My first proper lesson, planned the night before, delivered on schedule without major hitches. I just don't know how I feel about it.
Having an advanced student is a blessing in that I don't need to simplify my explanations much, but it's also a problem in that 90% of a conventional lesson is old news to him. His knowledge of English is like a large mosaic which is missing many small pieces, the gaps scattered widely and randomly.
My job is to plug the odd little gaps, introduce wrinkles and idiosyncrasies, essentially turn Veli from a highly competent speaker into a native-like speaker. But I have no way of knowing where the gaps are before stumbling over them in conversation.
And today's TV, viewed with the now somewhat overfamilliar accompaniment of mackerel and pasta: The pilot episode of Batman Beyond.
I can just imagine the board meeting.
Suit 1: We need a new cartoon, something cyberpunk like Blade Runner. Dystopian with decaying old high tech and lots of neon.
Suit 2: Nah, what we need is something reliable. Something that's worked before. Something familiar like...Batman!
Suit 1: Batman was old hat even when it was live action. Anime's the new cool.
Suit 2: Batman in anime-land. Batman of the future! Batman reinvented!
Suit 1: The kids don't care about Batman. They want psychotic streetgangs.
Suit 2: The Joker was psychotic. How about a streetgang of psychotic Jokers?
Suit 1: The kids want counterculture! Corrupt governments that are indistinguishable from the mafia.
Suit 2: Batman fought the mafia.
Suit 1: Surveillance and secrets. Creepy mansions.
Suit 2: Batman had a secret identity. And a mansion.
Suit 3: Guys, I've got a great idea. You're both right.
The boss is coming over to "take charge" in two or three weeks. On the plus side, that means we get a pay rise. On the minus side, it fucks everything else up.
I've checked out plane tickets, just in case.
A pay rise sounds nice! But then I'd have thought you'd be on more now - because you're running the place in his absence.
ReplyDeleteAh we'll
C
erm *blushes* excuse the apostrophe in the 'well'.
ReplyDeleteC
Oh, I thought you were being frightfully clever, writing "Ah We'll C" - Ah, We'll See.
ReplyDeleteActually the place doesn't take much running. Which means on the occasions he's here, there's nothing for him to do but sit in this here chair all day. Which is more or less what I do, but I can also plan and do lessons. And fix the computers.