I've been very lazy about my reading for a little over a month now. I re-read Breaking Dawn back in November in preparation for seeing the first movie, but I haven't read much of anything worth writing about since then. I've been reading my Mary Balough books, but I haven't been reading them from cover to cover. I've read them all so many times, but I just don't want to read much right now. I do plan on re-reading Gone with the Wind; I have started it, but because the copy of the hardback book I have is torn, it's very difficult to read. Plus, I want to mark in the book, but this particular copy is actually a collector's item, even if it IS torn.
I'll figure out what to do at some point.....I need a really good book to read.....
Great Books
To read or not to read?....that is a silly question!
Friday, December 30, 2011
THE NAME OF THIS BOOK IS SECRET
I did not read this whole book. It's Samuel's book that he read. We've had it for a few years, but it was above his reading level, so he hadn't read it yet. Now, he's reading the series and enjoying it as much as I'd hoped he would. The book is by an unknown author who calls him/herself "Pseudonymous Bosch." It's really fun. I like the way the author talks to the reader all the time, knowing that he/she is telling a story to readers.
I've been reading it aloud to Samuel when I can. He reads several chapters at a time, but I read a few to him, too. My favorite part of the book is the little boy Max-Ernest. He has two names because his parents couldn't choose a name for him. They give him both names and then promptly divorce because they can't agree on his name, or anything else, for that matter. They proceed to live in the same home, though, keeping half of the house for each. Max-Ernest has to eat his meals with each parent separately, as well as any other activity. For example, even though his dad might be standing just on the other side of the "line" in the house that separates the parents' sides when he tells him mother something, he has to get on the other side of the line and say the same to his dad and so on.
Poor Max-Ernest has psychological problems; he doesn't know if he's coming or going! He finds some measure of stability when he becomes friends with Cass, which is quite ironic, considering the fact that she's quite unstable herself!!!!
They made quite a sleuthing team and it's well worth the read. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series with Samuel!!! The difficult part is that, even though he does like to read, he'd much rather watch tv or do anything else. I have to make him turn off the tv and read. He doesn't give me too hard a time about it when he does it; I find it difficult getting him to do it! It's so much easier for me just to let him watch tv and do my own thing........!
I've been reading it aloud to Samuel when I can. He reads several chapters at a time, but I read a few to him, too. My favorite part of the book is the little boy Max-Ernest. He has two names because his parents couldn't choose a name for him. They give him both names and then promptly divorce because they can't agree on his name, or anything else, for that matter. They proceed to live in the same home, though, keeping half of the house for each. Max-Ernest has to eat his meals with each parent separately, as well as any other activity. For example, even though his dad might be standing just on the other side of the "line" in the house that separates the parents' sides when he tells him mother something, he has to get on the other side of the line and say the same to his dad and so on.
Poor Max-Ernest has psychological problems; he doesn't know if he's coming or going! He finds some measure of stability when he becomes friends with Cass, which is quite ironic, considering the fact that she's quite unstable herself!!!!
They made quite a sleuthing team and it's well worth the read. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series with Samuel!!! The difficult part is that, even though he does like to read, he'd much rather watch tv or do anything else. I have to make him turn off the tv and read. He doesn't give me too hard a time about it when he does it; I find it difficult getting him to do it! It's so much easier for me just to let him watch tv and do my own thing........!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Should Samuel read MAXIMUM RIDE?
At the start of this school year, Samuel's teacher informed us that our children need to choose the books they read according to their Lexile reading level rather than the grade level they've scored....we've been choosing books by grade level since kindergarten, so this is a major change for us. Even though I've gone to the Lexile web site, I'm still having a hard time understanding why/how choosing books by Lexile level is better or more appropriate overall for my 5th grader in choosing books.
What makes this whole book choice so very confusing is that Samuel's lexile score is over 900. (Yes, that's pretty high for a 5th grader and yes, Mommy is bursting at the seams with pride that he's such a good reader!) So, one of the first things Samuel and I have done is to go through all the books we have at home, trying to decide what he's going to read based on his high Lexile score.
Samuel has watched me read the Harry Potter series several times over the past year and has heard quite a bit about how much I've enjoyed it, so choosing to read the first book in the series was actually an easy one for him. He is currently on book 4 but thinks he'll wait a while to read the last 3. They are pretty thick, you know! The interesting thing to note is that every one of the Harry Potter books' lexile scores are lower than or easily within the 900+ Samuel scored!
Book 1: Scorcer's Stone = 880 lexile
Book 2: Chamber of Secrets = 940 lexile
Book 3: Prisoner of Azkaban = 880 lexile
Book 4: Goblet of Fire = 880 lexile
Book 5: Order of the Phoenix = 950 lexile
Book 6: Half-Blood Prince = 1030 lexile
Book 7: Deathly Hallows = 980 lexile
So, while especially the last 3-4 books are long enough to intimidate even the most excited readers, they're easily exactly the types of books Samuel could be choosing based on his Lexile score. Granted, they are fairly easy and fast reads, but they do get darker and darker as the series goes on; dark enough that I am actually glad that Samuel wants to wait to read the last few books.
Which brings me to my original point: should Samuel read the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson? I ordered this series for Samuel some time ago because I'd heard great things about it and I thought that maybe he'd want to read the books when he's ready. So, in preparation for Samuel possibly reading these books, I picked up the first one of the series. I can see how kids, especially boys, would be drawn into this series....I mean, who wouldn't enjoy a series about 6 kids who've been genetically altered with bird DNA so they not only have beautiful and functional wings, but they also have other amazing bird-like qualities--while still keeping their humanity?!
I flew through the first book. But I'm already frustrated and I'm in the 10th chapter of the second book: 1. the main character, Max, keeps giving the bird (get it? and yes, she's thinks she's very clever and funny for using that phrase)--not only do I take offense to a 14-year-old giving the bird (more than once), but I also have a major problem with said character thinking she's clever and funny for doing it; 2. the same things keep happening over and over again, but nothing is done to change it--even though Max knows she's has a microchip embedded in her and that she's probably the reason they keep having to escape the enemy, she doesn't do anything to try to find out if her chip can be removed or if it even has a GPS-type device that keeps giving away their location; and 3. it's just not really good literature. (I'm sorry, James Patterson, but Stephen King is right......)
So the question remains....should Samuel read the series? Do I want him reading it??? Looking at the Lexile scores (I'm still learning the order of the books in the series, so they're not listed in order below, as far as I know):
Maximum Ride: Max = 770 lexile
Maximum Ride: Saving the World = 740 lexile
Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever = 660 lexile
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment = 700 lexile
Maximum Ride: The Final Warning = 720 lexile
Based on the lexile scores, the books are way below Samuel's 900+ lexile score and should, therefore, be avoided. He's supposed to stay within 100 points +/- his total lexile score which, I think, is 940. So from the lexile perspective, this series isn't even an option for Samuel.
But, from a lexile point of view, neither is the Lord of the Rings series ones Samuel needs to tackle (yes, the lexile scores for the LotR series is below Samuel's!)! And I checked the lexile scores for Dave Barry's wonderful series of books starting with Peter and the Star Catchers, and the lexile scores for most of the books in that series are way too low for Samuel!!!!
This is getting frustrating! So I'm getting to the point where if Samuel wants to read a book, I don't even want to worry about the lexile score; I just want to encourage my son to READ. How in the world are we supposed to choose books for him to read when even books that I consider OUT OF HIS [AGE] RANGE are too low according to his lexile score?!
One positive note is that the last 3 How to Train Your Dragon books ARE within Samuel's lexile score, so he's going to finish that series after he finishes reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire! We love the How to Train Your Dragon series!!!! The movie is amazing and the books are even more awesome!!!! Cressida Cowell is a genius! She deserves as much credit as a wonderful female writer of the 21st Century as J. K. Rowling already has!!!
I know I'm all over the place with my discussion here.....I had planned on focusing on the first book of the Maximum Ride series because that's the most recent book I've finished reading, but obviously this Lexile scoring as a basis for choosing books for Samuel to read this year has me completely bumfuzzled and I just wanted to share.......
I'd love to hear your thoughts.........
What makes this whole book choice so very confusing is that Samuel's lexile score is over 900. (Yes, that's pretty high for a 5th grader and yes, Mommy is bursting at the seams with pride that he's such a good reader!) So, one of the first things Samuel and I have done is to go through all the books we have at home, trying to decide what he's going to read based on his high Lexile score.
Samuel has watched me read the Harry Potter series several times over the past year and has heard quite a bit about how much I've enjoyed it, so choosing to read the first book in the series was actually an easy one for him. He is currently on book 4 but thinks he'll wait a while to read the last 3. They are pretty thick, you know! The interesting thing to note is that every one of the Harry Potter books' lexile scores are lower than or easily within the 900+ Samuel scored!
