Because of a discussion I was having in Natter or Bitches a few months ago, I've finally gotten around to started a new LJ community for teachers. It's called "teacher_oasis" and can be found here. The profile description is as follows:

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Teacher Oasis Our own private island to talk shop.

About: What happens when a group of teachers starts talking at a party? Do we talk about current events or television or our new pedicures? Maybe at first...but inevitably, the conversation turns to the job that eats us alive ten months of the year. Teachers love to talk about teaching. We commiserate and compare notes. We give each other book suggestions and analyze the mysteries of student behavior. We also tend to drive every non-educator around us screaming from the room.

I've created this community to be a teacher oasis: a place for educators to discuss issues, strategies, and content relevant to life in their classes. You can ask questions or look for suggestions, and I encourage you to do so. One of the best things about this career is that we are never alone. Someone out there has had the same problem or designed the same unit, and all of our classrooms benefit when we freely share ideas and information.

At times, this forum may also be a place to vent about situations you're facing at work: administration, students, parents, etc. If you choose do so, please remember that this is a public forum with no assurance of privacy--you should always use pseudonyms for your school, your colleagues and bosses, and especially your students and their families. It is my hope that venting does not become the focus of this community unless you are actively seeking solutions to the problem you are facing. We are certainly here to support each other, but we are primarily here as a group of professionals pooling our experience and knowledge to improve our practices. I encourage a comfortable and informal tone to this community, but please do keep your posts and comments professional and collegial at all times.

Some people may join because they are considering entering the profession or because education fascinates them, and we welcome you as well.

Personally, I am beginning my ninth year as a high school teacher of English. I have taught on both US coasts and in public and private schools, and even when my job is making me insane, I have an incredible passion for it. I come from a long line of teachers: both of my parents were in teaching for 37 years before they retired, and my grandparents taught for years as well. My great-grandmother taught in a one-room schoolhouse in rural New England. My father claims that this is a sign of a troubling genetic flaw, this tendency to be drawn to dealing with all the stresses of teaching. I think he's joking. Mostly. We all sometimes wonder why exactly we do this.

I have also been through the National Board Certification process and became an NBCT in 2002, so I'll happily share my experiences with it, especially if you are considering becoming one yourself.

So...all that said, welcome to the teacher oasis! Sit back, sip a Mai Tai, and let's talk shop.

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If you are a teacher or interested in education, please join!

If you've missed any of the first five episodes of Season Two, don't miss the Battlestar Galactica Marathon, starting at 7/6C on Tuesday, August 16.

(On the SciFi Channel)

The show's been really good this season so far....

Hello from the Buffistas Cookbook Team!

Kat brought up a wonderful question in Bitches a few days ago. Can people submit recipes to the cookbook that have been previously published/copyrighted? We’ve gone back and forth about this issue a little bit, but have decided that we don’t feel comfortable printing copyrighted recipes in our fundraiser cookbook.

Don’t panic! This doesn’t mean that if you got a recipe idea from a cookbook that it is totally off limits. I know we are a creative bunch of people, and most of us probably don’t make a recipe exactly as instructed. If a recipe has been changed in really any way, it is now your recipe and has free rein in our cookbook.

Also, I suspect there are a lot of us who have gotten favorite recipes from friends or family members. They may have gotten the original idea from a cookbook. There is no way for us to know that. Don’t let that keep you from submitting it. We just want to make a good faith effort to respect those who have had their recipes published and copyrighted. Also, remember, not all cookbooks are copyrighted, so those recipes are also ok.

We are sorry to put this “limit” on the cookbook, but we want to be as careful as possible and not leave the board liable in any way.

Now that we’ve gotten this issue taken care of, I hope that lots of you will start submitting recipes. We’ve got a good start on the layout of the cookbook and are excited about moving forward.

ETA: Just as a reminder, please e-mail the recipes to buffistascookbook at gmail dot com.

Cookbook Update!

Just wanted to post a quick clarification on the copyright issue. This was found at CDKitchen.com:

Copyright Infringement

Visitors are not allowed to knowingly submit copyrighted material to CDKitchen. Recipe copyright is a tricky definition. You cannot copyright a list of ingredients - this is considered a scientific formula. You maybe able copyright the prose that accompanies a recipe as long as it is not considered "typical" in describing the procedures required to complete the recipe.

For example, you canNOT copyright the directions to the recipe that say,

"Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix on high with a hand mixer. Pour into pan and bake at 350F for 25 minutes".

These directions are "typical" in nature. What you may be able to copyright are these directions:

"My mother would combine the ingredients in a large glass bowl that was handed down from her great grandmother. We usually use a mixer today to beat the ingredients, but my mother remembers her mother beating the ingredients endlessly with a wooden spoon until all was mixed..."

While we do not necessarily encourage this, if you are unsure of the copyright status of a recipe you'd like to submit it is best if you put the directions into your own words. This way you can easily incorporate any additional modifications you personally made if you tried the recipe. Recipes submitted this way are much more personal and readers value your input from your experience in making this recipe.

I think this is very similar to what I posted before, but I wanted to clarify anyway, in case there were any more questions.

Also, I wanted to let everyone know that the cookbook will include a conversion table, so if you have recipes that are written in metric or Imperial measurements that is fine. Don’t worry about trying to write the conversion.

Discussion is open in Lightbulbs on whether or not we want to add a thread to discuss Veronica Mars. Go. Discuss.

DXMachina "Voting Discussion: We're Screwing In Light Bulbs AIFG!" Aug 18, 2005 8:10:12 am PDT

This is your weekly reminder to submit recipes to the Buffistas Cookbook at buffistascookbook at gmail dot com. We've gotten quite a few, but we'd like even more. We'll be collecting until Monday, September 12.

Also, I just wanted to let people know that we're going to be going through Natter and Bitches and pulling recipes that have been posted in the thread. As we pull them, we'll send you an e-mail asking for permission to "publish" the recipe in the cookbook. Just wanted to let you know this would be happening.

I have two brand-new, unopened copies of Angel: Live Fast Die Never, music from the TV show. If you want one (or both), zap me a note to my profile addy and it's (they're) yours!

Edit: And they are gone.

Book Club update:

Now that the Harry Potter discussion has died down, the book clubbers have consensed on the classic story, Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as the impending selection. Ginger has agreed to use her literary powers for good, and guide us through the treacherous Holmesian terrain. And not only is the story available in bookstores and libraries everywhere, but thanks to Project Gutenberg and the reformatting and hosting efforts of Deena, the story is available in an easy-to-read, HTML version here: [link]

We are currently considering whether to discuss this selection in some sort of chapter-by-chapter way, or as a whole. Feel free to stop by the book club thread to weigh in, or watch this thread for an update on discussion method and start dates.

ETA: updated link

The big-ass insurance company I work for is looking for underwriters at sites in Boston, Bridgewater (NJ), Hartford and Tampa. Many of these positions provide flexible work arrangements, including work from home. If you or anyone you know is interested, send 'em my way.

Yes, I get a referral bonus. What's your point?

For Bay Area locals, an urgent request

I'm putting together th SF/Bay Area bid for submission for next year's F2F.

If you live in the Bay Area and have a place or places available for potential attendees to lay their heads at night, please to e me ASAP.

Also, if you have particular things you feel ought to be included, e me.

sf_deb at yahoo dot com

Thanks!