5.31.2011

Crafting Poetry-My May Project

For May one of the poets I chose was Walt Whitman. I am not familiar with a lot of his poetry, but I like him. Everyone knows "I sing the body electric..." thanks to the Fame soundtrack and it was tempting to do something with that poem, but I decided I really needed to work on one of my long dormant projects: Seaweed. I had to find a poem to match an in-progress project. Old Walt didn't disappoint.

The World Below the Brine
The world below the brine;
Forests at the bottom of the sea—the branches and leaves,
Sea-lettuce, vast lichens, strange flowers and seeds—
the thick tangle, the openings, and the pink turf,
Different colors, pale gray and green, purple, white, and gold—
the play of light through the water,
Dumb swimmers there among the rocks—coral, gluten, grass, rushes—
and the aliment of the swimmers,
Sluggish existences grazing there, suspended, or slowly crawling
close to the bottom,
The sperm-whale at the surface, blowing air and spray, or disporting
with his flukes,
The leaden-eyed shark, the walrus, the turtle, the hairy sea-leopard,
and the sting-ray;
Passions there—wars, pursuits, tribes—sight in those ocean-depths—
breathing that thick-breathing air, as so many do;
The change thence to the sight here, and to the subtle air breathed by beings
like us, who walk this sphere;
The change onward from ours, to that of beings who walk other spheres.

The World Beneath the Brine

Unfortunately, I didn't finish the project... but I made a lot of progress.

Just so I could say I finished a May project, though, I did make this dishcloth:

May Poem

Pattern: Walt Whitman's Cloth
Yarn: Lily Sugar n' Cream
Color: Hot Green
Here's the rav project page.

On to June's poets!

5.30.2011

ABC- With The Accidental Knitter

Photobucket
You know I'm a joiner. Maybe not a doer, but I'll join anything. So in the "Blog Hub" group on ravelry the Accidental Knitter announced this new meme: Learn your ABC with the Accidental Knitter.

I missed A, B and C so I thought I would jump in with D. Too bad I can't think of anything that starts with D.

I found a list of unusual words that start with D...but they didn't lend themselves to blogging:

  • dacnomania-an obsession with killing
  • dactylography-the study of fingerprints
  • dalton-unit of atomic mass (that isn't so strange)
  • damoiseau-male form of damsel
  • dapifer-one who brings meat to the table (definitely not my thing)
I can't really think of anything knitterly or crocheterly that starts with D.

Isn't it just like me to try and do something and then get a creative mental block?

Drat.



HEEEEY! 

Drat!-I started Kiama almost a year ago and I'm still not done.
Drat!-I'm not sure if I even want to finish it now!
Drat!-My knitting mojo is slowly coming back, but the weight of my WIPs kind of keeps me from starting anything new...even though that's what I would rather be working on.
Drat!- WIP overload is what usually sends the mojo packing.
Drat!-I really need to organize my knitting stuff.
Drat!- I never know what to do with the leftover bits of yarn from a dishcloth. 1 ball never seems to be enough to make two cloths. And I never got the hang of tribbles.
Drat!-My husband always wants to talk when I'm counting!
Drat!-I love this pattern...aber mein Duetsch ist schlecht. Ich verstehe nicht. :-(

5.29.2011

Operation Mojo Recovery-Taking Stock

I've  taken a few moments over the last week to read The Minimalist Knitter's Handbook. (On my kindle no less 'cause I figured out the whole PDF on a kindle thing...but I digress.) I haven't finished it all, but I've completed the first step and really thought about my knitting.

