Last summer I just barely managed 15 books for the summer, so this year I'm aiming for 16. Already have 2 down! I started easy with 2 YA titles I bought at the summer reading book fair for my classroom.
1. The Red Umbrella: I picked this up because it is about the Cuban Revolution, a topic about which I know very little. It was a good story, but definitely not a YA that can cross over to adults---very little depth. Few details about the background of the revolution or the major story events. Amazon recommends it for grades 6-9, but I think that's a stretch. My advanced 6th readers would find it very easy.
2. One Crazy Summer: This tells the story of 3 girls who visit Oakland in the summer of 1968, a year about which I've read a lot, so I thought it'd be neat to read about it from a child's perspective. And it was. Amazon lists this 4-7, which seems pretty accurate, but advanced for the younger end. I think a little more background into the Black Panthers and the background of the family ad their mentalities would have helped--this assumes you have knowledge of race relations at the time--but overall a good read.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Happy of...the past 20 days?
So, that daily posting thing didn't go so well, but I'm still looking out for happys. And hey, it's summer, so every day should be happy, especially those featuring dunking in the ocean and running on the beach (followed by a dunk in the ocean). I don't think I realized until this year that just touching the water makes me smile.
Also smile-worthy: less than a week into my (super early) half marathon training, and I'm already up to 42 non-panting minutes! I'm doing the Cherry Blossom training program that worked super well for me last time because it has a lot of variety and builds up in walk x run y increments. Woot!
Also smile-worthy: less than a week into my (super early) half marathon training, and I'm already up to 42 non-panting minutes! I'm doing the Cherry Blossom training program that worked super well for me last time because it has a lot of variety and builds up in walk x run y increments. Woot!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Sunday, June 3, 2012
New strategy
So, I've been pretty miserable for most of this year. I tend to be a complainer and not the most optimistic, but this year it's been worse than usual. I just can't see the silver lining of things. And it seems ridiculous to type that because I have such a blessed life. (IE: I'm 2 weeks away from spending 2 FREAKING MONTHS with nothing to do but go to the beach and maybe eat some ice cream.) But for one reason or another I haven't been able to look beyond each day's issues to the bigger picture, or conversely haven't been able to take each day at a time and enjoy it without worrying about what comes 3 months from now.
So.
I'm trying a new strategy in which each day I write about something that made me happy. I know I'm not the first person to think of this, but I thought it would be good for me nonetheless--because amidst all my complaining, I tend to get ridiculously excited about silly things. So I need to remember that. So. Backtracking a little.
June 1:
A few months ago a boy in my class (aka his mom) made the most amazing muffins ever and brought them for me at school. I asked for the recipe and raved about them. When my birthday rolled around, he said he was going to bring them and didn't. No big deal. A week later, he asks if I can stay after school because he wants to go home and make the muffins and bring them to me. I tell him not to worry about it. Time passes. At the end of the day, he comes by with a bag full of these delicious muffins saying he called his mom to bring them so I could have them for the weekend.
June 2:
Took Buster to a small hiking trail, and 10 minutes in realized I could be in an episode of SVU....as I was texting my brother to tell him where I was in case I went missing, someone yelled "HUMAN!" and jumped out of the trees behind me scaring me to death. Not my happiest moment, but a reminder I'm not alone! And shortly after Buster and I completed our first rock scramble.
June 3:
Decided to stop at the flea market after the pool. Kids from a local school were giving away what hadn't sold from their bake sale. I said I'd take a free brownie if they'd take a $1, but then I saw they had banana bread and asked for that instead. And the little girl said "you can have the banana bread if you keep your $1." Precious. But fortunately her friend wasn't so generous and took the $1! And the banana bread was delicious.
So.
I'm trying a new strategy in which each day I write about something that made me happy. I know I'm not the first person to think of this, but I thought it would be good for me nonetheless--because amidst all my complaining, I tend to get ridiculously excited about silly things. So I need to remember that. So. Backtracking a little.
June 1:
A few months ago a boy in my class (aka his mom) made the most amazing muffins ever and brought them for me at school. I asked for the recipe and raved about them. When my birthday rolled around, he said he was going to bring them and didn't. No big deal. A week later, he asks if I can stay after school because he wants to go home and make the muffins and bring them to me. I tell him not to worry about it. Time passes. At the end of the day, he comes by with a bag full of these delicious muffins saying he called his mom to bring them so I could have them for the weekend.
June 2:
Took Buster to a small hiking trail, and 10 minutes in realized I could be in an episode of SVU....as I was texting my brother to tell him where I was in case I went missing, someone yelled "HUMAN!" and jumped out of the trees behind me scaring me to death. Not my happiest moment, but a reminder I'm not alone! And shortly after Buster and I completed our first rock scramble.
June 3:
Decided to stop at the flea market after the pool. Kids from a local school were giving away what hadn't sold from their bake sale. I said I'd take a free brownie if they'd take a $1, but then I saw they had banana bread and asked for that instead. And the little girl said "you can have the banana bread if you keep your $1." Precious. But fortunately her friend wasn't so generous and took the $1! And the banana bread was delicious.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)