The Wormlips Scrapbook

Here’s a video of my teacher of my Spanish class for extranjeros. I understand most of what she says, but I can hardly produce a word myself: inconvenient when lost.

Here are two drawings done by two of my young students of their favorite deportes.

I totally blew my class last night. I had no idea what I was doing, and when you’re like that in front of a group, it shows. My only shining moment was when someone asked me about a word I’d written on the board — “tossed” — and without thinking I surprised them by translating: significa “echando.” I can’t remember words I need, but those I don’t are floating around in my brain like sewage in the ocean.

Teaching reminds me of Irish dance competitions. There are you in front of the judges and the crowd, doing a passable if rigid job, when suddenly you forget the rest of your step. You either freeze or you start doing The Pony or something, just to fill the time. All the practice and preparation in the world does not prevent a mind like mine from fleeing under pressure.

I dreamed last night that someone’s horse kept trying to sit on me and I couldn’t get away. The owner wouldn’t help get his stupid horse under control. ¿Que significa?