Unshelved

This is a comic strip I found. Check out the Pimp My Book Cart contest. AMAZING.

http://www.unshelved.com

Tax Day

Today I mentioned to my students that it was "Tax Day." They thought I was saying "TAKS Day" and freaked out. Homophones will do that to you.

Book Cart Drill Team

Who said librarians weren't cool?  This is amazing and a new goal of mine. I will be book cart drill team champion some day.  Mark my words. 

Poking my head out...

So...I know it's been a while but between grad school and trying to catch up on Bones I've had no spare time to write. And although I love Bones I doubt you want a play by play. Nor do you want me to recap articles on digital libraries.  So...yes I"m still here.

So, in the words of Bones:

"Dancing Phalanges!"

Bones

I have a new show! Well, it's not really a new show but it's new to me. Thank you Kelly for introducing me to Bones.  Firstly, it stars David Boreanez (so hot!) from Angel and Buffy and Emily Deschnael (sister of Zooey Deschanel from Elf).  It has an X-File-ly feel because of the FBI twist but not as uber serious as Mulder and Scully.  Angela is a nice character foil of Temperance "Bones" Brennan.  The only drawback is it's quite graphic with the decomposing bodies but the story arc about her parents is quite interesting. That aspect reminds me of Alias. I'm working my way through season two now.  OK, back to the show.  

Black Box

I'm not going to read this until after my midterm Thursday.

I"m only going to read one chapter.

I'm only going to read until 10:00.

Oh, hell I'll finish the book.

This is the thought process that went through my head this afternoon after I picked up Black Box from the library.  I usually don't visit the library that often, even though I want to be a librarian.  I'm a very bad library patron. The thing is I forget to turn in books and end up racking up big fines. We'll see how this one goes.  

So I read this book in one sitting. The thing is, I didn't like it very much.  I couldn't put it down though. I wanted to see what happened. This is about a girl whose sister is suffering from depression and how she deals with it.  It was unique in that most books about depression are from the point of view of the person struggling with it.  The character was rather flat and it was rather anti-climatic. I wouldn't really recommend it, but I'm glad I read it....if that makes sense.  Alright....to bed I said. 

Top Gun in 3 Minutes

At the Summit retreat this weekend we recreated 80s music videos. Our class took first place. Enjoy!

Dollhouse

"Everything you want. Everything you need. She will be. Honestly, and completely." Adelle



I'm in love with Dollhouse. (See clip below.) I am quite impressed especially since there have only been three episodes so far. It has the FBI aspect from the X-Files, the new cover each week like ALIAS, and the amazing genius of Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog). I've been waiting for my new TV obsession to come and I think I have found it in Dollhouse. Synopsis: Dollhouse is a place that takes girls and wipes their memories and personalities, imprints them with a new personality and sends them on missions. Dr. Saunders is my favorite character so far (played by the lovely Amy Acker). I have some theories as to what has happened to her. Bottom line: Check out Dollhouse. If you're not around on Friday nights watch it on fox.com.

Follow the link for a recap of the pilot.
http://www.fox.com/fod/play.php?sh=dollhouse&ep=1234652620937

Washington Post Neologisms

This is from an e-mail I received. I thought I would share.

Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternative meanings for common words. The winners are:

1. Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.

3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent.

6. Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightgown.

7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle (n.), olive-flavoured mouthwash.

9. Flatulence (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13. Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist.

14. Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism (n.), (back by popular demand): The belief that, when you die, your Soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

The Washington Post's Style Invitational also asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are this year's winners:

1. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

2. Foreploy (v): Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

3. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period.

