saturday 9

Papa Loved Mama

1) This song is about a trucking "accident" that was covered extensively in the local paper. What's the big news story in your neighborhood? this snowstorm (our second in a week) with another predicted for Sunday/Monday

2) The action centers around a motel. When is the last time you stayed in a hotel or motel? last July

3) In the song, Papa wants to surprise Mama with a bottle of wine. Do you prefer white or red? white zinfandel

4) This week's featured artist, Garth Brooks, has said that the late Chris LeDoux -- singer, sculptor and rodeo champion -- is his hero. If you had to single out someone this morning as your hero, who would it be? my stepmother, she inspires me to be real

5) Before he was able to support himself as a singer, Brooks was a bouncer at a bar. Have you ever had an encounter with a bouncer (either that he threw you out or came to your aid)? no experiences other than being carded

6) According to the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), Garth surpassed The Beatles as the top selling artist of the last 25 years. Whose music do you listen to more -- Garth Brooks or the The Beatles? the Beatles

7) While 1992 was a banner year for Garth Brooks, it was a bad one for another country legend, Willie Nelson. Willie ended up paying the IRS more than $9,000,000. When you file your taxes, will you qualify for a refund? Or will you owe money? I have already filed my taxes and received my refund

8) When this song was popular in 1992, Sarah Ferguson, then the Duchess of York, was in all the papers and magazines for her controversial conduct -- including being photographed sunbathing topless with a man not her husband. Today no one seems to care much about what Sarah Ferguson does. Can you think of someone else whose fame was fleeting? Ebola Nurse

9) This is Super Bowl weekend. Where will you be watching The Big Game? probably, but not necessarily--especially if I get binge watching something else

the sisterhood

Here are the rules for the The Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award:

1. Thank the blogger that nominated you, and link back to their site.

2. Post the award's logo onto your blog.

3. Answer the 10 questions you've been asked.

4. Nominate 10 other bloggers and ask them 10 questions.

What a treat to get a blog award from my new blog buddy, Cynthia at Bingeing On Books!

Her questions for me:
1. If you were a character in a book, who would you be and why? I would like to be the main character in a Jill Mansell romantic-comedy
2. What are you reading right now? I'm reading Lucky Us by Amy Bloom, my book group's February selection
3. Who is your favorite author? Stephen King, Maeve Binchy, JK Rowling,
4. Describe your favorite reading spot. I like to read in bed
5. What is your favorite book to movie adaptation? the Harry Potter movies
6. What do you like most about blogging? I like rambling about whatever's on my mind and answering meme questions
7. Which book do you recommend the most and why? lately I've been recommending All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
8. Do you prefer coffee or tea? I prefer coffee
9. Fun fact about yourself! I've already filed my tax return and received my refund.
10. Rough estimate, how many books are in your TBR pile? I just checked my Nook and that has 401 books on it, so I would say that probably 275 are TBR

I'm nominating you! Yes, you! So, answer these questions:

1. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?
   
2. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
3. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
4. What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
5. How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?
6. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?
7. Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?
8. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
9. Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?
10. If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?

And don't forget to link back because I'd love to see your answers!

turn to page 123

The Page 123 Meme

Grab the book closest to you.
Open to page 123, look down to the 5th sentence.
Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog.
Include the title and the author’s name.

"Good, Clara said. She said it was bad enough when white people believed in Jesus but it was insane for black people to believe in Jesus, although she didn't go around saying that. She didn't believe, ever, that Jesus was going to deliver her to anything, anywhere."

                                      ~Amy Bloom, Lucky Us

friday 5

Interruptions

1. How regularly do you get interrupted at work, and how well do you handle it?
I am constantly interrupted and I just roll with it
2. What was the occasion the last time a TV program you were watching was interrupted by breaking news?
last Tuesday a storm warning
3. Whose flow did you most recently interrupt, and what was so important?
one of my colleagues, I didn't realize he was in the zone
4. How easily does your train of thought get interrupted?
when I'm by myself, it doesn't really. When I'm at school, it's pretty constant. And I'm not a very good multi-tasker so I get confused with what I'm working on sometimes.
5. What’s something in your life that could use some interrupting?
my shopping habits need to be interrupted!

booking through thursday

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Do your TBR books (that’s “To Be Read,” if you didn’t know) haunt you, make you feel guilty that you haven’t read them yet? From the archives.

Sometimes I feel really guilty for having a TBR. Like I'm a major waste--time and money! So many books are on sale, though, that I pick them up for less than $5! Besides, having a Nook means there aren't shelves and shelves of physical books fighting for space.

get funky!