Book 1: Scorcer's Stone = 880 lexile
Book 2: Chamber of Secrets = 940 lexile
Book 3: Prisoner of Azkaban = 880 lexile
Book 4: Goblet of Fire = 880 lexile
Book 5: Order of the Phoenix = 950 lexile
Book 6: Half-Blood Prince = 1030 lexile
Book 7: Deathly Hallows = 980 lexile
So, while especially the last 3-4 books are long enough to intimidate even the most excited readers, they're easily exactly the types of books Samuel could be choosing based on his Lexile score. Granted, they are fairly easy and fast reads, but they do get darker and darker as the series goes on; dark enough that I am actually glad that Samuel wants to wait to read the last few books.
Which brings me to my original point: should Samuel read the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson? I ordered this series for Samuel some time ago because I'd heard great things about it and I thought that maybe he'd want to read the books when he's ready. So, in preparation for Samuel possibly reading these books, I picked up the first one of the series. I can see how kids, especially boys, would be drawn into this series....I mean, who wouldn't enjoy a series about 6 kids who've been genetically altered with bird DNA so they not only have beautiful and functional wings, but they also have other amazing bird-like qualities--while still keeping their humanity?!
I flew through the first book. But I'm already frustrated and I'm in the 10th chapter of the second book: 1. the main character, Max, keeps giving the bird (get it? and yes, she's thinks she's very clever and funny for using that phrase)--not only do I take offense to a 14-year-old giving the bird (more than once), but I also have a major problem with said character thinking she's clever and funny for doing it; 2. the same things keep happening over and over again, but nothing is done to change it--even though Max knows she's has a microchip embedded in her and that she's probably the reason they keep having to escape the enemy, she doesn't do anything to try to find out if her chip can be removed or if it even has a GPS-type device that keeps giving away their location; and 3. it's just not really good literature. (I'm sorry, James Patterson, but Stephen King is right......)
So the question remains....should Samuel read the series? Do I want him reading it??? Looking at the Lexile scores (I'm still learning the order of the books in the series, so they're not listed in order below, as far as I know):
Maximum Ride: Max = 770 lexile
Maximum Ride: Saving the World = 740 lexile
Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever = 660 lexile
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment = 700 lexile
Maximum Ride: The Final Warning = 720 lexile
Based on the lexile scores, the books are way below Samuel's 900+ lexile score and should, therefore, be avoided. He's supposed to stay within 100 points +/- his total lexile score which, I think, is 940. So from the lexile perspective, this series isn't even an option for Samuel.
But, from a lexile point of view, neither is the Lord of the Rings series ones Samuel needs to tackle (yes, the lexile scores for the LotR series is below Samuel's!)! And I checked the lexile scores for Dave Barry's wonderful series of books starting with Peter and the Star Catchers, and the lexile scores for most of the books in that series are way too low for Samuel!!!!
This is getting frustrating! So I'm getting to the point where if Samuel wants to read a book, I don't even want to worry about the lexile score; I just want to encourage my son to READ. How in the world are we supposed to choose books for him to read when even books that I consider OUT OF HIS [AGE] RANGE are too low according to his lexile score?!
One positive note is that the last 3 How to Train Your Dragon books ARE within Samuel's lexile score, so he's going to finish that series after he finishes reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire! We love the How to Train Your Dragon series!!!! The movie is amazing and the books are even more awesome!!!! Cressida Cowell is a genius! She deserves as much credit as a wonderful female writer of the 21st Century as J. K. Rowling already has!!!
I know I'm all over the place with my discussion here.....I had planned on focusing on the first book of the Maximum Ride series because that's the most recent book I've finished reading, but obviously this Lexile scoring as a basis for choosing books for Samuel to read this year has me completely bumfuzzled and I just wanted to share.......
I'd love to hear your thoughts.........
Friday, September 30, 2011
5 Books that have influenced me the most
Topic #264:
What 5 books have influenced you the most?
This is a tough one. I'm not sure I can keep it to just five, but here goes:
1. COLD SASSY TREE by Olive Ann Burns. This is just an amazing book that everyone should read. It's a wonderful southern story with amazing southern characters who, even though it's been more than 20 years since I read the book for the first time, I still think about and talk about on a day-to-day basis!
2. GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell. This has always been my Mom's favorite book and it easily became one of mine. I remember just as clear as day her telling me how difficult it was to get started with the book, but once she got passed the first 3 chapters, she couldn't put the book down! I've seen the movie dozens of times and I've read the book several! Although, I can open the book pretty close to where I want to be with my favorite parts!
3. THE LOVELY BONES and LUCKY by Alice Sebold. I had seen THE LOVELY BONES on the New York Times BestSeller list for more than a year and, of course, I was intrigued. I finally picked up a copy of the book and flew through it in one day! I quickly picked up LUCKY and flew through it as well. Sebold told Suzie's story in such a way that--even as horrific as the story is--I was unable to put the book down! It really is a very amazing, powerful book that everyone should read!!!
4. IVANHOE by Sir Walter Scott. LOVE, love, love, love, love this wonderful historical romance novel!!!! It is the type of story I hope one day to write. I love the way the story is written. I love the names of the characters in the story. I love the characters themselves. There's sword fighting, jousting, father/son relationships, kings, princesses, Jews, knights, and romance out the wazoo!!!! What isn't there to love about IVANHOE?!
5. the whole HARRY POTTER series. I have only recently read the whole series, but I quickly flew through the whole series once and then I turned right around and re-read the whole thing again!!!! I think I've read the whole series 4 times all together! The movies are definitely a lot of fun, but even more than the movies being wonderful, the books are just absolutely AMAZING! Rowling definitely stole a little from other great literature, but the reality is that all the greats steal a little from the previous greats. This is a series that should be read by and will definitely continue to be a true literary classic!!!
What 5 books have influenced you the most?
This is a tough one. I'm not sure I can keep it to just five, but here goes:
1. COLD SASSY TREE by Olive Ann Burns. This is just an amazing book that everyone should read. It's a wonderful southern story with amazing southern characters who, even though it's been more than 20 years since I read the book for the first time, I still think about and talk about on a day-to-day basis!
2. GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell. This has always been my Mom's favorite book and it easily became one of mine. I remember just as clear as day her telling me how difficult it was to get started with the book, but once she got passed the first 3 chapters, she couldn't put the book down! I've seen the movie dozens of times and I've read the book several! Although, I can open the book pretty close to where I want to be with my favorite parts!
3. THE LOVELY BONES and LUCKY by Alice Sebold. I had seen THE LOVELY BONES on the New York Times BestSeller list for more than a year and, of course, I was intrigued. I finally picked up a copy of the book and flew through it in one day! I quickly picked up LUCKY and flew through it as well. Sebold told Suzie's story in such a way that--even as horrific as the story is--I was unable to put the book down! It really is a very amazing, powerful book that everyone should read!!!
4. IVANHOE by Sir Walter Scott. LOVE, love, love, love, love this wonderful historical romance novel!!!! It is the type of story I hope one day to write. I love the way the story is written. I love the names of the characters in the story. I love the characters themselves. There's sword fighting, jousting, father/son relationships, kings, princesses, Jews, knights, and romance out the wazoo!!!! What isn't there to love about IVANHOE?!
5. the whole HARRY POTTER series. I have only recently read the whole series, but I quickly flew through the whole series once and then I turned right around and re-read the whole thing again!!!! I think I've read the whole series 4 times all together! The movies are definitely a lot of fun, but even more than the movies being wonderful, the books are just absolutely AMAZING! Rowling definitely stole a little from other great literature, but the reality is that all the greats steal a little from the previous greats. This is a series that should be read by and will definitely continue to be a true literary classic!!!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Finished RETURN OF THE KING
It's actually been almost two weeks since I finished the last book (not counting the prequels!), so this is kind of weird for me--writing so long after the fact, that is. Regardless, what I want to say is that it is amazing to me how just about EVERYTHING I do (in and out of the classroom) comes back around to either Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. Some of it because I make it so and some of it because it just FITS.
It is so awesome finally to be able to say that I have read the LotR series, including The Hobbit. As an English teacher (who loves British Literature), it has been embarrassing for me that I had never read the whole series. I'd read The Hobbit when I was in 4th or 5th grade, but I didn't like it. I honestly don't think I was really ready for it yet. I was a fairly advanced reader for my age (I had started reading when I was about 4 years old--regular books, not just Dick and Jane-type books), so when I first picked it up, I thought I was up for it. Now, looking back over 30 years later, I realize that I just wasn't ready for it.
