unraveled wednesday

       

Join Kat @ AsKatKnits for some fun!

I finished listening to Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid and started the last skein on the Garter Rib Baby Blanket  (Rav link) for my bestie because she's going to be a grandmother!

wordless wednesday

 

finished reading

The Riva siblings are a close-knit group.  A dysfunctional, close-knit family.  I really liked that each of the siblings had a believable subplot and each is a fully developed character.  The book begins with a dual narrative thread--from the young Riva family origins to the mega party ending.  I admit I got a little bored with the party.  It's a fast-paced beachy summer read--a family saga (think soap opera).

From the publisher:

Malibu: August 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over—especially as the offspring of the legendary singer Mick Riva.

The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud—because it is long past time for him to confess something to the brother from whom he’s been inseparable since birth.

Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can’t stop thinking about promised she’ll be there.

And Kit has a couple secrets of her own—including a guest she invited without consulting anyone.

By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family’s generations will all come rising to the surface. 

finished reading, forgot to review

I forgot to write a review of this book--which is #5 in the series.  I have to say the audio narrator, Grover Gardner, is perfect for this series.  He captures Andy's humor and the witty repartee is perfect in his voice.  I am rooting for Andy and Laurie to get back together. Although I figured it out, I still enjoyed it and want to continue with the series!

From the publisher:

In Dead Center, we find our beloved Andy carpenter reentering the dating scene? God Bless him. Surprisingly he's a hot commodity, but that's not necessarily a good thing. His friends are offering up their two cents on his dating life, but of course they know as little about the dating world as Andy. One thing that rings true, whether the ladies he meets are terrific or not, is that the spectra of his longtime love Laurie hangs over his head. Bitter over her departure, he's finding it hard to forgive and forget. She's still the love of his life. Andy's had no contact with her at all, and he can only assume she is back in Findlay, Wisconsin serving in the number two jo on the local police force. Then one day he returns to the office to find Laurie waiting for him. She's arrested a young man for murder and though the evidence clearly called for his arrest, she believes he's innocent. He's the son of her oldest friend and she's come to Andy to find him representation. Andy follows Laurie back to Wisconsin where he must explore a secretive religious community that seems to hold the truth about what really happened to the deceased. 

finished reading

 

Good professional development reading.  Nothing terribly new but I like how it offers plans for learning from a surface level to a transfer level--the deepest comprehensive level.  

From the publisher:

How do social studies teachers maximize instruction to ensure students are prepared for an informed civic life? This book shows how the field is more than simply memorizing dates and facts--it encapsulates the skillful ability to conduct investigations, analyze sources, place events in historical context, and synthesize divergent points of view. Best practices for applying visible learning are presented through:

- A scaffolded approach including surface-level learning, deep learning, and transfer of learning - Examples of strategies, lessons, and activities best suited for each level of learning - Planning tools, rubrics, and templates to guide instruction

w.w.w. wednesday

        

 

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

• What are you currently reading?   The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary and I'll finish Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reed today

• What did you recently finish reading?   Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny and The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz and Visible Learning for Social Studies, Grades K-12: Designing Student Learning for Conceptual Understanding by John Hattie

• What do you think you’ll read next? The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

truth

this is me ↗

 

ten things tuesday

Ten vents & vices:

1) What are your pet peeves? public phone calls that should be private, slow drivers in the passing lane, wet armpits

2)  What are your guilty pleasures? Bravo unscripted shows

3)  What do you lie about? money--I don't want anyone to know I'm broke

4)  What do you try to avoid? dealing with the clutter

5)  What are you nosy about? gossip at school

6)  What do you procrastinate? I'm not much of a procrastinator other than the clutter

7)  What gets your blood boiling? intentional ignorance

8)  What tempts you? chocolate

9)  What do you complain about? the temperature extremes--when it's super hot/humid or way below zero

10)  What can you do about your complaints? avoid people

currently

I am...

