think write thursday

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Hello, September.

August was a happy month. So, September, you have a lot to live up to! I hope autumn is l-o-n-g!

happy day 31

8/31:
It's not hot out today--it's in the upper 60s and I'm wearing an adorable outfit. That makes me happy! Plus, I've turned the corner with this stupid cold and I'm feeling better. Much better!

happy day 30

8/30:
I did not need a nap today! I am feeling better! And, I'm going to have some Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Therapy. Feeling better!!!

w.w.w. wednesday

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! Hosted by Taking on a World of Words.

• What are you currently reading? I'm reading Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty and Gilead by Marilynne Robinson and listening to The Secret Place by Tana French.

• What did you recently finish reading? I finished The Book That Matters Most by Ann Hood.

• What do you think you’ll read next? Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.

happy day 29

8/29:
I got 13 and a half hours of sleep last night and hope to top that tonight!

happy day 28

8/28:
Even though I'm not feeling well, I had a great day at school.

currently

I am...

Reading: I am struggling through my September Library book group choice Gilead

Watching: my cursor blink

Listening to: the stupid construction crew across the street

Wanting: inspiration

Needing: sleep

Loving: this beautiful 76 degree day

Thinking: about cold medicine

Feeling: sick--boo hiss!

Celebrating: a good teaching day

Grateful for: students who are so much fun

A quote I want to share:

happy day 27

8/27:
I went to a wonderful organ recital this afternoon. Mark Thallander was amazing! Plus, my dad played, which is always a treat.

finished reading

This is the best kind of chick-lit! A book about books! The characters are real and flawed, even secondary characters. Ava, the main character seemed a bit naive and oblivious to the realities of her world, but that didn't distract. Although Ava is the main character, the stories of both her daughter and her mother and aunt fleshed out the action.

I especially enjoyed the book group's discussions. And I love the themes the group chooses yearly.

From the publisher:

Ava’s twenty-five-year marriage has fallen apart, and her two grown children are pursuing their own lives outside of the country. Ava joins a book group, not only for her love of reading but also out of sheer desperation for companionship. The group’s goal throughout the year is for each member to present the book that matters most to them. Ava rediscovers a mysterious book from her childhood—one that helped her through the traumas of the untimely deaths of her sister and mother. Alternating with Ava’s story is that of her troubled daughter Maggie, who, living in Paris, descends into a destructive relationship with an older man. Ava’s mission to find that book and its enigmatic author takes her on a quest that unravels the secrets of her past and offers her and Maggie the chance to remake their lives.

sunday stealing

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Art History


1. Do you look forward to the spring? I look forward to the end of winter--because it's about six months or so

2. Which area of the sciences do you enjoy the most? life sciences

3. If you could own a classical statue in the form of any figure from myth, religion, or even modern fiction, who would you choose? I would enjoy something Harry Potterish

4. Do you have a good relationship with your mother? my mum died when I was six, but I have a mother-daughter relationship with my dad

5. What is your favorite mythological story? Icarus

6. If you put on a big feast, what would you serve? I would cater

7. How do you have fun? (What is your favorite 'Earthly Delight'?) reading, knitting, napping

8. Do you often look for hidden messages and meanings? no

9. Have you ever received an award or special position? I have--in my retail job, I was employee of the year (twice) and at my teaching job, I've received a couple of awards

10. If a revolution was about to happen in your country, would you be part of it? well, that's complicated--I would like to think I would be part of it, but because of where I live, it would be difficult... so there's that... plus I don't like crowds... however, the pen is mightier so I would that would be my participation

11. Have you ever planned an act of revenge? I'm sure I did with my sisters when we were kids

12. What is the most dramatic thing you have ever done? theater

13. Do you care about your weight? not enough to lose weight

14. Is your life moving too slowly or too fast? it's just about right

15. Do you prefer to stay in the shade? yes!

16. If you could have any mural on your ceiling, what would it look like? I would not like a mural, but I have a swirly design that I love

17. Do you enjoy the countryside? yes

18. Are you a romantic? probably

19. What is your favorite historic subject? Colonial America

20. Do you prefer landscape paintings? no, although I do like them

21. Are you interested in social issues? yes

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.

happy day 26

8/26:
I will confess I'm struggling with my library book club selection for September: Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. Like... struggling to struggle to finish. Because I'm the de facto leader of the group, I am obligated to finish and facilitate discussion. My happy for today is that I found a comprehensive guide to the book! It's helping me make sense of the themes and characters.