I am so crazy for this video!

finished reading...

I liked that this book takes a realistic look at education today--how policies are followed, even when teachers know there are other ways of achieving results and the frustration that goes along with that. I liked the "meet cute" of the romance. I liked how the main character was fleshed out. But I didn't like the secondary characters, they were too cliche. And I was slightly disappointed in the Happily Ever After. I guess because the portrayal of the classroom was so spot-on, I expected a more realistic storyline.

From the Publisher:

For every woman who wonders if she chose the right career...

Carolyn Jenkins strives for two things--to be the greatest teacher ever and to find true love. She's as skilled at both as an infant trying to eat with a fork. Carolyn's suburban upbringing and genuine compassion for people who don't fit effortlessly into society are no match for weapon-wielding, struggling students, drug-using colleagues, and a wicked principal.

Meanwhile, her budding relationship with a mystery man is thwarted by his gaggle of eccentric sisters. Carolyn depends on her friends to get her through the hard times, but with poverty-stricken children at her feet and a wealthy man at her side, she must define who she is. The reality of life after college can be daunting, the road to full-fledged adulthood long and unscripted. Can Carolyn take control and craft the existence she always wanted?

w.w.w. wednesdays

MizB at Should Be Reading has made some changes to her weekly meme line up and W.W.W. Wednesdays is no longer a weekly meme. But I love this meme and am going to continue it on my own.

• What are you currently reading? I'm reading Lucky Us by Amy Bloom and Dimensions of Learning Teacher's Manual by Robert Marzano.

• What did you recently finish reading? Snowed In: A Novel by Christina Bartolomeo and Love and Other Subjects by Kathleen Shoop.

• What do you think you’ll read next? Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini.

ten things tuesday

Linking up with Ten On Tuesday this week.

This week's topic is 10 Types of Footwear You Own.

1) Flip flops (cheapie sandals)

2) Leather thongs (like flip flops but fancier)

3) Sandals (no toe separator like flip flops, so maybe they're called slides)

4) Winter boots (industrial--good for winter)

5) Dress boots (suede)

6) Hiking-style boots

7) Sneakers (walking/running)

8) Suede Mary Janes (in purple, tan, dark brown, and black)

9) All-weather mocs (in blue, brown, and black)

10) Dress shoes (brown, black, and navy)

I thought this would be difficult, but I can think of other shoes...

snowmageddon

Instead of whining about Snowmageddon 2015, I thought I would share what I bought at the supermarket:

I'm not sure if school will be canceled Tuesday or Wednesday... it's hard to predict. Regardless, I'm set with my groceries.

musing mondays

Click here to play along.

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

This week’s random question: Give a list of 4 books you read last year that you’d recommend to others — and why.

Over the weekend I started reading a book called Love And Other Subjects by Kathleen Shoop. I can relate to it because it's an idealistic first-year teacher and her adventures in love and at school. It's a quick read and I'm enjoying it.

sunday stealing

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Sunday Stealing: Easy A-Z Meme

A. What are your favorite smells? puppies, babies, coffee, baked goods, peonies

B. Can you go a whole day without caffeine? of course, but it isn't pretty

C. Who knows more about you than anyone else? my bestie

D. What song did you last listen to? Sam Smith: Latch

E. Do you wear socks to bed? not very often, mostly when it's windy and colder than thirty below zero

F. Can you change a car tire? I know the principles but I've never actually done it

G. If you could choose one color to wear for a whole year, what color would you choose? black

H. Do you cook often? no

I. What’s your least favorite season? winter

J. Can you sew? barely, but I can do buttons or basic hems and stuff

K. What is your favorite fruit? pineapple and pomegranate

L. Are you health conscious? not really

M. Do you think you’re very conscious of the feelings of others or more self oriented? feelings of others

N. Do you curse a lot? not like I used to

O. Do you remember lyrics easily? yes

P. Can you roll your tongue? I can

Q. Is there a certain food you often crave for no reason? plain chips

R. What was the last book you purchased? Alice Hoffman's The Story Sisters

S. Where was your last vacation? I had a staycation over the holidays

T. Last movie you watched? Did you enjoy it? Blended and no, I didn't enjoy it

U. Think of your oldest friend. If you met them now do you think you would still become friends? yes

V. Paris, London and New York… which one would you live in, which would you visit for a day, which would you visit for a fortnight? I would visit Paris for a day, I would live in New York, and I would visit London for a fortnight

