siren or skilled mariner... Originally uploaded by *raffaella. There is a TOC in the class again today... so this morning was a little wild. However, unbeknowst to me the class was scheduled to go skating for half of the morning. So, I am here at the school supervising the four students who forget to bring their skates and were unable to find skates...

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Just read about this from one of the blogs I subscribe to.If you're looking for something to cheer you up, watch this approx. ten minute mockumentary: Fear of Girls about Dungeons and Dragons players. It's hilarious and well worth the watch. ...

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There's a TOC in my main class today and as a result both of the students that I focus my time with have gone home. And the rest of the students are working on the classic busy work.This morning I heard a story that reaffirmed my belief that there are many, many stupid individuals in the world... and some are so stupid that...

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yellow variations Originally uploaded by *raffaella. Today was particularly sunny outside... and after three days of being cooped up inside with my most recent sickness I decided to escape the cofines of my dungeon studio and go for what would be called a daily constitutional if I can count walking to and from work each week day.I strolled with my camera downtown... or...

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ode to pontius pilate Originally uploaded by *raffaella. this afternoon my ugliness was on display.I needed to wash the nastiness away but I could not motivate myself to venture out of doors to take any pictures. Where I could travel by foot (reasonably) just did not interest me photographically. So I decided to explore the rooms nearby with my camera.It's funny that when...

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Occasionally one must learn to be content with what they have... or at least accept that temporary condition.Aperture is $299 in the Apple Education Store. Which is nice, except I don't have that kind of money nor do I have a computer that could run it.shucks darn... and I suppose it would be too presumptuous of me to think that the Valentine's Day...

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Sometimes I really do detest returning to this city after spending time in a much better one. It's a slightly depressing adjustment - doubly so when suffering from a touch of illness.So to make myself feel better I went and pulled all of my bikinis (all 15 of them - many which have never seen the light of day) out of my drawer...

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W. sent me this link. Watch it...it's too funny. ...

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I said it once before... and I'll say it once again.Adobe CS2 rocks my bobby socks! Adobe Bridge is a great improvement on File Navigator in Photoshop. and I felt like junk this morning... but I'm starting to feel better. Maybe it's just the after effects of using improved software.or maybe I'm delirious and running a fever... ...

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TV is good because it stops me from thinking. And I have been thinking too much lately and in order for me to relax I need to stop thinking. My computer work does not allow me to do that. Although I can be in bed working on my laptop, it does not mean that I am relaxing.Someone take my laptop away from me...

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I'd like to be able to put my little white beast and my workhorse into a (theoretical) blender and end up with the OSX operating system and the screen from my other computer. I'm just checking out Adobe CS2 on the little white beast and so far I am pretty impressed with the new Adobe Bridge setup. I really like the File Navigator...

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I never used to be the type who enjoyed arriving for work early... mostly because I would go straight to my office and feel inclined to start working because I was at my desk. However, at the school I am mobile for the first part of my morning and I cannot start work until a specific time when I pull a student out...

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I wish I had my camera on me... I'm just waiting for work to begin after a fantastic weekend away and as I look out the window I can see the most gorgeous pink light streaking in over the top of the school (or at least I did until I was interrupted by a coworker).more to come about my weekend later. ...

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Hurrah! Tomorrow I get to hit the tarmac and leave for my weekend in Edmonton.and I have nothing else to say because I still have to pack and in my excitement my mind is incapable of creating coherent sentences. ...

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I write too much junk. Maybe I should branch out into fiction. I write too much junk. Maybe I should branch out into fiction. ...

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I will explain my title...Recently, I have participated in alternatingly deep and light conversations about wealth, love and happiness and the world at large. These of course are core themes of a rather obscure 1967 Disney musical - The Happiest Millionaire... from which I pulled my title, where in a moment of intense emotion, Miss Cordelia Drexel Biddle sounds a gong in the...

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I've decided that before I can allow myself to buy a new camera I have to do several things first. 1. I need to shoot more often in manual mode (I'm getting better at this, except when I'm very lazy)2. I need to improve my PS skills, learning more about colour spaces and whatnot. So far I just edit until the colours please...

