Nope. But I figure that condoms or absinence are probably safer than having some plastic thing in you for more than 3 weeks. Of course there's always a risk of infection, but what do I know I'm not a doctor. Still there are people that have more than that in their bodies--and not because they need it.
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I like this question.
I ran into an ex-student working at Starbucks and she said that I actually inspired her to major in English & Linguistics.
Another thing was when I was feeling pretty crappy about teaching. One of my friends that I work with at the Faire and that helped me coreograph the dancing for my schools Elizabethan dinner reminded me that while we were leaving one of the performances the choir students huzzahed me all the way out of the auditorium in unison.
It's nice to be appreciated sometimes.
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Proof of sincerity. Lots of it. Even then my trust for someone can evaporate quickly based on my perception of their trustworthiness.
I suppose there are levels or the way I conceive of it: city walls. The walls are the layers of my defense, obviously and it takes endless passwords and inspections to pass just one, so to speak. I'll define them as:
Not many have really made it past more than the third wall and stayed as a confidant for long. I can count the few with one hand. I suppose that my critia for earning trust are legion, but here are a few:
I have to say that timeliness is a big one on my list. I can't abide people who are habitually late or late more than 10 minutes. I really is a sign of disrespect for me. I guess that's why I can't and won't tolerate people from cultures that don't have a certain Anglo-Germanic sense of timing. I will never trust people like that. I, frankly, find it an abuse on my graciousness. It's highly disrespectful, regardless of culture. And if their culture endorses that, I will, very narrow-mindedly, consider it an obviously inferior culture not worthy my respect or tolerance.
Of course this is highly prejudicial. Afterall, the persons that I trust are based solely on my own subjective prejudices and judgements. I don't need to be openminded and can be as selective as I want to be. If I find someone slovenly and without a sense of personal hygene, well, then, away with them. If they have an annoying laugh, begone. A poor sense of color coordination, well, disappear. I don't need to tolerate people I don't like. Even if they are my leaders.
Take Barak Obama. I wouldn't trust him even if he were really a Christian & liked guns and not a Manchurian Candidate for Muslims. 
I like his intolerant streak and his sophistic ability to say whatever the mob wants to hear, but he's on the wrong side of the fence. An America hater has no business being the President.
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Someone asked to interview me for their teaching school. Here are my answers to that. Enjoy, friends. Be offended, other teacher people (or even agree).
1. Why did you choose to become a teacher?
Teaching was my third career choice. I wanted to be a writer first, then university professor, and then a teacher. The first reason why I chose it for my mid-range (5-10 year) goal is because it would give me the free time to write and to go to school to be a professor. The second because I love the subject of English. I didn't choose it because I like angst-filled teenagers--I don't mind little kids, after all I started in elementary school. I do get pleasure from making a difference in people's lives. That's why I teach seniors they're more mature and reasonable than a sophomores or freshmen.
2. What attributes do you believe make a successful teacher?
Passion for the subject first. An "Academic" attitude. Many teachers and administrators are failures because they are NOT academics. They do not understand the interaction that is required out of a real scholar that is actually engaged in the "Academy." The other thing is that they have to be effective communicators. Most teachers I know don't know how to get to the point fast and discuss things succinctly. They tend to babble use excessive bureaucratic language. But then most of them don't have graduate degrees or just have joke degrees in education. Yes, I strongly believe that a degree in "education" or "liberal studies" is a joke--a dirty joke at best-- much as most real academics believe.
3. What particular challenges do you face that you did not anticipate upon entering the education profession?
Student stupidity is a given. Students are young and inexperienced so a level of ignorance and immaturity and laziness is expected. What I did not expect was that their parents were the same. Stupid parents, ignorant parents, and immature parents. Many parents I have met are more irresponsible than their children. Which astonishes me. I understood that there would be some, but so many--that was incredible. Most AMERICAN parents--with that I include all ethnicities, including Asians--have an attitude that they have to "protect" their young from pain. But as the adage goes, "no pain, no gain." They protect their kids from the pain of responsibility and true failure. Those are pains that everyone must face in a capitalistic society--a healthy fear of that pain is necessary for survival. The kids aren't getting that fear instilled in them because mommy and daddy are "protecting" them. Really they're just stunting them.
