sunday stealing

 

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Survey Asks...

1. What was the last gift you received? a giant Freshcut Paper card

2. Who did you last hang out with? my Pennsylvania and Virginia and local sisters

3. Do you often lose the remote? this is a fun question--sinceI moved into this apartment in 2023, I haven't watched tv on my television because I cannot find the remote

4. When did you last check Facebook? about fifteen minutes ago

5. Are there scented candles in the room you're in? no, I can't burn candles here

6. Next time you leave the house, where will you be going? probably to my dad's

7. Do you know anyone named Steven or Stephen or Steve or Stevie? yes to all of them

8. Which do you prefer: macaroni salad or potato salad? potato salad

9. Do you have an ice maker in your refrigerator door? no

10. When you woke up this morning, did you get up straightaway or lounge a bit? I got up

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

Big Girls Don't Cry

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) When is the last time you shed a tear?  Monday during an intense conversation

2) Lyricist/producer Bob Crewe recalled he got the idea for this song while watching a movie on TV. "Big girls don't cry" was a line from the 1956 film Slightly Scarlet. Give us a quote from another movie. "Snap out of it!"

3) This inspiration came to Bob during the late night/early morning hours. What time of day are you most productive? I'm at my best in the morning

4) Bob wrote another song for the Four Seasons, "Silence Is Golden." The band was not happy with their recording and never released it as a single. Three years later, The Tremeloes had an international Top 10 hit with "Silence Is Golden." Tell us about a decision you wish you could do over. oh gosh... I wish I hadn't had cheesecake after dinner

5) Before he got his big break, Four Seasons lead singer Frankie Valli worked as barber. Do you have a hair care appointment scheduled? I do not

 

6) Oscar-winning actor Joe Pesci has a connection to the band. He was a young chum of Four Seasons founding member Tommy DeVito. By the time DeVito left the group and found himself overwhelmed by gambling debts, Pesci was a star. He helped his friend out, making Tommy his personal assistant and getting him cameo roles in films. Tell us about someone who has been there for you in tough times. My Virginia and Pennsylvania sisters have been in town, so the four of us have been spending as much time as possible together.  My sisters have definitely been there for me.

 

7) The Four Seasons disbanded in 1977 after 17 years together. The original bandmates reunited onstage 1990 when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was an important night for them professionally and personally, too, as it gave the old friends a chance to reconnect and mend fences. Is there anyone from your past you wish you could reach out to? no one comes to mind

8) Another hit song from 1962 was "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." Tony Bennett compares San Francisco to Rome, Paris and Manhattan. Have you visited any of those four cities? I've been to San Francisco, Paris, and Manhattan

 

9) Random question – You're home all alone. Do you close the door when you use the bathroom? no, I do not

finished reading

Somehow or other, I managed to miss this classic--until now. It turned out to be a perfect, eerie fall read, packed with intrigue, supernatural atmosphere, and things that go bump in the night.

For a novel nearly 180 years old, it remains strikingly relevant. There is so much here for a book group to dissect: class dynamics, individual autonomy, love versus obsession, and Victorian gender expectations. Viewing it through a modern lens makes it fascinating to consider how radical Jane's choices were for her era: her decisions were tightly constrained by society, yet fiercely liberating in practice.

That said, the pacing wasn't always smooth sailing. Certain sections bogged down the narrative momentum, and a tighter edit trimming some of the secondary scenes would have kept the central drama much more engaging. Still, a compelling and thought-provoking read.

From the publisher:

Orphaned Jane Eyre grows up in the home of her heartless aunt, where she endures loneliness and cruelty, and at a charity school with a harsh regime. This troubled childhood strengthens Jane's natural independence and spirit - which prove necessary when she finds employment as a governess to the young ward of Byronic, brooding Mr Rochester. As her feelings for Rochester develop, Jane gradually uncovers Thornfield Hall's terrible secret, forcing her to make a choice. Should she stay with Rochester and live with the consequences, or follow her convictions - even if it means leaving the man she loves? A novel of intense power and intrigue, Jane Eyre dazzled readers with its passionate depiction of a woman's search for equality and freedom.

currently

I am...