W. Do you usually sleep with your closet door open or closed? I'm not sure because either is fine

X. Have you ever broken a bone? If so, how did it happen? my fingers playing field hockey in high school

Y. How do you like your eggs? scrambled

Z. What was your last argument about and who with? it was a silly one with a student

postsecret

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. I like to post one that speaks to me each week.

finished reading

I was afraid this book would be a whine festival with a complaining main character. One of the things I liked about the book is the author's detail of the setting--it's a real feel for Portland, Maine. A quick read. Predictable.

saturday 9

The Best Thing About Me Is You

1) What would you say is your best quality? I'm kind

2) In this song, Ricky sings that he's "allergic to tragedy." Do you suffer from any allergies? occasionally I will have itchy ears as a symptom of allergies

3) Benadryl, the popular allergy medication, is sometimes used to treat insomnia. What do you do when you can't sleep? I count my breaths

4) The lyrics to this week's song encourage us, "Don't wait until mañana." Are you a procrastinator? about some things

5) Ricky Martin is a judge on The Voice ... Mexico, aired on Mexican television. When you watch competition shows like The Voice, Dancing with the Stars or American Idol, do you usually agree with the judges? Or do you think you could do a better job? I mostly agree, I don't think I could do a better job

6) Ricky tells interviewers that when he was very young, he'd sing in the family kitchen, pretending a wooden spoon was his microphone. Crazy Sam admits to lip synching into a black Magic Marker. When you gave imaginary concerts, what did you use as a microphone? I actually had a microphone from my tape recorder

7) Ricky began working at the tender age of 9, performing in commercials. How old were you when you received your first paycheck? well, I was a babysitter so I started early, I was probably twelve or so

8) Ricky does yoga to stay in shape. Have you ever tried yoga? I used to do a yoga for dummies type of yoga

9) Ricky is of primarily Spanish descent, with a little French mixed in. When you think of French cuisine, what comes to mind? I think of butter--yum! Actually, I think of portion sizes...

whine-o

So, I had a bottle of wine (relax, it's one of the little four-pack bottles) and now I'm completely zoned out. I might go to bed early tonight. Exam week has wiped me out!

<--this is the new poster I got for my classroom

friday 5

Inflation

1. What are your thoughts on balloons?
I do not like toy balloons because when they pop they freak me out. I do not like mylar balloons, either. I do, however, enjoy hot air balloons and would love to go flying in one someday
2. What has anyone said recently to inflate your ego?
a colleague gave me some great, complimentary feedback
3. What’s something that recently let the wind out of your sails?
student scores on an exam
4. What inflatable items do you have in your home?
I can't think of anything
5. Besides gasoline (because we’re all pleasantly surprised by that), what’s something whose price has been a surprise?
I got free shipping on a classroom poster order I just made--that was the deal that made me order the posters!

be open

Embracing New Information
by Madisyn Taylor


As we live we will go through the processes of opening to new information, integrating it, and stabilizing our worldview.

Living in an information age, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the constant influx of scientific studies, breaking news, and even spiritual revelations that fill our bookshelves, radio waves, and in-boxes. No sooner have we decided what to eat or how to think about the universe than a new study or book comes out confounding our well-researched opinion. After a while, we may be tempted to dismiss or ignore new information in the interest of stabilizing our point of view, and this is understandable. Rather than closing down, we might try instead to remain open by allowing our intuition to guide us.

For example, contradictory studies concerning foods that are good for you and foods that are bad for you are plentiful. At a certain point, though, we can feel for ourselves whether coffee or tomatoes are good for us or not. The answer is different for each individual, and this is something that a scientific study can’t quite account for. All we can do is take in the information and process it through our own systems of understanding. In the end, only we can decide what information, ideas, and concepts we will integrate. Remaining open allows us to continually change and shift by checking in with ourselves as we learn new information. It keeps us flexible and alert, and while it can feel a bit like being thrown off balance all the time, this openness is essential to the process of growth and expansion.

Perhaps the key is realizing that we are not going to finally get to some stable place of having it all figured out. Throughout our lives we will go through the processes of opening to new information, integrating it, and stabilizing our worldview. No sooner will we have reached some kind of stability than it will be time to open again to new information, which is inherently destabilizing. If we see ourselves as surfers riding the incoming waves of information and inspiration, always open and willing to attune ourselves to the next shift, we will see how blessed we are to have this opportunity to play on the waves and, most of all, to enjoy the ride.

yawn

It's mid-year exam week and my regular schedule is discombobulated and I'm out of sorts and sleepy. Exams are going well.

w.w.w. wednesday

MizB at Should Be Reading has made some changes to her weekly meme line up and W.W.W. Wednesdays is no longer a weekly meme. But I love this meme and am going to continue it on my own.

