Bluffing: Can't Read My... [Period 5, Wed]

[doubleohblonde]

There were mysterious leather cases for each of the students on the desks today, along with a disturbing number of mirrors. For a change, they also weren't in the Danger Shop.

"Good afternoon," Bond said. "Now we've discussed how changing your appearance can be used as an aid in bluffing, at least in regards to outfits. But there's an entire other way to alter you appearance, one that most people wouldn't ordinarily think of." Most people in this class at least, gender norms being what they were.

"So your task today is to find a partner and using what's in these cases, you will devise a new look for your partner that alters their appearance. Think carefully on what impression you want them to give." That's right, it was makeover time.

It was possible, just maybe, that Bond was just making things up to see if he could convince his class to do them.

[Class Roster]

Live Entertainment Appreciation, Thursday Period 5

[furnaceface]

"It has come to my attention," Jono said, flicking globs of marzipan from his shoulders in the doorway of Café Fina after handwavily notifying his students to meet there today, "that there is more to live entertainment than musicals and spectator sports. I know, that's quite the admission coming from somebody who runs the theatre in town, but I'm not so invested that I can't see other forms of art when they've been presented to me."

He nodded back at the waiter, a man-sized pepper shaker who made a sweeping gesture into the restaurant, directing them all to the tables that had been pushed together to accommodate the group.

"Sometimes, live entertainment is as simple as a pleasant atmosphere, good food, and good company. I'm not going to assume you all want to eat my cooking, there are people on the island who have a far better way with food than I do and I didn't feel like making that much tikka masala all in one sitting. So, Fina. Order whatever you want- I hear from the dishes that th'grey stuff is delicious, but I haven't sampled it yet myself. Enjoy the food, and the company of your classmates. And possibly the singing and dancing of the serving staff, if you're so inclined to look their way."

It was hard not to pay attention when the staff at Fina went out of their way to perform. When you were looking at giant humanoid cutlery and napkins and the like, how could you be anything but entertained?

[Open!]

Current Affairs [Thursday, December 5, 2013]

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

"Hello, everyone," Josh said. "I hope you enjoyed your turkey, or in my case, eight solid days of fried things as well as gifts of socks and underwear because my mom really knows how to make Hannukah special. Today we're gonna talk about the Pope because I'm tired of talking about the Affordable Care Act. Now I'm not Catholic, but my last two bosses were, plus they had the Pontiff on speed dial because sometimes it's pretty freaking awesome to be the President of the United States. The new pope released a document recently that denounced poverty and inequality and called on the Church to focus less on money, which seems fairly standard. But then he also mentioned how trickle-down economics doesn't work and decried the tyranny of unfettered capitalism, and now all of the conservative pundits, who love Popes when they are going on about abortion and gay marriage, now start wondering if Pope Francis is a closet Marxist.

"Putting aside how Marxism is pretty explicit about rejecting religion, what do you think it is about this particular message--which is hardly groundbreaking stuff--that is getting the right wing so upset?"