ten things tuesday

Ten random things:

1) My students are working together to answer a writing prompt. It's an interesting experiment for me. They seem to be working well together and everyone is being productive. I even let them choose their own partners.

2) My Pennsylvania niece gave birth to a wonderfully healthy baby boy, Eli Joseph. Welcome to the world, little one, much love awaits you!

3) Tomorrow, my sophomore classes are going to a career fair. I will essentially have the morning off--just one class.

4) I need to visit my hair goddess. Soon.

5) I need a manicure--fortunately, it's tomorrow.

6) I have got to get organized and plan a personal day. I don't want the year to slip away without me taking the days off. It's so hard to plan for a substitute, though. I work harder to not be here than I do when I am here.

7) I need to get serious about editing the video I made for my Habits of Mind class project. It's due in May but I want to have my presentation done well before the deadline. I think I've got one more chapter to read in the text, maybe I should get that done tomorrow morning when I'm without students.

8) I've knit three hats in the past week. I have recipients in mind but they might end up going to Planet Head Day.

9) I just realized that this is the final day of March.

10) Grades close Friday and I am almost on top of all the correcting. It's manageable amounts.

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 old were you when you realized that you are an AVID reader?

If I am remembering correctly, it was during first grade when my class had 5th grade reading partners and I realized I could read better than my partner. We both got something out of reading together, though. And I got to read some challenging books because of my reading skills. I didn't realize that everyone was not the same type of reader that I was until second grade, though. I remember that I breezed through the old SRA Reading Laboratory cards and some of my classmates weren't into the challenge.

just finished...

This third installment in the series does not disappoint. The dialog is fast and funny, the characters are like old friends of mine and I'm looking forward to more stories in the series. I listened to the audio book and LOVE the narrator.

From the publisher:

The FBI had one demand when they secretly teamed up Special Agent Kate O’Hare with charming con man Nicolas Fox—bring down the world’s most-wanted and untouchable felons. This time it’s the brutal leader of a global drug-smuggling empire. The FBI doesn’t know what their target looks like, where he is, or how to find him, but Nick Fox has a few tricks up his sleeve to roust this particular Knipschildt chocolate–loving drug lord.

From the streets of Nashville to the back alleys of Lisbon, from the rooftops of Istanbul to the middle of the Thames, Nick and Kate chase their mark. When they find themselves pitted against a psychopathic bodyguard and a Portuguese enforcer who gets advice from a pickled head, they decide it’s time to enlist some special talent—talent like a machete-wielding Somali pirate, a self-absorbed actor, an Oscar-winning special effects artist, and Kate’s father Jake, a retired Special Forces operative. Together they could help make this Fox and O’Hare’s biggest win yet . . . if they survive.

finished reading...

Such a fun book!
From the publisher:

The year is 1819, and the renowned chef Owen Wedgwood has been kidnapped by the ruthless pirate Mad Hannah Mabbot. After using her jade-handled pistols to assassinate his employer, lord of the booming tea trade, she announces to the terrified cook that he will be spared as long as he puts exquisite food in front of her every Sunday without fail.

To appease the red-haired captain, Wedgwood gets cracking with the meager supplies on board—weevil-infested cornmeal, salted meat he suspects was once a horse. His first triumph at sea is actual bread, made from a sourdough starter that Wedgwood leavens in a tin under his shirt throughout a roaring battle, as men are cutlassed all around him. Soon he’s making tea-smoked eel and brewing pineapple wine.

