(all spellings kept the same except for names)
To Mrs. D (last name was spelled wrong and it was written on the board)
Title: Ws(Student's name) faverit Teacher
I Like Mrs. D shes my faverit teacher of all, like Mrs. M, I Wright this poem for the teacher I like the mosste her name is Mrs. D thats her name,
Its a pritty name it's priter name I'v ever herd, some times she letss uss play hangeman She wood normmily wood strt out frust when We play hangman,
It's time to go we go out the door she givs me a hug sometimes.
from,
W
I have known this little guy since January 2008 when I taught him Math. In that time period he has changed schools four times and I have no idea of how many homes he has been in. He struggles in school, if you couldn't tell from this letter, he is immature for his age and he doesn't have any friends that I know of. His clothes do not fit and he smells of dirty gym socks. Every time I sub, he is always a kind courteous young man who jumps to help me and ask about my day. He tells me random stories and always gives me a hug. No matter the trouble he gives other teachers he never gives me any. He may lack a lot of school smarts but he doesn't give up and he tries his best for me. Which is all I ever ask.
This letter made me cry today, not only because he obviously put a lot of effort into this but I saw his face when he was working on it (didn't know what it was at the time) and it was one of the most determined faces I have ever seen. This was most likely more writing than he has done in weeks. He left this on my desk without telling me and when I read it, tears streamed down my face just thinking of all the people in his life who are failing him and yet he still takes time to be kind to little ole me.
He is why I don't give up and throw in the towel. He is the reason I go into the schools day after day and treat students the way I want to be treated. He is the reason I fight for change and accountability.
W is in 5th grade. Bless his sweet little heart.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Things My Kid Needs Vol. 1
Well, I'm sure she doesn't neeeeeed them, but her mother sure thinks they are cute. ;) I have been spending a lot of time on etsy and other baby sites looking up ideas for her bedroom. We finally have the built in shelf/desk removed & as I type this my husband is removing nails from that wood to move it outside and then we/he begins the task of fixing the holes and touching up paint. Our walls are a greenish color a light lime? It isn't dark and it isn't regular green but with the amount of windows we have in there it makes it bright & cheerful. I am planning on doing some hot pinks, oranges and turquoise in there. I also decided last night (at 3 am) that she needs a rug in there if we are keeping the floor how it is for now otherwise the floor will clash with everything. I do like this bedding from LandofNod but I would not be ordering the whole set, probably just the big polka dot sheets maybe one hot pink and one turquoise? Ahh, I wish I just had straightforward ideas. Anyhoo, any links or ideas would be appreciated in the baby room decor department.
In my travels of the interwebs I have come across a few items I believe she needs.. for example...
[ Source ]
Aren't these adorable??? These cloth blocks from Sister Sue Designs on Etsy. I love the little owl and the bright colors and I love blocks and my little girl will be owning a lot. Probably, because I also feel strongly about having toys that make you think and pretend as opposed to toys who do everything for you..
This adorable hat (and little girl but she is not for sale haha) needs to be on my girls head! I love the colors together and those are the colors I would love to use in her bedroom! This is from Three Yellow Starfish's store on Etsy.
[ Source ]
Okay, these owls? I die. They are soo stinkin' cute. I can totally picture this sitting on her dresser (that still needs to be purchased haha). This is from I Sew Lucky's Etsy shop.
[ Source ]
Of course I have to have something reading related on her want list!! Let's not even begin to talk about the massive amount of books she already owns. (I have a problem!!!!) But this is just too cute. I also love the reading pillows, adult size shirts and the fun scrabble necklaces on this site. Perfect gifts for a reader! This onesie and other cute things are from Gibberish2's Etsy shop!
[ Source ]
I love Raechel's Ragmuffin shop!!! She has the cutest bibs/burp cloths and usually some pretty cute girly outfits on there. I love stalking it and her blog to see cute new things for baby girls!
So this is just a beginning of the cute things I have found on the internets that my kid NEEDS she needs them people hahaha.
What are your favorite Etsy Shops?
(I was not given anything for promoting these wonderful etsy shops, they are just things I have found that I like.)
Friday, January 28, 2011
The Weight of Water - Discussion #4
This is our last discussion on The Weight of Water. Like the other posts, this will probably contain some sort of spoilers. The recap covers the last section, my thoughts are random and the questions encompass the whole book. Any and all are free to comment. Discussion 1 is here and Discussion 2 is here and Discussion 3 is here. Feel free to add thoughts, opinions, questions, or anything else in the comment section.
Random Recap
In the last section, we learn of the difficulties the Hontveldts and Christensens faced being crammed into the cottage all winter together. We learn of what really happened the night of the murders and the time leading up to them. In present time, there is a huge storm and the storm pretty much brings all of their problems to a head and the reader learns what has happened to make Jean like she is.
