I may regret this later
Hello people who read this (or as I prefer to call you, minions in the making),
I got an interesting response to my most recent article in this Tuesday's Gateway. In response to the comment you left on my last blog Andrew, I don't usually recieve email feedback regarding my articles. Only what people tell me to my face an any letters to the editor that may be published. This last Tuesday someone from the esteemed faculty of Physical Education wrote a letter to the editor promising me physical harm at the end of a pair of forceps in retaliation for my comments regarding a physical education degree. (To really understand this blog entry you'll need to read my article, which can be accessed from the entry immediately preceding this one). Now, although I may regret this later, I am asking for feedback from all six of you who read this. I had thought that it was pretty clear that I was admitting to having sinned by looking down on other faculties, and had been moved to repentance by the article in See magazine that my article refers to. My intention was that this article made me think of two things: 1. real faith needs real doubt, and 2. it's a mistake to not acknowledge the contributions of another faculty. This person who wrote in doesn't seem to have grasped that, so I would like some feed back on the following questions that have come to mind about this incident.
1) was the article not clear that I had realized that looking down on other faculties was wrong and I was moved to repent?
2) Are the points of this phys ed student legitimate (in your opinion) or is she actually reinforcing the stereotype of the "dumb jock" by completly missing the point of the article and trying to make the point I had already made?
3) If you could be any plant, would would you be? (no carnivorous plants allowed. Only I may be a carnivorous plant)
4) Are my jokes sometimes out of line (such as the joke about the 99% of Christians in my previous blog) or does the fact that I make fun of myself at the same time make them ok?
5) on a scale of one to ten, how much better looking than Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt put together am I? (This scale is based on absolute values, so negative numbers mean nothing for those out there who might be visually impaired smart asses)
Anyway, I may regret it later, but I am asking for honest feedback. As iron sharpens Iron, so one sword cuts the meat. Or is it cuts the cheese? Or maybe just cuts one. I don't know.
P.S. here's a link to the letter to the editor I received in response to my article, I'll also repost the link to my article.
Article
P.P.S.
They don't put letters to the editor on the website, so although it pains me to do it, I'll type it out here.
Don't Spread Misconceptions Teal
I was just tossing a football around in the pavillion with some of my jock peers when I decided to flip through a copy of the Gateway. After reading the paper, I thought I would clarify Andrew Teal's misconceptions regard the faculty of education and recreation.
I was appalled to read the thoughtless opinoin of one engineer who feels as though his reputable faculty is somehow superior to the others. I certainly do not spend my time completing stress testing or calculating shear forces or load measurements, because I'm far to immersed in dissecting cadavers, testing anaerobic thresholds, learning the science of angular kinematics and studying for my neural physiology of human movement midterm. I must admit that nothing would thrill me more than the force of the heads of my metacarpals [knuckels] impacting your zygomatic arch [cheek bone]. However, the respect for my fellow students surpasses my angry ambitions to reprimand you.
Participation in post-secondary education in all it's many disciplines is a commendable achievement, and each student who has entered a faculty based on their strengths and interests is certainly admirable. It is tiresome but necessary to educate narrow minded individuals such as yourself, Mr. Teal, about the crucial role of physical activity, sport and recreation in our society. Perhaps one day I will be educating your children on the wonders of physical education and, who knows, I may even stir in your child such an appreciation for my discipline that they too will choose to enter the impressive faculty of physical education and recreation.
Katie Mahon
Phys Ed 1


9 Comments:
Well superman, I think there are a few more of us who enjoy your blog regularly, just that some of us choose to remain anonymous.
Anyway, first I have to remind you of one fundamental lesson of engineering: that is ERTW dude! If it weren't for US there would be no butterdome, no nice leather football and certainly no Van Vliet center! And secondly if this person is so busy studying, why the hell does she have time to be playing football in the first place? If she were an engineer she would be sitting in the bleachers, calculator in hand trying desperately to calculate the trajectory of the football (including all areodynamic losses) that the oh so busy phys ed student had just thrown.
