25 Comments

I love the pea story at the end! Oh, and all the rest, of course. Another great start to the week (sorry: my own week seems to have started on Friday afternoon, so I'm a bit late!).

Thank you for your footnote about feedback - as one of the students ON that course you mention, I was getting rather worried that you might have been serious...... That reminds me, I have yet to upload my homework. 👀

(This would now be the point at which I might be expected to compliment you on your teaching - but I'm withholding any such comments until I have been judged on my work.) 😉

Thank you for linking to the obituary - what a fascinating chap! It was lovely that the two messages below it had been left by students of his, who had clearly appreciated him and his work as much as you had. That's wonderful.

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Thanks, Rebecca. I have already marked your homework, even though you haven't submitted it yet. I allocate marks on a random basis as I find it saves me a lot of time.

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🤣

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just right...today is always just right when Laurel and Hardy are still alive and there's remembrance a a great teacher--who is still alive in memory as well

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Indeed, Jill 😁 Their humour is completely bonkers, but they always make me laugh. I think some of what they did was very inventive. Yes, very true about great teachers being alive in people's memories. Thanks for commenting.

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Baby Yar was the best Evtushenko poem. Voznesensky, Akhmadulina, and he were the best Soviet poets. But at the same time, in the 1960s, the best Russian poet was Boris Pasternak. The Soviet regime hindered talent, but Evtushenko, a collaborator with the regime, got permission to travel to America and became famous but not very respectable in his own country. We make a big difference between Soviet Russian and Russian even when we talk of

the same time. The best with your teaching!

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Thanks for the information, Larisa. I didn't know all that. I hadn't heard of Voznesensky or Akhmadulina, and I haven't read anything of Pasternak. I have, for a long time, loved several of Yevtushenko's poems. I also hadn't realised that you make a big difference between Soviet Russian and Russian even when you talk of the same time. That's very interesting. What's the difference? I mean, I can understand the difference between them pre- and post-Glasnost, but not the difference when one is talking about the same time. "The best with your teaching!" Thank you!

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Wowie! This space is not called Eclecticism for nothing! What a mixture you gave us this Monday. You just let your little grey cells run mad. Thank you! Just what I needed.

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Thanks, Sharron! Glad you enjoyed it.

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Another excellent read. I’ll pop back tomorrow to check out a few of the links. Some fascinating people referenced. (Synchronicity is such a cool thing. I too have found that when you realise you need to drop out of something that life tends to make it happen.) All the best.

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I had just this kind of synchronicity today, Beth! A course I'd been due to start on Monday has been cancelled and as an alternative I've been offered a place on one which is held on Tuesdays.... which is a direct clash with Terry's 60-minute writer course! 🤣

No matter. I'm relieved, actually. I don't think I'd've managed two evening classes on successive nights, so it's absolutely for the best. Very grateful!

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You made the right choice. Who needs meditation when you can listen to me for an hour?

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*snores in class* 😉

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Typical

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Thanks, Beth! Yes, I agree. It's so nice when that happens! Equally, when obstacles keep appearing I take it as a sign that I'm not meant to be doing that, whatever 'that' is.

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I read Arnie Kurtz's obit and smiled that he loved humor, which is quite a counter-balance for the things he taught. I read the remembrances of him, too. Seems he made quite an impact. The poetry was great and "A Calvinist in Love" was interesting as I, a former Calvinist, looked for references - I found a couple. Your writing course sounds challenging and fun, and hooray for no ice breakers, and I think your feedback idea is the best! 😂 Always love your videos - a blast from my past - and Maharishi sounds like a funny guy. Reminds me of a line in a WWII movie where fleeing Danes went into a shop for food and complained about the high prices. The shop keeper said, "You're under no obligation to purchase".

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As one of his students I can say in all honesty that Terry's course - based on the first session, at least! - IS absolutely 'challenging and fun'! 🤩

(No pressure, Terry!)

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I’m sure the instructor will find you to be the very best student in the history of students, a dream come true in the eager learner department. 😄

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🤣 His feedback on my homework has been both supportive and complimentary, so our student/teacher relationship is going well so far! 🤣

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😁

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I used ChatGPT to award marks and make comments. It saves time. JOKING!

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Typical. 🙄

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🤣

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Thanks, Rebecca. The cheque's in the post. Fun??? Hmm, I'll have to see about that.

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😁 Maharishi was known as 'the giggling guru'. What references did you find, out of interest> Glad you like my feedback idea!

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