My thoughts
I was slightly surprised how Maren's account turned out. I kind of felt she had been a part of the murders but was surprised at how it turned out. Obviously, her relationship with Evan was shaky and to find out that Anethe was pregnant was heartbreaking for her. Her sister was a horrid person and if one could slightly put the blame on the victim I could see kind of how she was at fault. Maren was forced into a very uncomfortable position, one that would change her life and shun her from what she knew and who she loved and it was mostly a lie. (If we can believe her account of her Anethe in bed together, cuz I mean deep down it might have felt like a neener neener to Evan..)
The whole storm situation and losing Billie was horrible. But it seemed to be written with such a lack of emotion that I think that was to show Jean's extreme detachment from everything. Normally, the death of any likable character may make me tear up but this was just so calm and detached. I am still convinced that given time Adaline and Thomas were going to have an affair and it is sad that Jean and Thomas's relationship ended, it did need to happen. It was very unhealthy.
Apparently, The Weight of Water is a movie.
Questions from litlovers.com
1. What are the similarities between Jean and Maren? In what ways are they different?
2. Atmosphere - the terribly rough climate and unbearably close living quarters -- plays a significant role in the characters' psychological states. To what extent are these external conditions responsible for the events of the novel?
I think the constant togetherness leads to a lot of aggravation and unspoken frustration. When you are cooped up with the same people day after day it gets irritating, the slight things are enormously annoying. I think Maren having to watch her brother and his wife soo touchy feely when her own relationship was so not like that and because of her odd feelings towards her brother it made it harder to accept the news that Anethe was pregnant.
I also think everyone on the boat being so close made the intimate moments shared between Thomas and Adaline more glaring to Jean and being able to hear Rich and Adaline make love was a little awkward. Being able to see Rich, and see how good a man he was and how not messed up (like Thomas) he was made Jean desire him in a way that was inappropriate and probably wouldn't have happened on land in their own homes.
3. Jean ponders, "What moment was it that I might have altered? What point in time was it that I might have moved one way instead of another, had one thought instead of another?" (p. 192). Are there moments in which Jean could have acted differently and thereby changed the course of the events that followed? If so, identify them. How much control do Jean and Maren have over their respective fates? How much does anyone?
1.) When she shouted at Adaline which caused her to fall overboard. 2.) Making a move on Rich. 3.) Sitting for too long at the house. 4.) Stealing Maren's account of what happened. They each had some control over the situations. Maren, could have pulled down her damn nightgown. Or she could have spoken the truth and have Anethe speak up for her. Jean, I think had a little less control on Billie going overboard but there were moments before the storm that could have altered things. Or making sure Billie never left below, but it's not like Jean threw Billie overboard nor did she really make Adaline fall overboard. Adaline was stupid enough to be out there herself.
4. It is often small resentments and indiscretions that lead to greater misdeeds. What small offenses do Jean and Maren commit? Do you feel these acts should be taken into account when determining their culpability for greater crimes?
5. Jean's story begins with a plea for absolution: "I have to let this story go. It is with me all the time now, a terrible weight." Similarly, Maren's document opens with an appeal for vindication: "If it so please the Lord, I shall, with my soul and heart and sound mind, write the true and actual tale of the incident which continues to haunt my humble footsteps." (p. 39). How do these pleas affect you as a reader? Does it make you more sympathetic to the characters, more willing to believe in their innocence?
For some reason, I feel more sympathetic towards Jean than I do Maren. I feel like Jean was honest and I am still not certain that Maren's account was totally truthful. Maybe if we had more info on the thoughts in her head like we did with Jean I would accept her words at face value but I have a hard time doing that with someone who took an ax and repeatedly hit two people with it.
I really enjoyed the 4 different discussions and hope you did as well! Any suggestions on anything to make it better for next month?
Random Recap
In the last section, we learn of the difficulties the Hontveldts and Christensens faced being crammed into the cottage all winter together. We learn of what really happened the night of the murders and the time leading up to them. In present time, there is a huge storm and the storm pretty much brings all of their problems to a head and the reader learns what has happened to make Jean like she is.
My thoughts
I was slightly surprised how Maren's account turned out. I kind of felt she had been a part of the murders but was surprised at how it turned out. Obviously, her relationship with Evan was shaky and to find out that Anethe was pregnant was heartbreaking for her. Her sister was a horrid person and if one could slightly put the blame on the victim I could see kind of how she was at fault. Maren was forced into a very uncomfortable position, one that would change her life and shun her from what she knew and who she loved and it was mostly a lie. (If we can believe her account of her Anethe in bed together, cuz I mean deep down it might have felt like a neener neener to Evan..)