But Mabbot—who exerts a curious draw on the chef—is under siege. Hunted by a deadly privateer, plagued by a saboteur hidden among her devoted crew, and outnumbered in epic clashes with England’s greatest ships of the line, Captain Mabbot pushes her crew past exhaustion in her search for the notorious King of Thieves, the Brass Fox. As Wedgwood begins to sense a method to Mabbot’s madness, he must rely on the bizarre crew members he once feared: Mr. Apples, the fearsome giant who loves to knit; Feng and Bai, martial arts masters sworn to defend their captain; and Joshua, the deaf cabin boy who becomes the son Wedgwood never had.

sunday stealing

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Sunday Stealing: The Dirty Dozen Meme

1. This weather is really..... teasing with Spring

2. You think you've seen it all, you should see me.... get my groove on

3. I'm sure you would still love me even if... you knew how intense I am

4. I think I have finally realized... every little thing about me is ok

5. Since the last time we linked up... my family has expanded to include my great-nephew Eli James

6. I get super embarrassed... when I am publicly complimented

7. I really thought by now... I would know

8. If I thought no one would read it, I would write about... my love life

9. I knew I was in the wrong place... when I forgot my wallet

10. I am so not above... staying in my pajamas all day

11. Let's pretend... it's summer vacation and go on an adventure

12. Just you wait... the best is yet to come!

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.

saturday 9

Thinking Out Loud

1) This week's featured artist, Ed Sheeran, was discovered by Elton John. Tell us your favorite Elton John song. "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me"

2) Ed's arms are covered in tattoos, so clearly he doesn't suffer from trypanophobia, or the fear of needles. Do you get nervous when the doctor gives you a shot? nope

3) One of his tattoos depicts a Heinz Tomato Ketchup label. What condiments are in your kitchen right now? I don't have any

4) Spotify named Sheeran the most-streamed artist in the world for 2014. Do you use Spotify? Pandora? I'm intrigued by Spotify, I don't quite understand how to make playlists and stuff. I use Pandora or iTunes radio

5) Ed celebrated his success by purchasing a farm near Suffolk, England. Would you prefer to live in a rural, suburban or urban area? I like living in a rural area, I wish it was closer to an urban area

6) In this song, Ed sings about kissing "under the light of one thousand stars." Were you able to see the stars last night? Or was it too cloudy or overcast? I didn't even look!

7) Ed is a natural red head, a trait he shares with only about 2% of the population. Does red hair run in your family? my sisters and I all have various shades of red hair

8) One of Clairol's most popular shades is a red (Nice 'n Easy Natural Light Auburn). Have you/would you dye your hair? I have enhanced the color, but I don't do it often

9) Random question: Look at the windows in the room you're in. Are they covered in curtains or blinds? sheers

friday 5

Without Lamps, There’d Be No Light

March 24th was the 30th anniversary of The Breakfast Club, one of my favorite movies. These questions are inspired by that film.

1. When you were seventeen, how did you spend most of your Saturdays?
Usually sleeping in and getting ready to hang out with my friends or babysit at night
2. What was your high school locker like?
it was pretty organized, I had organized stacks
3. When did you last have to replace a missing screw?
I lost a screw in my desk and the drawer handle fell off about a month ago
4. What was the last thing you drank out of a Thermos?
I don't remember
5. Do you still possess anything you created in high school (say, an elephant lamp that lights up when pull the trunk)?
I have some of my writing that I saved, and a partial scrap book

booking through thursday

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Do you carry a book around with you? Inside the house? Whenever you go out? Always, everywhere, it’s practically glued to your fingers?

(And yes, digital books very much DO count as long as you’re spending time reading on your Kindle or iPad and not just loading them with books that you never actually read.)

I touched on this briefly yesterday. But now that there are reading apps like Nook, Audible, and Kindle, I do always have books with me. And I read more often than play games on my mobile devices. I especially like the Nook app because it syncs all my Nooks and can keep me current wherever I go.

ten bookish questions

As seen at Musings from a Bookmammal:

1. Do you read during breakfast? not really

2. How many hours a day would you say you read? at least one hour of pleasure reading and countless hours of work-related reading

3. Do you read more or less now than you did, say, 10 years ago? I think I read more--both for pleasure and for work

4. Do you consider yourself a speed reader? not usually, although I can speed read

5. Do you carry a book with you everywhere you go? not now that there are apps for that!

6. How old were you when you got your first library card? I was a toddler--I've always had one

7. What’s the oldest book you have in your collection? (Oldest physical copy? Longest in the collection? Oldest copyright?) Oldest physical copy, I believe, is my signed copy of Stephen King's Night Shift

8. Do you read in bed? it's my favorite place to read

9. Do you write in your books? only texts for school

10. If you had one piece of advice to a new reader, what would it be? read everything!

ten things tuesday

Ten things on my to do list:

1) Go to Knit Night. I haven't been in weeks!

