Tiring Week

This year I was a part of the Teaching American History grant. All year I participated in lectures about the Civil War and Reconstruction. At the end of the year, we took a trip to tour Civil War sites and some other history sites because if you are there, why not go?

This is the map of our travels. 8 days, 7 nights starting in Baltimore and ending in Baltimore. We went to three states and D.C. I learned a lot and it was fun, just really really long. And I missed Chris loads.

I'll hit my favorite sites later.

Wednesday. And #300

I am making a come back to Blogging this week.

1. I had a reader specifically ask me where this weekly list was. So I guess I can't stop doing it. (That reader's name is Sammie and she is my sister.)

2. I have 1 1/2 weeks left of summer. And then it is Summer School. And then it is August and so starts in-service. I am not quite ready to go back yet; we'll see if I am ready then.

3. I wish there was good TV on during the summer because I actually have time to watch it.

4. And for a month of non-blogging, I have surprisingly little to say. I will be back with some other stuff.

My Guy

Today is Chris's 25th birthday. Welcome to old age! 

I've already done my 100 reasons why I love Chris. And they all still stand. 

Anyone who knows Chris knows that he is unique. He laughs a lot, makes funny faces at the camera and sings loudly in the shower. He is a grammarian, a great big brother, and a fantastic driver. He likes Dr. Pepper, Sour Patch Straws and Outback SteakHouse. He doesn't like waking up, the unknown, or crazy Republicans.

He is my eternal companion, my best friend, my biggest fan, and my favorite person. 

I have known him for 10+ years and he just keeps getting better. 

I am not great with words like he is. But I love him a lot. 

Happy Birthday Chris! I love you!

Get Your Tuesdays!

1. 6 days left of school. And two of them are half-days. I think I can! I think I can!

2. I made my students write a bit this week, since I am going to be a writing teacher next year. It worked out okay. It wasn't anything with much depth, but it is a start.

3. I went to the Houston Zoo on Friday. I didn't get to do it my way. (My way would not be 6 adults and 35 kids in one big group) But it was fun. It was mostly exciting to know that sometimes my students pay attention. The day before we watched some videos and explored the Houston Zoo website and learned some of the animals names. The students were super excited to see them at the Zoo. The were really looking for them.  Also, they were so amazed by the skyscrapers in Houston. They just kept snapping pictures back and forth.

4. I already gave Chris some of his birthday presents. I was too excited to keep them. I was just going to give him one, but then I just couldn't stop. Good thing his other stuff hasn't gotten here yet, so I can be trusted to not give it away.

Beggars in Spain

My new finished book. This as the most science-fiction book I have ever read. And completely not what I expected.

Sometime in the near future, genetic doctors have found a way to create babies that don't need sleep. They are called "sleepless." Everyone else is called "sleepers."

What do all these sleepless do in their spare time? Become freaking smart and become better than everyone else. As they grow up, some of the sleepers start to resent the sleepless. That is the basic sumise.

However, the book has a more philosophical twist. The title comes from a scenario that the sleepless use to describe their actions. If one beggar asks you for a dollar and you are able to give it to them, you probably will. Maybe even 2 or 3 beggars. But what if 100 beggars ask you for a dollar. Do you give it to them? The sleepless felt like the sleepers were beggars draining them of their resources without holding up any end of a contract.

Of course, not every sleepless felt that way. Which is what the basic plot line is. One person contradicts what her community believes and the book follows her story.

I really liked the beginning and the ending. The middle dragged on a bit. But there are 2 other books in the series which are automatically added to my to-read list.

This book has some language. Not a lot, but it is still there. Other than that, there were no other concerns.

Next Year

I got my assignment for next year this week.

As of right now, I will be teaching 5th grade science and writing. And I am super excited about it. (I am extremely sad that I will be loosing social studies however.) I get to work with two teachers that I really like on my team and probably don't have to change classrooms.

I already taught science this year and have tons of ideas of how I could do it better. And I have always wanted to teach writing because then I could make kids write in journals everyday! Now I've got to make them do it.

My school district is experiencing some budget cuts. However, they have not had to lay off any teachers. They have been able to solve most of the problems with grants, teachers retiring and pay freezes.

What that means is that if you were certified to teach something and there was a need in that area, you could be moved to fill that need.

Luckily, that wasn't the case with me.