The whole storm situation and losing Billie was horrible. But it seemed to be written with such a lack of emotion that I think that was to show Jean's extreme detachment from everything. Normally, the death of any likable character may make me tear up but this was just so calm and detached. I am still convinced that given time Adaline and Thomas were going to have an affair and it is sad that Jean and Thomas's relationship ended, it did need to happen. It was very unhealthy.
Apparently, The Weight of Water is a movie.
Questions from litlovers.com
1. What are the similarities between Jean and Maren? In what ways are they different?
2. Atmosphere - the terribly rough climate and unbearably close living quarters -- plays a significant role in the characters' psychological states. To what extent are these external conditions responsible for the events of the novel?
I think the constant togetherness leads to a lot of aggravation and unspoken frustration. When you are cooped up with the same people day after day it gets irritating, the slight things are enormously annoying. I think Maren having to watch her brother and his wife soo touchy feely when her own relationship was so not like that and because of her odd feelings towards her brother it made it harder to accept the news that Anethe was pregnant.
I also think everyone on the boat being so close made the intimate moments shared between Thomas and Adaline more glaring to Jean and being able to hear Rich and Adaline make love was a little awkward. Being able to see Rich, and see how good a man he was and how not messed up (like Thomas) he was made Jean desire him in a way that was inappropriate and probably wouldn't have happened on land in their own homes.
3. Jean ponders, "What moment was it that I might have altered? What point in time was it that I might have moved one way instead of another, had one thought instead of another?" (p. 192). Are there moments in which Jean could have acted differently and thereby changed the course of the events that followed? If so, identify them. How much control do Jean and Maren have over their respective fates? How much does anyone?
1.) When she shouted at Adaline which caused her to fall overboard. 2.) Making a move on Rich. 3.) Sitting for too long at the house. 4.) Stealing Maren's account of what happened. They each had some control over the situations. Maren, could have pulled down her damn nightgown. Or she could have spoken the truth and have Anethe speak up for her. Jean, I think had a little less control on Billie going overboard but there were moments before the storm that could have altered things. Or making sure Billie never left below, but it's not like Jean threw Billie overboard nor did she really make Adaline fall overboard. Adaline was stupid enough to be out there herself.
4. It is often small resentments and indiscretions that lead to greater misdeeds. What small offenses do Jean and Maren commit? Do you feel these acts should be taken into account when determining their culpability for greater crimes?
5. Jean's story begins with a plea for absolution: "I have to let this story go. It is with me all the time now, a terrible weight." Similarly, Maren's document opens with an appeal for vindication: "If it so please the Lord, I shall, with my soul and heart and sound mind, write the true and actual tale of the incident which continues to haunt my humble footsteps." (p. 39). How do these pleas affect you as a reader? Does it make you more sympathetic to the characters, more willing to believe in their innocence?
For some reason, I feel more sympathetic towards Jean than I do Maren. I feel like Jean was honest and I am still not certain that Maren's account was totally truthful. Maybe if we had more info on the thoughts in her head like we did with Jean I would accept her words at face value but I have a hard time doing that with someone who took an ax and repeatedly hit two people with it.
I really enjoyed the 4 different discussions and hope you did as well! Any suggestions on anything to make it better for next month?
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Letters to People Vol. 1
Dear Twitter,
I really did not want to use new twitter and then I did and I liked it. Then you stopped loading more than a page. I am not happy. I would like to easily be able to read all of the people I follow. I suggest you fix this before you get rid of old twitter (that still works for me) or I will not be a happy user.
Sincerely,
annoyed twitter user
Dear Swagbucks,
I get that not everyone fits into the right demographic for your surveys. That is fine. What is NOT fine is having me answer about 10 minutes worth of questions to then tell me I do not qualify for the survey. WTF? I just wasted my time answering questions that obviously will be used for something and in return I get 0 Swagbucks. I suggest that if you have someone answer more than the basics (age, income, nationality, type of employment) you need to give them SOME Swagbucks. You irritate me and I get annoyed that I just wasted time. It makes me get all irritated and want to hate on the super mega store who exploits their workers, who you had me answer questions about, more than I already do.
Sincerely,
Irritated Swagbucks user
Dear Husband,
I so appreciate when you put away dishes (pretending that I don't have to ask about 10 times, I mean it did just take 3 days for you to take care of the counter full of empty pop bottles). BUT, you must put away the dishes where they go. Don't know where they go? ASK ME PLEASE. I mean I don't really understand how you can put away the crockpot and not put the lid with it, but I suppose those things happen. But, if you are going to put them away in completely opposite locations, could you please remember where the lid is? So we could make the amazing Buffalo Chicken Tacos that were posted on Iowa Girl Eats? Please and thank you.