Incompetent teachers and administration exacerbate that softness that we don't see in students from Europe, South America (yes real Hispanic students that have survived in the Hispanic school systems from their home countries are really good) , or Asia have that type of softness. Attendance drives how much money a school has not quality of student. So incompetent, but well meaning, leaders use the lines "we have to accept and teach everyone" & "everyone DESERVES to go to college" to force (enough of them in the state to make it a law) the people that really have no business attending school, but should be in the work force learning a trade or being an unskilled laborer.
4. Which specific Federal or State guidelines do you find helpful as a teacher? Why?
The state standards were written by academics and are the most valuable tool that I have available. It can help me combat ignorant or stupid colleagues who have no business teaching, but have seniority. Knowledge of the Ed Code is also helpful to combat administrators that abuse their authority either out of sheer ignorance or just plain maliciousness or incompetence.
5. Which Federal or State guidelines do you fine disadvantageous to your goals as an educator? why?
NCLB. No child left behind. It sets up unrealistic goals for all students. All students are NOT created equal to expect that they can all be the same and be prepared for university is like saying that everyone can compete a marathon--yes, everyone can, but not everyone will make it. A capitalistic society is survival of the fittest.
6. Are there any Federal or State guidelines or legal mandates that you would like to see added? Why do you feel this way?
No. I would rather see a deregulation of schools or the elimination of free public schools all together. Money is always an issue, but I think that in a capitalistic society we value the thing based on its dollar cost. People don't value something free. So education should cost serious money if you want the parents and the kids to value it. This has nothing to do with whether the families are rich or poor, but the creation of a sense of value toward education. Of course those who really are poor (with serious proof--not like how we prove poverty nowadays since rich people get free stuff through loopholes) and want it can get it for a reduced cost or free if there is proof of actual desire. People say that America doesn't work that way. My response is that that's only because we have made it that way. We can unmake it.
7. What advice would you give someone who wishes to become a teacher?
Don't become a teacher if you think it's going to be an easy job or that it'll be fun working with kids. It's not. This is a thankless job filled scant rewards compared to the unreasonable demands that are forced on you by incompetent pie-in-the-sky administrators (many of whom were failures as teachers anyway), ignorant and misguided parents, irresponsible, lazy, students, and the martyrs that many of your colleagues will be (after all who'll take a job that pays poorly with little rewards and unreasonable demands).
Do some observations. Maybe even teach a class if you can, just to see what it's like.
And, if after that you're not convinced do something else, then do something else. Get another job first. Another career in the private sector or something before doing anything in education. Too many people go straight from college to being a teacher and they are pretty useless because they have no other skill, experience, or wisdom that they can bring to the student.
Then, if you are still dead set on being a teacher with all of it's drawbacks and punishments (did I mention that there are hardly any rewards), then be a teacher. Select the best education schools for your credential such as Cal State Fullerton or Cal State Long Beach. Those are the best in California. Not the UCs they're research schools not "Normal" schools which are geared for creating teachers.
Don't waste time at the Cal Poly's those education programs are jokes (SLO is better than Pomona--what a joke that program is). Not Azuza Pacific (another joke) or other private programs. Fullerton is by far the best because it gives a comprehensive student teaching program that sets you up from Day 0--before school to graduation. That was my student teaching not the stupid 6 week nonsense that most places go for. ONE YEAR of student teaching three classes a day--attend classes at night. That will give you the full experience.
That's what I did. I don't regret becoming a teacher, but there are days when I really, really, do. It's really too bad that those days are becoming more and more frequent. I think I'm almost ready to take the leap to university.
Wrote this in the margins of my notes on Tuesday. I guess I should've paid more attention to the lecture. Really rough again and needs an edit. Enjoy.
Kyrie Eleison (1st draft)
I.
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison.
Give me grace to survive the day;
Have mercy on me, my Salvation.
I cannot live with such despair;
The thought of continual singleness
Breaks my heart everyday.
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison.
II.
Eleison, my Lord, Eleison, my Savior.
Help my sorrow, help my heart.
Oh, how much I want her--across from my pew.
How much I yearn for a word or smile--
More than your Word, more than your Love.
Help me Lord Jesus, forgive me my sin.
Kyrie eleison, Christe Eleison.
III.
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison.
I love you Lord, help my hatred of you.
I live for you, help my selfish wants.
I hope in you, help my fear of losing.
I joy in you, help my lonely grief.
I believe, my Lord, help my unbelief.
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison.
I cry out from the dust of my heart.
This loneliness is too much to bear.
Eleison, Christe, Eleison.
Eleison. Eleison. Eleison.
Kyrie Eleison, Christe Eleison, Kyrie Eleison.
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