Yarn
Robyn suggests you really think about the yarn you enjoy kitting with. What weights do you prefer? Is there a fiber you love...hate?
  • I like worsted weight. I also find myself drawn to DK and lighter weights as well. I really don't have the physique for bulky or anything heavier.
  • Bulky yarns are also heavy and the needles required usually hurt my hands and wrists more.
Fiber
  • I live in the South. I don't need wool that often.
  • I love Cotton Ease. It's easy-care and easily procured.
  • I like Simply Soft, but I really need to learn to block it well. I've seen nice projects made of Simply Soft and I think it's all in the blocking.
  • I've made two projects with Red Heart and I am pleased with them. But I feel like it really isn't my first choice yarn.
  • I really, really want to avoid animal fiber. BUT, I really like lace...which is best done with a blockable fiber (more magic you know.) Silk is completely out of the question, but I can totally see myself rationalizing wool.
Projects
I also need to think about projects I like to do...and actually use.
  • Socks. I'll always need socks. 
  • Dishcloths. Someone can always use them even if I can't.
  • Vests and tanks. I really don't have the patience to do a sweater with sleeves.
  • I like crochet and knitting, but knitting does use less yarn.
  • Scarves. I love them. I feel less goofy in them than shawls.
  • Boy I sure with I didn't look goofy in shawls. 
Needles
  • I am certainly not ready to get rid of many of them, but really I never use any straights longer than 9 inches. If a project is that big, I use circs.
  • I know in my heart I have too many needles. An almost complete set of 14" Brittany's? WTH? A full set of looooong Pony's. Really, self? I think it's time to take them to knit nite and give them away.
  • And the vintage plastic/resin/casein(!) needles I got for super cheap on e-bay 5 years ago? Truly they just take up space. *sigh* Check these out:
    Oy! Too many needles!
    Heck! Most of these are British and Australian and I can't figure out *what* size they are. Oh, and most of them had been taped together and  left to sit in the trunk of the car or somewhere. I never did get the tape residue off.

  • You would not believe the collection of dpn's that I've accumulated since I started knitting in earnest again (six years ago)...despite only using Magic Loop to make socks. I keep telling myself that I'm going to improve my dpn technique, but I need to be honest. I'm probably never going to really use all the dpns. Unfortunately, I'm just not ready to get rid of them yet. Give me a few more months.
Patterns
Hooo boy. This is the worst. Of all my emotional knitting attachments, the one to all the patterns, leaflets and magazines I've acquired is the worst. This is just one bookcase:

Oy the books and patterns!

I have chosen not to take pictures of the 8 magazine boxes...or the unorganized stack of magazines... or other nooks and crannies with books. If I did that, I would have to admit having a problem. And I don't have a problem.

Let's not discuss all the PDF's on my computer either. 

eek.

I think I'll hold off organizing patterns. Maybe next summer.

So, my big plans for Monday are to go through the stash and get rid of yarnI know for sure I won't use (I've already got some skeins in mind...) and update the ravelry stash to reflect the purge. I don't think I will ever be strong enough to purge to the point of having everything in one storage box/bag/whatever, but I can at least streamline. Stay tuned!

5.28.2011

School's Out For Summer!



Woohoo! I have a lot of activities planned!

  • Surfing (channels and the internet)
  • Diving (into my stash)
  • Organizing
  • Knitting
  • Reading
  • Napping
I'm going to be busy! 

I plan on doing some stash organizing tomorrow and Monday. Stay tuned!

5.27.2011

Friday Fill-In 5/27/11

1. This week I could barely contain myself...it's the last week of school!

2. Hopefully my knitting mojo returns.

3. It's all about sitting on my butt and being a lazy slob.

4. I avoid fun in the sun. 

5. I demand quiet.

6. Life's path, it's filled with twists, turns, discoveries and surprises.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Startbuck's and doing nothing, tomorrow my plans include knitting and Sunday, I want to knit some more!

5.23.2011

The End Is NEAR!!!

The end of the school year. What did you think I was talking about?

The last day of school is May 27th. For the past month I've been thinking of things I want to/need to do and telling myself  "when school is over." So now I have a list of things that may or may not get done between now and August 16th (when I have to report back to work.)

  • Finish reading "The Minimalist Knitter" ( I've at least started reading it.)
  • Go through the closet and get rid of a bunch of stuff.
  • Go through the house and get rid of a bunch of stuff.
  • Go through and rearrange/quasi-organize my crafty stuff.
  • Organize my ravelry stuff- queue, projects, stash etc.
  • I would especially like to whittle down my queue...and then actually knit/crochet from my queue.
  • Finish a knitting project....ANY project. Contenders: Mondo Cable, Lolita and Hot Chili Shawl Cardigan.
I really hope to recover my knitting mojo this Summer. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that a complete overhaul of the queue and stash will awaken the knitting beast. I've already begun to take steps to become a minimalist knitter. More on that in an upcoming post.