Reading: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë; I hope I can finish it for my book group gathering on Wednesday

Listening to: Jane Eyre

Thinking:  about micro adventures to try this fall

Feeling:  happy-tired

Celebrating:  today was a very good day

Grateful for:  the ability to take some earned paid leave

Enjoying:  spending time with my sisters

 

Weather:  45° and clear

A quote I want to share:

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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What?

1. What are you currently excited about? both of my "away" sisters and their husbands will be here for our annual family fun time!  It's the first time I can think of that I did not plan activities for us

2. What do you wish you had more time for? thinking

3. What would like to do less? fretting

4. What do you spend too much money on? clothing

5. What childhood wish never came true? none of them did

6. What did you do to celebrate your last birthday? it was my 60th and my classroom was completely decked out for it!  

7. What drives you nuts? inconsiderate drivers who do not pull into the slow lane or don't use their turn signals

8. What keeps you sane? knowing there is light at the end of the tunnel

9. What historic date is etched in your memory? my birthday is Black Tuesday (different year)

10. What one thing would make your life immeasurably better? $$$

saturday 9

East Bound And Down

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This week's song was featured in the movie Smokey and the Bandit, the surprise box office hit of 1977. Have you seen it?  I believe so

2) Though not well received by critics, Smokey and the Bandit had one very famous fan: Alfred Hitchcock. The classic film director enjoyed re-watching the movie on video at home, often while having dinner. Do you ever watch TV with your meal? no

3) Jerry Reed not only wrote and performed the movie's theme, he appeared in the movie as truck driver Cledus "Snowman" Snow. Have you ever driven, or ridden in, a big rig? no

4) He sings, "We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there." Have you recently felt rushed? yes, just this morning

5) Director Hal Needham asked Jerry Reed for a song that explained the plot of the movie. He wrote this overnight and always considered it a happy accident. Can you think of a time when something turned out better than you expected? my students did not groan and grumble about an assignment I expected them to

6) Reed was born in Atlanta and, coincidentally, he mentions Atlanta in the lyrics. Has your hometown been immortalized in song?  no

7) Jerry met Priscilla Mitchell at Capitol Records, where Jerry was a session musician and Priscilla was backup singer. Though she was only 18 when they wed, it seems their union was a happy one and they were together until his death almost 50 years later. If a newly engaged 18-year-old asked you for advice, what would you say? you have to work at having a healthy relationship every single day

8) In 1977, when "Eastbound and Down" was on the radio, nostalgia for the 1950s topped the TV ratings. The two most popular shows that year were Laverne & Shirley and Happy Days. If you magically transported back to the 1950s, what do you think you'd like about it? What do you think you'd miss about your life in 2026? I would enjoy the neighborliness but I would miss the individual freedom women have today (like having my own bank accounts and credit cards)

9) Random question: Were you ever afraid of monsters in your closet or under your bed? no, growing up, I shared a bedroom and always had the comfort of a sister nearby

let the celebration begin...

 

currently

I am...

Reading: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë for my library reading group

Listening to: my printer making colored copies because I don't have access to the color printer at school

Thinking:  about tomorrow

Feeling:  amused--I had to create a new password for my school account, and I got creative

Celebrating:  we have school-wide testing tomorrow, but my senior students do not have to take the tests, so I will have about an hour and a half of free time!

Grateful for: we were spared the Nor'easter from the past weekend; only a couple of days of light rain

Enjoying:  I had fun with my classes today

 

Weather:  51° and light rain

A quote I want to share:

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

 

Click the icon to play along

DIY Meme

1. If you were trapped in a TV universe for a month, what TV show would you choose? (Kwizgiver)  the first thing that popped into my head was Bosom Buddies, the 1980s sitcom with Tom Hanks and Peter Somethingorother (I'm too lazy to look it up)

2. What song instantly revs you up and gets you going?  (Annie) "What I Like About You" by The Romantics

3. Are you decorating your home for fall? (Lori) I have a few fall gnomes I put out and a pretty vase I put fairy lights in, and later I have some Halloween gnomes I'll put out

4. How do you treat a cold? (Syl) Sleep!  And medicine formulated for high blood pressure.  Whining.  Lots of whining.

5. What insignificant thing would you be genuinely annoyed if you lost it or it was taken from you? (Lisa) this is tough--everything I'm thinking about is significant in its use (phone, car keys, glasses wipes)