Love,
your annoyed wife
Dear politicians/people who think they know everything,
We do not need anymore "new" teachers. There are plenty of highly qualified college graduates who are EXCELLENT educators who know their stuff and WANT TO BE IN THE CLASSROOM. However, government cuts, government requirements and gosh darn stupid mandatory state testing are part of the MAJOR PROBLEM YOU HAVE IN EDUCATION. Yes, there are some pretty crappy teachers out there, hence why I became one. How do you start getting rid of them? Well, the retirement incentives are a good start. Another? HOW ABOUT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE PRINCIPALS DO REAL Observations on new teachers? How about you make sure teachers ARE teaching? How about you make sure you don't give tenure to someone who is there for summer's off and because it is any 'easy' job?How about making sure PRINCIPALS are doing THEIR jobs? How about making sure hiring committees are fair and really DO have the best interest of the kids and it is not a who knows who competition? And how about, you please hire me because I guarantee I do care about kids, I do care about making kids into life long learners and I have high expectations that do coincide with state requirements without making learning 'suck.' But more empty promises and telling more people to become teachers is not going to solve the education 'problem.' I suggest scrapping the whole shebang and starting over again.
Sincerely,
an annoyed unemployed college graduate who gives a damn and knows a thing or two about the education system that she speaks of
That felt pretty good. Carry on now.
I really did not want to use new twitter and then I did and I liked it. Then you stopped loading more than a page. I am not happy. I would like to easily be able to read all of the people I follow. I suggest you fix this before you get rid of old twitter (that still works for me) or I will not be a happy user.
Sincerely,
annoyed twitter user
Dear Swagbucks,
I get that not everyone fits into the right demographic for your surveys. That is fine. What is NOT fine is having me answer about 10 minutes worth of questions to then tell me I do not qualify for the survey. WTF? I just wasted my time answering questions that obviously will be used for something and in return I get 0 Swagbucks. I suggest that if you have someone answer more than the basics (age, income, nationality, type of employment) you need to give them SOME Swagbucks. You irritate me and I get annoyed that I just wasted time. It makes me get all irritated and want to hate on the super mega store who exploits their workers, who you had me answer questions about, more than I already do.
Sincerely,
Irritated Swagbucks user
Dear Husband,
I so appreciate when you put away dishes (pretending that I don't have to ask about 10 times, I mean it did just take 3 days for you to take care of the counter full of empty pop bottles). BUT, you must put away the dishes where they go. Don't know where they go? ASK ME PLEASE. I mean I don't really understand how you can put away the crockpot and not put the lid with it, but I suppose those things happen. But, if you are going to put them away in completely opposite locations, could you please remember where the lid is? So we could make the amazing Buffalo Chicken Tacos that were posted on Iowa Girl Eats? Please and thank you.
Love,
your annoyed wife
Dear politicians/people who think they know everything,
We do not need anymore "new" teachers. There are plenty of highly qualified college graduates who are EXCELLENT educators who know their stuff and WANT TO BE IN THE CLASSROOM. However, government cuts, government requirements and gosh darn stupid mandatory state testing are part of the MAJOR PROBLEM YOU HAVE IN EDUCATION. Yes, there are some pretty crappy teachers out there, hence why I became one. How do you start getting rid of them? Well, the retirement incentives are a good start. Another? HOW ABOUT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE PRINCIPALS DO REAL Observations on new teachers? How about you make sure teachers ARE teaching? How about you make sure you don't give tenure to someone who is there for summer's off and because it is any 'easy' job?How about making sure PRINCIPALS are doing THEIR jobs? How about making sure hiring committees are fair and really DO have the best interest of the kids and it is not a who knows who competition? And how about, you please hire me because I guarantee I do care about kids, I do care about making kids into life long learners and I have high expectations that do coincide with state requirements without making learning 'suck.' But more empty promises and telling more people to become teachers is not going to solve the education 'problem.' I suggest scrapping the whole shebang and starting over again.
Sincerely,
an annoyed unemployed college graduate who gives a damn and knows a thing or two about the education system that she speaks of
That felt pretty good. Carry on now.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
24 weeks.. holy shiznitzzz
So I am lazy and didn't put make-up on today and wearing grubby clothes. Instead of a picture of me.. how about a picture of the three diaper bags I am contemplating and your opinion on which one I should get???
I am leaning towards the gray/black damask with the hot pink ruffle. But I like the other two and just can't decide! So what say you guys which one should I order???
How far along? 24 weeks
Weight gain/loss: up 1 pound.. i officially am in the positive for weight gain.. while on the scary side i have gained around 8 pounds since Christmas... on the positive side it took me 24 weeks of pregnancy to weigh more than they day i found out i was pregnant...
Maternity clothes? all pants worn out of the house minus pj pants/workout pants.. i can wear some pre-pregnancy t-shirts and shirts but my expanding belly is eliminating all short shirts from the mix
Stretch marks? None yet, but belly is getting big.