• What are you currently reading? I'm reading Snowed In: A Novel by Christina Bartolomeo and Dimensions of Learning Teacher's Manual by Robert Marzano.

• What did you recently finish reading? The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion--the sequel was very fun!

• What do you think you’ll read next? Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini.

ten things tuesday

Linking up with Ten On Tuesday this week.

This week's topic is 10 Things You Are Happy About Right Now.

1) Right now my Advanced Placement United States History students are taking their mid-term exam and I am happy that they are feeling confident about the content. I can tell by their body language that they are tackling the essay in good stead.

2) I am happy with the cowl I am knitting for myself. The yarn is squishy and I'm enjoying the pattern--Mistakes, I've Made A Few.

3) A week ago, there was something wrong with the heater in my classroom. I am happy it has been fixed; today I'm almost too warm!

4) I am happy with the price of gas--it's currently $2.29 here in Northern Maine!

5) I am happy with my outfit today. Jeans that don't look like jeans with a turtleneck sweater and a cool necklace. I've gotten tons of compliments!

6) I am happy that the book I'm currently reading isn't just a whiny main character. She started out whiny but has moved on. Which makes for a far more interesting storyline. I was going to give it 50 pages.

7) One of my students is whispering to herself and I am happy to have made that discovery because I thought I was hearing things. She is an auditory learner and this is her learning style--it's wonderful she feels comfortable with me to do that.

8) I am happy that the temperature has risen above zero. It looks like it's going to stay that way all week!

9) I am happy that I am organized for this week of testing. It's such a disrupted schedule but I've got a couple of periods that I can get some planning complete for the upcoming weeks.

10) I am happy. I'm thinking about things I whine about (the weather, some changes in education, and other things I can't control) and they're all little annoyances. I am blessed.

musing mondays

Click here to play along.

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

This week’s random question: How many books, approximately, do you think you have in your personal collection?

I can check how many books are on my Nook. But I can't count how many other books are around here! They're all over the place!!

finished reading

I couldn't put this down. Even when I wondered where the author was going to take the story, it was getting a bit repetitious for me, there were twists and turns!

From the publisher:

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

sunday stealing

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Sunday Stealing: Name Your Favorite Meme

1) Place home
2) Person George Clooney
3) Color dark green
4) Food pizza
5) Smell baking bread
6) Book All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
7) Movie City of Angels
8) Music artist U2
9) Thing to do when bored knit, read, nap
10) Genre of literature contemporary fiction
11) Magazine People and O, The Oprah Magazine
12) Texture velvety
13) Time of day mid-morning
14) Day of the week Friday
15) Thing to learn about knitting or education
16) Thing about yourself I'm a great listener
17) Lifehack (a time saving, efficiency technique for life) put all the clean laundry away where it belongs

postsecret

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. I like to post one that speaks to me each week.

PostSecret, 13345 Copper Ridge Road, Germantown, MD 20874, USA

saturday 9

Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart

1) This song is about love at first sight. Do you believe that immediate attraction lasts? I do

2) The lyrics mention "a breath of spring" and robins singing. Now that we're deep into winter, what do you miss about spring? I just want to go outside without my nostrils freezing and the air hurting to breathe, we've had well-below-zero temperatures for almost 20 days and it's wearing me out!

3) Though the world knew her as Judy Garland, this week's featured artist was born Frances Gumm and her family called her "Baby." Does your family have any pet names for you? my dad calls me Al and my sisters and high school friends call me Ali

4) Because she was petite -- just 4'11 -- it was obvious when Garland gained even a few pounds and consequently she battled her weight her whole life. Now that we're in the new year, have you made any resolutions about your own diet? nope

5) The year this song came out, 1939, was the year Garland's most famous movie, The Wizard of Oz, was released. Which of her three traveling companions is your favorite: Scarecrow, Tin Man or Cowardly Lion? at various times of my life I've favored different characters--today I'm going to go with the Tin Man

6) Barry Manilow enjoyed Judy's performance of this song so much he did a "dream duet" with her and included it in his recent CD. What performer who is no longer with us do you wish you could have seen in concert? I wish I had seen Luther Vandross

7) Judy had a terrible problem with tardiness. Are you usually prompt? I make every effort to be on time--not too early and almost never late

8) During World War II, Judy worked tirelessly to entertain the troops. Tell us about a cause that's near and dear to your heart. I'm passionate about education and life-long learning

