85. Writing Makes Perfect

This was an interesting book.  I have to do a "book talk" on it with a partner for a class, so i don't want to spend too much time on it here, but it was a worthwhile read.  it is definitely in the pile to keep for future reference, and i think i will actually reference it at some point, which is saying something.  gallagher has an innovative perspective on actually customizing your teaching to include as much writing as possible and also to cater to what the students need at that moment in time.  for instance, if you notice a lot of students are having issues with run-on sentences, teach about run on sentences then and not later on as a book or curriculum dictates.  also, something i didn't know before, don't make notes to correct every little nitpicky thing..... that wastes your time and they don't even look at it if there are marks everywhere.  i totally didn't know that.  instead, note only a few things that pop up in that students' paper several times and let them fix it.  ah the things i am learning..... i'm learning about learning! ha!

36. Little Lady and the Valley of Flowers

Little Lady, Big Apple by Hester Browne

The Little Lady Agency is back, but she is in New York City this time with her lovaah.  And I am in the Valley of Flowers with my lovaaah ;)  The beginning of summer always brings about changes of feelings, moods, emotions, friends, food, drinks, scenery, yada yada yada.  This particular beginning of summer has brought about a lot of changes for me as far as feelings, moods, emotions, friends, food, drinks, scenery, yada yada yada.  I'm happy to say they are very good changes.  Instead of having to drive to see my amazing man and amazing friends, I am officially located with them.  As the Little Lady officially relocated to be with her amazing man.  But she has turmoil in her New York life.  So far, with the exception of not finding a job and being incredibly broke, my summer has been turmoil free and A-MAZ-ING.  Besides, there could be plenty worse things than not having a job.  instead of wandering the streets and going to lunch with people i don't really like (in order to impress somebody else), i have time to sit back, decorate, cook, and...... READ!  (and, lucky you, to write ;)

FIRST BOOK OF THE YEAR!!!!!

wow! my first book of the whole year! i can't believe christmas break is going by so fast- with so little time to read! soooo.... -drumroll please-

Ten Days in the Hills, by Jane Smiley

it was really quite an interesting book. i will admit right off the bat that i do judge books by their covers, and that is why i picked this one up at the library. i have enjoyed on of jane smiley's other books, and so i thought i'd give this one a go. the cover is sensual and the "Rated R for Ravishing....not approved for children" on the back did not lead to disappointment. oh how i love a great, steamy novel! the thing that was so great about the sex in this book was that it wasn't trying to be sexy. in romance novels there is this typical dialogue and key phrases that all of the harlequin authors use (no diss on those authors, though- in fact, my life goal is to someday become one). but in smiley's book, it was so unexpected and vivid, but she kept mixing in everyday discussions. the scenes that stick out try so hard to not be sexy that they are so SO sexy and erotic. amazing! i can understand why smiley won a pulitzer, although i have yet to read the award-winning novel, a thousand acres. it is, however, in my stack of books that i have lined up so far for this coming year.
besides the stunningly sexy parts of the book (which there were quite a few!), Ten Days in the Hills offered a slightly biased albeit valid position on the Iraq war. this was written in a a time period of ten days at the very beginning of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, a little while after 9/11. its crazy to think that 9/11 is part of our history and a topic of discussion for people to write books around and such, since it seems like it happened only a year or so ago. i still remember where i was during the moment of silence. something about the emotion of all these other people made me cry, even though i wasn't directly affected by the attacks. my civics teacher went a little crazy that day, but for the first time of the semester, he didn't say something about our "apathetic youth," so that says something, right? anyway, these characters in Ten Days in the Hills have a running dialogue dispersed through all of their observations and sexual occurrences about their feelings on terrorists and war and our government, etc. etc. that got to be a little bit much for me, but it was cool to see into another person's thought processes over these sorts of subjects.