Jazzper™

Privacy goes hand in hand with paranoia

I was called in to my boss today who wanted a serious chat with me. Apparently he got a call from a parent of my students yesterday who had things to say about me having students as friends on Facebook. I had a couple of photos of students and a couple of photos of collegues aswell. These are now removed and and I have put up harsh privacy restrictions for my students. It is indeed my bad, I shouldn't have published photos of students on Facebook. They weren't many, but a couple.

So far so good and I totally respect the complaints. But I was also questioned about whether I should have students as friends on Facebook or not. I have had this discussion before with many people and I always say the same thing. First of all, I am not the one who requests friend add, it is always my students who do that. Secondly, I don't give a rats ass if they would see pics of me when I was little, of my family or whatever. I don't even care if they read this blog. Why? Simply because my privacy is something very little and something I keep only to myself. That's is privacy to me. I have very little to hide and the things I want to hide, I would never share with the entire world on Facebook or even my blog. The rest, I am happy to share and I can't be bothered if a 14 year old kid in Stockholm, knows my birthday, where my parents' summer house is or what my sweet nephew look like. And really, how much does this 14 year old even care himself? It's not as if he would browse through my profile page "Now, let's see, what does Jesper's nephew look like? And what about his parents?".

My boss can't understand this. Fine, fair enough. We have different views on privacy and I can buy that. Being a friend on Facebook is not the same as being best pals and I can promise none of my students think that. But if they feel good about having their teacher as a friend on Facebook and I don't bother, why shouldn't I accept the friend request? Nothing has changed in my relationship with them when I meet them at school. It's just plain BS that I would lose authority or respect just because we are friends on Facebook. I tell you what it is: it's goddamn paranoia and negative thinking.

We don't need more of that in the world today. We don't need to build more walls, we need to tear them down. We need to losen up and open up. We need to be honest to one and another and we need to take care of eachother. With privacy comes paranoia, I believe. I am not saying that we should tell everyone our secrets and inner private stuff, but we shouldn't be afraid of sharing thoughts and feelings with other people. Instead of replying "That's not your business" to the question "How are you?", we should open up and say the truth. Then it is up to the asker to decide whether he or she wants to continue listening.  No wonder the world looks like it does when everyone is so frakking afraid of open up, showing their real faces and protecting their privacy with every action needed.

I don't believe in professionalism as a status thing. Perhaps that's why my students like me. Teachers who work hard on keeping up appearance as a professional teachers have little to gain, I think. Teachers who dare to be personal, who dare to be honest and truthful to everyone, including their students, recieves much more respect.

So, (too much) privacy is something bad. It creates walls and fears. I don't want that. I don't need that. And I will prove everyone saying I am wrong, that I at the end of the day is right. I just know it because I am frakking awsome!

The Ultimate Nostalgy - Rock 'n Roll Wolf - Part 2

Some more music from Rock 'n Roll Wolf. I will edit the entire show and cut out the best parts when I get some spare time.

(download)

(download)

(download)

(download)

 

The Ultimate Nostalgy - Rock 'n Roll Wolf

Up to about two years ago it was only a vague memory. I had images in my head and a couple of fragments of melodies. With the help of a forum I found out what it was: a musical film from 1976 named "Rock 'n Roll Wolf" or "Ma-ma", which I believe is the original (Russian?) title. Here are a few pics and songs. Perhaps you recognize these aswell.

Part two of this post is HERE

(download)

(download)

(download)

On my way to fame

...or at least I like to dream that. Today I girl called from one of the biggest and most respected entertainment production companies asking if I was interested in being a background person in the upcoming second season of the humor show "Playa del Sol". The first season was seen by nearly 2 milion Swedes, which is a lot when it comes to Swedish entertainment. Of course I wanted to be a part of that! A couple of minutes later she called again making me quite nervous. Has she changed her mind?

- Not at all, probably the other way round. I was wondering if you want a minor role instead.

And then everything went quite fast. I rushed to the train in to Stockholm and onwards to the SVT studio (the Swedish broadcast corporation) to try out costumes. My part will be a little one, but I get to act with a couple of the hottest comedians in Sweden. So I am dreaming about this being some kind of breakthrough, since I have the feeling I am too talented for being a teacher my entire life :) So wish me good luck on Wednesday!

Below a clip from season one:

Happiness

Wayne Sutton - my new fav meme

GBP sooner than planned?