6. What place do you remember vividly, even though you haven't been there in years? (Country Dew) Ireland--it's been almost forty years, yet I still vividly recall walking to the shops or walking to campus

7. Do you have a favorite Dolly Parton song or story? (Roger) today I'll go with "9 to 5" because it popped up in a playlist I was listening to

saturday 9

Don't Take Your Love From Me

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Doris Day sings about what happens when you take a petal from a rose. When did you last get or give flowers as a gift? the first day of school, I received flowers

 

2) This song is about a woman who fears losing her love. What's the most recent thing you lost? (Hopefully it's not as consequential as a great love. It could be as small or unimportant as the back of one of your pierced earrings.) it was a major deal at the time, but now I can't even remember what it was

 

3) Doris was known as The All-American Girl Next Door. Who lives next door to you? I think her name is Jennifer, and she is an ER nurse

 

4) As a young girl, Doris Day was passionate about dance. She recalled that concentrating on her lessons helped distract her from the pain and embarrassment of her parents' divorce. When you want to escape from what's troubling you, what do you do? drive

5) The maitre d' at one of Doris' favorite restaurants wanted to ask her out. Knowing how she loved her dogs, he impressed her by handing her a bag of meat scraps and bones to take home. They began dating and, in 1976, he became her last husband. What's the best way to your heart?  humor and patience

 

6) Over her long career, Doris received Golden Globe and Grammy Awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She was also inducted into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame, honored for being one of the most celebrated women to have been born there. Name a famous person born in your home state. Stephen King

 

7) She was frank about her financial difficulties, yet some people are uncomfortable discussing money. Are you one of those people? generally, yes

8) In 1956, when Doris released this song, The Wizard of Oz was shown on network TV for the first time. What movie have you seen multiple times? When Harry Met Sally, Under the Tuscan Sun, The Princess Bride

9) Random question: Would you rather have a chef or a chauffeur? chef

currently it's wednesday

I am...

Reading: I DNF'd The Caretaker; I'm just not in the mood for horror.  I'm going to start Jane Eyre for my library book group

Listening to: the Billy Joel Mix on Spotify

Thinking:  I'm trying to figure out what time I should leave tomorrow for my trip to Harpswell: I'm attending an art show opening at the Harpswell Collective.  A group of us who took part in the Creativity Workshop are going to support the artist who led the workshop; we've become dear friends.

Feeling:  excited

Celebrating:  this is my last Potato Harvest Break--which is a one-week break from school. Back in the day, many family farms relied on manual labor (their own children and other kids), so families would pull kids from school to help with the harvest. I am not so sure why we continue having Harvest Break, as most kids do not work the manual harvest jobs that have become mechanized, and you need to be at least 18 to operate the machines. It was a rite of passage when I was a kid. Now, not so much. But it's a tradition.

Grateful for: my bestie's shoulder surgeon was very pleased with how the procedure went yesterday.  I was fortunate enough to be able to take her to the appointment in Central Maine (and back before the block wore off).

Enjoying:  quite a social week!

Weather:  62° and sunny

A quote I want to share: 

finished reading

What a timely and thought-provoking read. The book explores heavy themes like bodily autonomy, medical ethics, unintended consequences, elder care, and shifting gender expectations without ever becoming weighed down by them. That’s largely thanks to 77-year-old Pepper Mills (yes, her name is a delightful running bit), whose wry perspective, humor, and sharp dialogue keep the narrative grounded. While Pepper's unexpected pregnancy sounds absurd on paper, the medical explanation feels all too plausible. Beyond Pepper herself, the vibrant secondary cast and the lively setting of the senior living community truly make the story come alive.  I enjoyed the bond between Pepper and her granddaughter, 15-year-old Lola, especially their text messages complete with emojis.

From the publisher:

At seventy-seven, Pepper Mills is too old to be a stranger in a strange land. She didn’t choose the Vista View Retirement Community of Austin, Texas—that would be her three grown children—but when she grudgingly moves in, she not only makes new friends, she falls in love. Then the exhaustion, vomiting, and confusion start. Her children and grandchildren worry it’s cancer, dementia, a stroke. But a raft of tests later, the news is even more she’s pregnant.

