roblog: Just the Facts, Ma'am, Just the Facts.

It is testing time again, but this time it is my test. I have time to write because my students are spread out, well behaved, and still right in front of me if I just look over the computer monitor.

My Uncle Bob complimented me on my last post, but asked for pictures of the kids. Though I am writing this in the afternoon at school, I will post it later tonight from my home PC and tack on some pictures. They will not match up with much of what I am posting, but that's OK.

No deep thoughts today. My brain is not working in deep levels right now. As Friday says, "Just the facts, Ma'am, just the facts."

Right. As if any human being were capable of delivering facts completely divorced from emotion and interpretation. Even spreadsheets reveal the expectations of their creators, how much more so our words?

Fact: Horyon is taking a big, important test on December 8th. This test is on education in general, and English specifically. Not the fun kind of English where you communicate ideas and understand the viewpoints of those who have passed before, but phonology, the esoteric specifics of grammar, and the intricacies of translating complicated, stand-alone sentences from English into Korean. And spelling, I think.

Fact: Horyon took a big, important test on October 26th, just three weeks ago. This test was on Korean history, covering... I don't know. I assume it goes all the way back to when Koreans invented the knife, fire and kimchi.

Fact: These tests are necessary for her to change positions from a temporary teacher to a permanent teacher. In Korean schools, temporary teachers can be released from their contracts at the end of the school year for no reason. Permanent teachers have the metaphorical brass ring, and may continue the ride until they turn 65. Firing them is difficult unless they have done something very foolish. Permanent teachers pay into a pension fund that is quite generous, while temporary teachers pay into a giant envelope under a giant mattress, I believe. (I am willing to concede that this may not be an actual, true fact.) Permanent teachers get to rock around the clock, shake their booty, feel the noize, get jiggy with it, and produce milkshakes which are indubitably better than yours. Temporary teachers are low-quality Kenny G. covers. In other words, these tests are Important with a capital I.

Fact: Horyon does not take any tests lightly. She's like the academic equivalent of a hard-boiled detective with brass knuckles in one pocket and a snub-nosed pistol in the other. She figures out what she needs to know, then grabs its throat like a bull dog, never letting go until it is either limp in her grasp or she is called back by her master, Time: the master of us all. For these Important tests, she is dialing it up to 11.

Fact: Studying in the Sack Family home is difficult, due to the affections and needs for affection from the two shortest members of the family. (Though Maxine may be looking to move up in the height rankings within the next couple of years.) Our kids play well together for stretches of time, sometimes upwards of ten minutes without yelling, hitting or crying. However, they frequently do things which seem to require the attention of a parent. Sometimes this requirement is of an urgent nature, to avoid serious bodily harm or rifts in time and space, and sometimes it is more of an emotional requirement. There are even occasional nutritional and medical requirements (e.g. snacks and owies). These requirements can sometimes be stalled by allowing them to view a DVD, but inevitably the period following that viewing is used to make up for the previous 90 minutes without interruption.

Fact: Horyon's parents' home has a computer room that does not get used much. It has a big desk. It is a good place to study. Horyon has been going to her parents home after work and staying there until 10 or 11 p.m. Sometimes later. Since they take care of the kids for some time every day, and feed them dinner three or four times a week, they get to see their mother during dinner time. Maybe even a little time before and after.

Fact: By the time Horyon comes home from studying, I have put the kids in bed and tried to get some housework done. Horyon has been awake for about 45 minutes longer than I have, but I am usually more tired.

Fact: I am carrying around decidedly more weight than Horyon is, while she is carrying around more cuteness than I am. I am also trying to do all of the dishes so that she does not have to. By itself, washing dishes is a soul-draining exercise for me, but listening to podcasts while doing it keeps me entertained enough to not mind the work and dishpan hands.

Fact: A normal day for us includes about 15 minutes of conversation, most of it just after or before one of is sleeping. We send a couple of text messages if needed, and talk on the phone if it is urgent. On a good day we will sit and talk after she gets home, adding another 15 minutes.

Fact: I miss my wife.

Well, there you go. How facty was that last one? Not very. But my last student is almost finished with her test, and I need to wrap this up.

I'll tack some pictures on before I post this. Horyon twisted or sprained her ankle on a school field trip, and she took a great picture of her foot while getting acupuncture treatment. Enjoy.