I am not saying that I thoroughly enjoyed reading the whole series, but I am saying that I am glad I read it and there's an awful lot within the series to appreciate and even like. One thing I've realized during the reading of this series more than at any time in my life is the fact that readers need to be READY for a book--especially one like this--before reading it. Otherwise, said reader might be turned off to reading. Someone being forced to read a book above his/her reading/comprehension level is set up for failure in the context of learning to DISLIKE reading rather than set up to enjoy reading as much as it's meant to be enjoyed.
It is a real challenge for me to wait for Samuel to read certain books because I want him to enjoy them as much as I do. But I don't want him to come to a place where he doesn't like to read. Right now, even though I have to force him to read, he does LIKE to read. He'd much rather watch tv or play video games--or even anything else--than read a book. I don't think he's any different than any other typical/average 10-year old. Not everyone can LOVE to read as much as I do. I try to remember that, especially when dealing with my son.
It's not easy. I so much want him (and everyone else I know) to see and enjoy the books as much as I do. I want him to WANT to read these books as much as I want him to want to read. But the reality is that quite often, some of the books I want him to read, he's just not ready for. It's been almost two year now since I first read the first Harry Potter book. From the beginning, I wanted Samuel to read them, too. He has watched the movies with me and enjoyed them, but he just wasn't interested in reading the books.
A little more than a week ago, Samuel was finishing the book he was reading at that time and we were talking about what book he'd read next. HE told me he was ready to read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone! Be still my heart! I got online within the hour and looked up the information for his Reading Count information (for all the books!!!!) and wrote the information in the books so we wouldn't have to look it up again. Samuel has been carrying the book around for a week while he finished the other book he was reading! He even has a HP bookmark to use while reading!!!!!
I'm SOO excited; while he was doing his homework tonight, I started reading it again myself! I'm already on chapter 4!!!! I want to read it WITH Samuel!!! I'm going to have to force myself to slow down so I can actually read it WITH him....
I have SOOOOOO gotten off topic!!! My original points were: 1. that I'm really glad I have finally read all of the Lord of the Rings books. I was embarrassed by the fact that I hadn't read them even though I AM an English teacher and I have taught some of the books before---even though I'd never read them! (Reading The Hobbit back in 4th or 5th grade doesn't count since I didn't like it or remember much of it.) 2. It's important to read a book (series of books) when YOU are ready. Sadly, that can't always be the case since we are required to read certain books for school, but the fact is that teachers need to be aware that some kids just are NOT ready for certain books yet.....and find a way to help the readers who aren't quite ready for them to enjoy them--if they're still required to read them.
It might help if teachers show the movie version. That often helps kids get interested in certain books. I know that the movies for the LotR has sparked new interest in the book series---it did for me, too. And Samuel is already in love with Harry Potter because of the movies. He has seen every movie several times and enjoys them very much.
It might help for teacher to read the book to the kids. Maybe even stopping and talking about what was just read--asking questions--explaining without getting upset if the kids didn't understand. But also allowing for some kids to interpret the reading their own ways rather than always saying THIS is how they're to understand such-and-such.....Some stories ARE open to interpretation, you know!!!
One of the positives about the Reading Counts program at Samuel's school is that the kids are able to choose the books they read for their RC points. They still have books that they're reading in the classroom together, but outside of that, they are encouraged--even given incentives--to read books of their own choosing. Samuel fell in love with The Magic TreeHouse books in 1st and 2nd grade; he read more than 30 of those. A little more than a year ago, he discovered the 39 Clues series and has read the first 7 out of 11 of those books. He owns them all. And now he's excited about reading Harry Potter. (I couldn't be happier!)
Anyway, I'm all over the place with this blog. I won't apologize for it. That's what blogging is all about. I'll probably come back and write more about The Return of the King and actually talk about the book itself, but for now, I had to get these thoughts down and out of my head!!! Maybe one day (before he's in his forties), my son will want to read the LotR series; he might even LIKE the books when he chooses to read them!!!!!
It is so awesome finally to be able to say that I have read the LotR series, including The Hobbit. As an English teacher (who loves British Literature), it has been embarrassing for me that I had never read the whole series. I'd read The Hobbit when I was in 4th or 5th grade, but I didn't like it. I honestly don't think I was really ready for it yet. I was a fairly advanced reader for my age (I had started reading when I was about 4 years old--regular books, not just Dick and Jane-type books), so when I first picked it up, I thought I was up for it. Now, looking back over 30 years later, I realize that I just wasn't ready for it.
I am not saying that I thoroughly enjoyed reading the whole series, but I am saying that I am glad I read it and there's an awful lot within the series to appreciate and even like. One thing I've realized during the reading of this series more than at any time in my life is the fact that readers need to be READY for a book--especially one like this--before reading it. Otherwise, said reader might be turned off to reading. Someone being forced to read a book above his/her reading/comprehension level is set up for failure in the context of learning to DISLIKE reading rather than set up to enjoy reading as much as it's meant to be enjoyed.
It is a real challenge for me to wait for Samuel to read certain books because I want him to enjoy them as much as I do. But I don't want him to come to a place where he doesn't like to read. Right now, even though I have to force him to read, he does LIKE to read. He'd much rather watch tv or play video games--or even anything else--than read a book. I don't think he's any different than any other typical/average 10-year old. Not everyone can LOVE to read as much as I do. I try to remember that, especially when dealing with my son.
It's not easy. I so much want him (and everyone else I know) to see and enjoy the books as much as I do. I want him to WANT to read these books as much as I want him to want to read. But the reality is that quite often, some of the books I want him to read, he's just not ready for. It's been almost two year now since I first read the first Harry Potter book. From the beginning, I wanted Samuel to read them, too. He has watched the movies with me and enjoyed them, but he just wasn't interested in reading the books.
A little more than a week ago, Samuel was finishing the book he was reading at that time and we were talking about what book he'd read next. HE told me he was ready to read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone! Be still my heart! I got online within the hour and looked up the information for his Reading Count information (for all the books!!!!) and wrote the information in the books so we wouldn't have to look it up again. Samuel has been carrying the book around for a week while he finished the other book he was reading! He even has a HP bookmark to use while reading!!!!!
I'm SOO excited; while he was doing his homework tonight, I started reading it again myself! I'm already on chapter 4!!!! I want to read it WITH Samuel!!! I'm going to have to force myself to slow down so I can actually read it WITH him....
I have SOOOOOO gotten off topic!!! My original points were: 1. that I'm really glad I have finally read all of the Lord of the Rings books. I was embarrassed by the fact that I hadn't read them even though I AM an English teacher and I have taught some of the books before---even though I'd never read them! (Reading The Hobbit back in 4th or 5th grade doesn't count since I didn't like it or remember much of it.) 2. It's important to read a book (series of books) when YOU are ready. Sadly, that can't always be the case since we are required to read certain books for school, but the fact is that teachers need to be aware that some kids just are NOT ready for certain books yet.....and find a way to help the readers who aren't quite ready for them to enjoy them--if they're still required to read them.
It might help if teachers show the movie version. That often helps kids get interested in certain books. I know that the movies for the LotR has sparked new interest in the book series---it did for me, too. And Samuel is already in love with Harry Potter because of the movies. He has seen every movie several times and enjoys them very much.
It might help for teacher to read the book to the kids. Maybe even stopping and talking about what was just read--asking questions--explaining without getting upset if the kids didn't understand. But also allowing for some kids to interpret the reading their own ways rather than always saying THIS is how they're to understand such-and-such.....Some stories ARE open to interpretation, you know!!!
One of the positives about the Reading Counts program at Samuel's school is that the kids are able to choose the books they read for their RC points. They still have books that they're reading in the classroom together, but outside of that, they are encouraged--even given incentives--to read books of their own choosing. Samuel fell in love with The Magic TreeHouse books in 1st and 2nd grade; he read more than 30 of those. A little more than a year ago, he discovered the 39 Clues series and has read the first 7 out of 11 of those books. He owns them all. And now he's excited about reading Harry Potter. (I couldn't be happier!)
Anyway, I'm all over the place with this blog. I won't apologize for it. That's what blogging is all about. I'll probably come back and write more about The Return of the King and actually talk about the book itself, but for now, I had to get these thoughts down and out of my head!!! Maybe one day (before he's in his forties), my son will want to read the LotR series; he might even LIKE the books when he chooses to read them!!!!!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Finished THE TWO TOWERS
Yeah! I'm moving right along through the LOTR series! Three books down, I'm counting The Hobbit, and one to go!!!! Yahoo! In a few weeks I will finally be able to honestly say that I've read the WHOLE Lord of the Rings series! And that I've seen all the movies!!!! What a relief! My students often choose to do something from Tolkien in my British Lit classes, so it's a good idea if the teacher has read the series herself if she plans on teaching it!!!