Knitting won't be my only focus this Summer. As much as I hate to say it, I will have to do a little school work as well. I spent most of this school year flying by the seat of my pants and got caught by surprise several times. I can't deal with another year like that and I want to go into the new year as prepared as possible. I have to go through the curriculum and really pinpoint where to teach certain things. It's hard to explain, but our textbook is terrible and doesn't really seem to follow a logical order. It leaves a lot to be desired in my opinion. I don't want to spend my whole summer on it, though so I will have to be careful not to spend more than 30 minutes a day on it.

5.22.2011

Weekend Not Much to Wrap-Up

I was a complete slug this week-end. I barely did anything. I finished book number 27 for the year and that's about it. Well, once I realized the world wasn't going to end I bought some new laundry hampers. I'll have to organize my life since it appears the world will go on. Such an exciting life I lead.

The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I recently re-joined the Knitting 19th Century Novels group on ravelry and this book is the  May/June selection. (I'll share my knit project soon.) I'm not sure why it was selected since the copyright date is 1900...thus making it a 20th century novel, but I won't argue since I'm so new to the group.

I know I read this when I was a kid, but I don't have any memory of it. Had fun reading it again. This is so different from the 1939 movie version. I actually like this better. Since there are 14 Oz books, I may have to read them all!


View all my reviews

5.20.2011

Friday Fill-In 5/20/11

1. I see light at the end of the tunnel...school ends next Wednesday.

2. It's just a  scratch (famous last words...do you remember the episode of Little House on the Prairie when Ma was scratched and it got all infected? Ok. Maybe that's just me.)

3. They begin at the beginning.

4. I wish I had paid more attention so many years earlier. 

5. This I know: Summer vacation is the best.

6. Veggies for dinner.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to knittng, tomorrow my plans include maybe cleaning my closet and Sunday, I want to do nothing!



How long has it been since I've had a Finish Friday?

O.M.G




Nothing but garter stitch. SQUEEEEEE!

I'll be back with Friday Fill-Ins in a jif. Stay tuned!

5.17.2011

PS- #25 and #26

Ok. This can probably be construed as "cheating"; they are barely books, but here they are.

#25

The Real Mother GooseThe Real Mother Goose by Checkerboard Press
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Yes. I read the whole thing. Some are good, some are "meh."





#26
Ripley's Believe It Or Not 16Ripley's Believe It Or Not 16 by Ripley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


You can't beat Ripley! So fun to read. I especially love the ones about people trying to avoid their prophesied demises.



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Operation Erudition-Focusing

Like I said before, my first priority is Math.

Check these out:
DSCN0656
I managed to track down my 6th grade math textbook on e-bay.

And here's my pre-algebra text (also tracked down on e-bay.) I'm pretty sure I had to take pre-algebra twice...
DSCN0658
Sorry about the crappadappy picture.

Here's my plan-
Reviewing 6th grade:
  • I'm pretty comfy with basic addition and subtraction (also known as paycheck and bills.) No need to really review there. 
  • I'm going to work through some multiplication and long division problems (like a warm up.)
  • I'll review Greatest Common Factors and Least Common Multiples. (All I remember is GCF and LCM)
  • Fractions and mixed numbers confound me. I'll pay more attention to those. I pretty much need to learn everything; Comparing them, simplifying them, adding and subtracting them, multiplying and dividing them, reciprocals...all that stuff.
  • Right now you might be thinking "day-um, she is a 'tard with a capital "T". What can I say? I preferred to read when I was a kid.
  • You might also be fighting the urge to log in and comment. Perhaps you want to remind me about those new fangled calcumataters that they have. I know they exist, but I want the mental exercise of doing math with pencil and paper. I have to keep my wits sharp for the Zombie invasion.
  • But to continue...I will move on from fractions to decimals (a logical step) and percents (another logical step.
  • After fractions I'll brush up on integers. Adding and subtracting negative numbers never quite clicked with me. Obviously I can do it...I am a consumer, but I want to be a little faster with it.
Pre-Algebra
  • As I flip through the book I realize it is just 6th grade math on steroids. Obviously I can't do the whole book, but I will try to do as much as I can.
I'll save geometry for later.