Reading:  I'm going to start Malibu Rising tonight

Listening to:  a summer song mix on Spotify

Loving:  I could finally sleep in this morning and it felt luxurious

Thinking:  I really need to organize my summer plans--I don't want summer to slip away from me

Feeling:  peckish--I could eat something

Celebrating:  summer

Grateful for:  finally making measurable progress with lymphedema--we'll be able to cut back to weekly starting next week

Weather:  it is 81° and sunny--really quite a beautiful day

Enjoying:  oh, my, I visited with Dad & Barb and we laughed and laughed

A quote I want to share:  

self-care sunday

 

💙💜💖💓🧡💛💚

Physical = got up around 7 o'clock and spent a nice, quiet day

Emotional = wrote a long message to my therapist--she's so helpful!

Spiritual = listened to music for the first time in a while

Personal = emptied my DVR by watching this season's Alone and other shows

Social = played online checkers with Allen

Household = washed the dishes

Pampering = had Ben & Jerry's Americone Dream ice cream for supper

sunday stealing

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Getting To Know You

   1. Do you like or dislike surprises? Why or why not? I would say that in general, I do not like surprises because they're seldom happy
   2. In the evening, would you rather play a game, visit a relative, watch a movie, or read? read
   3. Would you rather vacation in Hawaii or Alaska, and why? Hawaii even though I'm not much of a beach person but I'm fascinated by the history and culture
   4. Would you rather win the lottery or work at the perfect job? And why? I'll take the perfect job
   5. If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to? if I could revisit 1988
   6. Aside from necessities, what one thing could you not go a day without? internet
   7. How many pairs of shoes do you own? too many to count
   8. What would you do if you won the lottery? get an accountant and a lawyer
   9. What form of public transportation do you prefer? (air, boat, train, bus, car, etc.) car
   10. What's your favorite zoo animal? hippos or giraffes
   11. If you could go back in time to change one thing, what would it be? isn't that #5?
   12. How many pillows do you sleep with? a Sutera--just one
   13. What's the longest you've gone without sleep (and why)? I was traveling--36 hours
   14. What's the tallest building you've been to the top in? I have no idea, it wasn't someplace I went because of the height
   15.  What are your hobbies? knitting, reading, napping, avoiding housework, blogging

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 have a love/hate relationship with this book.  I love the look at the world of publishing, the book tour, the story within a story, and the writer's retreats.  I didn't love that I figured it out about a third of the way through and some of the middle section moves slowly.  I loved the writing.  I loved the Crime & Punishment feel of the main character's dilemma--albeit a much different "crime".  I liked the descriptions of places:  Vermont, New York, Georgia, Seattle all came alive.  It's well written.  It's a great slow burn.  I wanted to keep reading/listening.  But I figured it out.

From the publisher:

Jacob Finch Bonner was once a promising young novelist with a respectably published first book. Today, he’s teaching in a third-rate MFA program and struggling to maintain what’s left of his self-respect; he hasn’t written—let alone published—anything decent in years. When Evan Parker, his most arrogant student, announces he doesn’t need Jake’s help because the plot of his book in progress is a sure thing, Jake is prepared to dismiss the boast as typical amateur narcissism. But then . . . he hears the plot.

Jake returns to the downward trajectory of his own career and braces himself for the supernova publication of Evan Parker’s first novel: but it never comes. When he discovers that his former student has died, presumably without ever completing his book, Jake does what any self-respecting writer would do with a story like that - a story that absolutely needs to be told.

In a few short years, all of Evan Parker’s predictions have come true, but Jake is the author enjoying the wave. He is wealthy, famous, praised and read all over the world. But at the height of his glorious new life, an e-mail arrives, the first salvo in a terrifying, anonymous campaign: You are a thief, it says.

As Jake struggles to understand his antagonist and hide the truth from his readers and his publishers, he begins to learn more about his late student, and what he discovers both amazes and terrifies him. Who was Evan Parker, and how did he get the idea for his “sure thing” of a novel? What is the real story behind the plot, and who stole it from whom?

saturday 9

One Bad Apple

1) This song is a play on the old saying that one bad apple can spoil the bunch, or that the bad behavior of one member can reflect badly on the whole group. Do you think that's true? Isn't that the premise of positive peer pressure?

