how i became a marine; funny condolence

I posted on my teaching blog about some recent events and frustrations with my teaching... I have concluded that being a teacher is like being a marine... there's a lot of hazing and only the strong survive... i decided to survive. Why not? I am not weak. And I will prove it.

As for my old malaise, to my surprise, i did seem to overcome it this past week... i worked very hard and quite efficiently... put in some 14-hour-days... came home and worked more at night... got a huge amount done to improve my room. did not see much evidence of the part of me that i've come to call 'thirteen,' who whines and resists everything like a 13-year-old. cautious about drawing any conclusions from this, but pleased.

as a bonus result of my hard work, when i was raked over the coals friday, i felt quite confident that i had done nothing wrong. i didn't cry. that was a first. the crying (as i keep explaining to them) is just frustration with myself.

In other news, this is the most hilarious mistranslation/intercultural miscommunication ever.... from a Japanese friend sending condolences to my mother....

Dear Mrs. ____

I wan very sorry to know that _____ was passed. Your last message of _____ was very much touched in my heart how he hehaved in the bed with you. I hope you will accept my sincere condolences.

Regards,

[x]

My mother commented wryly that she thought the writer must have meant my mother's comments on how Dad was kind and gentle and cooperative to the end, even when he was weak and bedridden....because, she wrote, "I do not remember writing about me & my husband in bed in normal sense of the word."

lmao!