9) The American Film Institute lists Garland as the 8th greatest movie star of all time. Who is your all time favorite actor or actress? I will see anything with Meryl Streep, George Clooney, Liam Neeson, or Julianne Moore

friday 5

Home Is Where the Hearth Is

1. What is your approach to dealing with (or preventing) clutter?
I don't have an approach
2. What kinds of (tangible) things do you seem to have an unreasonable time letting go of?
empty boxes
3. If you could start completely over with your existing living space (and money were only a slight limitation), how would you make it more suited to you and your lifestyle?
it would be nice to have new furniture that matches, and a new bed would be good
4. How many standalone small kitchen appliances do you own, and how many do you use regularly?
14 and I use 2 regularly
5. What does your current living space really need more of?
it needs LESS clutter!

finished reading...

I admit I was a little hesitant reading this sequel to The Rosie Project. Some second books aren't as good as the original. But revisiting Don and Rosie was a treat! The characters are more fleshed out and the story continues with very funny unintended and spontaneous reactions to Don's logic. Enjoyable! And it left me wanting more!

From the publisher:

Don Tillman and Rosie Jarman are back. The Wife Project is complete, and Don and Rosie are happily married and living in New York. But they’re about to face a new challenge because— surprise!—Rosie is pregnant.

Don sets about learning the protocols of becoming a father, but his unusual research style gets him into trouble with the law. Fortunately his best friend Gene is on hand to offer advice: he’s left Claudia and moved in with Don and Rosie.

As Don tries to schedule time for pregnancy research, getting Gene and Claudia to reconcile, servicing the industrial refrigeration unit that occupies half his apartment, helping Dave the Baseball Fan save his business, and staying on the right side of Lydia the social worker, he almost misses the biggest problem of all: he might lose Rosie when she needs him the most.

booking through thursday

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If you were going to write a book, what kind of book would it be? (And if you’re an author already, what kind of book would you LIKE to write that you haven’t written yet?)

If I was going to write a book, I would write what I know about--the classroom. I've read several professional books that I thought I could have written. I could write anecdotes about funny mishaps, or things that are said, or epic failures and other adventures in the classroom. I've attended enough workshops to be able to write about effective workshops. I've attended enough meetings to be able to write about effective meetings. So, I could write manuals or books about the world of education.

brrr

I'll keep this brief. I'm sick of being so cold. My bones ache. This morning was twenty-five BELOW zero.

w.w.w. wednesday

MizB at Should Be Reading has made some changes to her weekly meme line up and W.W.W. Wednesdays is no longer a weekly meme. But I love this meme and am going to continue it on my own.

• What are you currently reading? I'm reading There Was An Old Woman by Hallie Ephron and The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion.

• What did you recently finish reading? Fingersmith by Sarah Waters.

• What do you think you’ll read next? I'm not sure!

ten things tuesday

Linking up with Ten On Tuesday this week.

This week's topic is 10 Things You Do to Make Winter Less Bleak.

1) Fuzzy, fleece-y pajamas. With snowmen all over them. I wear them after a nice shower on snow days from school.

2) Warm towels on the radiator in the bathroom when I shower.

3) Cozy, comfy, thick, hand knit scarves and hats.

4) Thick socks.

5) Journal--or blog about how cold it is. Whining is sometimes necessary when it's colder than -25.

6) Nap.

7) Hot chocolate. Or peppermint tea.

8) Dream of vacations I've been on--I gaze at my photos from Spain or from Aruba.

9) Read beachy reads.

10) Binge watch Harry Potter movies or the Ocean's (Eleven, Twelve, or Thirteen) movies.

he deserves more awards...

musing mondays

Click here to play along.

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

This week’s random question: Has any author ever had a huge influence on your reading? Who, and why?

I'd have to say that Stephen King was an influential author on my reading. I especially remember as a middle school student NOT being allowed to include his works on my 8th grade reading lists because my teacher thought they were too... too... I don't know what he thought they were too much of for me as an 8th grade reader. So I read every King book I could get my hands on, even those under pseudonyms. When I was in college, King was on campus and I was his campus student-liaison and got to assist in his talks and book signings. He was very gracious and funny, very kind to a scared Freshman in college. He even invited me to his annual Halloween party when he discovered my birthday was just a few days before. His non-fiction, writing books have influenced my teaching of writing in the Social Studies content area. I admit I'm behind on the newer books--I'm a couple behind, but I believe I've read everything of his up to Joyland.

postsecret

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. I like to post one that speaks to me each week.

