Well, in theory you learn to do work when assigned to. Even if nothing more.

just like when I was on the complete opposite end of India when the tsunami hit

God, yes. I ended up yelling at my mother to stop her from calling my sister, who wasn't near any coasts, if I remember correctly. Enough people needed the phone lines, so she should just sit pretty.

Raquel, there really are non-frat rules? That's so hysterical from a small-country third world perspective. We were fratted up the ying yang, every place we lived. Okay, less so in Russia, but that's a language-driven issue.

I try not to assign shit-assignments. Even if it's just a grammar worksheet, I know that 60% of the class really needs it, and the 5% who are very good can always use the practice.

I don't do things like crossword puzzles or word searches; I think they're pretty silly for high school age students. If someone doesn't turn in, say, a 10 point assignment, I always ask them if they have it, what happened, etc. If they don't follow up, 0. Accountability, dude. When you get a job, if you don't show up, you're not gonna get 30% of your paycheck, just because $0 is mean.

Now, if it's a term paper or something, then I am gonna kick and scream and offer makeup and just deduct points for lateness, but I am going to try to work with the kid as much as I can. But after all this, if they don't turn it in? I have no problems with the zero grade.

just like when I was on the complete opposite end of India when the tsunami hit.

On 9/11 I got calls all day from people I hadn't heard from in a while being all "Thank GOD I got through, are you ok, you're in New York!".

I'd thank them for being so concerned, but explain that New York was a pretty big state, and Elmira was just fine.

Raquel, there really are non-frat rules?

Oh yeah. When we were in Romania they'd been lifted for the dips but not the Marines. So we'd throw a party, and the staff sgt would keep coming up to me or Robert and asking "That girl in the red? Is she Romanian?" to which we'd respond "No, she's Moldovan, it's okay."

This was one of the reasons the Marines loved us.

Cindy, thanks. You know what for.

No problem at all P-C, and well sheesh, that came out of left field and left my jaw hanging for about 5 minutes. Now it's deleted, but not by my hand. I hope you get word from your friend, soon.

...

Fay,

Okay, I get what you mean by ex-pat, now.

I'm blown away that they refuse entry at the club, in Egypt, to Egyptian guests of the members. Just unbelievable. I wouldn't be able to swallow down their fish and chips, either. I am sorry the bloom is off this boy, a bit.

Fay, please stop feeding my 'shipping tendencies. These long distance 'ships never work out, and I don't have time to make all the fan art.

Well, dan/andi worked out very nicely. Mr tea and I, however, are destined to live out our lives oceans apart. Well, either that or else we'll randomly meet in Thailand one day, have one perfect night of passion, and then discover that we're supposed to be archnemeses. My plans to teach sign language to the world echidnia population will come into direct conflict with all that Mr tea holds dear...

You're not helping...

My dad just called to make sure all of my Buffistas were ok. He's a sweetie.

I just called my mom and asked her didn't we know people in London, we'd stayed with them on our way to India that one time, and she was like, yeah, so-and-so and so-and-so, and I'm like, are they all right, and she's like what? She had no idea.

As I figured, we have a lot of extended family in London. Bollocks.

My dad just called to make sure all of my Buffistas were ok. He's a sweetie

Aww, that's nice.

Honestly, that was probably thought #2 this AM. It still amazes me how much of a life you people have become.

Oddly, thought #3 was a groggy "Bush isn't wearing a power suit."

Holy crap.

One of my extended family over there...is a bus driver.

But he's all right. Totally safe.