Friday, November 30, 2007

Joke Theory & Flashback Friday


"Kearns Barbie"
This recently paroled Barbie comes with a 9mm handgun, a Ray Lewis knife,a Chevy with dark tinted windows, and a Meth Lab Kit. This model is only available after dark and must be paid for in cash (preferably small, untraceable bills) unless you are a cop, then we don't know what you are talking about.


I have been made aware of a trend in the land-o-blogs that some like to do flashback stuff to review old pictures of yourselves or others. I think that is lame. But because I think that is lame doesn't mean I am above it and I am totally willing to indulge. However I am going to give a Berp-worthy take on the whole thing. "Ber" itself is an old joke, and old fad, that I will never let die. Why? Because sometimes rehashing old stuff can become funny again. Just as tapered peg legged pants will also become cool again.



Here is my joke theory. Jokes, well timed and well placed, can be hilarious. The repetition of a joke can become old and stale. What most decent and normal human beings then do, however, is the mistake. After a cold, dirty look from a friend the then stale joke becomes another joke of the past. One that isn't rehashed or brought up again. It dies a sad and lonely death in the graveyard of old worn out jokes. This my friends is wrong. Just plain wrong. What most people don't appreciate is the fact that old jokes can come back just as quickly as they died. A joke that has gone stale if pushed with persistence can come back and be funnier than ever before. There is a bit of a lag time where you have to deal with the scowl of friends, and the threat of never being spoken to our hung out with again, but then - THEN - is the glorious moment that someone gives a little chuckle. That chuckle is a crack in the icy cold wall of old jokedom. The chuckle is not directly pointed at the joke it is, in fact, that that joke being told AGAIN is so ridiculous and that it has risen again from the dead is not simply something funny and entertaining. But now it is on another level. A level of funny that will never die. It isn't the old joke that is exactly funny in the same way it was the first time it was told, but it has risen to a higher level of fun. It is now on a higher plane of existence. Think Jonathan Livingston Seagull.



Anyway back to the point of the post. For my flashback Friday I am rehashing an old joke that should never die. Manda sent us all an email a while back depicting different Barbie's with different themes. They were hilarious. She commented - thankfully there isn't a Sandy Barbie because she feared she'd never hear the end of it. So in that same vein I created what I called the Sandy Barbie - observe:



"Sandy Barbie"
This wonderful gem comes complete with midsize family, midsize SUV, and of course two genetically defunct Lhasa apsos (they come pre-named Maui and Milo). The full set comes with a conveniently located Wal Mart with or without the gravel pit. Of course the family includes two multi-ethnic and one down syndrome child - perfect to start the budding Sandy family. While Ken is not seen here, you can be assured he is at his 3rd job and popping his 5th Viagra soon to be on his way home. Although not the most sought after Barbie she is slightly better (albeit less drug addicted) than her cousin "White City Barbie." Soccer stadium sold separately, at a substantially higher cost.

Oh and honey - while you are at the store with the gaggle of our children - don't forget the beer. Thanks!

Thursday, November 29, 2007

A moment to breathe....A teaching moment.



So for a teacher I have to tell you the best moment. It is a moment I am having right now as we speak. My students are taking a test. It is bliss. My work is done and they are stressing. What could be better? I know - I could be blogging on the internet while they are taking a test. And wallah - I am! :-)

My favorite moment within the test is a student was obviously looking over at another students paper. I said, "Kyle - keep your eyes on your own paper." Then because I cannot keep well enough alone I added "or at least be more subtle about it." Ahhh the mind games. Being a teacher wouldn't be worth it without them. The low pay, the aggravation, the political maneuvering with the administration and the toying of my job with the state legislature - it just wouldn't be worth it without the mind games.

More fun moments to play with the kids. Very quickly I had a couple students turn in their tests - my comment to the class "wow, you guys were fast - I bet they are high quality work too!"

I'm so sarcastic with them. Maybe too much sometimes?

Another student comes up with sunglasses on (no doubt to cover his blood shot eyes - hmm?) and turns in his test - I said "Dakota - I'll be sure to turn down the lights next time - I'm very sorry"


Oh these poor kids. I joke but the reality is there are some real sad cases.

2 of my 8th period world civ students have had one of their parents die this year already. 1 had a parent attempt suicide. One of them has pink strung through is black greasy hair. One kid has most BO in a day than most people have in a lifetime.
And these are only the things I know. To be a teenager again. It would suck. As much as I hate them I really do feel bad for them.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Sick of the break...

