Triple Christmas Eve Post
Dec. 22nd, 2020 10:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lunabee341. Emma got a 1390 on her second SAT attempt, improving by 50 points! I am so proud of her. My baby's in the 95th percentile. LOL And now that's completely done, and she doesn't have to think about it ever again. She improved her scores on the essay, too, to straight 6s. However, I don't think the SAT essay says anything about whether someone is a good writer or not. First, I know she's a good writer; I've been reading her essays for her college classes, and they're really good. Second, years ago when we were struggling for money, lyr helped me get a job scoring SAT essays, and I hated it. The rubric doesn't actually privilege good writing. It rewards students for using big vocabulary even if they're using it wrong or their essay is bloated. Clear, accessible and straightforward writing gets dinged which is a huge shame.
In related news, OMG is applying (JUST APPLYING!) to college stupidly expensive. We've spent several hundred dollars on it thus far getting transcripts sent and test scores sent and the application fees. Blergh.
2. Escape to the Chateau continues to delight. It is the ultimate in pandemic watching. Here are these insanely creative people--Dick is an engineer, and he can build or fix anything. He's also a chef and gardener and delights in cooking. Angel is an interior decorator, but she makes so many of the things she decorates with. She comes up with these ideas that would never occur to me in a million years but are so freaking cool. And so the whole show is about them making and fixing and crafting, and it's just so satisfying to watch them transform this ancient chateau into something utterly beautiful. Also, they are just so besotted with each other. They adore each other, and it's a joy to watch. It makes me feel sappy and happy every time I watch.
3. I got a Christmas card fromisabellerecs!
4. Okay, I am about to commit heresy here and say that episode two of season three of Jessica Jones just might be my favorite episode of the series so far.
Episode 2
I absolutely adore the whole seeing the same events from another perspective method of storytelling, and it's so well done here. Trish becomes so much more sympathetic. She misses Jessica, pines for her even, and it's so easy to see how this journey of transformation would be so much more satisfying with her sister by her side. Jessica only sees Trish's anger at being rejected and not how much she loves and misses her. Trish is playing a redemption game that Jessica doesn't know she's playing, and so, of course, Trish is destined to fail.
The humor in this episode is A+.
The difference between Jess and Trish--one that Trish can't see--is that Jessica never wants credit, she never wants the limelight. Trish craves that external validation, and that's what's going to get her into trouble.
Now, ultimately this episode isn't going to work because there's no reconciliation. Pining is only delicious if ultimately they can stop pining for each other. So I know that I will not be happy with how the whole shebang ends. But this episode on its own is golden.
Episode 3
I'm enjoying Jess's struggle with new physical limitations.
I like that Costa likes her.
Jeri just breaks my heart. I get that she's looking for a real connection with someone before she dies, and she can't figure out how to do that without destroying what the woman already has. Her clear despair when the cheating husband is not the gotcha she thinks it will be is really sad.
I love the snarky not-friendship Jess and Jeri have. Jess has been researching clinical trials! (Does anybody ever write Jess/Jeri?)
I think Trish's point about Jess not training is an interesting one. I mean, training is a good idea, and Trish has worked really hard, and what she's done is impressive. And Jess never trains and just failboats at life and is an alcoholic, and she's still super badass. Imagine how badass she could be if she got sober and trained. I think at the bottom of it Trish is just pissed that she's had to work so hard and Jess just doesn't.
I am hoping Malcolm will pull up out of his downward spiral but not optimistic.
5. Holy shit! I've got 4 Yuletide gifts! I am so preemptively grateful!
lyr helped me get a job scoring SAT essays, and I hated it. The rubric doesn't actually privilege good writing. It rewards students for using big vocabulary even if they're using it wrong or their essay is bloated. Clear, accessible and straightforward writing gets dinged which is a huge shame.In related news, OMG is applying (JUST APPLYING!) to college stupidly expensive. We've spent several hundred dollars on it thus far getting transcripts sent and test scores sent and the application fees. Blergh.
2. Escape to the Chateau continues to delight. It is the ultimate in pandemic watching. Here are these insanely creative people--Dick is an engineer, and he can build or fix anything. He's also a chef and gardener and delights in cooking. Angel is an interior decorator, but she makes so many of the things she decorates with. She comes up with these ideas that would never occur to me in a million years but are so freaking cool. And so the whole show is about them making and fixing and crafting, and it's just so satisfying to watch them transform this ancient chateau into something utterly beautiful. Also, they are just so besotted with each other. They adore each other, and it's a joy to watch. It makes me feel sappy and happy every time I watch.
3. I got a Christmas card from
isabellerecs!4. Okay, I am about to commit heresy here and say that episode two of season three of Jessica Jones just might be my favorite episode of the series so far.
Episode 2
I absolutely adore the whole seeing the same events from another perspective method of storytelling, and it's so well done here. Trish becomes so much more sympathetic. She misses Jessica, pines for her even, and it's so easy to see how this journey of transformation would be so much more satisfying with her sister by her side. Jessica only sees Trish's anger at being rejected and not how much she loves and misses her. Trish is playing a redemption game that Jessica doesn't know she's playing, and so, of course, Trish is destined to fail.
