Thursday, March 7, 2013

Jane Austen

This month's Classics Club question is about Jane Austen.  They ask why you hate or love Jane Austen and what your favorite or least favorite novel.  Another fellow Classics Clubber Roofbeam Reader talked about how Mark Twain really didn't like Austen.  He shared a quote in which Twain said, "Whenever I take up Pride and Prejudice, I want to dig her up and beat her over the skull with her own shin bone."  My question with this quote, is that if he knew that he didn't like the book the first time, why did he keep reading it over and over again?

Personally, I do read Jane Austen over and over again--and I LOVE it.  Sometimes when I have had a long day,  I turn my MP3 player on set it to turn off in about 20 minutes and then I listen to a book that I know really well on tape.  I can just focus on the words and ignore what is going on in my brain from the day.  Sometimes the book of choice is Pride and Prejudice.  So I don't want to beat her with her shin bone over that book.

The cool thing about this question is that I am have set a goal to read all of the main Austen novels because I bought this complete set a while ago and I haven't ever really read them all.  I have read Sense and Sensibility this year, and technically finished listening to Pride and Prejudice this year--but I'm not counting that.  My favorite of hers is actually Emma--I think because she reminds me the most of myself.  Persuasion might be my least favorite...but it has been awhile, and I had to read it in college so I read it REALLY fast.  So maybe by the end of this year I will have a clear "ranking".     

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Liebster Award

I have been nominated for the Liebster Award by Christine Haggerty.  Thanks for the nomination and your sweet comment!! I miss teaching with you!! Hopefully I can answer all the questions...but mostly come up with ones for people to answer...

The Liebster Award is intended to recognize up-and-coming blogs, particularly those with fewer than 200 followers. Here are the Liebster Blog Award Rules:

1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
2. Answer the questions that the tagger has set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you’ve tagged to answer.
3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post.
4. Go to their page and tell them.
5. No tag backs!

So here comes 11 things about me...

1. I am the oldest of five...three sisters and a brother.
2. I married my husband Brian four and a half years ago.
3. I have so far split my life in thirds.  I was born in the Washington D.C. and moved when I was nine to St. Louis where I lived until I was 18 and then I moved to Utah for school and then stayed.  So if I stay here for another two years I will be exactly thirds. Hmm...does that mean I should move in two years?
4. The funny thing about all of that moving is that I have gone from a big city, a bit smaller city, to a smaller city, to a rural town....so maybe if I move it will be to even smaller?
5. I have always dreamed about being an author...though I haven't ever gotten very far.  I wrote "books" when I was younger but since I got older I got out of the game. Maybe one day I'll get back to it.
6.  I have always wanted to be a teacher since I was like five.
7. I am a bit of a home-body, but I like being social--so I'm weird like that. I will usually go hang out if asked and someone else sets up but I am bad about just "going out" on my own.
8. I love to knit...it helps me to unwind....ha ha pun not intended realized it after I wrote it :)
9. The thing that makes my Wal-mart trips super expensive is the $5 movies that I buy.  I own A LOT of movies because of it.
10. I love chocolate...but if there are treats around the house I might not eat them because I forget they are there---don't ask me why I can't explain it.
11. I love organization and cleanliness but sometimes I really just can't get motivated to do it...so my house is usually a disaster!

So here's the questions Christine asked....

1. What was your favorite cartoon as a kid?

I did not actually watch traditional cartoons as a kid.  My mom was a firm believer in PBS so I didn't watch the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle/Power Ranger type things.  I really liked Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego as a little kid even though I think it went way over my head.

2. If you could choose a genetic mutation, what would it be?

I would love to be able to teleport.  It would be nice to just go to and from places without having to travel for a long time.

3. When you were a kid, what name was it you wished your parents had given you instead of the name they actually gave you?

Hmm...I didn't really want a different name so much as to not do the Kimberly/Kim thing because my mom hated it when people shortened it and she would bug me about it--as I got older I started to really care and I'm grateful for it.

4. What's your favorite word in conversation?

Behoove!! I love using it with my students too because they go "OOH what's that mean!"

5. Mountains or ocean?

Mountains

6. What is the one decoration in your house that you absolutely hate but can't get rid of because of some sentimental obligation?

Um...my house is not completely decorated so what I have decorated with probably isn't sentimental.  But there are a few things of Brian's that I really don't like...but they are sentimental to him.  Like this really weird green face ceramic piggy bank he made...I can't even describe it--its just weird.

7. Would you rather have a job naming paint colors, or naming cars?

Honestly I would probably hate both because I don't think I'm that creative and I probably wouldn't care enough....but I think it might be better with paint.  I would do a lot of alliterations.

8. Big screen or live theater?

I love both!! Don't make me pick!

9. What is it you'd love to do for a date that you don't think anybody you ever took out would want to do?

Go to a bookstore (specifically Barnes and Noble), wander around, pick a random book to read, get a Strawberries and Cream frappuccino, and sit in the cafe and read.  I've done the drink and wander with Brian but I don't think he could really pick a book to just read randomly in a store.