saturday 9

I Wish It Would Rain

1) This week's song focuses on rain. Ombrophobia -- the fear of rain -- is fairly common in children. How do you feel about rainy days? I do not feel strongly about rainy days unless I have to travel long distances, then I don't want windy rain--oh! I don't like when my glasses get wet as I am wearing them

2) Lead singer David Ruffin always wore corrective lenses. Are you wearing glasses or contact lenses as you answer these questions? I am wearing glasses, although I have better than 20/20 vision for distance

3) Those thick-rimmed glasses were David's trademark. When he custom-ordered a luxury car, he had the image of those glasses painted on the door. Tell us something that makes your vehicle distinctive. I can't think of anything

4) David also had a penchant for mink. Rumor has it that he wore a mink-lined hat and even had that car upholstered in mink. If you could really splurge on anything right now, what would it be? Car? Travel? Clothes? Jewelry? (NO responsible answers allowed.) I would love to travel! I don't even care where!

5) He sings that he badly wants to go outside. What are your plans for today? Will you be outdoors very much? I will be relaxing in my recliner watching junky shows (after running errands)

6) The Temptations originally called themselves The Elgins because in 1960, Elgin watches were the high-end timepiece of choice. Today, in the age of cellphones and FitBits, wristwatches aren't that popular anymore. Do you often wear a watch? I never wear a watch but I have developed a great sense of time

7) This sad song was inspired by a real-life event. Motown songwriter Rodger Penzabene discovered his wife was cheating on him. Much to his own surprise, he didn't want to divorce or even separate from her; he just wanted her to love him and only him again. Tell us about a time when you didn't react as you thought you would. (Your story doesn't have to be as dramatic as Rodger's.) there have been many changes at school and I'm just rolling with them and not venting to other teachers about them

8) In 1968, when this song was popular, a Pittsburgh McDonald's sold the first Big Mac (two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickle and onion on a sesame seed bun). Describe your perfect hamburger. I'm not terribly fussy, I do like my burger to be medium-rare

9) Random question: When you catch a cold, do you soldier through it? Or are you a big baby? I like to think I soldier through but really I'm a major baby

happy day 25

8/25:
This bundle of yummy yarn makes me so happy! I'm not sure what it all will become, that's the part of the beauty. This is my favorite brand of yarn. I wish the photo captured the colors better--they're such richly saturated colors!

tonight

the friday 56

The Friday 56

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
*Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it)
*Post it.

I'm reading The Book That Matters Most.

In front of a Degas--it had to be a Degas, she knew, it was ballet dancers rehearsing--she stopped. Her breath caught. Unlike the way she imagined Degas's dancers in her mind, up close Maggie saw that they looked tired, their faces hard and set, weary. They slumped and stretched and held their aching backs. She wondered if she looked that way too?

happy day 24

8/24:

Jamming out to my favorite album by my favorite band.

booking through thursday

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Everybody needs a change now and again, so what new topics or authors are you interested in these days? Or what new kinds of books do you wish you had time for?

I've been on a Young Adult kick lately. Some of the best books of my 2017 reading have been YA. I can't wait to talk books with my students.

happy day 23

8/23:
Hanging with my bestie. We watch Big Brother and message during every episode. It's great fun.

w.w.w. wednesday

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! Hosted by Taking on a World of Words.

• What are you currently reading? I'm reading The Book That Matters Most by Ann Hood, Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty and Gilead by Marilynne Robinson and listening to The Secret Place by Tana French.

• What did you recently finish reading? I finished Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway.

• What do you think you’ll read next? Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.

happy day 22

8/22:
The feeling of being happily tired from a great teaching day. I know all their names (which is a feat) and even in 80+ degree heat, I had great lessons.

Now, to rest!

ten things tuesday

Ten recent social media posts:

1)

Your long-term prospects are promising as you assess your pres... More for Scorpio https://t.co/E2alZzTJ2G

— Kwizgiver (@Kwizgiver) August 22, 2017

2)

3) Check Out This Time-Lapse Of Changing Seasons In Maine From Space!

