So it looks like schools in Wales aren’t going back until September. Wow.
I think my youngest will be back to transition from year 6 to 7 but my eldest is going to have a lot of time on his hands.
3 Likes
Don’t have kids myself but friends tell me that here there will be only a couple of days in actual school per kid before the summer holiday. Some not at all. Germany does not allow homeschooling in general and digital school modernization has been badly neglected… many older teachers are having an especially bad time with all of this. Since teaching has been made less and less attractive as a job in recent years … there are few young teachers…
3 Likes
As mentioned elsewhere, I am a teacher who has spent my whole life in education. I stepped away from teaching in January to spend more time with my own daughter.
(Gif of Simpsons Monkey Paw.)
4 Likes
My partner was an elementary music teacher in our local public school system. She resigned effective the end of the 2019 spring semester to stay home with our two daughters (well, at the time she was pregnant and we had 1 daughter).
She still keeps in touch with her former coworkers who are assuring her that being a “specials” teacher is the easiest thing ever in online learning; they just post activities for the children to do at home and make themselves available for blocks of time to talk 1-on-1 with students and/or parents. Of course, for many of those teachers, while teaching became much easier, the stressful portion of their day is now (instead of teaching) wrangling their own children.
6 Likes
Ever since schools were close and shut downs were extended to end of April, I assumed the school year was done. I was right. I am hopeful they will resume in September, but depending on if we get the expected resurgence of Covid cases in autumn, they may not be in session for long.
4 Likes
Completely unrelated to anything else: I just saw the word “weeknight” written somewhere but totally parsed it as “Wee Knight”.
You’re welcome.
3 Likes
Speaking of misreadings: Every time the thread pops to the top of the listings, I can’t help but pronounce “Tour de Fléau” in my head as either “Tor - de - flor” or “Too - de - floo”
3 Likes
Which just reminds me of a Friends episode:
1 Like
French is such a tricky language. You never know if only by pursing your lips you’ll get away with it…
1 Like
It’s just Tour de Flea in my eyes. All the riders are very itchy.
2 Likes
Originally it was going to be Tour de Peste in all three places (SU&SD, BGG, here), but then the SU&SD-Peste moved here so the one I had brewed up here had to be something else.
1 Like
OMG, this reminds me of some funny old dialogue about the Antediluvian vampires that I recently discovered in my archives… let me check if it is truly funny though…
So for anyone who played V:tM… this is old, some of you may probably know it already. I still kind of think it’s a funny read.
The Antediluvian Dialogue
VENTRUE: Okay, guys, sit down. I suppose you’re wondering why I’ve called you all here.
TOREADOR: I should think so. I have an engagement in two hours that Isimply MUST attend, and I don’t want to be late.
VENTRUE: Yeah, yeah. Order. Well, I don’t know about you guys, but my Progeny have been asking some rather … embarassing questions, and I–
MALKAV: Just tell them that when a Mummy and a Daddy love each other very much–
VENTRUE: Shut up, Malkav. Anyway, they want to know where we come from, why, how, the whole bit. I think it’s time we had an answer for them.
[silence]
BRUJAH: Well, what are you asking us for? WE don’t fucking know.
SAULOT: LANGUAGE!
BRUJAH: Sorry.
VENTRUE: What about you, Ralph? You seem to have your nose in every-thing.
NOSFERATU: No, I am … no longer called “Ralph.” From this day forward,you shall call me: “Nosferatu.”
[silence]
RAVNOS: I dunno, man. Ralph suits you.
NOSFERATU: No! I REFUSE to be stuck with that name.
VENTRUE: Leave him alone Ravnos.
TOREADOR: Actually, while we’re on the subject …
VENTRUE: What is it now?
TOREADOR: I have taken the pseudonym “Toreador.”
[more silence]
HASSAM: You’ve never even SEEN a bull, let alone fight one, Norman.
TOREADOR: LEAVE ME ALONE !!!
RAVNOS: I was gonna say something about “full of …” Oh, never mind.
VENTRUE: SHALL we get back to business?
LASOMBRA: I think “Nosferatu” sounds cool actually, Ralph.
NOSFERATU: And it’s a lot easier to say when you can’t retract your fangs.
VENTRUE: GENTLEMEN!
[silence]
VENTRUE: Okay, any ideas?
TZIMISCE: Uh …
VENTRUE: Yes, Tzimisce?
TZIMISCE: Yas. Do you think it vaz a disease, perrrhaps?