Sleep? When I fall asleep I'm good.
Best moment this week? Discussing names with my husband and potentially coming up with a totally new name for our list that we both dig.
Food cravings: Jose Ole Mini Tacos.. yuummmmm
Gender: Girl
Belly button in or out? In
Movement? a ton! a lot a night and whenever i am sitting down it appears.. my husband finally felt her this week!
What I miss? my favorite foods tasting the same.. and the ability to eat just about anything for dinner and not having to have the thing that i was thinking about all day.. sooo food spontaneity ..
Weight gain/loss: up 1 pound.. i officially am in the positive for weight gain.. while on the scary side i have gained around 8 pounds since Christmas... on the positive side it took me 24 weeks of pregnancy to weigh more than they day i found out i was pregnant...
Maternity clothes? all pants worn out of the house minus pj pants/workout pants.. i can wear some pre-pregnancy t-shirts and shirts but my expanding belly is eliminating all short shirts from the mix
Stretch marks? None yet, but belly is getting big.
Sleep? When I fall asleep I'm good.
Best moment this week? Discussing names with my husband and potentially coming up with a totally new name for our list that we both dig.
Food cravings: Jose Ole Mini Tacos.. yuummmmm
Gender: Girl
Belly button in or out? In
Movement? a ton! a lot a night and whenever i am sitting down it appears.. my husband finally felt her this week!
What I miss? my favorite foods tasting the same.. and the ability to eat just about anything for dinner and not having to have the thing that i was thinking about all day.. sooo food spontaneity ..
What I'm looking forward to: having my husband work on removing the built in shelf and desk in the baby room so i can do touch ups and painting touch ups!
Milestones: uhh i think reaching 24 weeks is a big enough milestone for now .. ahhh it is getting close!!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Absolute Power
A good friend of mine has recommended David Baldacci books to me in the past and I never had time to check him out until now. I'm glad she recommended him.
Absolute Power is set in Washington D.C. and is about Secret Service Agents, The President, The Chief of Staff, lawyers and the filthy rich. Nothing better, right? I love me some political/lawyer drama.
The book starts out with the heist of the very rich Walter Sullivan, but during the robbery the burglar is surprised by the lady of the house and a very important visitor. He then witnesses a murder and cover up that no one would believe.
The book started out kind of slow and I was already to jump into the action but after the back stories were all laid out it flew by. I stayed up until almost 2 am finishing it last night. It was nice, even though you knew who did it and who was covering what up, to see how the police uncovered the evidence and the other bumps along the path. I didn't think it was outrageous or that there were any reaaaalllly unbelievable parts (I hate that about books). I thought it was a good, fun, thrilling read. It would also make an excellent movie.
I will most definitely have to check out more David Baldacci books in the future. Have you read him? Am I alone in my FBI/lawyer reading loving ways?
Monday, January 24, 2011
Meet Me Monday: For the love of blogging....
Some wonderful ladies that I have met through twitter, Katie & Miranda, are hosting a week long blogging feature called, "For the love...of Blogging" and I thought I would jump in and play along this Monday morning.
Today we are supposed to introduce ourselves and our blogs. So, hi. I'm pinkflipflops and I like to read, drink wine, bright colors, try new recipes and talk. A lot. I am also pregnant with my first child and due in May. ;) Very excited about that.
My blog started as a place to write my thoughts on books, reviews and connect with other nerds who enjoyed reading. Since then, I have started a group read where anyone can join in and we discuss an agreed upon book once a month. This month we are reading The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve and February's group read was just voted on and we will be reading Shanghai Girls by Lisa See.
I also have random thought posts, rants, at least one weekly pregnancy update, recipes and just a lot of random. Hence, the name, Many Thoughts of a Reader. Not everything here is books.
So, take a look around and please leave a comment and tell me something about yourself. Do you like wine? Got a kind for me to try? Favorite book that I just haaave to read? Let me know!
I also just wa
s awarded the Stylish Blogger Award from mchupie over at ...And Baby Makes Three. (GO CHECK OUT HER ADORABLE BABY GIRL!!)
As part of the award you are supposed to share 7 things about yourself and link to some of your favorite bloggers. So, thanks for checking me out. Learn a bit more and the check out some of my favorite blogs. ;) Hope to 'meet' you soon!
1.) I love coffee and almost always prefer it to be just plain black coffee. I do not understand the Starbucks hype and very rarely am willing to part my money for so-so taste. However, I will say that the peppermint mocha is amazing.
2.) I watch The Biggest Loser but I watch it about a week late, on demand and I barely pay attention until the weigh in/voting off. Or if I notice someone whining.
3.) I like to plan running training plans but then never seem to get past week 2 and never actually run a race.
