Finish the 1987 Movie Title

How well do you know the movies of 30 years ago?

Finish the 1987 Movie Title

Somehow I managed 49/50. Not too shabby. How did you do?

"New" Student

For today's #ThrowbackThursday, I picked a post at somewhat random. (To be truly random would have taken more trouble than I was in the mood for.) It's from January 6, 2010. 

"I'm a new student. Where do I sit?"

Oscar waited until after the bell rang to ask. Usually new students find me when they first enter the room. And he was sitting in the one empty seat in the room. This was my warning.

I assigned Oscar that empty seat, and then I began class. They were to outline the next section in the textbook. Then they were to answer questions. It was a pretty straightforward assignment--standard stuff for a sub day.

As this was a freshman class (health), I walked the room to make sure that they got started. I had to stand over a couple of them as they fumbled with their folders (before I got there they made no attempt to find their materials). As I passed by, Oscar waved me over.

"I'm new. What do I need to do?"

The student seated next to Oscar asked why he was playing. Oscar repeated that he was a new student. I took Oscar's schedule which was out on his desk (the schedule I consulted to verify that he belonged in the class), flipped it over, and pointed to the "returning student" handwritten at the top.

"But that doesn't mean I was in this class before."

Not more than two minutes later, a student a couple seats behind noticed Oscar. "Oscar, you're back," he said.

The students around them laughed. They wondered why it took the boy so long to notice that Oscar was there.

Just to make sure, I flipped through the roll book. Sure enough, Oscar had been enrolled in the class back in October. The seat I put him in had been his seat previously. I knew this because Oscar's name had been erased.

What was the purpose of him telling me that he was new? And why did he keep insisting he was new, all evidence to the contrary?

I explained the assignment to him anyway. He ignored me. He didn't do any work.

Sigh. Freshmen. Sometimes they make no sense whatsoever.

The Gifted

I'm not sure if this actually qualifies as "under the radar" as it made a big splash when the fall season began. But alas, I haven't been watching anything "under the radar" lately, so this'll have to do.

(For those of you still in the blogosphere in the dead week between Christmas and New Year's, hello.)

At the beginning of the fall season, two "mutant" shows were on the schedule--one from Marvel and one from the X-Men universe. You may have heard the Marvel one was largely panned. (It got better, but I don't consider it worth touting.)

The X-Men one, however...

This show, The Gifted, takes place in an alternate present day. Some humans have become mutants with superpowers. But, superpowers are illegal. (The X-Men have "gone away" for some unexplained reason.)

The show focuses on one average family. The two teen children develop powers. So, now they're hunted by Sentinel Services. Which was the employer, kind of, of the father. He worked as a prosecutor. That is, he argued in court for locking up mutants. Who now include his children.

He changed his allegiances pretty quickly.

The family is on the run. Will they escape?

The Gifted returns from its winter hiatus on January 1st. You can catch the first half of the season on Hulu or on FOX's website. Here's the trailer...



I was not sure if this was a show I really wanted to watch. But it started at a time when I was low on shows but with some extra time. And there was something about it...

Then, at about episode 3, I saw the credit for Matt Nix, and it all fell into place.

Matt Nix also created a little show called Burn Notice. It aired on USA Network from 2007-2013. (I think now you can find it on Netflix.)

Burn Notice is a favorite show of mine. It's one I can watch over and over again. So, no wonder I'm enjoying The Gifted.

Are you watching The Gifted? Did you ever see Burn Notice?

Matched

At the heart of much speculative fiction (and fiction in general) is a question. What if? On Tuesdays I like to throw one out there and see what you make of it. Do with it as you please. If a for-instance is not specified, feel free to interpret that instance as you wish. And if you find this becomes a novel-length answer, I'd appreciate a thank you in the acknowledgements 😉

I'm stealing today's question from LilyElement's Friday post. Or rather, the author of the book she reviewed. Anyway...

What if there was a dating app to set people up with paranormal creatures (vampires, werewolves, fae, witches, etc.)? 

Bah Humbug

No, wait. That's not right.

There's something I'm supposed to say today.

Don't worry, it'll come to me.

Hmmm...

Oh, right. That's it...

Merry Christmas

Glued

"Oh no. He didn't!"

"You didn't, really?"

"Ewww! I saw him."

"He ate glue!"

"Why would you do that?"

"Who ate glue?"

"I was dared."

"But, but... You ate glue? Are you sick?"

"It's non-toxic."

"He really ate glue?"

via GIPHY

A cacophony of voices. All on one topic.

7th grade world history. 6th period (naturally). They had a choice of four assignments to work on, and they had a test the next day.

But what do they do instead...?

Note: Our last day of school before the break was Thursday. For the remainder of the year and until we go back (for two weeks), I'll be on my "summer schedule". If you haven't gone on hiatus, I'll see you around.

Dollar Tree Grifter

I got called back to the adult transition center. It's been a while, but I remembered that they go out on Mondays and Fridays, so I wore my walking shoes.

It was Friday. The prior day, the class had voted on where they were going to go, and the Dollar Tree store won. It was less than a mile from the school, so we'd walk it.

Before we left, the instructional aide questioned each student on how much money they had. Then he told them how many things they could pick up. (Most were looking for coloring books.)

The students didn't take very long to make their selections. I stood at the front of the store, monitoring as they made their purchases. (The aide was still in the back, keeping an eye on the student who liked to go into the back, just because.) The line was long, so I kind of zoned out.

Then the cashier called me over. Naomi had handed her $3 for a purchase of over $6. Oops.

I asked the cashier to cancel the sale. Naomi and I needed to pare down her selections to two. Before the cashier could void the sale and before we stepped out of the long line, a woman behind us offered a $10 bill. She said she wanted to make up the difference.

Now, this was really sweet of her, but I declined. I assumed that the purpose of the exercise (them going out to a store and purchasing stuff) was for them to know how much they could afford and choose what they were going to purchase accordingly. I said something of the sort to the nice lady, and we moved aside.

Naomi picked out two from the six books she'd selected, and I had Naomi get back in line.

In short order, the rest of the class (on this day we had five students with us) finished their purchases, and we were on our way back to school.

While we were walking, I told the aide of Naomi's oopsie.

The aide told me that this was a pattern with Naomi. And not only that, this wasn't the first time that someone offered to make up the difference.

So, Naomi may have been anticipating some "help" with her purchase.

Sneaky girl.