2) Mail a package to a friend who needs a boost. I've put together some fun items for her, but need to actually put the package in the mail.

3) Correct a stack of essays. I had the Advanced Placement US History kids write an essay and I am procrastinating correcting it, well, is it procrastination of I collected it yesterday?

4) Read the next chapter of my text for class. I should really do it now, but I'm afraid I will forget the information if I read it too soon. Is that procrastinating?

5) Order my father's birthday gift. I'm getting him Josh Groban's new CD. His birthday isn't until May but I told him I would give the CD to him when it comes out.

6) Buy a new microwave oven. I got my current one at Sears. Since then, Sears has closed and I really am not sure where to go to get a new one. I was toying with KMart, since they might carry some Kenmore and I've had good luck with that brand.

7) Clean out my email inbox. My school email is out of control; I need to sort through the important emails and get rid of the trivial stuff.

8) Create advance posts for Sunday Stealing. It seems like I'm usually scrambling. I could do a batch in advance and have them scheduled to go.

9) Knit a hat for charity. I am trying to knit at least one per month so I will have a pile to give to Planet Head Day next year.

10) Clorox the desks in my class. It's time to spring clean and kill all the germies!

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: What is your favorite lesson learned, or quote, from a recent book you’ve read?

“We are surrounded by monsters," she said. "We can cower before them or we can pick one and sink our teeth in with the aim to give it hell.”
― Eli Brown, Cinnamon and Gunpowder

I'm not reading it very quickly but it's fun.

sunday stealing

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Sunday Stealing: The I Meme

I am... who I am

I want... some sleep--curse you, insomnia!

I have... nothing pressing to do today

I wish... I liked cleaning

I hate... intolerance

I fear... losing my mobility

I hear... the wind blowing

I search... for beauty

I wonder... what will happen if I open myself up

I regret... nothing

I love... to laugh

I never... say never

I ache... in my left knee, still

I always... try

I usually... find other things to do than clear up the clutter

I am not... difficult to get along with

I dance... with abandon, not skill

I sing... in the car

I sometimes... wish I was rich

I cry... when I get frustrated

I am not always... living in the moment, but I try

I lose... my temper quickly but get over it as quickly

I am confused... frequently

I need... sleep

I should... do the things on my to-do list, but I probably won't

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. This is the front and back.

saturday 9

It's Not Unusual

1) In this song, Tom sings that "it's not unusual to go out at any time." Will you be "out and about" this weekend? I was out and about for lunch with friends today and should be out and about for a brunch date tomorrow, weather dependent.

2) Before his music career took off, Tom supported himself and his young family by working as a vacuum cleaner salesman. Could the room you're in right now benefit from a thorough cleaning with a vacuum? my whole apartment

3) You can purchase a verified Tom Jones autograph on eBay for $299 (or the best offer). When you were growing up, did you collect signatures and sayings from your friends? (Autograph book? Yearbook? Cast?) in my yearbooks, yes

4) At the height of his popularity, female fans would throw their panties onstage at Tom Jones. Sam can't imagine doing this, and not just because she's not that crazy about Tom Jones. She'd be embarrassed because her underwear drawer could use a serious refresh. If you could choose one new article of clothing to add to your wardrobe today, what would it be? I've had my eye on a hot pink sweater

5) "Tom Jones" is also the name of character in a famous 18th century novel. Tell us about a character from a book you wish you were friends with in real life. the pirate Mad Hanna Mabbot from Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown would be quite an amusing friend

6) When this song was popular in March 1965, Sarah Jessica Parker of Sex and the City fame was born. Do you share your birthday with anyone famous? I have the same birthday as Kate Jackson, one of Charlie's Angels

7) Also in 1965, when this song was a hit, Americans were riveted by the Gemini space program and children all over the country wanted to be astronauts. Think back to your childhood: When you were in first or second grade, what did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be happy! And I am.