I am losing my job as of this summer, meaning that the upcoming gastric bypass surgery would fit better in to the schedule during the time I am employed, for many reasons. Today I spoke to the nurse at the clinic and she understood the situation and they will now look into the chances to have the surgery before summer instead of after. Thoughts running through my mind at the moment and I can hardly focus on work... I have been looking forward to this surgery for so long and now it might be closer than planned. Sure, having the surgery before summer would be great, but it would also mean I can't go on my China trip. But China will still be there and I have a long life left to live. My health is more important at the moment.

Oh, July, won't you come soon?!

Yesterday I attended the STS training here in Stockholm. Boring. I have been on the same training the last four years. However, it is always good to meet old friends. But now I am really starting to look forward to departure the 3rd of July. It's not too far away!

I am trying to learn some basic Chinese which is easier said than done. There are so many weird sounds that makes pronounciation really hard. But I am doing my best. I am also starting to do research on Beijing and Chinese culture. I want to be able to give my students the best experience ever so I need to be really prepared.

There are a number of things I want to know:

1) Prices. How much is a Bic Mac? A pint of beer? A basic digital camera? A laptop? A tailor made suit?

2) Will there be a lot of open wifi hotspots? How much is it to use the Internet in our hotel?

3) Is the "real" Chinese food healthy? Will I lose weight? (having a gastric bypass in September so it doesn't really matter, but it would be good not to weigh more when I come home).

4) How would the Chinese see me? The fat, big, south Asian looking guy? Born in Thailand, adopted and been living my entire life in Sweden. Will this be a problem? Kinda hoping that the Chinese ladies would see me as hunky and good looking, but perhaps I should just keep on dreaming...

What is love?

I started this day with dreaming about my first and possibly only real love whom I dated 15 years ago. Weird but happy dream, though. On the train ride in to Sthlm I continued to think about her. Now, what's up with that? Haven't seen her in many many years and she is married and probably got a huge family and all that. Perhaps it's a sign that I should get out more...

Love. What is love? I am not sure. I haven't dated a girl in...geez, must be 8 years or so. And it never was love. It kinda stopped with infatuation and a fling. I have many fond memories of the girl I was in love with and I know I wasn't good neither for or to her. I was a pig. They say that the first love is also the one you will remember the most. Well, I can confirm that. I remember her. And sometimes I imagine what life would have been like if I hadn't broken up with her. If I hadn't been acting like a complete frakking moron. That I will never know. But sometimes, still, I regret what I did.

Well, there are many reasons why I haven't been dating for the last 8 years. Apart from many and major depressions and a speedy weight-gain, I have also been living alone in a city where I have no friends. That doesn't really help. A fat, lonley and pathetic young man like myself, will never find love again. But things are changing. I can feel it - in the air. I am looking forward to my surgery so much I often can't think about anyting else. This surgery will be a complete change of life - a chance to a new life! Even if my future will be a future without the my first and only love, it will be a future where all good things can happen. I can feel it. If love is that important to people, I am sure I will find it some day. When I am ready, when I am ready to love myself and appreciate myself again. Now, right now, I make myself sick and tired. Can barely stand myself. And it is a strange feeling to actually know for sure, this is about to change. And I am looking forward to that.

Some day I will be awsome!

Friday buzz

Interesting times, indeed. A lot to look forward to. First up, the delivery of my new netbook next week. Another toy to play with. Then I am off to China for three weeks working as travel guide for a language training company and in September, I will be under the knife of a surgent for a gastric bypass. To put it simple, life is sweet at the moment.

I recently found out I am likely to lose my job this summer, which both feel good and bad. I love teaching and I am quite sad to leave my students. But unemployment doesn't always have to be a bad thing. I can see this is a chance to try something else for a while. Well, times are hard at the moment and it won't be easy to find a new job, but I have enought confidence to think that I will manage. My CV is long and I have a lot of experience in many different areas and I am a terrific guy who is easy to like (true!). In fact, I am rather used to being offered 4 jobs out of 5 after job interviews. I am thinking I would like to work with people and show off my service skills, but at the same time work with technology and electronics. So I am looking for a job as an in-store salesperson at a big warehouse for electronics.

This week has been exciting. A couple of weeks ago I got an article published in the local newspaper, critisizing our local politicians. The article ended with a sarcastic and ironic invitation to all local polticians to come visit me a day at work in a public school. One politician replied. So yesterday I had a politician beside me at work. I was really nervous about that at first, but it turned out to be a great day. I reached my goal with the day - to get someone who can change things to see what it is like "out there on the field". My collegues now treat me like a hero :) I don't think this has been done before.

And now I am going out for a beer with my collegues. So..bye!