PostSecret, 13345 Copper Ridge Road, Germantown, MD 20874, USA

sunday stealing

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Sunday Stealing: 2014/2015 Meme, part two

26.What experience would you love to do all over again? my class reunion trip

27.What was the best gift you received? all of them

28.How did your overall outlook on life evolve? stepping up to challenges is more thrilling than intimidating

29.What was the biggest problem you solved? financial

30.What was the funniest moment of your year, one that still makes it hard not to burst out laughing when you think about it? oh, I had some moments at school with my students that were just too funny to recapture

31.What purchase turned out to be the best decision ever? my iPad mini

32.What one thing would you do differently and why? can't think of anything particular

33.What do you deserve a pat on the back for? knitting a winter and a summer wardrobe of hats for my friend going through chemo

34.What activities made you lose track of time? reading and knitting

35.What did you think about more than anything else? finances

36.What topics did you most enjoy learning about? oh--everything!

37.What new habits did you cultivate? habits of mind

38.What advice would you give your early-2014 self if you could? step away from the credit cards

39.Did any parts of your self or your life do a complete 180 this year? nope

40.What or who had the biggest positive impact on your life this year? family fun

41.What do you want the overarching theme for your 2015 to be? Open

42.What do you want to see, discover, explore? I want to step out of my box professionally

43.Who do you want to spend more time with in 2015? family

44.What skills do you want to learn, improve or master? improve my knitting skills

45.Which personal quality do you want to develop or strengthen? get rid of the clutter--physical and mental

46.What do you want your everyday life to be like? chill

47.Which habits do you want to change, cultivate or get rid of? be more organized in my home

48.What do you want to achieve career-wise? get re-certified smoothly

49.How do you want to remember the year 2015 when you look back on it 10/20/50 years from now? it's the year of my 50th birthday so I want it to be really awesome!

50.What is your number one goal for 2015? being open

read speed

Source: Staples eReader Department

saturday 9

Dancing With Myself

1) This song is one of Billy Idol's biggest hits. Can you name another? "White Wedding"

2) When is the last time you danced around your home? it's actually been awhile, although I danced in the car yesterday

3) In this song, Billy says he dances with his own reflection. Is there a mirror in the room you're in right now? there is not

4) Dancing with Myself is also the name of Billy Idol's 2014 autobiography. Let's say you're going to write your life story. What do you title it? I don't have a clue how to answer this...

5) This month, Billy resumes his 2014-15 concert tour in New Orleans. Have you ever been to Louisiana? I have not been, it's on my bucket list

6) In 1980, when "Dancing with Myself" was first popular, VHS players were all the rage. Do you still have yours? I do not, but for some reason I still have a VHS rewinder

7) In 1980, The Love Boat was getting good ratings. Have you ever taken a cruise? also on my bucket list

8) Sally Field won her first Oscar in 1980 for the movie Norma Rae. Five years later she won a second Oscar for Places in the Heart and delivered one of the most quoted acceptance speeches in Academy history. Do you remember what she said? "You like me, you really like me." or something similar

9) In 1980, People magazine named Stephen King one of the most intriguing people of the year because he had two big paperback bestsellers -- The Dead Zone and The Shining. Do you have a favorite Stephen King book? I think my favorite is Different Seasons, a collection of novellas

success!

The Socratic Smackdown was a major success! After a trial run where we practiced the techniques and ironed out the scoring points and the how-tos we were ready for the real deal. And after we finished with the content questions, we processed what worked and what didn't work. Everyone was able to give specific types of feedback. And I shared my weaknesses and areas I need to improve, too. It was a huge success. We didn't get to finish with all the teams, so we'll do that on Monday, but everyone knows what to expect and is looking forward to the process.

What I liked the most was watching the kiddos sharing their content knowledge. They were bouncing ideas off each other and trying to one-up with their knowledge. It was a great opportunity for them to shine. I need to figure out how to let the more quiet people shine, too. We all agreed it was fun!

I had shared with some colleagues that I was going to try the smackdown and my nervousness. Several wished they could observe, which would have been neat. Monday I might have my formal administrative observation.

friday 5

Song Stuff

1. What’s a song that reminds you of your parents?
Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
2. What’s a song that makes you think of food?
Love Potion #9
3. What’s a memorable song from a movie soundtrack?
Change the World
4. What was your favorite song from 2014?
Take Me To Church
5. What are your favorite songs for when you’re behind the wheel?
Jason Mraz or the Funk

finished reading...

Without spoiling the twists and turns in the book, I can say that I enjoyed switching narrative points of view. Throughout, I had to wonder about the reliability of the narrators; adding a sense of urgency to the story. My only complaint is that the book is long--clocking in at 582 pages.