SAULOT: Nnnnnnno … I don’t think so. I’d know about it by now if it was.
MALKAV: Ooo! Ooo! I’ve got an idea!
VENTRUE: [groan] What?
MALKAV: Ooo! Ooo! We’re ALL … aliens! Yeah! From the planet … Yuggoth!
BRUJAH: Malkav?
MALKAV: Yeah?
BRUJAH: Drop dead.
[silence]
MALKAV: Ain’t it just TOO BAD you don’t have Dominate?
BRUJAH: REAL men don’t NEED Dominate!
[thud]
MALKAV: Owww!
RAVNOS: Okay, I’ve got it.
VENTRUE: Yes?
RAVNOS: They’re not REALLY vampires, they just THINK they are.
VENTRUE: Hmmm … not bad … but then the dumb ones will try to prove you wrong by taking a sunbake.
LASOMBRA: SO? Weeds out the stupid ones, less of a population problem, less nosey Progeny asking silly questions.
TOREADOR: Lasombra, you are perverted.
LASOMBRA: Hey, am I my brother’s keeper?
TZIMISCE: He has a valid point, frrriend.
TOREADOR: Sickening creatures.
[sniggering]
SAULOT: Brother’s keeper … hey! That reminds me! You know those guys who wear the funny tea towels on their heads–
HASSAM: WATCH it, three-eyes.
SAULOT: Sorry. Anyway, they have this old story about this one guy who kills his brother and gets cursed, see …
SUTEKH: Cursssed, you sssay? Hmmm … I like it!
NOSFERATU: Yeah, but if YOU say it, no-one will believe it.
TREMERE: I know! We did it by magick!
[silence]
BRUJAH: Who the hell are you?
TREMERE: Oh. Tremere, Arrogant Scheming Mage at your service!
SAULOT: Hang on, you’re not supposed to be here until A.D. 1314!
TREMERE: So? I’m an Oracle of Time. I’ll be when I want.
VENTRUE: A mortal, eh? Hey, Tremere!
TREMERE: Yeah?
VENTRUE: GET OUT.
TREMERE: Sure. [slam] [muffled] Damn. Must learn how to do that.
VENTRUE: Now, we might be onto something with this “curse” business. We haven’t heard from Gangrel yet, and we need a female opinion at this juncture. What do you think, Gangrel?
[silence]
VENTRUE: Gangrel?
[more silence]
VENTRUE: Anybody seen Gangrel?
RAVNOS: Errr, actually, we’ve had a bit of a disagreement …
MALKAV: Awww, doesn’t Mummy wuv you any more?
RAVNOS: Suck off.
MALKAV: DOES she do it doggy-style?
[biff]
RAVNOS: Thank you, Brujah.
BRUJAH: No prob, bro.
VENTRUE: Okay, so what gives with this curse thing?
SAULOT: Well, they say that the first two sons of the first man had to give offerings to God. The first brother gave plants and stuff, and the second brother gave animal blood.
ALL: Yeah! Alright! Sounds great! Cool!
SAULOT: So the older one – Cain, I think – killed Abel, the younger one, and was cursed by God for the very first murder.
HASSAM: Innovative man, this Cain.
SUTEKH: Ssso, we’re dessscended from a psssychopathic greengrocccer. How about we’re dessscended from the MURDERED one, ssso that we are the CHOSSSEN of God, the INHERITORSSS of DIVINE POWER, the–
MALKAV: You REALLY have a God complex, don’t you Sutekh? Tell me about your mother. Did she lock you in a cupboard? Or–
[biff]
BRUJAH: Final warning, kook.
VENTRUE: Sutekh, please, stop standing on your chair.
TREMERE: I like the “cursed by God” thing, actually.
VENTRUE: How did YOU get in here?
TREMERE: Correspondence. Don’t you know ANYTHING? Hey, Saulot!
SAULOT: Yeah?
TREMERE: I JUST worked out where I’ve seen you before. Could I have a word with you outside? It won’t take more than five minutes. Promise.
SAULOT: Sure. You seem like a decent enough fellow.
[slam]
LASOMBRA: Wonder what he wants … anyway …
TOREADOR: I think I prefer the older brother. He’s a charming, regal figure who diligently sacrifices for his Lord, but is consumed by jealousy into a desperate act – which he regrets later, of course – but TOO LATE to avoid the harsh judgment of an UNCARING God, and is DOOMED to wander the earth, OUTCAST from his fellow man! Oh, the horror! Oh, the HUMANITY! Oh, the ANGST!