How crappy would it be if after months of slaving over the education of hormonal teenagers. Weeks after being subjected to the most inane questions possible on the face of this planet. Questions that must be answered with a straight face and with all sincerity. Days after trying to find a way to explain to children topics like war and sex in a G rated fashion that might allow their brain to stretch beyond the bounds of Bountiful - and if we are lucky outside the bubble of Utah - all without offending them or eventually their parents. Hours after having written down a place mark of where in the curriculum we are so that I can remember we are learning about society in the Old Regime in Europe, Peter the Great of Russia, and the Hohenzollerns of Prussia for one class, the dynamics of Political Parties and campaigns for another, the ins and outs of a document based question and essay writing in a writing class and the emergence of Christianity in the Roman empire. That you would...by they way were were taking about how crappy it would be if after all that stuff...you got a break and a day and a half into that break you got sick.

Well welcome to my wonderful world of being sick. At the risk of sounding disgusting - if there was another hole in my body I would have exploded from it. I'm sorry, but being sick is gross. I haven't vomited in years. YEARS. There have been times I wished I had vomited in the hopes it would make it better. Now, however, I know vomiting is not the solution. Vomiting only makes things worse. If there was a bone in my body with the inkling to become bulimic the bone has been silenced. The only friend of mine during the wee hours of the night when I was reliving my thanksgiving delight in reverse was the softness of the bathroom mat that allowed me to lay down in between excretions. Ahhh, it was grand. And now you have enjoyed it with me.

Anyway the point of all this is I created this and many like it during my recovery time in which I was taken care of wonderfully by Brandon. Enjoy and peace out.

City & County Fun!

 


This is a picture of most of the group at the top of the City and County Building in downtown SLC. It was an amazing experience that I will not forget. Thanks to Ed and his great connections he got us up there. Not many are allowed up there for obvious reasons, but it was so neat. We got to see Ed's office and then we went right up and up and up. The stairs seemed to keep going. It was a good and needed work out for me. Anyway up top we had some amazing views of the city. We could see downtown, all the way to the U, and as far south as the air would allow us. Thanks for the great experience Ed. More photo's can be seen HERE.
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Berp.

I'm mad. Furious if you will. I wanted to set up the perfect blog. So of course I would name it after the most versatile word in the English language - I think. it is berp. The best ever. More about that later - anyway so I went to blogger and tried to implement this grand plan. Guess what? berp.blogspot.com is already taken. By some juan carlos dude. it isn't even in English. What kind of person uses the most important word in the English language to set up a damn spanish blog? Humph. Lame. Anyway not to panic. As I will explain shortly the reason berp is so important is because of it's multi-uses. So I wanted to use the berp in the sense of how playful this site can be for all who visit. So the address of this blog is born as berpdadert.blogspot.com. But the title is simply - Berp. Grand. So we move on. This is where it all started:

A while back a new word was added to the vocabulary of intelligent people. It is the refinement of years of trying to convey particular feelings and emotions through cumbersome elongated words that mean so many different things to so many different people. You really can't talk to the common person if you use such linguistic patterns. You can't be certain that they are understanding exactly what you are saying. So we smart people developed a word that when instituted correctly can be used to convey endless feelings, emotions, accusations, pointed hatred, cattiness, and other such fun.

Berp (b [ir] p)- noun - adjective - preposition - whatever you want - meaning is not important - when and how it is used is.

Most often berp is shortened to simply "ber" leaving the p to more sophisticated situations.

Ber can be used to sum up a sentence as in:

I am going to do that whether you like it or not. So Ber. (stern ber)

Or it can be used to make an agreement solidified:

John: Wanna go to the store?
Jane: Yes!
John: Ber. (confidant ber)

Maybe it is as way to convey sorrow, or sadness or sympathy.

Tom: My cat died yesterday
Ethel: Berrrrr (note the elongated "r". Very important in the conveyance of sympathy)

In extreme cases ber can be used as conversation on both sides often with gestures.

Jack: Ber? (questioning ber. holding up an apple - intent of ber - "wanna piece?")
Diane: Ber. (solid and short - abrupt, if you will - intent of ber - "no!")
Jack: Ber! (higher pitched and squeaky - intent of ber - "Whatever!"
I could sit her and explain the use of the berp but it would be pointless. I think you'll understand the ber as we go.