4. Giraffiti (n): Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

5. Sarchasm (n): The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

6. Inoculatte (v): To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

7. Hipatitis (n): Terminal coolness.

8. Osteopornosis (n): A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

9. Karmageddon (n): its like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

10. Decafalon (n.): The gruelling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

11. Glibido (v): All talk and no action.

12. Dopeler effect (n): The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

13. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

14. Caterpallor (n.): The colour you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.

Incantation

I have a rule when I'm reading a book. If I'm not into a book after 50 pages I put it down. There's no point in reading a book you don't like. That being said, I was excited to pick up this book. I've heard great things about Alice Hoffman and it's about the persecution of Jews during 16th century Spain. Sounds great. It's just so slow! Usually, if a kid isn't sold on a book by the second chapter there's no hope of redemption. I gave this about six chapters and 56 pages and it was way too many. That sounds harsh, but I'm not going to waste my time with a boring book. Sorry Alice. Not my favorite.

Identical

This is a very difficult book to read, but very good as well. It deals with the heavy subject of sexual abuse and its effects on teens. The format of this book although typical of Ellen Hopkins, is not what you normally see. It is written in free verse poetry. The two main characters, Kaleigh and Raeanne are identical twins and much of the poetry is for two voices. This is a book that stays with you. I could not put it down (I stayed up until 11:30 reading it when I normally go to bed around 10) and I cannot stop thinking about what happened to the girls. Definitely an R rated book. Between the two of them they deal with drugs, sex, cutting, bulimia and anorexia on top of the sexual abuse. It's not a book for all people but if you can get through it, worth the while.

The Willoughbys

"I have learned over the course of many years that it is a bad idea, usually, to investigate piteous weeping but always a fine thing to look into a giggle." The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry 

Lois Lowry is by far my favorite children's author and what makes her special is her versatility. You have the Giver trilogy which is dark and insightful, you have Gossamer which is sweet, Number the Stars which is a great historical fiction and now The Willoughbys which is a hilarious, witty parody on "old fashioned" stories. I usually don't laugh out loud while I read. Usually it's more of an internal chuckle, but not with this book. I was LOLing all over the place. The vocabulary is exquisite. She adds GRE level words (with a glossary at the back) to add to the parody. She also incorporates lots of "old fashioned" stories (and includes a bibliography in the back too.) A very quick read but well worth it.

If I'm not here tomorrow.....

Cross my Heart and Hope to Spy

This is one of the cutest books for adolescent girls.  (Or grown ups if you're like me.)  It is the sequel to I'd Tell You I Loved You but then I'd Have to Kill You, both by Ally Carter. The third in the series, Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover comes out in June.   It's about Cammie Morgan who goes to the Gallagher Academy, a spy school for girls. In this one there is the added pressure of the Blackthorne Academy (the spy school for boys) joining the girls for training and ops.  My students are in love with these books. I can't keep them on my shelves.  (Which isn't an issue anymore as I closed my classroom library. One student thought it would be a good idea to make a hollow book out of one of them and took a box cutter in it. I don't know what's worse, the fact that they would do that to a book they didn't own, the fact that they probably had a box cutter at school, or the fact that they were probably carrying something shady in the book!) One of my favorite parts is that they every day in the cafeteria they are told the language they have to speak. One day it's German the next French and then Japanese. If I had to choose I'd much rather go to Hogwarts, but still, I love these books.  

The Graveyard Book

So, I'm a little behind the times here. I was reading Neil Gaiman's Blog and realized that The Graveyard Book won this year's Newberry.  I was already wanting to read it, because come on, it's Neil Gaiman, but now I'm doubly excited to read it.  Making a trip to Barnes and Noble after school. I'm telling myself I can't read it until I get through my chapter on bibliographies.  The chapter on dictionaries I didn't mind.  Encyclopedias, OK. Bibliographies? It doesn't get drier than that.  It's also 3:41 and I can't sleep.  

It's Coraline. Not Caroline.

Yea Neil Gaiman. One of my favorite books is now a movie and quite a good movie at that. I went to see it Saturday with my friend Brittany. She had never read the book but also enjoyed it. It was one of the best movie adaptations I've seen. Although there's an extra character it does not take away from the story. (In the book we are privy to Coraline's thoughts. Hard to do lots of that in a movie, so the Whybie character adds that element to the story.) The Other Mother is portrayed exactly as I pictured in the book. The imagry is fabulous. If you are in the mood for a dark, clever book/movie Coraline is the way to go.

