This is my current reading/to be read pile. I’m nearly done with Blood Price by Tanya Huff, and I’m really enjoying it. I just bought Looking for Alaska yesterday, and that’ll probably be my next read. The two wedding books are here and there reading, as is You Can Do It! (which was a totally awesome gift from Jen!)
Maybe this week I’ll actually venture out of my apartment for photos. 😉
Dude, I totally forgot. Here’s my profile. And so I start now…
Rand and I received this Debbie Ohi original mini-painting a few days ago. Awwwww. 😉
Ah, now that I have your attention…
I’m wondering if anyone in the local blogosphere has picked up on this. It’s getting a lot of attention on the book/YA lit blogs I read. I first caught it on Meg Cabot’s journal, and I just saw it on Cecil Castellucci’s LJ.
The story is that some teachers at Depew High School wanted to teach John Green’s book Looking for Alaska. (I haven’t read the book, but it’s now at the top of my to-read list) Because the book does deal with some potentially touchy issues (SEX! he talks about SEX!) they jumped through all the proper hoops…sent permission slips home, offered students the opportunity to read another book if their parents did not sign the slip.
Apparently, that wasn’t enough. Parents of kids who aren’t even in the class are trying to get the book pulled. Because it’s apparently “pornographic.” It’s filthy and evil. *eyeroll*
The author addresses the situation here, as well as on this video on YouTube:
Meg Cabot offered the following information:
There are many supporters of this book among teachers, administrators, librarians, and the school board in Depew (as well as authors, such as…me! Well, I don’t live in Depew…but you get what I mean). To help them, John is asking people to email letters of support for the book at sparksflyup@gmail.com.
So, if you’re a fan of the book, please send a thoughtful, non-hysterical email to let them know there are many, many people who loved the book.
Also, if you live near Depew, the book will be discussed at the Depew Board of Education meeting on February 5th at the Depew High School Auditorium at 7 PM.
I haven’t met this kind of situation firsthand, of course, but as a teacher (and as a book lover in general), it hits very close to home. It frustrates me that people are so reactionary and close-minded
It’s been a while since I’ve posted a Friday photo. I like this one that I took last week of my African violet. It’s been doing quite well…it doesn’t bloom all that frequently, but when it blooms, boy, does it bloom!
I wish I would have cleared all of the junk out of the background, but otherwise, I really like this photo…something about the color, the light and the shadow, is appealing to me.
I’ve been fairly quiet this week, but I do have lots of things to say. Just nothing of vital importance. 😉
Why, yes.
I decided to start a wedding blog of my very own. Um, yesterday. Sometimes I feel self-conscious about the prospect of overwhelming people with wedding planning posts, and there are literally hundreds of random little things I want to write about…and so I thought I’d give them their own space. That way, anyone who wants to can follow me over there, and anyone who doesn’t can continue to enjoy my random (sometimes ;)) daily thoughts here.
Anyway, here it is:
Erin’s Wedding Blog (uh, it needs a catchier name, I think…)
Right now, everything there except for the most recent post is old stuff…I just copied most of my wedding-related posts from here. OH! and I made my own header. It’s not perfect, but it’s my first attempt. 😉
All is well.
Now, how long until the novocain wears off??
Keeping in mind that it is only 11 am my time.
Didn’t work today. Could have worked today, but turned down sub job because I had a dentist appointment at 10 am.
Got up early to start dinner (slow cooker beef barley soup). Ran out to the store to get a couple of items I forgot when I was shopping yesterday. Got everything going, then headed out to my appointment.
Arrived at the dentist’s office at 9:45. Discovered that I don’t have a dentist appointment today. I have one tomorrow.
Call substitute teacher calling person to let her know that I *can’t* in fact work the half day she gave me for tomorrow, because, um, I have an appointment that I thought was today. Feel sort of stupid.
Head to JoAnn’s to pick up some crafting supplies. Stop at random jewelry store to look at wedding bands.
Head home. See piece of chewy ginger candy in purse. Eat ginger candy.
Feel something crunch in my mouth that shouldn’t be there. Panic. Pull over to side of road to spit out candy. Look in mirror.
Discover that ancient silver filling has fallen out. Panic again. Call dentist’s office. Receptionist assures me that I should be fine until tomorrow, so long as I’m not in pain.
Sigh.
On the bright side, it’s a good thing that a) I went to the dentist recently, b) I have to go back to the dentist to have two small cavities filled, c) this happened before and not after my appointment, and d) I still have dental insurance for a few more days.
Still, pretty crazy.
Bullet-point version
MY weekend extended into today. Nothing much to talk about there. 😉
Maybe at some point, I will write down some of my thoughts about this…but not today.
Tomorrow is my last day of full-time teaching in the job I started at the beginning of the year. It’s a very, very strange feeling. I only see three of my five classes tomorrow, and I’m letting them all have “parties” for me during the last part of class. (Party will probably mean cupcakes/brownies/cookies and some sort of game…)
I have *a lot* to do…the marking period ends tomorrow, so I want to try and have grades done (including comments for report cards) for Monday. I still have a small pile of research paper rough drafts to grade, too. Fortunately, I have two planning periods and a study hall tomorrow. I’ve been chipping away at getting my stuff out of the classroom for the past week. I still have a small box of things that will have to go home with me tomorrow.
It’s going to be very strange on Monday when I don’t go to work (or if I do go to work, it’ll be going to sub for someone else…).
I’m guessing it’ll be equally strange for the teacher who’s coming back. That would be incredibly difficult, and I suppose I’d rather be in my position than in hers. (Except for the fact that if I was in her position, I’d have health care and be on a tenure track…ah, one day…)
At any rate…tomorrow will be a weird (and probably a little sad) day for me.