At the end of The Fellowship, the Fellowship has broken up. As The Two Towers opens, we learn some of the details that broke up the Fellowship and we also follow the various members of the Fellowship through their separate journeys. My favorite part is the story of Merry and Pippin. These two Hobbits who seemed so unimportant through The Fellowship become vital to the story as a whole, suprisingly! And their story is FUN to read about! I love these two unlikely heroes!!! It's wonderful how it's not just Frodo and Samwise who heroically continue on the journey to destroy the Ring--on their own (without the heroic warriors who guarded them, I mean)--but also Merry and Pippin who prove to be more valuable to the story than merely props!!!
The oddest part of The Two Towers is how Gimli and Legolas keep count of the number of Orcs they've killed and compare--as a real contest between the two of them! I get that it is all part of the odd relationship between the two unlikely friends, a dwarf and an elf--"frienimies"--but it's still one of those parts of the story where I found myself scratchingI my head and wondering "What in the world are they doing comparing numbers like that in the middle of a major battle where their warrior friends are dying all around them?" Of course, by the end of the battle, Gimli and Legolas' friendship is cemented--and is a part of the story I want to see more of.
The other aspect of The Two Towers I found worthy of note is how both Samwise and Gollum (Smeagle) consider Frodo their "Master." Why is Samwise Frodo's servant rather than just his friend? I thought the friendship between Samwise and Frodo (and the rest of the Fellowship) was a central theme to the story as a whole. To me, it takes away from the meaning of friendship if Frodo is Sam's "Master." Being a servant can certainly create a special relationship between two people, but at the same time, it is a different kind of relationshp than the bond of friendship I thought was so important to the story between Samwise and Frodo.
I don't like that Samwise calls and considers Frodo "Master." (BTW: my favorite line from The Fellowship--I can't remember if it's in the book, but it's in the movie for sure--is when Samwise runs out into the water after Frodo when Frodo is trying to leave the Fellowship and go to Mordor alone. Frodo yells at Samwise that he's going to Mordor alone, and Samwise yells back, "I know you are! And I'm coming with you!" I LOVE that!!!) As Gollum begins to refer to Frodo the same way as Samwise, it takes away from the friendship between Frodo and Samwise. Gollum is supposed to be their guide as well as the one who is only looking out for himself and how he can get back his "Precious." He is definitely in the role of servant within the story for Samwise and Frodo. But Samwise is supposed to be Frodo's closest Friend.....not servant.
All in all, I'm enjoying the series. I plan on reading more of the third and final book today while I have some time to myself. Once school starts on Monday, it'll be harder to read often. I consider the summer to be over by the end of August, so if I want to achieve my goal of reading the whole series this summer, I have to finish the last book by the end of August! The way things have been going for me in reading this series, it will be all of that before I finally finish the last book!!!!!
At the end of The Fellowship, the Fellowship has broken up. As The Two Towers opens, we learn some of the details that broke up the Fellowship and we also follow the various members of the Fellowship through their separate journeys. My favorite part is the story of Merry and Pippin. These two Hobbits who seemed so unimportant through The Fellowship become vital to the story as a whole, suprisingly! And their story is FUN to read about! I love these two unlikely heroes!!! It's wonderful how it's not just Frodo and Samwise who heroically continue on the journey to destroy the Ring--on their own (without the heroic warriors who guarded them, I mean)--but also Merry and Pippin who prove to be more valuable to the story than merely props!!!
The oddest part of The Two Towers is how Gimli and Legolas keep count of the number of Orcs they've killed and compare--as a real contest between the two of them! I get that it is all part of the odd relationship between the two unlikely friends, a dwarf and an elf--"frienimies"--but it's still one of those parts of the story where I found myself scratchingI my head and wondering "What in the world are they doing comparing numbers like that in the middle of a major battle where their warrior friends are dying all around them?" Of course, by the end of the battle, Gimli and Legolas' friendship is cemented--and is a part of the story I want to see more of.
The other aspect of The Two Towers I found worthy of note is how both Samwise and Gollum (Smeagle) consider Frodo their "Master." Why is Samwise Frodo's servant rather than just his friend? I thought the friendship between Samwise and Frodo (and the rest of the Fellowship) was a central theme to the story as a whole. To me, it takes away from the meaning of friendship if Frodo is Sam's "Master." Being a servant can certainly create a special relationship between two people, but at the same time, it is a different kind of relationshp than the bond of friendship I thought was so important to the story between Samwise and Frodo.
I don't like that Samwise calls and considers Frodo "Master." (BTW: my favorite line from The Fellowship--I can't remember if it's in the book, but it's in the movie for sure--is when Samwise runs out into the water after Frodo when Frodo is trying to leave the Fellowship and go to Mordor alone. Frodo yells at Samwise that he's going to Mordor alone, and Samwise yells back, "I know you are! And I'm coming with you!" I LOVE that!!!) As Gollum begins to refer to Frodo the same way as Samwise, it takes away from the friendship between Frodo and Samwise. Gollum is supposed to be their guide as well as the one who is only looking out for himself and how he can get back his "Precious." He is definitely in the role of servant within the story for Samwise and Frodo. But Samwise is supposed to be Frodo's closest Friend.....not servant.
All in all, I'm enjoying the series. I plan on reading more of the third and final book today while I have some time to myself. Once school starts on Monday, it'll be harder to read often. I consider the summer to be over by the end of August, so if I want to achieve my goal of reading the whole series this summer, I have to finish the last book by the end of August! The way things have been going for me in reading this series, it will be all of that before I finally finish the last book!!!!!
Finished FELLOWSHIP, Part 2
OK. Now a little about the actual story The Fellowship of the Ring....
If you have read any of my previous posts about TLOTR, you know that I had quite a bit of trepidation about reading this series even though I was determined to read it this summer. It has taken me a lot longer to read this whole series (or each individual book) than it normally does for me to read something. (I finished the WHOLE Harry Potter series, all 7 books, in less than a month and then turned around re-read the whole series again within 2 more weeks!)
One of the reasons it is taking me so long to read each book is the fact that each book is so incredibly full of information, details, and characters. It is very challenging to wade through all of it and still remember what I need to remember as I go through the story. Worst of all is the fact that many of the characters have more than one name!!!! Gandalf, for example, is introduced as Gandalf the Grey. He later (in The Two Towers) is Gandalf the White. By the end of The Two Towers, he's called Mithrandir!!!! And I think there's another one in there somewhere I might be forgetting!!!
How am I supposed to keep up with the story when so many names change from one page to the next?!
And SO MUCH happens!!! Good grief! Frodo and Company travel for a little while and it's just the 4 of them, then they get Rider (Aragorn, as well as other names he's referred to), and eventually, the Company, or Fellowship as they come to be known as, are a total of 9: Frodo, Samwise (I prefer that version of his name), Merry, Pippin, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas the Elf, Aragorn/Rider, Boromir, and Gandalf. At first, I couldn't figure out who was who!!! Why the need for 4 Hobbits? Why such a large Fellowship? And that's when the story gets REALLY confusing!
The Fellowship starts at the Elf home of Rivendell which is ruled by King Elrond (or is he just Lord Elrond?), they travel through the dwarf-made mines of Moria, and end up in ANOTHER country of Elves ruled by a Queen of Elves, Galadriel--mother of Arywen (sp?)--who is in love with Aragorn!!!! Yet, the love story is so far down the line as far as importance to the story that it's only hinted at in Fellowship!!!
(If it hadn't been for the movie version of the story, I wouldn't have KNOWN of the love story between Aragorn and Arywen! Which I guess is a fun twist, but for someone who loves romance woven into adventure stories, it might have helped me enjoy the WHOLE series more if Tolkien had shared more of the romance between the "young" lovers throughout the series!!! I got more of Theoden's attraction for Aragorn, which he definitely notices, than I did about Aragorn's true love relationship with Arywen!!!)
So anyway....I did like the book, even though it took me a lot longer to read the book than usual. What I found truly surprising was when I actually watched the movie version of The Fellowship of the Ring. Of course there are some differences between the book and the movie regardless of the fact that Peter Jackson did a great job making a movie of such a "dense" book (as it's referred to in the behind-the-scenes featurettes on the movie). Most of the differences don't ruin or take away from the story in any way. I think that the details that are different are simply the best way to get the necessary information to an audience via film.
The one scene that my reaction to surprised me the most is the one when Boromir dies. When I read the book, I found that to be a very powerful, potent scene. But I didn't really CARE about Boromir enough to FEEL true sorrow when he falls to the Orcs in the book. When I saw the movie, though, the scene when Boromir continues to fight--and kill--Orcs even after he's been shot several times with the giant arrows moved me to TRUE sorrowful tears! I mean, seriously, I SOBBED like a little baby!!! It is such a beautiful scene and shows the true man--hero--that Boromir is and that he was truly worthy to be one of the Fellowship--traveling with Frodo to guard and protect the Ring.