Originally my second priority was writing well. I think I'm going to dump that from the list for now. A survey of world history will become my second priority.

Here's the plan for that:
I figure I can do this over the Summer. I'll eventually make some goals for literature, but I'll hold off until much, much later. I expect Operation Erudition to take some time.

5.15.2011

Weekend Wrap-up

First I knit.

I feel like a little mojo has returned. I picked up Kiama again and picked up 189 stitches. 9 months later than planned, but it's finally done. I would say that's the negative about this pattern. You've got to seam and pick up stitches long before you are at the "almost done" stages of production. I can handle these tasks when I've already invested so much time that I don't want to quit. It's a little harder to face when you aren't even half-way done.

Then  I updated-
I also updated some of my rav projects. I finally got a picture up for Seaweed (with kitteh feet!)

And I planned -
I've been e-mailing back and forth with Sarah (The Student Knitter) about working out a little swap with each other. She took pity on my when I said I had no one to knit for.

She sent me a link to a great video on wearing shawls. I'm beginning to wonder if my usual disappointment with shawls is in the yarn, not the shawl itself. Note to self: knit shawls only with lace weight yarn.

I spent quite a bit of time on Ravelry...just looking. There are several patterns I want to do:

I am giving myself permission to buy yarn for these...and soon as I find the perfect yarn.



When that was done, I read-

#23
Poor Little Bitch Girl: Enhanced Special EditionPoor Little Bitch Girl: Enhanced Special Edition by Jackie Collins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I decided to read book number 23 because a student of mine was reading this. She said it was because she wanted to improve her vocabulary. I started reading it thinking there was no way Jackie Collins could improve one's vocabulary. (I can be a bit of an intellectual snob.)

I humbly admit I as wrong. Though I didn't take note of all words, there was quite a bit of language that could constitute vocabulary building; "salubrious" is one example.

Of course, it was sandwiched between a lot of four letter words and a generous sprinkling of the F word and soft core porn. Still, it really was great escapist reading. There's a reason Jackie Collins has been around for so long.

#24
Mujeres Asesinas/ Killer Women (Obras Diversas / Diverse Works)Mujeres Asesinas/ Killer Women by Marisa Grinstein

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Women who kill. What more can I say?



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5.14.2011

Lazy Saturday and #22

Let me begin by thanking everyone for commenting. There must have been a temporary glitch or something. Most of you said you were able to leave a comment with no problem.

Haven't done a whole lot the last 24 hours. I finished book #22 for the year.

Dreams Can Come True by Jan Claypool Miner
Do any of you out there remember the old Wildfire Romance Series? Omigosh I loved these when I was young and impressionable. I've kept them all these years. What a great trip down memory lane. :-)

Can I Ask a Quick Favor?

Apparently Disqus isn't working. Maybe it's due to the blogger mess? Do you mind trying to post a quick comment?

k. thx. bai.

Operation Mojo Recovery

I haven't knit in too long. I miss it...but I can't seem to get excited about anything.

Well, I mean, I get excited. I see patterns I like, but despite my mammoth stash I don't have what I need and I don't cast on. Perhaps if I gave myself permission to buy yarn my mojo would come back.

Or maybe it's time for me to spread my knitterly wings and try something different. Maybe top down socks on four needles?

I definitely need to start with a reality check. Sometimes I get a little sad that I don't actually use the things I knit. Being anti-social has its drawbacks. Namely, no one to knit for. For the past week I've been composing a little list in my head (I compose a lot of little lists. Few make it to the blog.)

