Like a marathon

I’m a pretty huge fan of talking and writing in metaphors and analogies and whatnot. I don’t know if you’ve noticed it. A lot of the times when friends come to me for help, I’ve tried to put their situation into an analogy so they can sort of see how to get out of it. I guess in a way I’m like a nicer and…slightly less intimidating version of S- Sensei.

What had happened was, and I hope it’s okay for me to share this story, Sensei would give us analogies of what was happening with our schoolwork. So once when I wrote an essay too long, and wrote a criteria out of range, he told me that by doing that I’ve basically received 2 black eyes. A double knockout. Because not only did I get marks taken off for going over the limit, I’ve also not filled in the criteria because they don’t mark what is out of range. Anyway, there was the one memorable one. A student was struggling a little in class, and went to Sensei to ask whether she should continue Japanese for Yr 12. His response (my closest recollection to her paraphrasing of what he said) was this:

“Imagine that we are all playing a game of basketball, but you are really fat. So even if you run around a lot, and you shout ‘pass me the ball!’ and you do this and you do that, you’re still fat, and you’re going to be very tired after the first quarter. Everyone else is skinny and healthy, so they can keep running but you’re fat so you’re going to die by halftime. This is you in Japanese. You are the fat basketball player.”

So, basically, I think he wasn’t so hot on her continuing Japanese. I thought he could’ve said, “Look I know you’re trying your best but the workload in Yr 12 is even harder so many this isn’t the best choice for you.” or something along those nice lines that teachers are made to say. Kudos to him though, for voicing it in a humorous way.

I think there was a time when a friend of mine was having relationship problems – or rather, problems with getting over it – and I said something like, “Ultimately, this is a bridge that you have to build alone, to get over. I mean, we your friends have given you the materials and the support and all that, but you’re gonna have to build the thing. It’s tempting to just stay on the side you are now, but I think to move on, you’d have to build that bridge.” I think she’s really on her way to doing it.

Okay, but the metaphor/analogy (I’d say metaphor) that made me smile today was this:

(I had to edit out bits that would make it personal)

“Think of your relationship as a marathon. You start off a little jerkily then you settle into a rhythm once you get into it. Sooner or later though you’ll hit a curve or an obstacle and you have to deal with it, If you don’t your [sic] stuck there not going anywhere. But once you get past it you’ve gained that much more and it means something, even if it’s small. Then you keep going. “

And the more I thought about that the more right she was (whoever the hell you are, you crazy thing). At the start of a friendship, you’re so energized, you feel you can sprint the whole way. Then you slow down, maybe tire out. It’s once you settle into that rhythm, and time gets its claws into you, that you can really test out your endurance. So many runners fall out, they give up. But if you last the distance, that feeling that you get when you cross the finish line, it’s like you’re “on top of the world” as I was told recently. And yeah, on the way you’ll meet potholes, snakes, hobos, whatever, but they’re mere distractions. They’re not world-ending.

I’m interested in making a VCE metaphor that includes piranhas and Tasmania Jones (OH NO I DIDN’T!)

Keep Cool (and runnin’)

D.F.

P.S. Yeah I actually just thought about signing off with “Keep Cool” and then something to do with the blog I just wrote. Let’s see how long I can last doing that.

While you were away…

Today April was away sick so she asked me to write down notes for her. I got lazy and decided to kill two birds with one blog.

Dear April,

[insert inappropriate and personal jokes here…you know what I mean]

It was really cold when we walked to school today. It was rather windy at the crosslights near the cafe’s and standing there was a pain. I had a free first period and I sat next to Vania in the library. But would you believe? Ayo- came to visit today, decked out in her Wesley uniform. She stuck out so much, because she was so purple!