8) Fifty years ago, the most popular headache reliever was aspirin, and you could buy a bottle of 200 tablets for just $1. Do you have any aspirin in your medicine chest right now? I don't have aspirin, no, I have acetaminophen

9) Random question: You've just entered a public restroom. Would you rather find a paper towel dispenser or hot air hand dryer? towels

friday 5

Stitches

1. Where on your body have you had stitches, and what were the circumstances?
I've had stitches on my forehead, my lip, and cheek from where I fell on my face
2. Who most recently left you in stitches?
my students
3. “A stitch in time saves nine,” says the proverb, which means that mending one small tear in a fabric now prevents having to make nine stitches later when the damage is worse. How has this been illustrated in your life?
taking care of my car
4. What are your thoughts on Disney’s Lilo & Stitch?
I haven't seen it
5. What experience do you have with needle and thread?
I can do basic sewing, buttons, hems, seams

booking through thursday

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What new book would make you spring out of your chair and run to the bookstore? (Or library, or nearest computer screen, depending on your book-delivery-method of choice.)

I cannot wait to get my hands on Jojo Moyes' After You! September 29, 2015, is the release date and I have pre-ordered it!

booklover's meme

As seen at Musings From A Bookmammal:

1. Do you have a specific place for reading? I like reading in bed

2. Book mark or random piece of paper? Since I read almost exclusively on my Nook, I don't need to use anything. But I am a big fan of book marks.

3. Can you just stop anywhere in a book or do you have to stop at the end of a chapter? I prefer stopping at the end of a section/chapter

4. Do you eat or drink when reading? not usually

5. Music or TV on when reading? no

6. One book at a time or several? several--usually an eyeball read of fiction, of non-fiction, and an audiobook

7. Reading at home or elsewhere? mostly at home, but I'll read anywhere

8. Read out loud or silently? my students like when I read aloud, but I like reading silently

9. Do you read ahead or skip pages? *shudder* absolutely not!

10. Breaking the spine or keeping it like new? I try to keep books like new

11. Do you write in your books? only text books for school

12. Who are you tagging? all my reader friends!

ten things tuesday

Linking up with Ten On Tuesday this week.

This week's topic is 10 Things You Would Buy If You Found a Pot of Gold.

1) I would plan a sister trip to Disney for my 50th birthday without worrying of the costs. Because the costs have stalled out the current plans.

2) I might buy a new car. I don't know what I would get, I haven't seriously considered getting a new car yet.

3) New furniture for my whole apartment.

4) A vacation to Europe, yearly!

5) I would buy expensive yarn. The good kind.

6) Maybe I'd buy some fancy needles.

7) I would also invest in custom made shoes that are comfortable.

8) It would be awesome to have a comfortable desk and chair at school.

9) Not to be morbid, but I would pay for my funeral.

10) It would be fun to go on a shopping spree.

st. paddy

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 often do you use your local library? Are you happy with their availability?

I don't use my local library nearly as much as I used to, since I entered the world of the e-reader. I do use their virtual library to side-load books onto my Nook, but I buy books more often than not. The local library is fantastic as a facility and is constantly updating the stacks. I feel guilty that I don't use the books more often.