  • Don't knit shawls. You never use them. Maybe shawlettes that can be worn like scarves. Maybe.
  • Socks are good. You wear socks. 
  • Scarves are good. You wear those, too. Plus sister-in-law collects them.
  • Hats are out. You don't wear those.
  • Baby stuff is fine. There is always a charity to give them too.
  • Dishcloths. Go for it...even if you already have a metric ton (or is it tonne? And which one of you was it that used this term in the comments a while back? See? I do pay attention to comments!)
  • Actually, shrugs and vests aren't such a bad idea. Most of the ones you've made you've worn.
I think analysis of the previous information can help me formulate a Knit Mojo Recovery Plan.

Knit Mojo Recovery Plan- Goals and Implementation

Goals
  • Knit again
  • Enjoy it
  • Use what I knit
Implementation
Other ideas kicking around
  • If you absolutely love something, knit it and give it away on the blog.
  • Really, really go through the wardrobe and minimize. This may not sound knitting related, but it is. My thought is to whittle my clothes down to a few essential, simple pieces which will be the backdrop for all this fabulous knitting I'm going to be doing. (*snort*) I can donate all the stuff I never wear to tornado relief.

5.13.2011

Operation Erudition-First Suggestions

Oh I hope you will keep the suggestions coming! Here's what has been suggested so far:

From Vivianne:


  • Must know-how to kill zombies and survive the end of the world. 
Check. I've pulled The Zombie Survival Guide off my bookshelf. (Get the paperback version. There's no guarantee that Amazon's Whispernet will work when the Zombie apocalypse arrives.)

From Kassandra:
  • Religious Literacy 
  • The Cartoon History of the Universe
I agree. I think I might add the weekly Torah reading to that list, too. I used to be pretty good about reading it and at least one commentary...but I sort of let that slip by the wayside. So I don't get too bogged down I'm also adding The Year of Living Biblically to my reading list. AJ Jacobs is an hilarious author (a? or an?)

Most of you have said to pick stuff that interests me and Gracey said to focus. Both suggestions are sound ones. Too bad everything seems to interest me right now and my brain apparently lacks the "focus" lobe. I have to find some middle ground I guess. Or at least prioritize.

First priority-Math. I've already started on that. I'll be posting about it soon.
Second priority-writing well.

Stay tuned!

We Interrupt This Blog...

Am I crazy? Didn't I post about suggestions folks had made? If I didn't fine, but Blogger didn't restore everything exactly the way they were. I am a little annoyed.

I guess I'll be back later to make some updates. Hope this post is still here.

5.11.2011

Prize Yarn!

A couple weeks back I won a drawing over on Paula's blog and I'm finally getting around to sharing my prize:

Prize yarn!

Isn't it just divine?

I have no idea what to do with it yet. Somehow it will figure into my plans for "Operation Knit Mojo Recovery." Yeah, another scheme I'm working on. Stay tuned!

Operation Erudition-Reasoning

Wow. I'm stumped before I've even begun. And perhaps I'm going about this all wrong--planning before really thinking about the "why" of the whole project.

Vivianne stopped by recently and left this comment:
"What's the raison d'être of Operation Erudition?"

How do I answer?

I don't really know why I'm doing this.

Hubadub has a doctorate. Offspring is going for her Master's and plans to get a PhD. That may or may not bother me. I haven't really decided. (Hubadub says it's ironic that they have higher degrees than I do. He says I'm the smartest in the family...but he's too modest and probably just afraid I will burst into tears at any moment. I've been emotional lately.)

So I guess higher education is not really the reason, since I don't plan to pursue a higher degree. (I do want to take the GRE within the year, however.)

Perhaps part of me feels like I squandered my high school/college years. I was always a curious kid. I loved (and still love) to read. I like figuring things out...I'm a knitter/crocheter aren't I?...but in high school nothing interested me except Spanish and German. Now I'm mumble mumble years old and I can't stop thinking that maybe I should have paid closer attention to things.

And I'm not going to lie. That book scared the crap out of me. I see it every day. Stupidity is praised and reason is is regarded as a waste of time. Maybe it's the end of the school year talking, but I can't believe that 5 students out of a class of  23 were shocked to discover that "a lot"  is ONE flipping word. No, my taking the time to brush up on my knowledge is not going to mean a thing...but for some reason it makes me feel better.