 

2) The Osmonds began as The Osmond Brothers, a barbershop quartet that performed at the original Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Today there are 9 Disney Resorts all around the world, as far away as Shanghai. Have you ever been to a Walt Disney property? I have not, yet

 

3) By the time the Osmonds made this record, Donny had joined the group and became their breakout star. Without looking it up, can you name any of the other four brothers who performed in video clip? ok, without looking it up--Jay, Allen, Merle (I know that's not it but that's as close as I can get) so I got three-ish or two-and-a-halfish

 

4) In the 1970s, adolescent girls learned through teen magazines that Donny's favorite color is purple, and that he was especially fond of purple socks. Today, socks are a very big business. There are designer sock manufacturers and even a sock of the month club. Is there a wardrobe item you're very particular about? scarves

5) Donny and younger sister Marie had their own TV variety show. One regular segment had them performing a medley of popular songs, and it began with Marie singing, "I'm a little bit country," followed by Donny's musical reply, "I'm a little bit rock and roll." In this regard, are you more like sister or brother? I'm a Donny

 

6) Donny's popularity continues today. Fans have seen him win Dancing with the Stars (season 9) and come in as a runner up on the first season of The Masked Singer. Do you watch either of these shows -- or other competition series, like American Idol, The Voice, America's Got Talent, etc.? I absolutely love competition shows--Top Chef is my favorite followed closely by Alone

7) Donny has also appeared on Broadway. He surprised audiences and got rave reviews as arrogant bad guy Gaston in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Tell us about a time when your behavior surprised those who know you well. Most people are surprised by how well-traveled I am

8) Donny is also a grandfather, many times over! Sam admits she's not crazy about that revelation because it makes her feel old. What's something that makes you feel your years? finding out I'm older than my students' parents by a decade or so

9) Random question: We're filling a pinata with your favorite candies. What should we buy? Definitely Reese's cups, other than that--I'm not a fruity candy fan

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 Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

From Chapter 1:

"Good writers borrow, great writers steal."  TS Eliot

friday 5

 

℞

1. What’s your prescription for a case of Weekend Uncertainties? A double dose of Do What You Want
2. What’s your prescription for a persistent case of Restless Munchies Syndrome? my go-to cure is Ritz crackers
3. What’s your prescription for Streamer’s Indecision? the best home remedy--turn it off and grab a book
4. What’s your prescription for a hypersensitive Get Off My Lawn reflex?  since I've no experience with this disorder, I'd consult Dr. Google 😁
5. What’s your prescription for an inflamed FOMO? ahh--this requires a healthy dose of Get Off Your Duff And Go

three on thursday

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Thing one:  I have a great landlord.

Thing two:  Today is a perfect summer day.

Thing three: I love reading AP exams.

finished reading

I liked the representation of Aspergers, it was carefully and poignantly a part of Matthew's character.  I don't really know how to describe this book--I kept thinking that the vignettes were like a quirky television show.  It is beautifully written and there are moments that I chuckled from Audra's obliviousness.  Ultimately it's a coming-of-age story from the perspective of a middle-aged man.

From the publisher:

Graham Cavanaugh's second wife, Audra, is everything his first wife was not. Audra is charming and spontaneous and fun, but life with her can be exhausting, constantly interrupted by phone calls, burdened by houseguests, and populated by old men with backpacks full of origami paper. As Graham and Audra struggle to define their marriage and raise a child with Asperger's, they decide to establish a friendship with his first wife, Elspeth. But former spouses are hard to categorize--are they friends, enemies, old flames, or just people who know you really, really well? Graham starts to wonder: How can anyone love two such different women? Did he make the right choice? Is there a right choice?

wordless wednesday

ankle wrinkles (iykyk)

 

w.w.w. wednesday

       

 

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

• What are you currently reading?   The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary and Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny and The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

• What did you recently finish reading?   Dead Center by David Roselfelt

• What do you think you’ll read next? I've got to finish one of these books!

ten things tuesday

Ten things I'm loving now:

1)  The fan.  It's about 79.7° in the living room but the fan makes it more comfortable.

2)  Target swing dresses with flutter sleeves.  Why, yes, I do have every color.  Today is olive green.

3)  Scoring Advanced Placement US History exams.  Although this morning I dozed off (before I turned the fan on--it was stuffy in here!) but I have more than 30 hours.