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. This is the front and back.

sunday stealing

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Sunday Stealing: The One Thing Meme

that makes you smile: puppies and babies

that makes you cry: sappy stuff

that you love to do on the weekends: nap

that you do for only yourself: manicures

that you have in your underwear drawer that's NOT underwear: scented sachets

that you do before going to sleep: count my breaths

that you do within the first 15 minutes after waking: organize my day

that's in your purse: a notebook

that you actually LIKE to clean: the car

that you DETEST cleaning: the car windows

that other people would find odd about you: I can write backwards, so you need a mirror to read it

that you would buy if I handed you a $100 bill: books

that you feel you HAVE to do before you die: fall in love again

saturday 9

Mysterious Ways

1) In honor of St. Patrick's Day (this coming Tuesday), we're featuring one of Ireland's most successful exports, U2. What else is Ireland famous for? being the Emerald Isle

2) The Dublin studio where U2 recorded this song (and all of Achtung, Baby) is now a music store called Claddagh Records. U2 pilgrims from all over the world travel to the spot (Celia Street, Dublin 2). If we were to visit your neighborhood, are there any landmarks you could direct us to? The Historical Society is located right in my neighborhood and there are plaques around the neighborhood detailing local historic highlights in a walk through. (I've been to Claddagh Records)

3) Lead singer Bono is rarely seen without his trademark sunglasses because he suffers from glaucoma. How is your vision? 20/20? I can go without my glasses for awhile--I am farsighted with astigmatism correction in both eyes, so my glasses are bi-focal but not particularly strong.

4) Bono and wife Alison were married in 1982 and are still together today. Who is the longest-married couple you know? great family friends were married on Leap Year Day and have celebrated 10 anniversaries. But Pennsylvania sister has been married since 1982, too.

5) When Bono inducted Frank Sinatra into the Grammy Hall of Fame, he applauded the older man's "swagger." Do you think you have swagger? no

6) Bono has been honored by world leaders, including President Obama and Nelson Mandela and the Pope, for his philanthropy. Here's your turn to brag: tell us something you have received praise for recently. some seniors were saying really nice things about me when they thought I couldn't hear them

7) Clearly Bono is the most famous member of U2. Who else is in the band? percussion-Larry Mullen, Jr., bass-Adam Clayton, and lead guitar-The Edge!

8) On St. Patrick's Day, will you wear green? I've got shades of green for the whole week!

9) Will you enjoy a glass of green beer or maybe a Shamrock Shake from McDonald's? probably not, but I will have a traditional Irish meal

friday 5

But, seriously...

1. What’s something most people just don’t take seriously enough?
Cell phone etiquette
2. What’s something most people take too seriously?
themselves
3. What kind of serious business are you up to today?
teaching the next generation
4. When did you last get the giggles at a time when you were expected to be serious?
during class this morning, I blurted out something that caught us all off guard and I was so embarrassed!
5. What are some foods you think of as serious, and what are some you think of as funny?
Meat and potatoes are serious; cheese doodles and bananas are funny!

booking through thursday

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Two part question:

In an ideal world, what kind of book cases would you have? Built-ins? Barrister ones with glass doors? The cheapest you could find so you could have lots of them?

And … what kind of bookcases do you REALLY have?


In and ideal world, they would be built-in bookshelves. They would be magnificent. In the real world, I have one book case that's crammed full of books because I have multiple virtual bookshelves on my Nook. I love shelving books on my Nook. I wish that if I created a virtual shelf it would show up on multiple Nooks, though, that would be a feature I'd love!

open

My theme word for the year is OPEN. And I've mentioned that to me, that means being open to the possibilities--being open in my eyes, my heart, and my mind. It's going well. I've stepped out of my comfort zone and I'm nervous as hell to be out of the zone, but I'm taking a few chances and so far they're paying off. Professionally, being open has helped me kick a few things into higher gear and shake some cobwebs away. Spiritually, I'm opening up to the bigger world around me. I've even read out of my usual genre!

This design from Lanzon Tattoo caught my eye.

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 Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown and Dimensions of Learning Teacher's Manual by Robert Marzano.

• What did you recently finish reading? I haven't finished anything this week.