4.) I am not a fan of blogs that post pictures of the food they eat but then don't tell you how they made it. Um, thanks for showing me that delicious dish but how am I supposed to make it??
5.) I can waste an entire day on the Internet. Easily.
6.) I very rarely go to the movie theater and watch a movie. Even with free movies on demand I very rarely watch movies. I do not believe I have watched a single movie this month so far.
7.) I love Ohio State. It gets a bit ridiculous. What some people find amusing, is that I went to MSU and support them, but to an extent. My number 1 love is and will always be THE Ohio State University. Except, that I am a little peeved at their football team and Mr. Jim Tressel for their little rule breaking that occurred and the fact the ones in trouble got to start in a BCS football game when they should have had to learn a hard lesson and sit out. So what if they would have lost, which they would have. Integrity is more important. Sad.
Some of my fave ladies that you should love as well!!!
Blair @ The Heir to Blair
Raechel @ Finding My Feet
Lisa @ Lisa's Yarns
Amber @ Girl With the Red Hair
Jenny @ What The Blog?
Papps @ Our Arduous Journey
Kelly @ She Wears a Red Sox Cap
Dee @ TTC and Other Random Musings
Julie @ Book Hooked
Amy @ Somebody's Parents
Kiri @ Elbows, Knees and Dreams
Amber @ Musings of Amber Murphy
The Up North Writer Mama @ The Up North Writer Mama
Erin @ School Teacher by Day, Superhero by Night
Kelly @ Kelly Teaches
Make sure you check out Katie and Miranda's blogs for a blog hop (to meet more new peeps and for a week of excitement!)
Today we are supposed to introduce ourselves and our blogs. So, hi. I'm pinkflipflops and I like to read, drink wine, bright colors, try new recipes and talk. A lot. I am also pregnant with my first child and due in May. ;) Very excited about that.
My blog started as a place to write my thoughts on books, reviews and connect with other nerds who enjoyed reading. Since then, I have started a group read where anyone can join in and we discuss an agreed upon book once a month. This month we are reading The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve and February's group read was just voted on and we will be reading Shanghai Girls by Lisa See.
I also have random thought posts, rants, at least one weekly pregnancy update, recipes and just a lot of random. Hence, the name, Many Thoughts of a Reader. Not everything here is books.
So, take a look around and please leave a comment and tell me something about yourself. Do you like wine? Got a kind for me to try? Favorite book that I just haaave to read? Let me know!
I also just wa
s awarded the Stylish Blogger Award from mchupie over at ...And Baby Makes Three. (GO CHECK OUT HER ADORABLE BABY GIRL!!)As part of the award you are supposed to share 7 things about yourself and link to some of your favorite bloggers. So, thanks for checking me out. Learn a bit more and the check out some of my favorite blogs. ;) Hope to 'meet' you soon!
1.) I love coffee and almost always prefer it to be just plain black coffee. I do not understand the Starbucks hype and very rarely am willing to part my money for so-so taste. However, I will say that the peppermint mocha is amazing.
2.) I watch The Biggest Loser but I watch it about a week late, on demand and I barely pay attention until the weigh in/voting off. Or if I notice someone whining.
3.) I like to plan running training plans but then never seem to get past week 2 and never actually run a race.
4.) I am not a fan of blogs that post pictures of the food they eat but then don't tell you how they made it. Um, thanks for showing me that delicious dish but how am I supposed to make it??
5.) I can waste an entire day on the Internet. Easily.
6.) I very rarely go to the movie theater and watch a movie. Even with free movies on demand I very rarely watch movies. I do not believe I have watched a single movie this month so far.
7.) I love Ohio State. It gets a bit ridiculous. What some people find amusing, is that I went to MSU and support them, but to an extent. My number 1 love is and will always be THE Ohio State University. Except, that I am a little peeved at their football team and Mr. Jim Tressel for their little rule breaking that occurred and the fact the ones in trouble got to start in a BCS football game when they should have had to learn a hard lesson and sit out. So what if they would have lost, which they would have. Integrity is more important. Sad.
Some of my fave ladies that you should love as well!!!
Blair @ The Heir to Blair
Raechel @ Finding My Feet
Lisa @ Lisa's Yarns
Amber @ Girl With the Red Hair
Jenny @ What The Blog?
Papps @ Our Arduous Journey
Kelly @ She Wears a Red Sox Cap
Dee @ TTC and Other Random Musings
Julie @ Book Hooked
Amy @ Somebody's Parents
Kiri @ Elbows, Knees and Dreams
Amber @ Musings of Amber Murphy
The Up North Writer Mama @ The Up North Writer Mama
Erin @ School Teacher by Day, Superhero by Night
Kelly @ Kelly Teaches
Make sure you check out Katie and Miranda's blogs for a blog hop (to meet more new peeps and for a week of excitement!)