4)  Reading.  My libraries keep getting in the books I request and I've got 5 or 6 new releases signed out.

5)  Keeping up with a couple of my 21 in 21 goals--like making my bed daily and buying flowers, using my pneumatic pump regularly, contacting my family every week (that's the far-flung nieces & nephews).

6)  The Calm app and the Headspace app.  I love them both and listen daily to short meditations or sleep meditations.

7)  My therapist.  She's an excellent fit for me--she gets me and relates well.  I wasn't sure I would like to use a website but there are so many ways to communicate, it's comfortable.

8)  Loading my DVR with shows I will binge watch when I finish scoring exams.

9)  I had some excellent customer service over the past few days--scheduling appointments, checking insurance, and so forth.  Such friendly voices.

10) This song.

currently

I am...

Reading: Advanced Placement United States History exams (APUSH) for the College Board and I'm loving every minute of it

Listening to:  the fan

Loving:  the transition to summer vacation

Thinking:  right now--not much

Feeling:  happily content

Celebrating:  I had a very laughter-filled visit with my parents yesterday, after a delicious dinner out with my local sister

Grateful for:  time

Weather: it is 80° and sunny--really quite a beautiful day

Enjoying:  fruit infusions--especially the Lemon Strawberry, Lemon Raspberry, and Orange Pineapple

A quote I want to share:

self-care sunday

 

💙💜💖💓🧡💛💚

Physical = took stretch breaks and walked around during my breaks from scoring exams

Emotional = metacognition--I was thinking about my thinking

Spiritual = spent some time meditating

Personal = graded AP US History exams all day and took nice breaks

Social = invited my local sister to dinner at the Rusty Crab and spent time this evening with Dad

Household = washed the dishes

Pampering = bought me flowers

summer survey

S U M M E R S U R V E Y

Pool OR Jacuzzi: pool.
Ocean OR Pool: the ocean.
Ice cream OR popsicles: Ice cream
Lemonade OR iced tea: I mix the two together
tennis shoes OR flip flops: oh, it depends
Fans OR Air conditioning: Air Conditioning
Sprinklers OR slip n slide : sprinkler.
Water Balloon fight OR Watergun fight: I'm a lover, not a fighter

Y O U R F A V O R I T E S U M M E R . . .

Drink: Iced coffee or sparkling water
Food: strawberries or salad
Song: Can't Stop The Feeling
Hang out: the porch
Camp: I don't have one
Holiday: Solstice
Vacation: taking random road trips

L A S T S U M M E R :

Where did you go: nowhere
Who did you hang with? no one
Did you do anything illegal: nope
Did you go to a concert? no 
What was your best memory: to be totally honest, last summer was a lot of nothing

T H I S S U M M E R :

Where are you going: a girlfriend getaway in July
Name five things you're most looking forward to this summer :
1. knitting a baby blanket
2. getting Book Bingo
3. random road trips
4. a couple of workshops
5. recovering from the pandemic school year 

sunday stealing

 

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Love Me Some Surveys

1. Ignoring nutrition, could you live off veggies for the rest of your life? yes

2. Elaborate on a way you have volunteered? I serve on the Library Board of Trustees a community position I've held for almost a decade

3. Can you walk in heels, or do you feel awkward in them? I am awkward

4. Any TV shows you sit down weekly to watch? I don't watch TV when it airs thanks to my DVR and OnDemand

5. Will you tell someone if there’s something in their teeth? yes

6. Do you ever actually make your bed? yes, it was a New Years resolution and I've kept it up

7. Do you make an effort to eat healthy? half-hearted effort

8. What kind of booze did you last take shots of? tequila

9. What’s something you want to purchase next time you’re at the mall? I can't think of anything

10. What were you doing at 10:00 this morning? scoring Advanced Placement US History exams

11. What do you miss the most about your past? not worrying about pandemics, vaccinations, and public safety

12. Last time you were really happy? now

13. Did you get a full 8 hours of sleep last night? yes

14. Have you spoken to your mother or father today? we exchanged emails

15. Are you good at filling awkward silences? yes