I guess I could wax philosophic about being a role model, but that's a load of horse pucky. Those kids no more see me as someone to emulate as the man on the moon.

I am a role model for my daughter, though. If she ever thinks of acting as insipid and scatterbrained as many of the girls in my class act (and they have to be acting, no one can be that vapid) I will kill her then die of shame. (Note: I live in the Deep South and it can be quite traditional. My daughter was actually asked her freshman year of college if she was just there for the MRS Degree. She's still pissed about that.)

My husband is making fun of Operation Erudition, but when he does I just say "you could have gone for a shallow trophy wife."

He prefers the slightly neurotic female he can talk to without having to explain everything.

5.10.2011

Operation Erudition- Formulating a Plan

I guess I should also have an objective or goal...but when I try to think of one it leads to one more, which leads to one more. Something like this-

Ok, self, you really need to brush up on US History, Math and Literature. (Who needs science, right? lol)
  • US History: Read the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution (Little voice: But what about the Mayflower Compact? Or reading something about the Iroquois League? And hey, what about the treaty of Hidalgo? EEEK, I really can't forget the Gettysburg address...or the I Have a Dream speech.)
  • Math: Better start simple--go back to your 6th grade math class...that's about the time you got lost. (Little voice-but maybe I should skip the basics and go straight to pre-algebra. Algebra and geometry are a must!)
  • Literature: Where do you begin? Obviously you are going to have to categorize-World Lit, American Lit and British Lit. How do you narrow down the choices within each? 
  • Crap. Look, self, you completely forgot about World History and the classical world...the Greeks and their philosophy and mythology and histories. Since we're on the subject, what about India and China? They had flourishing civilizations as well. 
  • And did you notice, self? When you were trying to figure out the name of this project you sort of struggled with the right word. Maybe you should throw in some vocabulary exercises, too.
  • And brush up on German. You had it for two years in high school and then took a couple courses in college. How did you let that get away from you?
  • Hmmm...there is that Latin course at the local university in the fall. Are the classes at night? Check that out...
Hoo boy. My head hurts. 

Maybe I should ask y'all (I want to make the blog more interactive anyway...) what bit of knowledge do you think everyone should know? Is it a book? A particular math operation? What historical facts are a must for citizens of the world? What historical facts are a must specifically for those of us in the US? Please let me know, 'cause I want to hear from you guys. Heck, maybe you think my plan is just folly. Say so! 

Looking forward to hearing from folks.

5.09.2011

Operation Erudition-Initial Thoughts

I'm going to re-learn everything I learned in high school. Or learn the stuff I ignored. Then I'm going to catch up with stuff I should have learned in college, but didn't because the curriculum for Elementary Education majors is really weak (if you are an elementary ed teacher, you know it's true. We learned a lot of theory, with a smattering of  application and surely very little actual CONTENT.) I know it's similar to AJ Jacob's quest, but my goal isn't so grand.

Now, if you've read my blog any amount of time you know that I get wild ideas and either do them half-assed or go in like gangbusters for about 15 minutes and then quit.

Seriously, sometimes I lose interest as soon as I hit "publish post."

So who knows how long "Operation Erudition" will last.

If I plan on following through, I am going to have to sacrifice computer time...at least during the school year. The computer is just one huge time suck for me. It isn't an issue during the summer (which is almost here, thank heaven) but during the school year it really does waste a lot of precious time I could be using for something more constructive. The problem is how to decide when to use the computer. I could just do it in the morning- Hubadub is gone and things are quiet. But when I get on in the morning I lose track of time and before I know it it's 6:45 and I've made myself late. I like to get on in the afternoon because it really is just mind-numbing. Sometimes after school I just need the escape that blogs and ravelry can offer. But Hubadub wants to spend time with me and his feelings get hurt when I just want to be alone in the quiet world of cyberspace. Schools are so loud and students are constantly in your face vying for your attention. Quiet alone time is so important for my sanity.