Sunday, January 23, 2011
February Group Read is...
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See! We had a 3-way tie, but using random.org I came up with this selection.From goodreads.com
May and Pearl, two sisters living in Shanghai in the mid-1930s, are beautiful, sophisticated, and well-educated, but their family is on the verge of bankruptcy. Hoping to improve their social standing, May and Pearl’s parents arrange for their daughters to marry “Gold Mountain men” who have come from Los Angeles to find brides.
But when the sisters leave China and arrive at Angel’s Island (the Ellis Island of the West)—where they are detained, interrogated, and humiliated for months—they feel the harsh reality of leaving home. And when May discovers she’s pregnant the situation becomes even more desperate. The sisters make a pact that no one can ever know.
A novel about two sisters, two cultures, and the struggle to find a new life in America while bound to the old, Shanghai Girls is a fresh, fascinating adventure from beloved and bestselling author Lisa See.
I broke the book up into 4 different sections for 4 different discussions. If while you are reading, you would wish to make a guest post about anything in the book, let me know. If you have questions/things you want included in the post on Friday, email me sometime the day before so I can add it in. I really enjoyed the discussions we had in January even though none of us were really fans of the book! I have the large print edition of Shanghai Girls because it was the only copy left at my library, so I will be off page wise from most of you. I broke it up by the names of chapters. If you have any questions please feel free to ask!
Discussion # 1 Beautiful Girls through the end of Soaring through the Night Sky – Feb. 4th
Discussion # 2 Eating Wind and Tasting Waves through the end of Scents of Home – February 11thDiscussion #3 Eating Bitterness to Find Gold through the end of The Air of this World– February 18th
Discussion #4 Fear through the end of the book– February 25thHappy reading! Hope everyone can get a copy of this one and participate, it sounds very interesting!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Shrimp Scampi
This was super easy and very yummy. And gave us A LOT of leftovers. Lots of extra lunches. I think we had 4-5 lunches from it. SCORE! I used a recipe I found in Rachael Ray's 30 minute meals as a guide and this is what I came up with.
Ingredients
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 pound angel hair pasta
3 cloves garlic
EVOO
3 tablespoons butter
1 pound baby shrimp bag
1 cup chicken broth
Parsley
Cook your angel hair pasta like you normally do....
In a frying pan, evoo around the pan and 3 tablespoons of butter on medium heat until the butter is all melted. When the butter is melted add the garlic for about 2 minutes.
Then, add 1 cup of chicken broth to the shrimp.
Turn up the heat and bring it to a boil. When it boils, remove it from heat and mix it with the pasta.
Mix it really well and add parsley on top.
I also made garlic bread to serve with it. Yum.. nom nom nom
Verdict? Kind of blah. I think maybe more garlic would have helped and more of the chicken broth/butter mixture. Maybe next time add some more garlic or add garlic powder and maybe a tablespoon more of butter and just a little more chicken broth? It needed something, but I am not sure what. Overall, it was very good.
Ingredients
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 pound angel hair pasta
3 cloves garlic
EVOO
3 tablespoons butter
1 pound baby shrimp bag
1 cup chicken broth
Parsley
Cook your angel hair pasta like you normally do....
In a frying pan, evoo around the pan and 3 tablespoons of butter on medium heat until the butter is all melted. When the butter is melted add the garlic for about 2 minutes.
Then, add in the shrimp. Add salt and pepper. I would want more shrimp next time but this was a frozen 99 cent bag special, so I used what I got cheap. Cook the shrimp until it is warm.
Then, add 1 cup of chicken broth to the shrimp.
Turn up the heat and bring it to a boil. When it boils, remove it from heat and mix it with the pasta.
Mix it really well and add parsley on top.
I also made garlic bread to serve with it. Yum.. nom nom nom
Verdict? Kind of blah. I think maybe more garlic would have helped and more of the chicken broth/butter mixture. Maybe next time add some more garlic or add garlic powder and maybe a tablespoon more of butter and just a little more chicken broth? It needed something, but I am not sure what. Overall, it was very good.
What is your favorite pasta dish?
don't forget to vote for february's group read! the poll is up on the side bar and i will annouce the selection tomorrow!
Friday, January 21, 2011
The Weight of Water - Discussion #3
Like the first two discussions, be prepared for spoilers. This discussion is over pgs. 135-191.
Brief Overview
Maren and John settle into Smuttynose and she hates it. They take on a boarder, Louis Wagner, who seems to be a bit odd and creepy. Her sister Karen moves to America and is a reaaaaaaaaal peach. And John's brother also moves in with them. Karen and Maren have the weirdest relationship ever with neither of them ever really being just nice. There is always some kind of manipulation going on. Karen, keeps from Maren the fact that their brother is coming to America and.. dun dun dun.... MARRIED! Maren is jealous of just about everyone and Louis gets weirder.