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(*Japanese proverb)I went to bed ridiculously early last night and much to my surprise I actually managed to sleep the majority of the night, minus a few brief periods were I woke up because my mind as usual is a little restless. So now I am awake at this ungodly hour for a Sunday, trying to decide whether it is a good idea...

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stretching my fingers in between preparing egg rolls and cooking them...It has really turned to winter outside. The ground is completely blanketed in a layer of fresh snow, it's quite pretty. Luckily the temperature is quite moderate. The afternoon has almost disappeared and I have yet to start any of the things that are on my side of today's to-do list. I find...

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It's Friday the 13th and I'm finished work for the week and I am pleased. I have a ton of photo editing to finish this weekend, the majority of which I have scheduled for tomorrow. However, today is not only a great day because it is that oh so special Friday but also because I have now completed my probationary period at work,...

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This morning has been a quiet one in the classroom, I'm trying to change the language of a keynote presentation that I adapted from my paper about weblogs and educational hierarchies so that it can be easily understood by gr. 6 and 7 students. This is very difficult for me to do. I have to learn how to let go of all my...

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Today was a particularly tiring day at work. Some of these young kids have pretty tough lives and they can't help but show it through their emotions at school. I try to do the best I can and help them concentrate on school and at least help them make at least part of their day rewarding and enjoyable. However, although feeling a little...

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There are some people who can react to news of an exciting prospect with an easy nonchalance and go on with their days like nothing significant is going to happen. The event comes and goes and they go on with their life without any real change to their schedules. I am not one of those people. In the days or weeks leading up...

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my time off has been approved...yeah!! ...

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but I don't care...I continually seek out more reading materials. I have just read that Margaret Atwood, one of my favourite authors, has published yet another book, to be released tomorrow.Here is an excerpt entitled Encouraging the Young by Atwood.I've added it to my amazon wishlist (currently at 89 items), which I last visited about a year ago and I've only half heartedly...

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There are many sayings that I am not too keen on. Well, I should specify that I'm not keen on these certain sayings unless they are done in a tongue in cheek fashion. I once had an instructor who was fond of talking about the different hats that we must wear within the academic writing class that he was teaching. For the purposes...

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I think that I must be trying to live my life like a David Adams Richard novel. If you have read any of his works you are almost always left depressed and wondering how can so much bad happen to these characters. They just have a constant run of bad luck and even when things look like they're turning for the better something...

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confusion is always the most honest response* Originally uploaded by *raffaella. is it a failing that my blog has turned into an emotional venting space? Will people discover my weaknesses and exploit them? I don't know what to say, I don't know if I should apologize for my honesty or defend it.oh the questions swirling in my head on this Sunday night. What...

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10am:tonight my sisters leave for school again and I then I will have even less people in my house to ignore while I'm on the computer. I will feel the loss acutely although I was terrible and ignored them on their last full evening in town... one because I was tired and had a headache so I had to go lie down, and...

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those who know me well know that I have an affinity for musicals both of the stage and film variety. Unfortunately the stage variety are few and far between in this part of the country... so when I often have to make do with the delicious cheesiness of the film variety. Tonight I hit the jackpot and picked up a collection containing West...

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My current work schedule is pretty ideal for my fluctuating iron levels. I wouldn't mind a few more hours a week so I could supplement my little collection of camera equipment and other assorted accessories, but I really can't complain too much. I like finishing early in the afternoon so I spend a quiet hour recuperating from the bustle of activity at work...

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You can only receive, give, and possess the light as the lens doesiron levels: lowmood: melancholyemployment: satisfactorysuper quiz answering ability (quite possibly the oldest trivia game in our house): excellentthings just keep on getting better and better.as my sisters are still in town for a few days I haven't had to really brave the world alone. Pretty soon I will and it will...

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best seat in the house Originally uploaded by *raffaella. Picture this...a cold, frosty morning in Northern British Columbia and the LC (greyhound loser cruiser) pulls into town. On the bus is a colourful array of characters... the majority dressed in sweats and smelling like vomit and stale beer. As the passengers file from the bus the depot is suddenly awash in a sea...

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