teach something

every day i teach something new to a member of my team at work. it makes me happy when i show them how to achieve things more easily with their technology, and it makes me even happier that there is one less thing they will pester me about next time round…!

I want to be able to teach something

Sunday school class, computers, art, self-improvement, happiness… something…

I began to assist young people in finding direction when I was fourteen, by tutoring French for the daughter of one of our high school counselors. I went from that to tutoring math and English as a second language in Knox Collge, to eventually volunteering to teach English for literacy in Memphis to teaching it as a second language in Georgia.

Today a young person posted their request for advice on how to “make money fast.” Well, there you go. Everyone wants to have money, and many of us want it fast. I did offer him or her this little list, which I will call Old Tarik’s Ten Ideas on how to get Rich (but not necessarilly quickly). However, they are I believe for the most part honest, and don’t involve rolling drunks or breaking and entering homes.

So here are my ideas which I offer at the risk of them being either not of interest to you or not feasible, or just outlandish:

1. Beg for money ( see number 10);

2. Collect metal for scrap to sell. This includes aluminium cans, other objects of aluminium such as siding, scrap iron and tin, brass, copper including electric wire or cable, titanium, gold, silver, etc. Of course some metal is more rare or precious than other, but in the eyes of a junk man it is all precious, yes oh yes precious. (Does his best Gollum imitation and laughs joyously if not crazily);

3. Collect news paper and other paper to recycle for money. Generally to make any money you have to have a large truck or flatbed. Of course you could pool your savings and buy one, between you and some business partners. Be careful whom you choose to be your partners.

4. Collect cloth for rags for industry. You can get discarded cotton and other fabric to cut or tear into rags for use by mechanics, machinists, and other engineers, warehouse hands, and factory workers.

5. Bus tables, wait tables, back the barman, prep for cooks or chefs, wash dishes, host, etc.

6. Sell just about anything for anyone, if you don’t have anything to sell then be a seller for some one else. This includes selling things on websites (electronic boards in cyber space) and via publications (portable “boards” of paper) or boards on walls.

7. Become a buyer for someone else. This includes shopping for elders and invalids;

8. Become a broker, that is one who buys and sells. This includes but is not limited to real estate, stocks, wine, horses, and other property whether real or chattel.

9. Sell your services. Walk dogs, watch or care for cats, boa constrictors, lizards, birds, and other living beings. This includes human children. Just don’t knock them around, burn them, choke them, drown them or anything you might be tempted to do if you have an extreme anger management problem.

10. Write grants for money (see number one).

If I was good-looking, I’d teach it on Youtube, too. Haha.

Yesterday we examined the body of a drowned squirrel, noting its vestigial fifth digit, its top teeth for chewing, the sex organ.

The week before we’ve been studying various grasses, sedges, and other plants. We’ve also studied the behaviour of spiders which show up before the chilly autumn arrives. One of my favourite is Micrathena, the “jewel box spider.” My daughter alerted us to the emergence of tiny spiders from an egg sac the other morning. Not Micrathena, some type of barn spider, or house spider.