Oh, and Superman could kick Tom Cruise's ass any day.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Lets see, I am going to have to agree with the hidden comment? Wading through your original thoughts before coming to your repentance could allow for misunderstanding, I think more so becuase not everyone shares your sense of humor. You were clear though, and it is not your fault she misunderstood.
Can I be an imaginary plant?
Keep writing, your good.
As for us visually impaired smart-asses, exactly how do you work an absolute scale around any kind of fantasy combination of two actors? So, on a scale of one to ten you are ten times less good looking than those two put together. At least when your in your clark kent costume. As superman, yeah, you got that one nailed :)
I appreciate the comments. I have learned something from peoples contributions to this blog. I especially appreciate the comments by the anonymous blogger who encouraged me to be more sensitive in the future. I guess I can't use the same jokes I would use with my friends. People who know me know the irony of me making fun of other faculties, since I've been at university for almost 8 years, and been a part of pretty much every faculty (I was even accepted into education before I went to engineering), and people from the U of A would know that the Timms centre is called the toilet bowl because it actually looks like a giant toilet bowl, not because of derogatory statements regarding the fine arts students, but to someone who is new there or an outsider that wouldn't be apparent. And having known many phys ed students, I know they actually are taking a class in quad where they learn to teach kids games by playing them. But I can see how those points wouldn't be obvious to someone who didn't know me or the U of A, and sometimes tongue-in-cheek humour doesn't come through very well in writing. I definitely agree that we have a great deal of responsibility to live up to when we write public articles and profess to be Christian. My next article will be on the dangers of group-think in the Christian church, and I will certainly strive to be more sensitive. Thanks everyone.
By the way, I would be a venus fly trap.
Oh, and no pretend plants Andrew
Dang it. Someone left an anonymous comment that was really good, but it got post multiple times so I tried to remove all but one, but all of them ended up getting removed. The gist of it was that the phys ed student had a point about the humour being somewhat out of line. My apologies to whoever put up that comment. It was a good one, I just messed up trying to clean things up. Sorry.
word to your mama Drew Teal,
yes you were clear. but reading and comprehension are not required at the university level (although reading is recommended). [the author must note that spelling is also not required but recommended.]
two. that letter to the editor was classic gateway material. kinda pointless, semi-coherent, and uses, Mr. in the letter (I suppose to reprimand)
. I would be a plant that is way cooler than your plant. I don't know what that would be but I would definetly have spines, some colour on the leaves and like a flower that shoots spikes. it would probably be an intelligent plant that could talk or was self-consicous offering useful insight into the current happenings.
Alright, no more answering your questions, I will say, that Brad Pitt's abs (very much like my own) are of superior quality to that of superman's (I submit Troy and any of the superman movies as evidence). LIke brad, I spend most of my day, semi-clothed inorder to show off my physique. bow-down superman, these abs are good and great.
well after those inflamatory remarks I doubt if I will get much of a response beyond war-mongering and chest beating...
opps there's another one :)
ok seriously Drew I need to rib you a bit, its been a while. I was going to make to make a joke, something like, do you have a superman outfit? does Melissa let you wear tights around the house? or just under your cloths?
well... I guess I let that one slip too ;) don't get even with me, let's pick on Demoline, I think he could use some posts of an inflamatory nature. such as, does Kristina let him out to play ever? something like that. you know, your whipped, I am great.
well I have a feeling I will pay for this email dearly... best of luck boys. talk to you soon!
until then,
Sup'a Dave
I agree with Andrew, Drew. I think you were clear, and it sounds to me that this girl just wanted something to be angry about...so people get defensive about what they study b/c they feel like the world looks down on it...so I think she was just reacting harshly b/c she feels like she has something to prove to the world...that's my psychology degree analysis for ya.
As for your humor, I think you need to keep being yourself...but just keep in mind who your audience is. Sometimes you could often the audience by your humor but it might more so have to do with where they are at or coming from than you. Does that make sense? Anyways, I don't really think you are "over the line" I think you are just too real for some people to handle. Most people are secure enough in their faith to joke about it.
'often' in my comment meant to be offend...
and I meant to say, "most people AREN'T secure enough to even joke about their faith"
Sorry, most of the time I'm too lazy to proofread.
like tumbler and tipsy days hopefully we will remain in high spirits. well, good day
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