• What do you think you’ll read next? Imagine, I'm procrastinating reading this book... The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizingby Marie Kondo.

ten things tuesday

Ten things about spring.

1. The sun is shining and the temperature is above zero. It makes me hopeful that spring is on the way to Northern Maine.

2. There is usually one big snowstorm around mid-March. But it's usually wet snow that melts fast(er).

3. I can start wearing lighter weight sweaters. And maybe some brighter colors.

4. I can wear skirts and dresses without freezing.

5.

6. Everybody's friskier today because of the sunny weather.

7.

8. I don't like getting out of bed and having it be dark outside, but I like the light lingering a bit longer past supper.

9. I like shifting to not having to wear a coat, I've got lots of cute jackets.

10. Driving isn't as hazardous. There's more beauty to see, although I do appreciate snowy fields.

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: Who (or what) influences your reading most?

I'd like to say my family and friends influence my reading most, but now that I'm thinking about it, I'm not sure that's quite right. I find out about a lot of buzzed about books through newsletters and a couple of bloggers I follow. I love investigating the hype and deciding for myself if the book is for me or not. So, I will say I am influenced by buzz--either print or word of mouth.

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.

sunday stealing

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Sunday Stealing: Threes Meme

1. Three things that scare me: the thought of being on crutches, being dependent, electrical shocks

2. Three people who make me laugh: my high school friend from Vermont, my colleague from Westmanland, my nieces and nephews

3. Three things I love: reading, knitting, hugs

4. Three things I hate: loud noises, rants, this winter

5. Three things I don't understand: how engines work, why people are cruel to animals and children

6. Three things on my desk: sharpie pens, a box of tissues, hand sanitizer

7. Three things I'm doing right now: this meme, listening to the clock tick, coughing

8. Three things I want to do before I die: own a dog, see a fabulous fireworks display, be in love again

9. Three things I can do: knit, make lasagna, worry

10. Three things I can't do: change the oil in my car, play an instrument,

11. Three things you should listen to: parental advice/stories, your instincts, emergency announcements

12. Three things you should never listen to: non-journalist news entertainers, the hype, other people's conversations (although it's tempting)

13. Three things I'd like to learn: how to parallel park, how to tie a bow tie, how to edit a home-made movie

14. Three favorite foods: bread, potatoes, chocolate

15. Three beverages I drink regularly: iced coffee, water, Polar brand orange dry

16. Three shows I watched as a kid: Bugs Bunny, The Monkees, Little House On The Prairie

saturday 9

Here I Go Again

1) This song originally appeared on Whitesnake's Saints and Sinners album. Are you feeling more saintly or sinful this morning? I'm feeling ... sinful, I have a cold and I feel as though I'm being punished for something

2) Whitesnake was formed by Brit David Coverdale, who now lives in Lake Tahoe, NV. Have you ever wanted to relocate to another country? I would happily relocate to Ireland

3) In the song, Coverdale says he "was born to walk alone." Do you enjoy time on your own? Or do you quickly get bored or lonely? I like time by myself

4) During the band's 1980s heyday, Coverdale was known for his skintight leather pants. Do you own leather pants or slacks? nope

5) What about snakeskin? nope

6) It's estimated that 20,000 people die of snake bite every year. Approximately 1,000 suffer fatal spider bites. Less than 50 are killed each year by sharks. Considering sharks, spiders and snakes, which do you find scariest? spiders because they freak me out and I see them way more often than snakes--I've never seen a shark

7) In 1982, when this song was popular, the world lost Princess Grace of Monaco. Before she became a royal, she was film star Grace Kelly. Have you ever seen a Grace Kelly movie? I love Rear Window, Dial M for Murder and several others

8) Speaking of movies, the top-grossing film of 1982 was ET: The Extra Terrestrial. Have you seen it? I've seen it many times