The Fellowship was definitely worth the read. In spite of the fact that I wish the series as a whole had more romance woven into the Adventure story, it is a series that is worthy of the mass of followers who love it....some to the point of putting LOTR artwork on their bodies!!!
If you have read any of my previous posts about TLOTR, you know that I had quite a bit of trepidation about reading this series even though I was determined to read it this summer. It has taken me a lot longer to read this whole series (or each individual book) than it normally does for me to read something. (I finished the WHOLE Harry Potter series, all 7 books, in less than a month and then turned around re-read the whole series again within 2 more weeks!)
One of the reasons it is taking me so long to read each book is the fact that each book is so incredibly full of information, details, and characters. It is very challenging to wade through all of it and still remember what I need to remember as I go through the story. Worst of all is the fact that many of the characters have more than one name!!!! Gandalf, for example, is introduced as Gandalf the Grey. He later (in The Two Towers) is Gandalf the White. By the end of The Two Towers, he's called Mithrandir!!!! And I think there's another one in there somewhere I might be forgetting!!!
How am I supposed to keep up with the story when so many names change from one page to the next?!
And SO MUCH happens!!! Good grief! Frodo and Company travel for a little while and it's just the 4 of them, then they get Rider (Aragorn, as well as other names he's referred to), and eventually, the Company, or Fellowship as they come to be known as, are a total of 9: Frodo, Samwise (I prefer that version of his name), Merry, Pippin, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas the Elf, Aragorn/Rider, Boromir, and Gandalf. At first, I couldn't figure out who was who!!! Why the need for 4 Hobbits? Why such a large Fellowship? And that's when the story gets REALLY confusing!
The Fellowship starts at the Elf home of Rivendell which is ruled by King Elrond (or is he just Lord Elrond?), they travel through the dwarf-made mines of Moria, and end up in ANOTHER country of Elves ruled by a Queen of Elves, Galadriel--mother of Arywen (sp?)--who is in love with Aragorn!!!! Yet, the love story is so far down the line as far as importance to the story that it's only hinted at in Fellowship!!!
(If it hadn't been for the movie version of the story, I wouldn't have KNOWN of the love story between Aragorn and Arywen! Which I guess is a fun twist, but for someone who loves romance woven into adventure stories, it might have helped me enjoy the WHOLE series more if Tolkien had shared more of the romance between the "young" lovers throughout the series!!! I got more of Theoden's attraction for Aragorn, which he definitely notices, than I did about Aragorn's true love relationship with Arywen!!!)
So anyway....I did like the book, even though it took me a lot longer to read the book than usual. What I found truly surprising was when I actually watched the movie version of The Fellowship of the Ring. Of course there are some differences between the book and the movie regardless of the fact that Peter Jackson did a great job making a movie of such a "dense" book (as it's referred to in the behind-the-scenes featurettes on the movie). Most of the differences don't ruin or take away from the story in any way. I think that the details that are different are simply the best way to get the necessary information to an audience via film.
The one scene that my reaction to surprised me the most is the one when Boromir dies. When I read the book, I found that to be a very powerful, potent scene. But I didn't really CARE about Boromir enough to FEEL true sorrow when he falls to the Orcs in the book. When I saw the movie, though, the scene when Boromir continues to fight--and kill--Orcs even after he's been shot several times with the giant arrows moved me to TRUE sorrowful tears! I mean, seriously, I SOBBED like a little baby!!! It is such a beautiful scene and shows the true man--hero--that Boromir is and that he was truly worthy to be one of the Fellowship--traveling with Frodo to guard and protect the Ring.
The Fellowship was definitely worth the read. In spite of the fact that I wish the series as a whole had more romance woven into the Adventure story, it is a series that is worthy of the mass of followers who love it....some to the point of putting LOTR artwork on their bodies!!!
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
"Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie."
I guess this quote from TLOTR series is familiar to everyone who has read the series. It certainly sums up the point of the story and what to expect from them. I have recently become a major fan of the tv show Big Bang Theory; they did an episode where the guys get a replica of the Ring from the movies and they go crazy over the "Precious." Of course, I didn't see this episode until I was well into reading the series, so it made the episode that more more interesting, and funny, for me!
One of the things that has stood out to me the most in reading this series is the Forward written by Tolkien himself. For as long as I can remember, I have been told (and believed it to be utterly true) that TLOTR series is a modern-day allegory and that Tolkien and C. S. Lewis challenged each other write true, modern-day allegories--which we've believed became, for Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (the whole series), and for Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia series.
But, according to Tolkien himself, TLOTR is in no way an allegory: "As for any inner meaning or 'message', it has in the intention of the author none. It is neither allegorical nor topical. As the story grew it put down roots (into the past) and threw out unexpected branches: but its main theme was settled from the outset by the inevitable choice of the Ring as the link between it and The Hobbit. . . I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence. I much prefer history, true or feigned, with its varied applicability to the thought and experience of readers. I think that many confuse 'applicability' with 'allegory'" but the one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other in the purposed domination of the author" (10-11). I must admit that reading these words straight from Tolkien himself were somewhat of a shock.
As a teacher, I pride myself on teaching my students true and factual information as much as possible as far as literature is concerned. As even Tolkien himself notes, readers take rich and varied nuances from their own readings and thus their interpretations of their readings are as rich and varied as the readers themselves----which is why Reader Response Criticism has become an acceptable way of looking at and interpreting literature regardless of how the true critic of literature feel about it. The point I am trying to get at is that for years, I have taught that TLOTR is a purposeful allegory, but now, upon reading the series for myself (finally), I learn that I have been teaching incorrect information!!!
It just goes to show that no matter who tells us something that is believed to be truth, we must research and learn for ourselves the real truth. It's the reason why students should always read the literature for themselves rather than simply trusting the teacher and/or classmates' discussions to determine what a story is truly about.
I am reminded of the fallacies so many people believe regarding Frankenstein. Only those of us who have read this wonderful book by Mary Shelley know of the richness of story as well as the fact that the Creature is never named. While the public has called the Creature "Frankenstein" for as long as I can remember, that name belongs to the CreatOR, not the creatURE. We've also always called him "Dr." Victor Frankenstein, when in all reality, Victor never was a "doctor" of any kind. The way the story reads, it is doubtful that Victor even finished his college education!
It is important for readers to read the material for themselves and not simply trust what others say about certain works. That goes for so-called facts about the stories as well as for opinions about the stories. What one person finds awful, the worst thing ever, another may find to be life-changing. It has always been that way for me as far as reading is concerned (and for movies, too). I have found that I absolutely LOVE books/stories that friends, critics, the general public, etc. find absolutely horrid and that I wonder how some of books considered great by these same people ever were even published!!!
Read the story for yourself!!! Find out for yourself the truths of the story....the facts.....the details. Don't believe everything you hear without the facts (reading the story for yourself) to back up your information!!!!
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie."
I guess this quote from TLOTR series is familiar to everyone who has read the series. It certainly sums up the point of the story and what to expect from them. I have recently become a major fan of the tv show Big Bang Theory; they did an episode where the guys get a replica of the Ring from the movies and they go crazy over the "Precious." Of course, I didn't see this episode until I was well into reading the series, so it made the episode that more more interesting, and funny, for me!
One of the things that has stood out to me the most in reading this series is the Forward written by Tolkien himself. For as long as I can remember, I have been told (and believed it to be utterly true) that TLOTR series is a modern-day allegory and that Tolkien and C. S. Lewis challenged each other write true, modern-day allegories--which we've believed became, for Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (the whole series), and for Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia series.
But, according to Tolkien himself, TLOTR is in no way an allegory: "As for any inner meaning or 'message', it has in the intention of the author none. It is neither allegorical nor topical. As the story grew it put down roots (into the past) and threw out unexpected branches: but its main theme was settled from the outset by the inevitable choice of the Ring as the link between it and The Hobbit. . . I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence. I much prefer history, true or feigned, with its varied applicability to the thought and experience of readers. I think that many confuse 'applicability' with 'allegory'" but the one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other in the purposed domination of the author" (10-11). I must admit that reading these words straight from Tolkien himself were somewhat of a shock.
As a teacher, I pride myself on teaching my students true and factual information as much as possible as far as literature is concerned. As even Tolkien himself notes, readers take rich and varied nuances from their own readings and thus their interpretations of their readings are as rich and varied as the readers themselves----which is why Reader Response Criticism has become an acceptable way of looking at and interpreting literature regardless of how the true critic of literature feel about it. The point I am trying to get at is that for years, I have taught that TLOTR is a purposeful allegory, but now, upon reading the series for myself (finally), I learn that I have been teaching incorrect information!!!