From the publisher:

Sue Trinder is an orphan, left as an infant in the care of Mrs. Sucksby, a "baby farmer," who raised her with unusual tenderness, as if Sue were her own. Mrs. Sucksby’s household, with its fussy babies calmed with doses of gin, also hosts a transient family of petty thieves—fingersmiths—for whom this house in the heart of a mean London slum is home.

One day, the most beloved thief of all arrives—Gentleman, an elegant con man, who carries with him an enticing proposition for Sue: If she wins a position as the maid to Maud Lilly, a naïve gentlewoman, and aids Gentleman in her seduction, then they will all share in Maud’s vast inheritance. Once the inheritance is secured, Maud will be disposed of—passed off as mad, and made to live out the rest of her days in a lunatic asylum.

With dreams of paying back the kindness of her adopted family, Sue agrees to the plan. Once in, however, Sue begins to pity her helpless mark and care for Maud Lilly in unexpected ways...But no one and nothing is as it seems in this Dickensian novel of thrills and reversals.

It's my first by this author, Sarah Waters, and I'm really excited to read more!

booking through thursday

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Do you ever weed out unwanted books from your library? And if so, what do you do with them?

Now that I have a Nook, I don't need to weed out my books as I used to with physical books. I would pass them along to my sisters or to my friends and tell them to keep passing the books along. I don't know what would happen to them after that.

Actually, that's what I miss most about using an e-reader: it's hard to lend books!

w.w.w. wednesdays

MizB at Should Be Reading has made some changes to her weekly meme line up and W.W.W. Wednesdays is no longer a weekly meme. But I love this meme and am going to continue it on my own.


• What are you currently reading? I'm reading There Was An Old Woman by Hallie Ephron, Fingersmith by Sarah Waters, and The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion, and listening to The Xmas Factor by Annie Saunders.

• What did you recently finish reading? I haven't finished anything this week, because I keep picking up and starting new.

• What do you think you’ll read next? I might try to finish one of the four I have going...

shaking it up

Shaking things up in my classroom this week. I'm trying a game called Socratic Smackdown, which is a Socratic seminar set up as a game--the students earn points by employing different discussion techniques and digging deeply into the subject. It's way out of my comfort zone. I have no idea if it will work. But we're going to try it!

I want to be a better, more creative teacher. I want to try new ways to reach my students.

ten things tuesday

Linking up with Ten On Tuesday this week.

This week's topic is My Intentions for 2015.

1) Be more open to the possibilities--open my mind and heart.

2) Knit more for me. I tend to give away most of what I knit and I need to do more selfish knitting.

3) Visit my parents more often. We live a mile apart and email daily but I forget how much I love our face to face time.

4) Focus on decluttering one room at a time. It's a little overwhelming for me to tackle my whole apartment. I think if I break it into chunks and maybe do one room a month it will work.

5) Be a more supportive friend. I need to be better at contacting my friends, keeping in touch with them.

6) Create and stick to a reasonable budget.

7) I want to make a really big deal of my 50th birthday. I don't want others to make a big deal of it, I want ME to make it about me! And do something memorable and meaningful.

8) I want to shop less online and more locally. Living at the end of the world makes this a huge challenge, but I'll see what I can do.

9) Maintain. I'm mentally and emotionally in a great place now and I need to get my physical side caught up. I don't want any drastic changes. I want to maintain.

10) I keep coming back to #1: being open to the possibilities--I want to take myself out of my comfort zone more.

musing mondays

Click here to play along.

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying about it.
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it!
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• What are you currently reading? What do you think you’ll read next? What did you recently finish reading?
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

This week’s random question: Did you get any books for Christmas? What are they? Did you buy them yourself, or were they given to you?

I received two generous Barnes & Noble gift cards for Christmas. I've already spent them on books from my wishlist.

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
Snowed In (I'm not sure who it's by)
The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion
The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon
I Shall Be Near You by Erin Lindsay McCabe

sunday stealing

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Sunday Stealing: 2014/2015 Meme, part one

1.What one event, big or small, are you going to tell your grandchildren about? not a possibility...