4)

2017 Reading Challenge

Allison has
read 44 books toward
her goal of
60 books.

hide

44 of 60 (73%)

view books

5) From Pinterest

6)

When your best friend is a Capybara... pic.twitter.com/6cowzzRM5J

— Life on Earth (@planetepics) August 22, 2017

7)




8)

Photo a day: T

9) Words of wisdom... I neeeeeed to heed it!

10)

Wow. This newest batch of mandala from TOSH rocks - check it out in DK! https://t.co/cYurgcMFMB pic.twitter.com/dTJKJ5k8L5

— fabulousyarn.com (@fabulousyarn) August 22, 2017

happy day 21

8/21:
Social media and my nieces and nephews.

currently

I am...

Reading: I'm just starting Truly Madly Guilty

Watching: The Shahs of Sunset

Listening to: traffic from the post office

Wanting: a fan on me, it's above 82 degrees

Needing: something cold

Loving: that I've learned all my students' names!

Thinking: about ice cream

Feeling: tired--but the good tired

Celebrating: the eclipse frenzy

Grateful for: my recliner--I'm relaxing

A quote I want to share:

happy day 20

8/20:
Nothing fancy--but that's what makes me so happy! I spent the day reading and relaxing, messaging with my sisters, and I napped. A laid back, do nothing day.

just finished reading

I liked the honesty of these teens--they were authentic to what I see as a teacher.

From the publisher:

Emmy’s best friend, Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?

Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life.

She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.

Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.

He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.

Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?

sunday stealing

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Something different


1. What is a normal thing that took you an embarrassingly long time to learn? knitting

2. In what ways are you old-fashioned? I am exceptionally polite--please, thank you, and you're welcome are critically important to me

3. What is the best sandwich you've ever eaten? Where did you get it? What made it so delicious? I had a magnificent veggie sandwich in Spain--all fresh veggies and the way it was put together was memorable

4. What are you currently not bragging about that you should totally brag about? I have very soft skin

5. What food have you never tasted and are most interested in trying? well... I guess I should explore Thai food since my friends like it and I'm reluctant

6. What history facts were you surprised to learn because it was never covered in school? I didn't learn about the Vietnam War era until I was in college

7. What is something that you waited entirely too long to start or stop doing? What made you say "Why did I wait so long?" reading the Harry Potter books

8. What socially expected thing do you hate doing the most? What thing about polite society really grinds your gears? I am terribly uncomfortable at both weddings and funerals

9. What is something about your city that I should know if I'm going to visit? What is the hidden "must see" that you always tell friends and visitors to not miss? I would take a guest on a scenic drive to see how amazing it is here

10. What do you miss most about childhood? not having to be responsible for every single thing

11. What "fact" did you learn in school that is not true or no longer true? I can't think of anything

12. What's your favorite piece of useless trivia? Maine is the only one-syllable state name

13. What's your best go to homemade "lazy" meal? cereal

14. What's the title of this current chapter in your life? Chapter 51

15. What is a habit or practice that you learned from your childhood that you didn't realize was "weird" until you were an adult? I'm drawing a blank on this one

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.

happy day 19

8/19:
Something fun, fresh, and funky for my manicure!

saturday 9

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

1) The Beatles recorded this after they had taken a three-month hiatus from working together as a band. Do you find you're sharp after taking time off? Or does it take you a while to get back into the swing of things in your day-to-day life? I'm somewhere in between being sharp and getting slowly back into the groove.

2) During those three months off, John Lennon made a movie called How I Won the War. What's the last movie you watched? Did you view it at a theater, on TV, or from a device like a computer or tablet? I watched it on TV but it was DVRd

3) Paul McCartney and George Harrison both used their time off to make new and different music. Paul composed instrumentals for a movie soundtrack while George studied sitar with Ravi Shankar. Ringo Starr spent those three months with his wife and their two little boys. If you had three months to spend doing anything you wanted, and money was no object, would you try something new (like Paul and George) or just kick back and relax (like Ringo)? I would kick back and relax like Ringo--only travel more

4) Paul recalls what fun it was to dress up in Edwardian-era costumes for the album cover. When did you last attend a costume party? What did you wear? the last costume party I went to, I dressed up in a nun habit--it was awesome!

5) Paul says he came up with the name "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" when Beatle friend Mal Evans told him about this great San Francisco band, Big Brother and the Holding Company. Paul hadn't heard their music yet, but he loved the sound of their six-word band name. Soon everyone would hear of Big Brother. Do you know who Big Brother's famous lead singer was? I have no idea--I've somehow never heard of them!

6) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band appeared on the Billboard charts for 175 weeks. Is this album in your collection? this was the first CD I added to my collection of CDs

7) The Beatles are among the top-selling artists of all time in Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. Would you like to visit Africa? well... if it was all-expenses paid, I would

8) 50 years ago, when Sgt. Pepper was first released, the average price for gas was 33¢/gallon. When did you last fill up your gas tank? Do you remember how much it cost? I spent $31 on a fill up at $2.58/gal

9) Random question: Are most of your married friends happily married? my married friends seem to be happily married but not many of my friends are married

happy day 18

8/18:

I might have to create a new tradition--a massage on the first Friday of the school year!

the friday 56

The Friday 56

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
*Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it)
*Post it.

I'm reading Emmy & Oliver.

"We were talking earlier with Maureen," my mom said. "It seems that Oliver is having a hard time making friends at school."


I snorted a little, but my stomach was flipping around just like it did whenever I saw a wave that seemed a little too big to ride and a little too strong to avoid. "Get in line, Oliver," I said to my parents, trying to keep my voice light.

"You know what I mean," my mom said. "Maureen says that he spends all of his time in his room watching movies."

happy day 17

8/17:
Today was a great teaching day. It was photo analysis day. Starting with a reminder of the First Amendment's provisions of assemblies and free speech, I then played Jimmy Fallon's monologue. Then a three-minute silent study and analysis of photo 1; inviting students to write down whatever questions came to them about the image. Next was another three-minute silent study and analysis of photo 2 and again, the questions. To begin talking about Charlottesville, I asked them which image triggered a more profound reaction. They then had the chance to explain why. I was excited and they were totally engaged. An awesome way to kick off the year! And a sneaky way to hone their ability to analyze visuals.

happy day 16

8/16:
My love of Post its!

w.w.w. wednesday

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! Hosted by Taking on a World of Words.

• What are you currently reading? I'm reading Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway and Gilead by Marilynne Robinson and listening to The Secret Place by Tana French.

• What did you recently finish reading? I finished This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankle and What To Say Next by Julie Buxbaum.

• What do you think you’ll read next? Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.

happy day 15

8/15:

A few recent graduates have been messaging/texting/emailing me to get together before they head off to college. I love having those connections and can't wait to wish them well on their college adventures.

ten things tuesday

Ten random things:

1) I need a pedicure.

2) Today's workshop at school was productive and challenging--challenging because when my department chair gets overwhelmed, he shuts down; he was overwhelmed during a philosophical discussion this morning and we almost argued because he couldn't listen. It was awkward and uncomfortable.

3) We're going to have a heck of a thunder storm. I hope it breaks up the humidity. (Rumble rumble)

4) I am not excited for the new school year. I'm not dreading it, either, but I don't feel excitement.

5) I do not like blueberries. Just the thought of them gives me the willies.

6) I spent 13 hours at school today. We had freshman orientation tonight. I could have come home between the workshop and orientation but I used that time to get work done. Now I'm toast.

7) There are a LOT of significant changes this year--lots of teachers are up in arms about them but I'm very zen. I can get wound up or I can go with the flow so I'm choosing the flow.

8) I had some students hang out with me today.

9) It's been three weeks since I've knit. I think it's the project I'm working on that seems tedious. I like the nearly instant gratification of hat knitting. But I'm determined to finish the shawl project before I begin something else. I love the yarn I'm using.

10) I ordered a new shirt a little over a week ago, thinking I would wear it on the first day of school--but it hasn't arrived yet! Boo hiss!

happy day 14

8/14:
This makes me happy:

currently

I am...

Reading: a tutorial for the new gradebook program

Watching: a tutorial for the new gradebook program

Listening to: the clatter of the post office trucks delivering their daily haul

Wanting: a foot massage

Needing: payday

Loving: how my colleagues are so excited to socialize with me

Thinking: about how the school year has so many changes!

Feeling: unfazed by all the changes

Celebrating: my perspective

Grateful for: people who get me

A quote I want to share:

this is uncomfortable

I'm going to have my students analyze the first photo. What do they see? What would it sound like? What would it feel like? How does it make them feel?

And this is a reminder for me:

EDITED TO ADD: The photo above is NOT from this past weekend. But it still says a lot. I'm still going to use it.

Here's another photo that is from this weekend, that I plan to use.