9) Random question: How many timepieces will you have to reset when we spring ahead this weekend? five that I can think of off hand

friday 5

Take Me to the Old Playground

1. How confidently could you pick up and employ a jumprope, hula hoop, yoyo, and set of jacks?
I'd be confident with the yoyo and the jacks
2. How are the playgrounds of your childhood different today?
there's some kind of padding under the swings, when I was a kid we just had dirt under them
3. What’s a game you and your childhood friends made up, or what’s a rule you and your childhood friends made up that made an existing game more interesting or less likely to cause a fight?
my neighborhood friends played a lot of flashlight tag at night, I just remember laughing myself silly
4. What fad from your childhood do you remember with fondness or disdain?
Ah, the Rubick's Cube! I wish I could remember the steps to solving it now
5. What playground rhymes do you remember?
hmmm... I can't think of any

booking through thursday

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Hardcovers or paperbacks?

Before I got my Nook, I preferred paperbacks. Not the pocket size, the trade size. Although, I did go through a hard cover phase. And I try to get the original cover, not the movie-tie-in.

10 ¢

I got sent home from school today because I have lost my voice. I am saddened that the crud has finally caught up to me. I thought I had been diligent in my hand washing, hand sanitizing, and vitamin C-ing. It's a workshop day. So I wasn't devastated that I got sent home. And I don't think I have to make up the time. Tomorrow's workshop has the real nitty gritty stuff that I don't want to miss.

You may ask yourself, why did I bother going to school at all... but the answer is that I don't talk out loud in the mornings because I live by myself. I didn't know what I sounded (or didn't sound) like until I got to school.

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 Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown and Dimensions of Learning Teacher's Manual by Robert Marzano. And I'm also slogging through Becoming A Reflective Teacher by Marzano.

• What did you recently finish reading? I finished Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini .

• What do you think you’ll read next? The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizingby Marie Kondo.

ten things tuesday

Linking up with Ten On Tuesday this week.

This week's topic starts with a premise: you are having a dinner party and you can invite 10 fictional characters. Who would you invite? My guests would be:

1-3) Harry, Hermione, and Ron from the Harry Potter series. They'd be interesting with some great magic thrown in.

4) Jake Jackson from Eureka Street, one of my all-time favorite books.

5-6) Nicolas Fox and Kate O'Hare from Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg's series.

7-8) Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. They'd offer a touch of class and nobility.

9-10) Don Tillman and Rosie Jarman from the Rosie Project books. I think they'd be a hoot, plus they would whip up some fantastic cocktails!

cookie connections...

It's Girl Scout Cookie season! And this year I have more Scouts in one class than I've ever had. Naturally, I had to buy from each of them. It's only fair.

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: What’s your favorite genre? Why?

My favorite genre is contemporary fiction. Although, I do love a thriller. And mysteries. My gut reaction, though, is contemporary fiction. I like reading about things going on in contemporary times, they give me a touchstone to suppose and wonder what other peoples' lives are like. Or another perspective of life while I'm living my ordinary life.

sunday stealing

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Sunday Stealing: 17 Meme?

Are you a jealous person? not really

When is the next time you’re traveling out of state? I probably will be taking a trip to Pennsylvania this summer

Can you write your name in a foreign language? my name is basically the same in other languages

When you’re getting ready for something, do you listen to music? if I'm packing yes, if I'm just getting ready to go out, probably not

What is your favorite day of the week? every

What is something you did yesterday and wish you could’ve done today? go to lunch at my favorite restaurant (it's closed on Sundays)

If you woke up tomorrow and knew/spoke a different language, which language would you want it to be? French

What did you last order online? yarn

Do you have any specific hobbies? knitting

What’s a song you recently discovered that you want to tell everyone about? Take Me To Church by Hozier

Favorite fall or winter accessory? a cowl

What did you last eat? a brownie-batter donut from Dunkin'

Look to your left. What’s there? my iced coffee

How long does it take you to fall asleep? usually not long

Is there a TV in the room you are in? yes

What comes to your mind when I say red? hair

Name something you think is pointless? drama

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.