2.If you had to describe your 2014 in 3 words, what would they be? knitting, reading, binge-watching

3.What new things did you discover about yourself? I have good credit

4.What single achievement are you most proud of? I have good credit

5.What was the best news you received? healthy pregnancies for my nieces

6.What was your favourite place that you visited in 2014? Portland

7.Which of your personal qualities turned out to be the most helpful this year? my enjoyment at tinkering with stuff (hooking up electronics, etc)

8.Who was your number one go-to person that you could always rely on? Valerie

9.Which new skills did you learn? navigating Portland

10.What, or who, are you most thankful for? family & friends

11.If someone wrote a book about your life in 2014, what kind of genre would it be? A comedy, love story, drama, film noir or something else? a character study, but a boring one

12.What was the most important lesson you learnt in 2014? to put myself out there

13.Which mental block(s) did you overcome? I'm better at letting things roll off my back

14.What 5 people did you most enjoy spending time with? my parents, my nieces, Valerie, Denise, Ron

15.What was your biggest break-through moment career-wise? relaxing when talking to the administration

16.How did your relationship to your family evolve? better than ever

17.What book or movie affected your life in a profound way? there were a couple of books that stayed with me--the kind I recommended to my family, friends, and sometimes my students

18.What was your favourite compliment that you received this year? one of my students took the time to write about how I inspire her

19.What little things did you most enjoy during your day-to-day life? coffee and knitting with good yarn

20.What cool things did you create this year? my favorite was the Frankenstein

21.What was your most common mental state this year (e.g. excited, curious, stressed)? chill

22.Was there anything you did for the very first time in your life this year? I can't think of anything

23.What was your favourite moment spent with your friends? laughing

24.What major goal did you lay the foundations for? choosing a good theme word

25.Which worries turned out to be completely unnecessary? all of them!

postsecret

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. I like to post one that speaks to me each week.

PostSecret, 13345 Copper Ridge Road, Germantown, MD 20874, USA

saturday 9

Kentucky Rain

1. In this song, Elvis hitchhikes across Kentucky. Have you ever hitched a ride? I have never been hitchhiking

2. Elvis received his first guitar for his 11th birthday, even though he'd asked his parents for a bicycle. As an adult, how often do you ride a bike? very rarely

3. When Elvis was a child, his family was very poor, often living in rooming houses or public housing. His classmates teased him for being "trashy," which left him shy. Were you more shy or outgoing as a kid? outgoing, although I didn't know what that meant when I was a kid

4. While in high school, Elvis mowed neighbors' lawns with a push mower and a sickle. According to The Home Depot, one of today's most popular mowers is a gas-powered Cub Cadet with a self-mulching feature. Tell us about your lawn mower. my lawn mower is my landlord

5. In the 1950s, Frank Sinatra dismissed Elvis as, "deplorable." Yet by the time of Elvis' death, he had revised his opinion and said, "Elvis was the embodiment of the whole American culture." Tell us about something or someone you changed your mind about. The Housewives' series on Bravo, I am now addicted

6. After Elvis was discharged from the Army, his first performance was on a Sinatra TV special, sponsored by Timex. Do you wear a watch? never

7. Coinciding with Elvis' 80th birthday, there will be an auction of Presley-related memorabilia at his home in Graceland. One item up for bid is a plush toy he gave to an Army buddy's wife in 1958 for the baby she was expecting. Do you know anyone who is looking forward to a baby in 2015? my eldest niece is expecting a boy in April

8. None of the items being sold at the Graceland auction actually belonged to Elvis at the time of his death. Everything left to daughter Lisa Marie remains in her possession. Do you have something you cherish that was given to you by a close relative? I have several mementos from my childhood that were given to me by my dad or my aunt

9. The US Postal service sold more than 500 million of the Elvis commemorative stamp. According to the Census Bureau, that was two stamps each for every man, woman and child in the United States. When is the last time you visited the post office? I live across the street from the post office... but I haven't been inside for months

found my word 2015

My theme word for 2015 is OPEN! If you click the image it will be easier to read.

I want to be open to the possibilities. I want to have an open mind. I want to have an open heart.

friday 5

Beside Ourselves

1. Besides cookies, muffins, and ice cream, what’s something chocolate chips are good in?
pancakes!
2. Besides official holidays and your birthday, what’s the best day of the year?
the last day of school!
3. Besides toilet paper and pantry items, what’s something in your house you make sure never to run out of?
drinking water!
4. Besides relatives, teachers, and coaches, who gave you the most memorable advice growing up?
books and magazines!
5. Besides junk mail, subscriptions, greeting cards, and stuff you ordered online, what’s something great that came in the mail recently? flowers!

booking through thursday

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Did you get any great books for holiday gifts this year? Have you read them yet?

If not, were there any you hoped you would get?

I got a couple of Barnes & Noble gift cards that I used on Nook books. That's always fun. There weren't any specific books I had hoped to pick up so I went into my Wish List and queue.

manifesto

happy new year