, I have not really done much, other than "lock" some threads that are repeated.
As a member of the forum, I have continued to participate as I did in the past. However, something very disturbing happened to me. I saw a picture that I perceived to be sexist. So I asked the person who had posted it if he would not mind changing the picture so that we could all lought at the same joke. The person who posted the message said that he was not going to change the picture because he did not find it to be agressive. Some men began to attack my point of view and I kept responding in a very educated, tolerant manner. A couple of guys said that, interestingly enough, I had been more tolerant and respectful than the guys who had attacked me. He also said that as a moderator, I could have deleted the picture, which I didn't do. Of course, it was NEVER my intention to delete the picture. Well, at that point, several men began to attack me, saying that they were tired of me, that I was intolerant. The worst post came from a person who,a mong many other things, attacked me for living in the US and for being married to an American. Following is the post:
Kuki: la "corrección política" que (creo) motiva tu overreaction me da náuseas. Evidentemente casarte con un nativo de allí took its toll... Y hasta escribo en esa mezcla de inglés y castellano (que no es Spanglish, eso es otra cosa), que tanto te gusta y que, por ejemplo, a un montón de gente le da por los huevos... inclusive a mí que puedo comprender y escribir inglés perfectamente, hasta slang.
This post reflects an example of flaming language that is usually used on the Web when men communicate with women. This is the second time that this has happened to me. Because I have seen (or read I should say), a bunch of men's postings attacking my for being a strong woman and for expressing my point of view. On top of that, I have seen that these men tend to interact nicely with flirtatious women, women who post "teasing" messages. That is not me. Not now, not never....in the past or in the women.
I hope that these exchanges don't take away from me the joy of watching basketball or of talking about basketball. What is clear is that I can't deal with people, or men I should say, who use the Web as a forum for attacking other people....I wished I had a thicker skin.... OK, it's time to move on and work on the things that really matters. Kuki
As a member of the forum, I have continued to participate as I did in the past. However, something very disturbing happened to me. I saw a picture that I perceived to be sexist. So I asked the person who had posted it if he would not mind changing the picture so that we could all lought at the same joke. The person who posted the message said that he was not going to change the picture because he did not find it to be agressive. Some men began to attack my point of view and I kept responding in a very educated, tolerant manner. A couple of guys said that, interestingly enough, I had been more tolerant and respectful than the guys who had attacked me. He also said that as a moderator, I could have deleted the picture, which I didn't do. Of course, it was NEVER my intention to delete the picture. Well, at that point, several men began to attack me, saying that they were tired of me, that I was intolerant. The worst post came from a person who,a mong many other things, attacked me for living in the US and for being married to an American. Following is the post:
Kuki: la "corrección política" que (creo) motiva tu overreaction me da náuseas. Evidentemente casarte con un nativo de allí took its toll... Y hasta escribo en esa mezcla de inglés y castellano (que no es Spanglish, eso es otra cosa), que tanto te gusta y que, por ejemplo, a un montón de gente le da por los huevos... inclusive a mí que puedo comprender y escribir inglés perfectamente, hasta slang.
This post reflects an example of flaming language that is usually used on the Web when men communicate with women. This is the second time that this has happened to me. Because I have seen (or read I should say), a bunch of men's postings attacking my for being a strong woman and for expressing my point of view. On top of that, I have seen that these men tend to interact nicely with flirtatious women, women who post "teasing" messages. That is not me. Not now, not never....in the past or in the women.
I hope that these exchanges don't take away from me the joy of watching basketball or of talking about basketball. What is clear is that I can't deal with people, or men I should say, who use the Web as a forum for attacking other people....I wished I had a thicker skin.... OK, it's time to move on and work on the things that really matters. Kuki
Friday, May 06, 2005
Email... Email....& Movies!
I am wondering if anyone reading this blog has any advice on how to manage my email. It's not only that I get a lot of emails, who doesn't? My problem is that I always feel compelled to respond to the messages as they come! I need to be able to force myself to check my email three times a day, for example, and then respond to my messages three times a day... But I can't do this... I am checking my email every 15-20 minutes. And I am responding to messages that often!
I think that what is happening to me is similar to a chain smoker who can't stop smoking... So I am trying to find out if there are any solutions for people who have a problem like mine. I need to solve this problem before it becomes any bigger.... Like Mr. Darcy says in Pride and Prejudice "I will conquer this...."
A couple of weekend ago, Alan and I went to see "The Interpreter." I liked the movie. I especially liked Sean Penn. Nicole Kidman was good. She is not one of my favorite actresses (I love Julianne Moore and Laura Linney). But I have to say that she was good. Sean Penn is alwayis brooding over something... In this case, his wife had left him for another man (she was a dancer, he was a dancer) and had decided to come back to him... But... as the "lover" was driving her back, they had a crash... I believe that the lover did not want her to leave him....