10. What is the worst thing you've ever done as part of your job?

Hmm...I've done a lot of not so fun stuff for my job.  I don't like having to tell my boss that he is doing something wrong...I also don't like my schedule (like when I arrive and leave) change a lot.

11. Who was your most influential teacher? What would you say to them now if you could?

Mr. Chambers--my 9th grade U.S. History teacher.  He didn't do anything showy and actually he probably wouldn't still be a teacher today because all he did was lecture and do book work.  But he was SO smart--he would lecture straight from his head--he would just simply ask someone where we left off last time and then he would just go.  He was older...I think he retired about 3 years after I graduated...so I loved it when we got to the time periods he remembered because he would tell us stories from his life.  Now I would tell him that I know so much about history because of him and he is part of the reason why I teach it now.

Okay so now I have to pick some people to nominate.  11 people is hard because I don't even have 11 followers...how sad is that!  So I'm just going to do people I know who blog and that I follow and see where we get.

1. Stephanie My sister!! She is a great blogger and has such amazing voice when she blogs...she is part of the reason why I do this.

2. Diannah  A great teacher just trying to survive her first full year as a real teacher...and I think she's doing an awesome job!

3. Jessie Has an adorable little boy and another baby on the way...she blogs about the life of being a mom and the joys and trials that come with it--she is just a great example.  And she's my cousin so I can claim that adorable kid as a psedo-nephew :)

4. Jess Love this girl...she is a great mom to two awesome boys and she is going to have another one really soon here!

5. Melissa My other cousin and Jessie's sister....brand new mom!! I bet she is super busy but we'd love an update if you get a chance :)

6. McPherson Family A shining example of a family to me..when I was choir director the whole family would come--such great support! They are on such an adventure now in Thailand and they usually just do pics so don't feel obligated just know that you're awesome!!

7. Danny and Holly  Danny was one of Brian's best friends in high school and they have stayed friends since. Naturally I became really good friends with Danny and then when he met Holly I was so excited.  Like seriously I wish we lived closer together because Holly and I would probably know each other better despite my homebody self--she and I have that instant connection!  They haven't posted in a while...so lets see if you'll take this and run with it!

8. James and Heidi Two awesomely great people...they met our freshman years in college and you could say the rest is history.  This is their adoption blog so this might not be appropriate (so no pressure) but I really wanted to nominate them to continue to get the word out for them. They are looking for a child to join their happy home so if you know anyone that is looking send them their way.

9. The Blacks Jess' best friend in high school was Laura so that's how we met.  She is going to have her second baby about the same time as Jess'...so exciting! But she hasn't updated in a while so maybe this will motivate her :)

10. Means Family  Erica and I go back to middle school...and then she got married and we lost contact a bit.  We happened to have a class together at BYU and graduate the same day both in history so it was great to have a friend go through those last few months together.  Her family is such an inspiration with everything that they've gone through...but we could use an update :)

Dang!! I'm out of people with one left...I'm really tempted to do Cedar Ridge Academy's blog but I just don't know how we'd do it since I'm often the writer...maybe I'll talk to co-workers...or get the kids to each take a question.  Hmm...I'll have to think on that.  But there's a kind of 11.

Wow this is like the longest post I've ever done!! So here comes the 11 questions that these guys will need to answer if they play.

1. What is the most exciting/happiest/positive thing that happened to you today?
2. What is the first thing you think about doing when you get done with a long day?
3. What do you wish could change in your life that you have no control over?
4. What food do you crave the most but either can't have at all/often?...like it is something you can't get where you live...or it is just too complicated to make...etc.
5. What are you "addicted" to?
6. Where do you see yourself in a year?
7. How about five years?
8. What are you looking forward to?
9. What do you look back on with fondness?
10. If you could ask a genie for three wishes, what would they be?
11. As a little kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Well that's it! P.S. If you actually read this whole thing and not scanned it....you're awesome!

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Movie Review: Street Angel

The original movie poster from Wikipedia 
I am taking class through Coursera right now about film history. We watch movies that reflect a change in Hollywood.  This one was called Street Angel.  It was made in 1928--so it is a silent movie. However, it was made at the beginning of the world of talkies so it actually had the music come with it because it was synced to it.  The professor warned us that it was an emotional movie...and he wasn't kidding.

The movie starts with a girl whose mother is dying. She needs money for her mom's prescriptions, and she just can't get it.  So she decides to try to be a prostitute.  However, she is not having any luck getting a guy to pick her up.  So she tries to steal money from someone instead, but she gets caught and sentenced to a year in prison.  She runs away and goes back to her mom, who has actually now died.  She joins a circus troupe and lives for at least a little while away from the police.  She meets a boy and they fall in love--despite her fighting it.  They move back to her original city, and she lives in fear of the police for a long time. I won't spoil the end...but you should really watch it to find out if they get to stay together.