Once word gets out, everyone wants a piece of the press and the paparazzi, activists and medical researchers, all descending on Vista View as Pepper tries to determine her next move. Soon Pepper has some hard decisions to make—and some she’s not allowed to make.

Enormous Wings is an urgent novel about female agency and bodily autonomy, morality and mortality. It’s about what happens when you don’t get to choose. It’s about motherhood and family, sex and love and friendship, and how those bedrocks—even so late in the day—can still change, and then change everything.

sunday stealing

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Four Superlatives

1. Your MOST overused word or phrase:  in my head it's definitely "for fucks sake," but out loud it's probably "let's think about that"

2. Your BIGGEST expense: rent 

3. Your WORST fear: losing my independence

4. Your BEST memory of Summer 26: spending the month with my sister and her family 💖

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 wanted to love this book. Maybe if I had read it instead of listening to the audiobook, I would have rated it higher. Some of the structural choices felt too jumbled and repetitive, which left me confused at times.

That said, I really enjoyed the setting, from the mysterious mansion to the tight-knit community of treasure hunters. The overall vibe was a lot of fun, fittingly described as The Goonies meets Knives Out. Best of all, I definitely did not see that twist coming!

From the publisher:

A murder mystery set in a seaside town filled with pirate lore, family secrets, unforgivable grudges, secret societies, and of course, a treasure lost to time. 

WELCOME TO MAPLE BAY, NOVA SCOTIA

For nearly a century, people have ventured to the idyllic seaside town of Maple Bay in search of a legendary lost pirate treasure, but locals know there’s more than just gold buried in the sand. As the paths of three strangers converge in Maple Bay, the truth is about to be blown wide open. But not before the bodies start to pile up.

Peter Barnett is rapidly approaching 40 with little to show for it when a mysterious letter invites him to Maple Bay and the mansion his estranged family has called home for generations.

Seventeen-year-old Dandy Feltzen is isolated and adrift following the death of her beloved grandfather, until his final request and a tantalizing clue sets her on a mission to solve the mystery he spent his entire life chasing.

Cass Jones has given up on her dream of being a successful author when an unexpected opportunity lands in her a housesitting gig in remote Maple Bay, where she stumbles on the perfect subject matter for her breakout book—and the handsome sailor who might be just the person to help her research it.

Peter, Dandy and Cass have never met, but they’re on a collision course with each other and the mystery that has defined Maple Bay for two centuries, and none of them are prepared for the shocking truths that may or may not still be buried there.

saturday 9

 

Everybody Loves A Clown

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Not everyone loves clowns. "Coulrophobia" is the irrational fear of clowns. Do you have any fears or phobias? the dentist! 

2) This week's featured artist, Gary Lewis, sings that he jokes a lot at parties. In social settings, are you more a talker or a listener? listener

3) He's dreaming of a special girl. Do you often daydream? not really, I'm more of a thinker

4) Gary named his band The Playboys because they were always late to rehearsals and Gary joked that they would rather play than work. Do you tend to be early, late, or exactly on time? I'm more on time or early

5) Gary Lewis had first-hand knowledge of clowns. His father was famous funny man Jerry Lewis. Who always makes you laugh? my students

6) In 2017, Gary was in the news when it became known that Jerry disinherited all six of his sons from his will. Have you ever attended the reading of a will? no

7) This past summer found Gary Lewis on The My Generation Tour, performing with other acts from the mid-1960s, like The Lovin' Spoonful, The Hollies, and Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels. Do you enjoy listening to "the oldies?" yes--I'm always amazed that I still know so many lyrics

8) In 1965, when this song was popular, Muhammad Ali defeated Sonny Liston to become the heavyweight champion of the world. Have you ever attended a boxing match? no

9) Random question: What color is your toothbrush? I just swapped it out this morning--it's green

three on thursday

 

Thing 1:  when I finish The Treasure Hunters Club by Tom Ryan, I will meet my reading goal for the year.  Here's to book 100!

Thing 2:  today is my Friday for school.  Tomorrow is a county-wide workshop day for teachers.  I've never gotten anything useful from this workshop in the twenty-something years it's been happening.  I finally decided that instead of being miserable and resentful, I would take the day off. 😆 I feel like a giant weight has been lifted.

Thing 3:  I had ChatGPT create coloring sheets for my classes, using specific prompts.  I couldn't resist making one for my retirement.