Crack

The library is my new crack. I have to visit it several times a week. I went on Monday and I went today. And I am sure I will go again.

And guess what? It's free. (Except for the few fines that I might get.)

My crack used to be Hobby Lobby. And before that the grocery store with coupons. Now it is the library. Can you tell from my growing list of books read on the side?

I just have to go and can't really stop myself from getting there. The last two weeks I had after school tutoring and I didn't get home until after it was closed. It was pretty horrible.

And from The Office:

Pam: Their breadsticks are like crack.
Ryan: I love when people say 'like crack' who have obviously never done crack.
Pam: Well, breadsticks are like what, then, Ryan? What can I use?
Ryan: I don't know, something from your world. "The breadsticks are like scrapbooking.
Pam: You're right. No, I'm a middle class fraud.

The Day Before Wednesday

1. My blog is becoming lists and book reviews. I like doing the book reviews, and these lists are a neat little way to tell everyone who reads my thoughts. There will be more book reviews coming.

2. I have noticed that I have hated the ending of the last couple of books I have read. There seems to be a trend in YA literature (trend=the books I read) that says the love interest in the story has to die. Can't anyone live happily ever after anymore?

3. I got my itinerary for my east coast trip this week. I get to go to Harper's Ferry, Monticello, Washington D.C. (a whole free day there), Antietam, the Confederate White House, Williamsburg, and 4 other days of stuff.

4. I put mentos into soda the first time last week. We were doing it as an experiment in science on Friday and I wanted to test it out first. It was kind of a shock how much that soda shot up. My students loved it. One girl was so doubtful and said "I don't think it is going to do anything. I think it is just going to shoot up a little bit and then fall back down." She had already set herself up for disappointment. She was way excited when I drew her name to help me with it though.

5. There are 11 days left of school. But if you take out a field trip, splash party, field day, and the last two half days of schools, that number seems much more manageable.

Delirium

Another book done. And another dystopian society one.

In this society they have found the cure for love. When everyone turns 18 they have the procedure to rid them of the "disease." There is no love for children, friends, or spouses. And because there is no love, there is no pain caused by people. Hence why love is thought of as a disease.

The book follows Lena who is about to have the procedure to rid herself of the disease. But, gasp, something happens that makes her questions exactly everything she has ever thought. She had been looking forward to the procedure so she could lose the pain of losing her mother, but then she meets a boy. And she realizes that she would rather die loving someone that live loving no one.

I liked the story. I did feel like that writing was too fluffy. I skipped whole pages because the author spent a lot of times describing feelings and surroundings of the characters. I couldn't care less about that stuff. I just want the story!

The book has some language, so it is not RS book club approved. But it would be rated PG-13.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

Not a very pretty name, eh? It almost turned me off with visions of teeth and bones sticking out of a forest floor. But, I felt like I needed to continue by Zombie run.

The main character is Mary and she lives in a village that is enclosed by a fence to protect it from the "unconsecrated" zombies that live in the forest. The village is protected by the Guardians and controlled by they Sisterhood. Early in the story, Mary's mother is bitten and becomes a zombie. Mary spends a brief time with the Sisterhood, even taking some of the vows, but then a childhood friend speaks for her and she is not engaged to be married. The story takes off from there.

While living with the Sisterhood, Mary finds that they are not as pure and honest as they town thinks they are. Mary soon learns that there is an inner circle who knows all the secrets of the town. They lead the town to believe that they are the only survivors of the Zombie apocalypse. But one night Mary sees tracks coming from outside the gates, a place no one goes. Then she does some digging and ends up with more questions than answers.

That is the premise that got me. A dystopian society with a group that was lying to everyone with a main character close to discovering those secrets.

***If you want to read this book, don't continue. I will ruin it for you.***








However, the book was disappointing. Mary doesn't find any answers to her questions! And she is a bit annoying always changing her mind. Whenever she gets what she wants, she always thinks there is something better. It is only when she can't have something that she regrets her decisions. Oh, the life of a teenager.

What bothered me the most is that I have no idea what this Sisterhood was up to. Obviously they were lying about them being the only ones alive, but that is all I know.

This book is one reason why I am giving up on Young Adult Literature for a while. But, it is a recommendation for Relief Society book club. As in, there isn't anything bad about it. It does describe what some of the Zombies look like, but not in too much detail.