In Period 2 I had VisCom, and I finished making the model of the retarded chair I designed. It is a pity, because today’s lunchtime was the last lunchtime you could go see the art festival things. So you missed out on seeing them. Unless you went before? I don’t know…

In Period 3 was the lovely Japanese. We had tango (yes we still keep going. We still. Keep. Fucking. Going.) and I copied off Nay- so s’all good. Then we had…detailed studies. So I don’t know what you’re going to do. I don’t know what he went through exactly probably just refining script and ideas and so forth. Well anyway the HIGHLIGHT is actually while everyone was doing their detailed studies I went to the front of the class and I started drawing some ideas for our T-shirt design. Nay- and I have sort of agreed on one design so we’ll need to pitch it to the class. It just says “I AM” on the front, and on the back you have your own name large, and then the class list underneath, and 2006 – 2009 under that.

After that we had recess. I brought Sonam’s cake, but forgot the knife! Well noone told me. And serviettes too. So it was lucky that Bel the gun had serviettes in her locker from another party, and I borrowed a knife from the staffroom. Not before sounding rather homicidal as I ran around the school muttering to myself, “I need a knife I need a knife I need a knife.” We cut up and served the cakes. It was yummy. Sonam opened her pressies (photo frame and Borders voucher but you would know that) and I ate some of Jen N’s cookies.

Now, I don’t know if you knew about this, but originally they were going to cancel the last House assemblies in place of singing rehearsals. Well, the House captains were totally pissed because it IS the last assembly, so there was this secret revolt thing going around where everyone has decided to boycott rehearsals and just up and leave when General Assembly is over. Unfortunately – I say unfortunately because the revolt would probably be the most exciting thing this year, and maybe even go down in MacRob’s “Underworld” History – the teachers must’ve caught wind of this, because in Period 1 we received message that singing rehearsals will be moved to after recess, and there will be no Form. Yr 9’s and 10’s get an extra 10 minutes of recess. So, in the end we had all 3 events.

In Oreads, we watched the House awards get handed out, and we watched as this year’s captains handed the baton to Rish- and Jam. (Ha Rish. I still have to tell Bee. It’s still funny.) I don’t know what happened in Nereids. Annie was in our House assembly, and it took me a whole 5 minutes before I said, “Hey you’re not in Oreads!” Goes to show my House spirit eh. Bee sat with me. I think Carmaine and Eunice went to their own Houses for once.

At lunch, it was a really short lunch too, felt like, we sat around, Julia, Vania, Sonam, Tiffany, Annie and I. We talked, and bell rang. It was boring.

We had English, and we went over how to analyze pictures. Everyone was so half-assed! Sonam and I, without your wonderful guidance, managed to completely misinterpret one picture. I got the 2nd one right! I took some sheets for you, by the by. Tomorrow we’ll be talking about Point Of View. And then we’re on our own. Screwed!

Then I had double Legal. Well. We watched “America’s Hardest Prisons” and Mr G brought chocolates and as I said in the text, Carmaine had 4 and started being rather high. I gave her a shoulder massage which apparently wasn’t bad, so I will actually research how to give proper ones now that will kick ass! Well I have to. Did I mention to you about the booklet to Bee? I wanted to give her something sweet and cute, so I made one of those crappy coupon booklets with “good for one hug” sort of thing. In it I included “good for one shoulder massage” so I actually should learn how to do it.

On the way back home I sat with Bee and Nat. We talked about those WorkSafe ads, and just Yr 12 in general (at least I think I did. I can’t for the life of me remember exactly what we talked about).

Dani wasn’t at school today. Nor was D.P. Bo-, D.P. and anyone doing 2nd Language Chinese had their orals today.

Oh final notes!

We had the English competition results in. I can’t believe it, but you didn’t win the prize! I was totally set on getting up there in your place and saying “April couldn’t be here today…” but I’m pretty certain you got a HD. GEE! GEE GOT A PRIZE! Bee was so sooking because “maths and science are Gee’s thing! ENGLISH IS MY THING!”

I don’t know what I got for my writing. I definitely didn’t get an award because there were no award winners. But fingers crossed for HD yeah?

Finally, you were lucky not to have been there during singing, because Endearing Brute was in a foul mood, and she made the microphone shriek so loud everyone cringed. Oh and I sat next to Tif- who had no idea what the words were in the medley. Bel won a medal for Chess and Mr Webber pronounced Carmaine’s name as “Carmen Een”. I laughed. Clearly.

De Fluffe, Out.