Jean takes more pictures and puts the moves on Rich.. Whaaaat?
My Random Quotes/Thoughts/Questions
What is up with Maren and harping on everybody's teeth???
It seems Maren really does not want her sister to be happy after how Karen treated her and that she blows off Louis liking her sister because she wants his attention to herself, even though she finds him slightly creepy. She can't seem to handle competition.
"She made some effort to ix her face, but this effort was largely unsuccessful in the way that trying to reshape a molder bit of rubber will be futile enterprise, as the elasticity of the rubber itself will cause the object immediately to resume its original shape." - pg. 158 ( ouch. what a thing to say about your sister, ESPECIALLY YOUR DEAD MURDERED SISTER)
"We have periods when I think our coming together was a kind of accident, that we're wedding because of a string of facts. And then maybe the next day, or even that night, Thomas and I will be so close I won't be able to remember the words to a fight we had two hours earlier. The fact of the fight, the concept of an accident, will be gone -- it won't even seem plausible." pg. 166 (I can totally relate... we can fight like cats and dogs and be better in like 2 seconds.. it is quite strange.. you can be so angry and then move on..)
Yikes, Jean hitting on her brother-in-law is surprising. Do you think she honestly liked him or did it to hurt Thomas? Would just anyone have worked if they were present?
I found Maren's testimony was quite confusing. Between the broken English and the jumping around it was kind of hard to follow.
Questions from Litlovers.com
1. The Weight of Water is concerned with the subject of jealousy and its consequences. Discuss this theme as it emerges in the exchanges between Jean and Maren and their families.
2. How does Anethe's arrival on the scene affect this relationship? (Maren & Evan's)
Okay, the comment section should allow everyone to comment and add on to each other. Here's to hoping it works. If you want to add any of your questions/thoughts/words you looked up do so in the comments. If you want to submit any before next week's Discussion on (pgs. 192- end over all novel thoughts ) email them before Thursday night.
Discussion 1 , Discussion 2
don't forget to vote on february's group read! poll is up on the sidebar..
Brief Overview
Maren and John settle into Smuttynose and she hates it. They take on a boarder, Louis Wagner, who seems to be a bit odd and creepy. Her sister Karen moves to America and is a reaaaaaaaaal peach. And John's brother also moves in with them. Karen and Maren have the weirdest relationship ever with neither of them ever really being just nice. There is always some kind of manipulation going on. Karen, keeps from Maren the fact that their brother is coming to America and.. dun dun dun.... MARRIED! Maren is jealous of just about everyone and Louis gets weirder.
Jean takes more pictures and puts the moves on Rich.. Whaaaat?
My Random Quotes/Thoughts/Questions
What is up with Maren and harping on everybody's teeth???
It seems Maren really does not want her sister to be happy after how Karen treated her and that she blows off Louis liking her sister because she wants his attention to herself, even though she finds him slightly creepy. She can't seem to handle competition.
"She made some effort to ix her face, but this effort was largely unsuccessful in the way that trying to reshape a molder bit of rubber will be futile enterprise, as the elasticity of the rubber itself will cause the object immediately to resume its original shape." - pg. 158 ( ouch. what a thing to say about your sister, ESPECIALLY YOUR DEAD MURDERED SISTER)
picture of Skillingsbolle
[ Source ]
"We have periods when I think our coming together was a kind of accident, that we're wedding because of a string of facts. And then maybe the next day, or even that night, Thomas and I will be so close I won't be able to remember the words to a fight we had two hours earlier. The fact of the fight, the concept of an accident, will be gone -- it won't even seem plausible." pg. 166 (I can totally relate... we can fight like cats and dogs and be better in like 2 seconds.. it is quite strange.. you can be so angry and then move on..)
Yikes, Jean hitting on her brother-in-law is surprising. Do you think she honestly liked him or did it to hurt Thomas? Would just anyone have worked if they were present?
I found Maren's testimony was quite confusing. Between the broken English and the jumping around it was kind of hard to follow.
Questions from Litlovers.com
1. The Weight of Water is concerned with the subject of jealousy and its consequences. Discuss this theme as it emerges in the exchanges between Jean and Maren and their families.
2. How does Anethe's arrival on the scene affect this relationship? (Maren & Evan's)
Okay, the comment section should allow everyone to comment and add on to each other. Here's to hoping it works. If you want to add any of your questions/thoughts/words you looked up do so in the comments. If you want to submit any before next week's Discussion on (pgs. 192- end over all novel thoughts ) email them before Thursday night.
Discussion 1 , Discussion 2
don't forget to vote on february's group read! poll is up on the sidebar..
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