Coraline Trailer

The Maelstrom

That's what my 5000 professor called my 5600 class. And boy was he right.  It's more work than I ever imagined, but I'm loving it.  I signed up for 5 hours only knowing what undergrad was like, thinking that it wouldn't be that much.  When I walked in and received a one inch notebook (the syllabus) I was rudely awoken.  The material is so interesting and I'm loving it, it's just about the amount of work of 3 undergrad classes.  So, I should really get back to reading now. 

Love to all,

Mere 

Ode to the Stupid Question

Oh, thy stupid question

how I loathe thee

Some deny your existence

but me, I always see

Whether conference,

or class,

or meeting

thy are always present. 

How do I check my e-mail?

What day is New Year's Eve?

I present to thou my own stupid question,

When will you think before you speak?

Variety is the Spice of Life

Tonight is the 4th Annual Summit Variety Show. (Summit is the singles ministry at church.)  My friends and I are singing a little number in it.  We're singing The Irish Blessing, which I love.  We used to sing it in choir in high school so it has a special place in my heart.  Sigh. 

We're starting Night by Elie Wiesel in class on Tuesday. (Monday is a holiday. Whoop!)  I think the kids are going to get into the book. They find the holocaust really interesting. I'm hoping it will capture them and get them engaged.  

I got my textbook in the mail the other day. So excited. I'm taking Introduction to Reference and Retrieval this semester.  Class doesn't start until the 24th (yes, it's a Saturday) but I've already started reading it. So good. I can't wait to start class. (Yes, this does classify me as a nerd and a true bibliophile.)

That is all for now dear friends.  

Sincerely yours,

Mere

Bee Season

Spelling Bee that is.  

I'm co-chair of our school's spelling be that is coming up in a few weeks.  I've been working with kids to prepare and coming up with the "master list" of words to ask.  Words that I don't think are hard are really difficult for some kids.  I have to remember that these kids are only 12-14 yrs old and haven't had as much schooling as me.  Always a good thing to remember.

Weight Watchers Update:

I've lost 4 pounds and found an absolutely terrible recipe.  Don't ever make the 5 cheese and spinach quiche of the WW website. I love quiche and spinach and cheese, but this was terrible. Fat free cheese is never good.  Even in a recipe like this.  

The Perfect Winter Evening

Vegetable soup and a good book.  

Reasons why this combination is good. 

1) cold outside-warm soup inside

2) 3 WW Points = : ) 

3) Good books always make me : ) 

The book I'm reading, (Wilderness Skills for Women) is uber fabulous.  The author, Marian, was my bible teacher in HS.  I'm quite proud to say that she was my teacher b/c she's quite the speaker/author now.  I love her first book Sex and the City Uncovered but this one is more applicable to me.  It talks about different stages of "wilderness" you can go through, such as the wilderness of rejection or the wilderness of despair.  Definitely been through both of those, so it really hits home.  After you get through going over the different wilderness seasons it discusses how to survive them.  What skills are essential to get through those tough times.  I'm normally not a big self help book person with two exceptions- Marian and Beth Moore.  Always wonderful.

Take care, stay warm.

Mere

Technologically Savvy

I figured out how to create a link on my lists, so now when you click on the book I'm currently reading it will take you to the Amazon page where you can buy it or learn more about it. How cool is that?

Two events I'm looking forward to this weekend. Kristen's in town and we're going to the aquarium today.  It's been about six months since I saw her at Sarah's wedding and that was brief because she was busy with bridesmaid duties.  Tomorrow is Chris and Jenna's wedding.  I love it when you know both the bride and the groom.  It makes it that much more special. 

I've taken a time out on the quilt for now.  I want to read some of my new books and have been sewing non stop for the last two weeks.  It'll get finished but not right now.  

Love to all,

Gig 'em and God Bless