Prior Learning Assessment Review for Learners

PLAR is a process which I hope will result in my getting credit for all the things I've learned in my life that are related to my areas of ongoing & upcoming study.

Educational institutions seem very wary of awarding too much credit in this way - it might affect courses sold!
On the other hand, partial credit may encourage people to take a course that they might otherwise feel is beyond them.

I watched "The Saddest Music in the World"by Guy Madden, at last. It should have been called the strangest movie in the world! Set in a fantasy-Mytown, shot in a giant abandoned warehouse IN my actual town (irony, irony, irony!), it featured snow, beer, and battling music acts struggling for the all-important "thumbs up" which would allow them to slide into a celebratory vat of beer, courtesy of a legless beer heiress. The plot is amazing convoluted, and much of the music is truly sad in the tragic sense. The camera work, a combination of B&W and heavily processed colour, and the stupendous imagery - evocative, dreamy, amazing.

This movie is not for everyone.

Rated PG-14, I almost passed out when the heiress lost her legs.

Hubs has bottled his fermented concoction, aka homemade wine. It's another red, and he amended it right at the end, sweetening it just a little beyond my preference. Still a touch yeasty, but good. Goes right to my head! Whoo!

Hubs says getting me tipsy is his hobby. Hmmmm, I don't know if that's a good and sanctified occupation. He rarely takes advantage of my uninhibited state. Is this good or bad?

Finally broke down and bought an xbox. Christmas present for the boys. It is all bonus that it is a very good DVD player, too. The current DVD machine is getting y. I guess it's those library DVDs I keep borrowing for free.

I love libraries.

Our main branch library will soon be metamorphosed into a fabulous renewed building. It will have a huge glass atrium - perfect for combating SADD in the winter.

Going outside in the sunshine, however cold it may be, is another way to beat SADD. I am going for walks a little more now. Since I missed my last exercise class (Pilates, not enough people enrolled - it was a Friday exerciselass, what can I say?), I am sorry to say that some of the FAT CAME BACK. Diet still holding, but activity levels somewhat down.

More next time, dear and gentle reader....

Sympatico / MSN Travel Canada : Travel News : T-shirt company helps Americans relax on vacation - by posing as Canadians

I thought this was an urban legend, Gentle Reader, when I first heard of Americans traveling in politically "sensitive" areas as Canadians about 30 years ago, but now someone is cashing in on a great idea.
I just watched "Horns and Halos",the documentary about R. H. Hatfield's book, Fortunate Son.
No wonder there are those who do not want to be known as American.

I also watched Chicago, and I can't be razzle-dazzled out of the belief that it's wrong to capitalize on crime.

Hubs is napping, and tomorrow is a light day. Today was busy - several baths and breakfasts. Friday is OFF, huzzah!

Christmas Stress Test

O Christmas Stress
Don't want that mess
No, I don't WANT no Christmas Stress.

Gentle Reader, I am taking steps to prevent it, BUT
I've got to take more classes before I can get into the RN program I've applied for. I don't know if I can do it all in one year without losing my mind and neglecting everyone and everything. I'll see what I can do...

I told you about the new student, right? From Chile, 33, etc.? We will put him in the Blue Room, and that leaves the Yellow Room (GOLD Room? Sunshine Room? Tropical Room? What should we call it?) for guests.

My MOL just phoned. She is giving me the gears because I work Christmas this year. She is giving me ANOTHER guilt trip that I am not "there" enough for my family. What do you think?

To increase the amount of time I spend with PEOPLE rather that pots and pans this holiday, I am just having a Coffee & Cookie Come&Go on Dec. 24, my day off, for friends, neighbours, my family and Hub's. Expect some storebought cookies among the home-made!

Since the MOL expected that I should be having the big Turkey Dinner and all the trimmings, but I'm not, she says SHE'S going to do it in Half-hour-out-of-townville, while I am working. Does my family really want to go without me? Why is she doing this? My Mom thinks the Come&Go is a great idea. It takes so much of the pressure off, and everyone has had too much to eat at a dozen other dinners by then anyway!

I wasn't planning on starving my family. I have a nice Turkey, a Pork Roast, a Beef Roast and I wanted to have a family meal for just US and maybe blessing a guest or two, on Dec. 25 after my work is finished, not the burdensome parade of excess and being-late-just-to-prove-how-important-and-busy-you-are-and-still-everyone-will-wait-for-you power plays that these dinners with family have become.

Hub finally went to see a Dr. at the walk-in clinic for that cough he's had for so darn long. First son also went in for a rash he's had for weeks. Why do these guys wait so long to take care of themselves? If Hub had gone in and nipped it in the bud as I advised him to, he wouldn't have spread it around so much (Now I have a sore, phlemmy throat, too, and Third son is looking peaky!), and it wouldn't have sapped him and I so much by disturbing our sleep. Oh, well. I will keep trying, keep plugging away!

Talk to you again soon!

SKS: Kalevala (in English)

I just watched the National Geographic "Behind the film" special on The Lord of the Rings.
It was very good. I am a LOTR buff. We have a large collection of Tolkien's writings, some biographical, some themed material.

The NGS special mentioned the Kalevala as a reference both for the elvish language Tolkien developed, and thematic elements in the story.
It is an oral tradition in a disappearing language, in a ghost-town, in a land which has lost it's young people to big cities.
The site above gives links to the written story.

I am starting to put Christmas together.
I have a few modest gifts put away from throughout the year.
It hardly seems a holiday.

The tree is great, but I can't get anybody to do anything more, and I can't do it all alone.

I'm wanting, willing, waiting, for the Spirit of Christmas to visit me.

I's like to be unscrooged, please!

DIANA KRALL LYRICS - Peel Me A Grape

Dear Reader, do you know the first time I ever heard the line "Peel me a grape"?

It was in an old Mae West movie, I think it was set in the Yukon - Diamond Lil, maybe?

In the movie she had a serving-woman named Beulah with her.
She had just devastated some man, and, as he staggered out the door with this bleeding heart gushing all over the floor (figuratively, of course! I gore.), she turns to this wise-eyed woman and says, "Beulah, peel me a grape!"

What a line!

I just heard Krall sing this song on my car radio this afternoon.
Aaaaaahhh, MMMMmmmm.... so delicious!
Where I come from, we've got a Jazz station.
I love it.

Could Hubs ever become so wild about me as to peel me even an apple?

CNN.com - The 'Engagement' of 'Amelie' - Nov 29, 2004

Did you see Amelie?
Dear Reader, it was a cute French film!
Now, another movie from the same star and the same director is in the works.
I think I'm going to love it...

Hubsy sent me the link.

Things are going much better lately.

I wish I had time to write more...