So why'd you go into education

I honestly don't know. I wouldn't say that I don't enjoy the teaching but it is all the other crap that beats you down and turns you into a cynical old bugger before your time.
I am not a bad teacher, in fact, many of my students have actually been inspired by me and my style. I ain't bragging, it is true. I like my students and generally they go on ahead and like me right back.
My pedagogical style stems from the fact that I hated most of my teachers past the third grade and have based my methods on being the opposite of any of them. Unfortunately, many of my colleagues don't share this approach and they just keep repeating the lame shit that was done to them way back when. Lemme give you an example. Here is something I hate - when a teacher says "I already got my degree".
I mean, what does that even mean. I should hope they do - how else did they get the job. I think that should be followed up with a question like - "What's it in? Being a dick? Because you are really good at that. Well done, you."
I recently had a colleague tell me to keep some students waiting, just for the principle of it - or they would always expect me to come running every time they had a problem. I asked her if that wasn't, in fact, what we got paid to do? I didn't make them wait either.
I suppose my basic problem is that my aim, with teaching, is to create more people with whom I can have a decent conversation with. That is it, I don't think this is the sort of aim that Ofsted goes all wet in the pants over but that is it. I just want to be able to go to sleep at night knowing that there might be someone else out there who is interesting enough to engage in conversation at the bus stop.

Don't hate Americans

I am at a point in my life where I am not ashamed of being born in America. I don't feel bad about it or apologetic for the fact. In fact, I am a bit tired of people who are still flogging the dead horse that is our current administration. Yes, George Bush is a dick. No, that doesn't make all Americans dicks, in fact, we didn't even vote for the guy. Twice, check it out people, look it up. If this happened in a poor African country the Independent would have dedicated a front sheet to the great miscarriage of justice, the need to bring democracy to this dark and dangerous land. But that didn't happen, instead of feeling sorry for all the Joe Averages who have to work just that harded to buy a Pabst Blue Ribbon and be extra careful when they are mowing the lawn, lest they chop off a hand and get stuck with a $1m hospital bill, people use the fact that W the dick took our White House in a consumption fueled coupe to make fun of us. Lame. Leave it alone.

What the hell happened to feminism?

I won't lie, one of the first things I told my friends back home (the states) about the UK, when I moved here was that the men were sexist. Not the charming, open the door and try to earn more than you (is that charming? I don't know, let's say it is) way. No, they are just dicks to women. On the other hand, women in the UK have a some explaining to do. I mean, have a look at facebook, you can tell if a woman is British or not just from the picture. Does she have her baps out? Is she totally pissed? Is she wearing very small clothes in what we all know it is a damned cold climate? Then she's a Brit.
I don't want to come off all, America is better - it isn't, just different - but I do feel like it is time for women of this country to knock it the fuck off. We need to get in there and stop trying to out drink the men but out think the men.
Look at Brown's cabinet. Where are the women? Seriously, where are they? Why do the Conservatives manage to out-female Labour? I would rather meet Margaret Thatcher or discuss shoes and climate change with Theresa May than that drip of a hausfrau cum politico, Ruth Kelly. Embarrassing.
The oddest thing is that for all the tits on show and female binge drinking, fertility is declining. Why is this? Maybe the only way women feel they can really assert their feminism is by denying men the chance to procreate. Or is it that they have given into the stereotypical male fantasy of sex and no commitment, no chance of marriage and certainly no chance of a child.
Women of Britain, pull your fucking heads out!