Another issue is my blog roll. I've got 122 blogs in Google Reader. I repeat: 122. That is too many. I skim most of them and barely glance at some. Sure, many are news feeds and cute animal blogs. I don't need to feel guilty about not commenting there, but I hate that I don't comment on very many blogs. It seems unfair since I like comments so much. Surely I can return the favor?

I wouldn't even now how to begin culling my blog herd. Sometimes I think I should unsubscribe to anyone who hasn't commented on my blog in the last 6 months. But if the tables were turned I would hate to have someone dump me just because I don't comment on every post. Folks are busy. I should be understanding.
So then I think "ok, how about they haven't commented and something about their blog annoys me."  (Perhaps they don't publish a full feed or it is really a pain to comment.) Again I wonder how fair that is. My blog is by no means perfect. I'm sure there are things about my blog that are terribly annoying. So once more I have to consider how I would feel if the tables were turned.

*sigh* Methinks I think too much.

Stay tuned for the second installment of Operation Erudition-The Plan

5.08.2011

#21-Or How I Spent My Saturday

Get Real (Sweet Valley Jr. High, #1)Get Real by Francine Pascal
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After I finished The Devil's Arithmetic I needed something really light so I picked up this. Originally I gave it 3 stars, but I came back and gave it 4. Great escapist reading. I still think that for 8th graders, the characters are all a little too adult...but maybe that is the appeal for that age group.


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5.07.2011

#20

The Devil's Arithmetic (Puffin Modern Classics)The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It feels kind of strange giving 5 stars to a book about the Shoah (Holocaust.) It feels almost as if I am somehow approving of the event. That is not the case. This book is amazing because the author has taken the experiences of several people and mixed them into a very powerful story.

Perhaps it was because the main character was so young and therefore most other characters were young that I found this book so gut-wrenching. Several times as I read, I could feel my chest tightening and my eyes stinging with tears...and I am NOT a cryer (my family even accuses me of being cold-hearted lol.)

Originally I had put this book on my "to read" shelf because I was participating in a book challenge at the Book Vixen's blog, but I finally picked it up when a student mentioned they had to read it in the 8th grade. As I read I would often mention to the student how sad the book was. The student had to be reminded what happened. I sort of wonder if the the Yiddish and references to Jewish rituals make the read a bit more difficult for someone without those reference points. For me it just really brought the story to life and made some scenes all the more painful.


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5.06.2011

Friday Fill-In 5/6/11

1. Supernatural is my favorite TV show (or movie) because the writing is superb.

2. Go to page 45 of the book you're reading or of the book closest to you; go to the 6th paragraph and make a sentence out of 7 words from it: Shmuel shooed the chickens inside the barn. (It was a young adult book...it didn't have 6 paragraphs on the page...and they were pretty simplistic.)

3. I am the queen of the house ;-).

4. I like long walks. 

5. Take some time to just relax.

6. Everyone needs a bit of alone time.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Starbuck's and Triunfo del Amor, tomorrow my plans include reading and Sunday, I want to relax!


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I am still formulating a plan to brush up on everything I don't know...and to get my mojo back. Hopefully I can commit that to paper and get a post up this week-end. Stay tuned!

5.03.2011

Crafting Poetry-May Entries

I'm still working on April, but here's where to put your May entries! :-)

5.01.2011

#19

A First Dictionary of Cultural Literacy: What Our Children Need to KnowA First Dictionary of Cultural Literacy: What Our Children Need to Know by E.D. Hirsch Jr.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This was loaned to me (without my asking for it) so I felt compelled to read it quickly. Perhaps that took some of the joy from the experience. This book is an excellent overview of all the things a person should know...or knew at one point, but put out of their minds. Since it *is* an overview, some of the entries are a bit oversimplified. After reading this, I have an overwhelming urge to learn everything. I consider myself educated, but the more I learn the more I realize I don't know.

In the next few days I'm going to formulate a plan to catch up on all the things I don't know and all the things I learned in the past and just didn't pay close attention to. Step one: give up computer time. Not completely, mind you (never that!), but at least one or two days a week away from the new boob tube.


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