It just goes to show that no matter who tells us something that is believed to be truth, we must research and learn for ourselves the real truth. It's the reason why students should always read the literature for themselves rather than simply trusting the teacher and/or classmates' discussions to determine what a story is truly about.
I am reminded of the fallacies so many people believe regarding Frankenstein. Only those of us who have read this wonderful book by Mary Shelley know of the richness of story as well as the fact that the Creature is never named. While the public has called the Creature "Frankenstein" for as long as I can remember, that name belongs to the CreatOR, not the creatURE. We've also always called him "Dr." Victor Frankenstein, when in all reality, Victor never was a "doctor" of any kind. The way the story reads, it is doubtful that Victor even finished his college education!
It is important for readers to read the material for themselves and not simply trust what others say about certain works. That goes for so-called facts about the stories as well as for opinions about the stories. What one person finds awful, the worst thing ever, another may find to be life-changing. It has always been that way for me as far as reading is concerned (and for movies, too). I have found that I absolutely LOVE books/stories that friends, critics, the general public, etc. find absolutely horrid and that I wonder how some of books considered great by these same people ever were even published!!!
Read the story for yourself!!! Find out for yourself the truths of the story....the facts.....the details. Don't believe everything you hear without the facts (reading the story for yourself) to back up your information!!!!
Work Cited
Tolkien, J. R. R. Foreward. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. New York: Ballantine Books, 1955. 8-12. Print.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Easy Comparison: HP vs. LotR
It's such an easy and obvious comparison, I'm sure there are those who have sparked discussions or written who essays on the comparisons between the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings series. But since I'm so new to both (having just read HP for the first time last year (4 times since that first) and I'm only currently reading LotR--I'm on The Fellowship of the Ring), I don't know if anyone has done the comparisons.....I know I can do some research on it--and I fully intend to do so--but I thought I'd go ahead and throw it out there and see what your comments are.....
It's also helping in my enjoyment of the LotR series as I'm reading it! I keep seeing all these things that are wonderful connections to my other new favorite series of books: Harry Potter.
- I'm already seeing a lot of similarities between Frodo and Harry
- And don't even get me started on the friendship themes within both stories. (*I must admit that this is my favorite part of HP and it's quickly becoming the most endearing part of LotR for me, too.)
- The Black Riders and Dementors
- Sauren and Voldemort---Aragorn keeps telling Frodo not to say anything having to do with Sauren, including the WHERE (Mordor) and of course we all know that Voldemort is called from the very beginning "he who must not be named"
- New/different words made up that have become a part of our natural, every-day vocabulary
- Snape & Aragorn--think about it---it's there!
- The one that's so obvious, I hate to even mention it: Gandalf & Dumbledore
- Where Frodo and many of his friends, including the dwarves, are short (hobbits), Harry has as a very tall friend, Hagrid--this one's a bit of a stretch, but it's only the beginnings of a thought....I haven't fully processed this one (or any of these, for that matter, just this one less than the others)
- Not just made-up vocabulary, but new and exciting characters, including animals
- and just think of the fans....!!!! Not just for the books, but for the movies, too!!!
It's also helping in my enjoyment of the LotR series as I'm reading it! I keep seeing all these things that are wonderful connections to my other new favorite series of books: Harry Potter.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Beginning to Enjoy LOTR
I am really getting into The Fellowship of the Ring, finally. I'm actually having a very hard time putting the book down! I'm glad. I was worried that this whole reading experience would be a lot of work for me rather than enjoyment!
Of course, it's very odd that Frodo is starting out on a journey with no known destination or even a true purpose beyond the fact that he can't let the Evil One find him or the Ring. He knows he has to destroy the Ring, but has no idea whatsoever how to go about doing that. Even Gandalf is at a loss as to how they need to destroy the Ring.
I know this is all going to come together and that it is actually making me want to read to find out the answers to the REAL questions. I'm liking it a lot better than I thought I would.
I really want to see the movie version, too. I'm trying to wait until I finish reading the book before I watch the movie. I don't want to ruin any surprises that are in store for me, but at the same time, I know the movies are very well done and will help me see the story a little more effectively. I feel that I'm doing a decent job seeing the story, but I still really want to see the movies!
Here's hoping the book just gets better and better!!!! Just so you know, I'm only at the part where Frodo, Sam, and Pippin have left Bags End......so don't ruin it for me if you reply!
Of course, it's very odd that Frodo is starting out on a journey with no known destination or even a true purpose beyond the fact that he can't let the Evil One find him or the Ring. He knows he has to destroy the Ring, but has no idea whatsoever how to go about doing that. Even Gandalf is at a loss as to how they need to destroy the Ring.
I know this is all going to come together and that it is actually making me want to read to find out the answers to the REAL questions. I'm liking it a lot better than I thought I would.
I really want to see the movie version, too. I'm trying to wait until I finish reading the book before I watch the movie. I don't want to ruin any surprises that are in store for me, but at the same time, I know the movies are very well done and will help me see the story a little more effectively. I feel that I'm doing a decent job seeing the story, but I still really want to see the movies!
Here's hoping the book just gets better and better!!!! Just so you know, I'm only at the part where Frodo, Sam, and Pippin have left Bags End......so don't ruin it for me if you reply!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Friday, July 1, 2011
I am totally TRANSFORMED!!!!
Transformers: Dark of the Moon is.....awesome! Amazing! Fantastic! Wow! Great! Wonderful! I laughed. I cried. I stood up. I sat down. I stood up some more. I gasped in horror. I gasped in wonder and delight. I gasped in awe. I sat down. I stood up some more. I shouted at the screen. (Yes, in a full theater---I couldn't help it!) I munched mindlessly on popcorn. Surprisingly, I didn't throw my popcorn up in the air. It's a good thing I put the popcorn down. I had to go to the bathroom, but I refused to leave the room!!!!
At the end of the movie, I stood up and hooted the same way I might if my favorite team won a ball game!!!! Yes!!!! Score!!!!!
Go see it! It IS AMAZING!!! I did not see it in 3D, and I still enjoyed it TREMENDOUSLY!!!!!!
Only 2 downsides: 1. Samuel wasn't with me. I had a wonderful time with Kim, though!!!! 2. The chick playing his girlfriend. UGH. She wore stilettos through the WHOLE thing! Even when she was running! What is Michael Bay thinking?! Why???? And what's with her ginormous lips???? Gross!!! And Sam says that she's "the ONE"!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! She's NO BETTER than Mikeyla, so WHY???? She creeped me out.
I realize that I quite possibly just made her more irresistible to the guys, but she's really just a PROP.
I had NO idea that Patrick Dempsey was in this one!!! With all the beautiful men, I didn't know who to enjoy looking at the most!!!!
I wish I had more to say, but I don't want to ruin the movie for anyone who hasn't seen it yet!!! It's so wonderful and amazing!!! I can't wait to see it again! The next time, I'm going to watch the first two just before I go see it.....it won't make it better, but it'll be fun to do it!!!!
At the end of the movie, I stood up and hooted the same way I might if my favorite team won a ball game!!!! Yes!!!! Score!!!!!
Go see it! It IS AMAZING!!! I did not see it in 3D, and I still enjoyed it TREMENDOUSLY!!!!!!
Only 2 downsides: 1. Samuel wasn't with me. I had a wonderful time with Kim, though!!!! 2. The chick playing his girlfriend. UGH. She wore stilettos through the WHOLE thing! Even when she was running! What is Michael Bay thinking?! Why???? And what's with her ginormous lips???? Gross!!! And Sam says that she's "the ONE"!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! She's NO BETTER than Mikeyla, so WHY???? She creeped me out.
I realize that I quite possibly just made her more irresistible to the guys, but she's really just a PROP.
I had NO idea that Patrick Dempsey was in this one!!! With all the beautiful men, I didn't know who to enjoy looking at the most!!!!
I wish I had more to say, but I don't want to ruin the movie for anyone who hasn't seen it yet!!! It's so wonderful and amazing!!! I can't wait to see it again! The next time, I'm going to watch the first two just before I go see it.....it won't make it better, but it'll be fun to do it!!!!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
I Crave!!
I also read Made to Crave by Lysa Tyrkhurst (sp?) this month. (It's a religious book, so...again, if you don't want to read religious content, you might as well stop right here.)
I really enjoyed the book. It was interesting to me, though to note that Lysa talks all the same things that my Thin Within Bible Study covered (I read that one during the month of May, in case I forgot to post about it). What was even more interesting is that everything Lysa talks about, including her specific examples (yes, that includes Biblical examples especially) are EXACTLY what Gwen Shamblin covers in the Weigh Down program.