It was interesting to see the United Nations building. It looked really beautiful inside. I think that the colors of the furniture (green, turqueise) and the sculptures from different countries, contributed to the feel of the movie....
Last weekend I finally got to see Motorcycle Diaries....Rodrigo de la Serna was great! He WAS the movie... It may be that I don't like road movies (although my favorite movie last year was Sideways), but I did not find the story to be compelling (though the script was nominated for the Oscars). Rodrigo de la Serna was terrific! But Gael Garcia Benral as El Che... No way... He does not have the pysique de rol.... No....Ok. This is it for now... More tomorrow....
I think that what is happening to me is similar to a chain smoker who can't stop smoking... So I am trying to find out if there are any solutions for people who have a problem like mine. I need to solve this problem before it becomes any bigger.... Like Mr. Darcy says in Pride and Prejudice "I will conquer this...."
A couple of weekend ago, Alan and I went to see "The Interpreter." I liked the movie. I especially liked Sean Penn. Nicole Kidman was good. She is not one of my favorite actresses (I love Julianne Moore and Laura Linney). But I have to say that she was good. Sean Penn is alwayis brooding over something... In this case, his wife had left him for another man (she was a dancer, he was a dancer) and had decided to come back to him... But... as the "lover" was driving her back, they had a crash... I believe that the lover did not want her to leave him....
It was interesting to see the United Nations building. It looked really beautiful inside. I think that the colors of the furniture (green, turqueise) and the sculptures from different countries, contributed to the feel of the movie....
Last weekend I finally got to see Motorcycle Diaries....Rodrigo de la Serna was great! He WAS the movie... It may be that I don't like road movies (although my favorite movie last year was Sideways), but I did not find the story to be compelling (though the script was nominated for the Oscars). Rodrigo de la Serna was terrific! But Gael Garcia Benral as El Che... No way... He does not have the pysique de rol.... No....Ok. This is it for now... More tomorrow....
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
The Power of the Internet
Today, I want to focus on the power of the Internet. Clarin, the Argentine paper, published an article titled "A Manu lo protegen" (Manu is protected--by his fans (http://www.clarin.com/diario/2005/05/03/deportes/d-05801.htm) . The focus of the article is on how Manu's fans, from Argentina and the US, used Manu Ginobili's forum, and specifically one thread: Manu no es Barrichello--http://manuginobili.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19512
to complain about George Karl's statements about Manu Ginobili and to, one more time, complain about Pop's decision to play Manu off the bench, when he has been his most consistent player.
Why am I focusing on this topic? Imagine me, living and working in Los Angeles, and posting a message under the thread and then reading my posting being quoted in an article by Clarin (today, 5/3/05) in Argentina. And imagine my father, interested in all sports and particularly in basketball, reading Kuki being quoted by Clarin in Argentina today. This is an excellent example of the power of the Internet. When you keep wondering: Who is going to be reading my postings? Who is going to be reading my blog? The answer is "You never know."
I have always been careful about what I post on the Web and the language I use on the Web. It's not a question of cursing or not cursing. It's a question of how much I display about myself and how I present myself. I only have one nick and I display myself as I am... Now, if you show anonymity, then you may not need to worry about these issues...
But the point that I am trying to make is not be careful. What I am trying to say is: The Internet is not this abstract thing that we talk about when discussing issues related to teaching and learning L2. The power of the Internet is real. Language learners will be using your pages...OK... This is it for now! Cheers, Kuki
to complain about George Karl's statements about Manu Ginobili and to, one more time, complain about Pop's decision to play Manu off the bench, when he has been his most consistent player.
Why am I focusing on this topic? Imagine me, living and working in Los Angeles, and posting a message under the thread and then reading my posting being quoted in an article by Clarin (today, 5/3/05) in Argentina. And imagine my father, interested in all sports and particularly in basketball, reading Kuki being quoted by Clarin in Argentina today. This is an excellent example of the power of the Internet. When you keep wondering: Who is going to be reading my postings? Who is going to be reading my blog? The answer is "You never know."
I have always been careful about what I post on the Web and the language I use on the Web. It's not a question of cursing or not cursing. It's a question of how much I display about myself and how I present myself. I only have one nick and I display myself as I am... Now, if you show anonymity, then you may not need to worry about these issues...
But the point that I am trying to make is not be careful. What I am trying to say is: The Internet is not this abstract thing that we talk about when discussing issues related to teaching and learning L2. The power of the Internet is real. Language learners will be using your pages...OK... This is it for now! Cheers, Kuki