BRUJAH: What’s an “angst”?
SUTEKH: Oh, it’sss a kind of a crossss, but with a loopy bit on top. My guysss love 'em.
BRUJAH: Oh. [pause] I don’t get it …
TOREADOR: Philistines.
[scream from outside]
TZIMISCE: Vat the hell vas that?
NOSFERATU: Sounded like Saulot. HEY! YOU GUYS SHUT UP OUT THERE!
[door opens]
TREMERE: Oh, sorry, uhhh … Saulot says to say that, uhhh, he… had to leave – real quick, like … uhhh, but he was REAL happy about it, and, uhhh, he was glad he caught up with you guys again.
NOSFERATU: Is it me, or does he look kinda pale?
VENTRUE: Who cares? Getting back to this curse thing …
LASOMBRA: So, are we his direct Progeny, then? 'Cos if so, how come we don’t know where he is now?
MALKAV: Errr, he made us, then ran away. Really fast.
RAVNOS: No, no, no, he made some OTHER guys first, and then THEY made US …
TOREADOR: And he repented of The Horror He Had Unleashed Upon The Earth! And banished himself from the sight of ALL!
MALKAV: AND ran away really fast.
TOREADOR: If you must.
VENTRUE: But how come we’re all so different?
TOREADOR: The Curse works in Mysterious Ways …
NOSFERATU: Yeah! I used to be the most handsome man in the world…
RAVNOS: Yeah, right.
LASOMBRA: And I had a reflection!
BRUJAH: Can I have been a philosopher?
RAVNOS: And Toreador used to have taste …
MALKAV: And I used to be insane!
[silence]
VENTRUE: I think we might be pushing our luck here.
SUTEKH: Any BETTER ideasss?
VENTRUE: Well, let’s put it to a vote, then. Magick?
TREMERE: Aye.
VENTRUE: That’s one.
[silence]
VENTRUE: Okay, aliens from the planet Yuggoth?
MALKAV: Twenty-three.
VENTRUE: Your multiple personalities don’t count, Malkav.
MALKAV: Awww …
VENTRUE: The chosen son of God? … Sutekh, Lasombra, Tzimisce. Any others?
HASSAM: Aye.
VENTRUE: Okay, that’s four. Cursed children of a psychopathic green-grocer? … That’s four, plus myself, five.
[groans]
LASOMBRA: Swinging the vote, you black-balling bureaucrat!
VENTRUE: If you don’t like it, go and form your OWN group.
LASOMBRA: Maybe I will.
VENTRUE: Okay, then, I charge all of you to disperse this data to your Progeny, and I’ll have MY people send out memos in triplicate to YOUR people before the start of the next fiscal year. Meeting adjourned!
[banging noise, general muttering and shuffling]
VENTRUE: Drinks anyone?
MALKAV: I think Tremere just ate. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaahhhh…
TZIMISCE: Vy did you throw him out ze window, Bruhah?
BRUJAH: I dunno, man, just something I had to do … [sulking] none of you understand me, anyway …
HASSAM: [whispered] Hey, Tremere!
TREMERE: What?
HASSAM: Saulot – you did him in, didn’t you? You snuffed him. Sucked him dry.
TREMERE: Uhhh … yeah, I did.
[silence]
HASSAM: What’s it like?
3 Likes
This is a post about nothing, to share a very unimportant fact I just discovered. There is a Windows shorcut for Emoji! It’s (at least on my french computer) [windows key] + [semi-colon ( ; ) ]
This will change my life, I’m sure of it 
╰(°▽°)╯
5 Likes
well look at that! I had no idea!
EDIT:
This is going to save me so much time when I need to use a € or £ (instead of googling and copy/pasting)
3 Likes
But how do you actually use them? I’ve tried clicking on them, CTRL+C etc?
Clicking on them works for me. But make sure you have a flashing text insert character where you want it to go.
1 Like
Space X is away. Too light to see it in the UK unfortunately.
3 Likes
).
That’s a lovely collection you got there, can I come visit? 
Thanks to my “attempt to support the FLGS” (nice excuse that, isn’t it?), my collection has completely spilled out of the available shelf space into the living room. I tried to put some pretty games on “exhibit” in one shelf but there’s still a stack sitting next to our dining/gaming table that has no business being out in the open… but there’s just no more space on the shelves or space for more shelves… and I’ve already removed everything to my office that I would be willing to “purge”.