In case you don't know, I quit having anything to do with the Weigh Down program several months ago when I did some research on Gwen Shamblin's church. In spite of the fact that I refuse to support Gwen Shamblin's cult anymore, I've always maintained that her weight loss concepts had a lot going for them: focus on God rather than on food. Allow HIM to fill me up instead of food. Because I am trying to fill an empty place in me, I try to fill it with food, even though the reality is that the only way to fill that empty empty hole is with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Those concepts are right and true. I never had any doubt about that. I just can't support someone who doesn't believe the same as I do. (You can read about Gwen's church Remnant Fellowship for yourself. It's just an easy Google search away. Type in the name of the church and have at it. Maybe you'll disagree with me....It'd be nice to find out her church isN't a cult....)
Anyway, with Lysa repeating almost everything Gwen talks about, it just reinforced that the principle of focusing on God rather than food is RIGHT. Both women lay it on the table that gluttony is a sin. It's difficult to hear (read) something like that, but it's true. We as a society tend to get caught up in the so-called obvious sins like drinking in excess, adultery, lying, and so on and so on, when in all reality, gluttony is a sin. We need to quit sweeping it under the rug and face it for what it is.
I'm trying very hard to remember that God is more important than food. Why is that so difficult? Sadly, because I've turned to food longer than I've turned to Him. Old habits do die hard. But I'm killing them. The Bible tells me (Paul writes about it) that I don't have to be a slave to sin or to my flesh and what my flesh wants. I can have victory through the power--the blook--of Jesus Christ. It is a CHOICE to walk in Victory rather than to allow my flesh to rule me.
But it's still a difficult choice to make consistently when my old choice was something that was so EASY for me. But I refuse to give up. I will continue to make the choice to Crave my Lord rather than Food. Food has never filled me up the way He does. I love spending time with Him. Food just makes me feel fat, full, ugly, miserable, and it gives me horrible indigestion. Being filled with my Lord makes me feel ALIVE, AT PEACE, COMFORTED, and, best of all, full of JOY!!!!!
I CHOOSE to crave Jesus!!!!!
I really enjoyed the book. It was interesting to me, though to note that Lysa talks all the same things that my Thin Within Bible Study covered (I read that one during the month of May, in case I forgot to post about it). What was even more interesting is that everything Lysa talks about, including her specific examples (yes, that includes Biblical examples especially) are EXACTLY what Gwen Shamblin covers in the Weigh Down program.
In case you don't know, I quit having anything to do with the Weigh Down program several months ago when I did some research on Gwen Shamblin's church. In spite of the fact that I refuse to support Gwen Shamblin's cult anymore, I've always maintained that her weight loss concepts had a lot going for them: focus on God rather than on food. Allow HIM to fill me up instead of food. Because I am trying to fill an empty place in me, I try to fill it with food, even though the reality is that the only way to fill that empty empty hole is with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Those concepts are right and true. I never had any doubt about that. I just can't support someone who doesn't believe the same as I do. (You can read about Gwen's church Remnant Fellowship for yourself. It's just an easy Google search away. Type in the name of the church and have at it. Maybe you'll disagree with me....It'd be nice to find out her church isN't a cult....)
Anyway, with Lysa repeating almost everything Gwen talks about, it just reinforced that the principle of focusing on God rather than food is RIGHT. Both women lay it on the table that gluttony is a sin. It's difficult to hear (read) something like that, but it's true. We as a society tend to get caught up in the so-called obvious sins like drinking in excess, adultery, lying, and so on and so on, when in all reality, gluttony is a sin. We need to quit sweeping it under the rug and face it for what it is.
I'm trying very hard to remember that God is more important than food. Why is that so difficult? Sadly, because I've turned to food longer than I've turned to Him. Old habits do die hard. But I'm killing them. The Bible tells me (Paul writes about it) that I don't have to be a slave to sin or to my flesh and what my flesh wants. I can have victory through the power--the blook--of Jesus Christ. It is a CHOICE to walk in Victory rather than to allow my flesh to rule me.
But it's still a difficult choice to make consistently when my old choice was something that was so EASY for me. But I refuse to give up. I will continue to make the choice to Crave my Lord rather than Food. Food has never filled me up the way He does. I love spending time with Him. Food just makes me feel fat, full, ugly, miserable, and it gives me horrible indigestion. Being filled with my Lord makes me feel ALIVE, AT PEACE, COMFORTED, and, best of all, full of JOY!!!!!
I CHOOSE to crave Jesus!!!!!
Finally Finished THE HOBBIT!!!
It took me about a month to do it, but I finally finished reading The Hobbit!!! Does the fact that it took me so long (a month to read a book is a long time for me) for me to read it mean that I didn't like it? Not at all. I just simply had a hard time sticking with it. I do like Adventure and/or Fantasy stories, but they're not my favorites.
I'm honestly ashamed to say this, but if there had been a little romance in the story, I think I would have enjoyed it more. There is NO romance (in the way we typically think of romance) in the whole book. It's my understanding that as I get further into the series that a little romance is on the way, but there isn't any romance whatsoever in the whole book. Why couldn't Bilbo have met someone special on his journey to help defeat Smaug??? If he met Gollum and had such amazing adventures, why couldn't there have been a cute little female Hobbit who needed rescuing by the Tookish Hobbit????
Sure. Sure. I could be the one to write The Hobbit with a little romantic adventure, but I'm just now starting to read the series. How dare I even consider something like that?!
Anyway, I can hardly wait for the movie version to come out. I'm very excited about seeing Sir Ian McKlellan as Gandalf again. I have high hopes for the movie version. I have to admit that the part of the book where Smaug come in were really exciting for me. It was disappointing that Smaug is talked about and built up so much only to be in the books for a few brief pages (it felt like a few brief pages, anyway). I also am looking forward to seeing on film Bilbo's first meeting with Gollum. That's an awesome story in the book.
If you're one of the ones who has never read The Lord of the Rings series, just because I'm not as enthusiastic as others are about the series should not keep you from enjoying what really IS a great series. I definitely wanted to read and wanted to turn the page to find out what happened next. It's just my own personal disappointment in the lack of romance that takes away from the story for me.....!!!
I've already begun the 2nd book.....I'm only in the Forward so far. It's interesting to note that I've always heard that Tolkien wrote this series as an allegory because he and C.S. Lewis had challenged each other to write modern-day allegories, but in the Forward to The Fellowship of the Ring, Tokien himself says that the story is NOT an allegory. He states very clearly that he simply wanted to write a long story to prove that a reading audience would stick with a long, purely adventure story. (Maybe next time I'll quote him to prove I'm not off track.) This is a whole new perspective on the series for me...How about for you?!
I'm honestly ashamed to say this, but if there had been a little romance in the story, I think I would have enjoyed it more. There is NO romance (in the way we typically think of romance) in the whole book. It's my understanding that as I get further into the series that a little romance is on the way, but there isn't any romance whatsoever in the whole book. Why couldn't Bilbo have met someone special on his journey to help defeat Smaug??? If he met Gollum and had such amazing adventures, why couldn't there have been a cute little female Hobbit who needed rescuing by the Tookish Hobbit????
Sure. Sure. I could be the one to write The Hobbit with a little romantic adventure, but I'm just now starting to read the series. How dare I even consider something like that?!
Anyway, I can hardly wait for the movie version to come out. I'm very excited about seeing Sir Ian McKlellan as Gandalf again. I have high hopes for the movie version. I have to admit that the part of the book where Smaug come in were really exciting for me. It was disappointing that Smaug is talked about and built up so much only to be in the books for a few brief pages (it felt like a few brief pages, anyway). I also am looking forward to seeing on film Bilbo's first meeting with Gollum. That's an awesome story in the book.
If you're one of the ones who has never read The Lord of the Rings series, just because I'm not as enthusiastic as others are about the series should not keep you from enjoying what really IS a great series. I definitely wanted to read and wanted to turn the page to find out what happened next. It's just my own personal disappointment in the lack of romance that takes away from the story for me.....!!!
I've already begun the 2nd book.....I'm only in the Forward so far. It's interesting to note that I've always heard that Tolkien wrote this series as an allegory because he and C.S. Lewis had challenged each other to write modern-day allegories, but in the Forward to The Fellowship of the Ring, Tokien himself says that the story is NOT an allegory. He states very clearly that he simply wanted to write a long story to prove that a reading audience would stick with a long, purely adventure story. (Maybe next time I'll quote him to prove I'm not off track.) This is a whole new perspective on the series for me...How about for you?!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Polly's Reasons for Choosing L-I-F-E
http://www.thirteenreasonswhy.com/index.php
Last week, a previous student sent me a link for Jay Asher's book 13 Reasons Why, telling me that she thought I'd like it. Of course, after reading through the link she sent me, I went to Barnes&Noble.com and had the book set up for me to pick it up after my classes that day. I started it immediately. I would have finished it in less than two days except for the fact that I went on a family vacation the day after buying the book, so I didn't have as much reading time as normal. But the first day I was back home in Taylorsville, I finished it.