The humor in this episode is A+.
The difference between Jess and Trish--one that Trish can't see--is that Jessica never wants credit, she never wants the limelight. Trish craves that external validation, and that's what's going to get her into trouble.
Now, ultimately this episode isn't going to work because there's no reconciliation. Pining is only delicious if ultimately they can stop pining for each other. So I know that I will not be happy with how the whole shebang ends. But this episode on its own is golden.
Episode 3
I'm enjoying Jess's struggle with new physical limitations.
I like that Costa likes her.
Jeri just breaks my heart. I get that she's looking for a real connection with someone before she dies, and she can't figure out how to do that without destroying what the woman already has. Her clear despair when the cheating husband is not the gotcha she thinks it will be is really sad.
I love the snarky not-friendship Jess and Jeri have. Jess has been researching clinical trials! (Does anybody ever write Jess/Jeri?)
I think Trish's point about Jess not training is an interesting one. I mean, training is a good idea, and Trish has worked really hard, and what she's done is impressive. And Jess never trains and just failboats at life and is an alcoholic, and she's still super badass. Imagine how badass she could be if she got sober and trained. I think at the bottom of it Trish is just pissed that she's had to work so hard and Jess just doesn't.
I am hoping Malcolm will pull up out of his downward spiral but not optimistic.
5. Holy shit! I've got 4 Yuletide gifts! I am so preemptively grateful!
no subject
Date: 2020-12-22 03:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-22 05:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-23 12:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-23 03:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-24 12:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-24 01:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-22 03:43 pm (UTC)So grateful I only ever had to take the ACT. I had a brief job grading English Competency Exams (taken in Freshmen and Senior years) and that was a bit more fun than what you're describing. Easier boxes to check. I really loved passing people.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-22 05:01 pm (UTC)Yeah, the SAT essay is something else. It was pretty good money, but I eventually had to quit doing it because I couldn't take the cognitive dissonance of teaching one thing in my comp classes and doing another on this test. LOL
no subject
Date: 2020-12-22 05:16 pm (UTC)I just want kids to not hate writing and to be able to express themselves clearly. Anything else is frustrating technicalities.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-23 12:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-22 04:07 pm (UTC)Trish also grew up watching Jessica be badass without much effort and doesn't know she can do anything similar until much later in her life -- and she chooses it, too, unlike Jess, and Jessica's mother, whose consent was violated after they went through traumatic accidents and lost their families. They're such mirrors, I love it.
Unfortunately the show starts going downhill in the next few episodes tho, imo, altho I'll be interested to hear what you think of it. The Netflix Marvel shows were always uneven, but this was one of the few seasons where the episodes themselves felt uneven to me -- there were lots of golden character moments, especially for Trish and Jessica and Jeri, but the big plot....well.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-22 05:03 pm (UTC)I do love the moments between Jess and Jeri so far. Like when Trish tells Jeri that Jess respects her and for just a second you can see how much that means to Jeri.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-22 04:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-22 05:04 pm (UTC)This season is rough for their sisterhood. :(
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Date: 2020-12-22 10:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-23 12:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-22 05:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-23 12:19 am (UTC)I am so grateful she's been able to do dual enrolled. She'll be going in with 24 hours of college credit plus whatever she'll be able to earn via AP. She's already got 3 AP hours with the potential for more from the 2 classes she's enrolled in currently.
So she's definitely looking at being able to finish in 3 years or less if she's savvy about how many hours she takes each semester.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-22 05:35 pm (UTC)Sounds like I'll have to check out Escape to the Chateau as it all sounds very soothing.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-23 12:19 am (UTC)You should. It is very soothing.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-22 06:33 pm (UTC)The rubric doesn't actually privilege good writing. It rewards students for using big vocabulary even if they're using it wrong or their essay is bloated. Clear, accessible and straightforward writing gets dinged which is a huge shame.
This is horrible! On reflection, I guess unsurprising, but -- ARGH.
I really want to check out Escape to the Chateau now.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-23 03:05 pm (UTC)I think you will really like Escape to the Chateau. It's just sweet.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-22 06:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-23 03:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-22 08:27 pm (UTC)Also, my grades are ranging way too high this semester, largely because I totally took it too easy on them. It's 2020, and the poor things are thrown into a college experience that wasn't the college experience they'd spent their lives working towards.
Yeah, I was still hopeful at that point in season 3.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-23 03:08 pm (UTC)I think everyone is being more lenient than they would be in normal times. I know I have been. I used to be such a stickler for due dates, and now I've pretty much decided to let people turn in things late regardless.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-22 08:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-23 03:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-22 09:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-23 03:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-23 09:22 am (UTC)I'm so out of the loop on education these days I didn't even know there were essays on the SATs now!
no subject
Date: 2020-12-23 03:08 pm (UTC)Yeah, when I took it there wasn't an essay section either. LOL
no subject
Date: 2020-12-24 01:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-25 02:06 am (UTC)I am so glad I never have to take a standardized test ever again. LOL
Thank you! We're very proud of her.