Street Angel (1928) Poster
A great still from imdb.com
The best parts of this movie: the acting is incredible--the expressions that they can portray really is a lost art in Hollywood today. And it is really well written.  I don't think I have anything to really say that they could have done differently...I am really use to the faster paced of today's Hollywood movies.  It is only about an hour and 45 minute movie but it felt a lot longer than that.

Monday, March 4, 2013

March UCSS Conference

Teaching at Cedar Ridge Academy in Roosevelt, Utah, I sometimes feel out of the loop a lot from the Wasatch front--I teach in my departments alone and then there is the rural aspect.  It takes a lot more planning to get us involved.  I think we do a good job of taking advantage of things though as our Facebook page and blog page show. (P.S. Go like our Facebook page please---it helps us be more searchable).  So I plan on attending this conference every six months.  UCSS stands for Utah Council for Social Studies teachers, which I am a proud member of.  (P.S. Follow them here on Facebook and on their blog).

Biggest reasons to go to a conference (at least for me) are #1. the interaction with fellow teachers and #2. ideas for my classroom. So I went to three different session--one that focused on U.S. History, another that focused on World Geography/World History/Government/U.S. History, and another that focused on World History/Government.  That was the great thing about the sessions that I went to this time--I teach everything...so being able to deal with everything was great.

My favorite all-time session was with the teachers from Diamond Fork Junior High.  They have worked with their department and made huge strides in cohesive teaching across the grades.  I loved what they do with story-telling and teaching concepts like the 5 Themes of Geography, three branches of government, and types of government.  This idea of story-telling brings me to the close second: Dr. Crowe and Dr. Nokes--they talked about teaching history in context and with novels.  This really sparked my ideas to write historical fiction more that teachers can teach in their classroom as Dr. Crowe has done.  The close third with my favorite sessions was with Dr. Brown--she is a smart smart women.  I saw her last time so she didn't get the favorite spot because she was really favorite last time.  I love her Russia stories and her clear way of explaining the difference between communism, socialism, and Stalin's version of socialism (fondly known as Stalinism).

If you ever get a chance to go to a UCSS conference...totally do it!!!

The official logo of UCSS

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Great YouTube Videos to Check Out

Today I thought that I would share some of my favorite YouTube videos of late.


This one is just soooo cute....


And so is this one....



I love how this kid took the PianoGuys and made it ALL his own...def worth watching.

Happy Watching!!

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Top 3 Posts of the Month...February Edition

This was fun to do after January ended, so after February is complete I thought maybe it should become tradition.  Reading the "January Edition" again I commented at the beginning about how my 365 project was coming along...this month was harder than the first month--and I didn't think that was possible!! My life has been really really really boring I think the last couple of days---I don't exaggerate when I say that Saturday-Wednesday was pretty much grading when I came home from work---in which I had done more grading.  I hope that March will calm down and I can get back to reading articles and books so you can get more opinions and reviews.  I also want March to have my first few posts about knitting...which I haven't gotten to on here yet and I want to. So without further adieu...here is the top three posts of February

3. Book Review of Sense and Sensibility...posted on February 6, 2013.

The sad or funny thing about this post was that I first started talking about having read Sense and Sensibility back at the beginning of January...yes it took me that long to finish.  With the long car rides that week that helped wrap the whole thing up.

2. My Classics Club Reading List...posted on February 16, 2013.

I finally completed that idea and posted it--I hope that as the month goes on I will get more involved in the Classics Club and I can write more about it and visit other people's blogs.

1. Book Review of Feels Like the First Time...posted on February 2, 2013.

The coolest thing about this...the author saw my post!! I was very flattered to have his comments on my blog. I was actually a bit nervous to do a post on this one because I figured it is not one people are going to find worthwhile when it is just a simple little freebie from Kindle and it is just a simple romance...but the response has been good.

I won't try to read too much into the fact that most of the views were for book posts...and at the beginning of the month. Well I hope that you guys will still stick with me even if my last week or so has been pretty lame.  As my husband said to me just yesterday....I am glad you have stuck with it because most people would have given up by now.  So here's to not giving up!

Keeping with tradition of a photo of me for this blog post...Me with my sisters!!!
This is still my favorite pic of us even if it is like a year and a half old

Friday, March 1, 2013

Five Favorite Front-Page Features #9

So...it is late and I'm tired so this is going to be fast!

5. I just can't believe someone is going to do this....would you get on a Titanic II?  I mean seriously?! I would be worried about it sinking.  http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2013/02/26/titanic-ii-will-be-built/1948935/ 

4. U.S. changes policy on Syrian aid....this was interesting....http://world.time.com/2013/03/01/u-s-steps-up-aid-but-syrias-rebels-want-arms/

3. The Pope's retirement this week was a big topic.  Next week it will be his replacement...we will have to wait and see.

2. This ridiculous sequester of the budget needs to make it on here I guess...it has pretty much dominated the news cycle this week.  If you haven't heard about this at all you are probably not watching the news....

1.  Seriously...this gets number one for shock factor-Dennis Rodman becomes first American to meet Kim Jong-un.  Why him of all people?!

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/01/sports/basketball/dennis-rodman-meets-north-korean-leader.html?_r=0