It was worth staying up a little late to finish.
This is a very difficult book to read, but honestly, it should be required reading for everyone. While the main character is explaining her reasons why she has chosen to end her life, that's not the main focus of the novel, I don't think. I think the most important point/lesson to take away from the novel is the Snowball Effect--how we all affect one another's lives in ways we never even realize. Hannah Baker shares her story in a way that makes me cringe as I think about all the people I have come in to contact with--and as I wonder if I have ever added to someone's hurt, or even been the one to start someone's pain.
It's quite an eye-opening book to read. I have always recognized the fact that we influence people every single day. John Maxwell talks about it in on one of his books (I'm sorry I can't remember which one one right at this moment). He shares a very specific statistic about how even introverts influence/affect several thousand people. Considering the fact that I am not an introvert, it's important to note that I can, do, and have influence[d] quite a few thousand people.....Wow.
Have I influenced those few thousand people positively or negatively? I hope mostly positively. I hope and pray that even the ones who I have influenced negatively, it wasn't TOO BAD......As an English Instructor, I know I've had students who didn't really like me or care for my teaching style (I had one just last week, as a matter of fact). I realize that. I don't think that means I'm a bad teacher. I believe that every single teacher I've ever met has these experiences. I hear great things about my co-workers, and I hear things that make even my toes curl about those same co-workers. If students are talking about other instructors, I know they're talking about me the same.
I can live with that. I can live with the fact that some of my students are not going to have the greatest experience of their lives in my classroom. If every student who walked in the doors of my classroom loved me completely (as a teacher, I mean), then I don't think I'd be doing my job right. Not every one is going to click with my teaching style or my personality. That's ok. The important thing is that the students who do stick it out with me learn--that they learn that reading and writing is not the worst subject on the planet!
Considering the number of students who write me later and tell me about how they got in to medical school, or earned scholarships, or have successfully finished college a 4-year universities, in part, because of my helping them learn to write better, I can live with the handful of students who wish they'd never sat in my classroom.
On a happier note, I thought I'd take Hannah's 13 reasons why she decided to end her life and write a few reasons why I CHOOSE L-I-F-E:
1. My son, Samuel. He truly is the light of my life. I LOVE being a Mom to him. He is such a wonderful blessing. I would love to have all of my precious children (there should be 4 all together), but since I only have Samuel, I appreciate him that much more.
2. My Family: Mom (Rosanne/Posy), Dad (Ken), my sister (Katie), my brother (Kenny), my sister-in-law (Kella), my brother-in-law (Wally), my uncle (Joel/Jolly to me), my niece (Ellen), my nephews (Scott and Nate), my brother and sister-in-laws on my husband's side of the family (there are 12 siblings all together so I'm not going to try to list all their names here!), and of course my husband (James). I love my family very much. Even though I only get to see them a few times a year in short bursts, they are very important to me and I would not be here without them. Literally. I've almost died a few times in my life. My dad rescued me when I almost drowned. My brother rescued me when I choked on a piece of meat. And of course, everyone was there with me through my recent illnesses/surgeries. (See previous blogs for more information about those.)
3. My church family: Jana, Brian, Devon, Brandi, Blake, Brandon, Kristi, Jon, Adam, Jessica, Caitlin, Jack, Michelle, Mamaw Jean, Nikki, Dante, Susan, David, Lucy, Jason, Hillary, Jacob, Krista, Angela, Paul, Kendra, Anthony, James, and Ashley. I love my church family so very much. They make going to church so much fun and enjoyable. I love spending time with them inside the walls of the church and outside the walls of the church. They are just a FUN bunch and I have come to love them as much as I do my very own biological family.
4. My job. I LOVE teaching. I believe it is the gift God has given me. I feel the most complete when I am in a classroom teaching--English (writing/reading). I have had migraines--bad enough that in my office before class, I've had the lights off and I was lying on the floor trying to rest and get rid of the migraine--when I've walked into classes, but as soon as I step in to the classroom and begin teaching, I don't even feel the migraine any more. (Of course, as soon as class was over, it was back and I've had to force myself to hold it together while I've driven home, but you get my point.) Truly, teaching [English] is the greatest natural high in the world. It is a wonderful reminder that everyone should do what he/she has been gifted to do!!! It's not about the money at all. It's about doing what I was meant to do with my life....! And I honestly and truly do love it! I've been asked before what I would do if I wasn't teaching and other than writing (which I already do on the side), the only other thing I would do is....well, teaching something else! I'd rather teach English, but if I don't get to teach English, I'd still be teaching SOMETHING!!!!
5. (These reasons for choosing L-I-F-E are in no particular order, btw.) My hobbies. I honestly love scrapbooking, reading, writing (blogging, too!), watching movies, and playing my piano (even though I play it maybe only once a year, I still love playing it). I have so much fun with each of these activities! Every time I scrapbook, I can't wait to see how the next page is going to turn out! I love showing off my scrapbooks and having people ooh and aah over them! (I love looking at yours, too!!!! Just so you know!) Every time I pick up a new book, it's as amazing as the first time I picked up a book. Reading is just so awesome!!! (As I've mentioned in a previous blog, I've started having the subtitles when I watch movies, so now I get to combine two of my favorite activities in one!!! JUMOY!) Of course, in case you haven't noticed, my whole blog is focused on my reading!!!!
Writing?! Oh my. I should have a book published by now with all the writing I do. Not only do I keep this blog, but I journal--a LOT. I've filled notebook after notebook after notebook with journaling. I now have an online journal, but quite often, I just love the feel of the pen/pencil in my hand, so I still hand write a lot of my journal entries!!! It doesn't matter the topic; I just HAVE to write SOMETHING!!!
Watching movies? People sometimes ask me how I can watch the same movie over and over and over again (or read the same book multiple times). I have no real answer to that except for the fact that I just love them! Every time I watch a movie again, I see something I didn't see before! Since I love musicals, it's the same as listening to an album or song multiple times. No one questions listening to the same song over and over and over again (sometimes back to back, but you know what I mean), so why should anyone question me when it comes to watching movies (or reading books) multiple times?!
Playing the piano. I'm not that good at it, but I DO love to play. I can play for an hour and not even realize that a whole hour has gone by. (It's actually the same for all my hobbies, not just playing the piano!) Why don't I do it more often if I enjoy playing it so much? Lazy. Pure and simply laziness. Maybe while both James and Samuel are gone this summer I'll get back to playing it several times a week......
6. Life is just so much fun!!! Just this past weekend my family (minus a few family members, unfortunately) went to King's Dominion for the weekend! It was so awesome! My 10-year old son was able to all but one roller coaster for the first time!!! He looked so scared on most of the rides, but also very determined. If his Cousin Nate was going to ride something, then he was going to ride. It was so awesome watching him and his expressions as he rode several roller coasters over and over again!!!
Plus, I was with my family! And I got to be with my own Dad on Father's Day! Since I live 4 hours away, that doesn't happen every year. We've gone to Virginia Beach together and all of us stayed in a rental house together for a whole week! And we had a great time!!! We've all stayed in the same cabin together for a mountain trip over New Year's. We love getting together and spending time together for holidays.
Besides all of these wonderful family activities, each day brings something new and exciting for me to learn and explore! New books to read! New movies to watch! New people to meet! New experiences as a teacher! New pages to scrapbook! I could just JUMOY all over the place because life is so AWESOME!!!
(Don't get me wrong now. I've had bad and sad days. I've been so depressed that I've had thoughts similar to Hannah's. I've even thought about how I'd do it--put the car in a closed garage. I've imagined taking a knife to my belly after my last miscarriage. I'm not saying I don't understand where Hannah is coming from. Sadly, I do--too much. But, as Hannah says towards the end of the book about her ending her life being her decision, I choose L-I-F-E.....)
7. (This one has religious content, so if you want to stop here, I understand.) I'll go down a little so if you don't want to read it, it's far enough down that you shouldn't have to.
One of the best reasons for choosing L-I-F-E is my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that when times are tough or really bad for me, or when I'm feeling my lowest and having low-self-esteem days that there is ONE who loves me so very much that He died so that I might have this life of mine. I love Him so much for what He has done for me that I don't want to disrespect Him by not enjoying this life He's given me an opportunity to live. Besides, His word says that He came, lived, and died that not only might I live (have life), but have it more abundantly!!!! I want to be able to spend eternity with my precious Savior in Heaven, so I'm going to do my best to live my life in a manner that I hope and pray He will be pleased with.
As a believer, I also believe that my "lost" children are in Heaven waiting with Jesus for me. I want to be sure that I get to spend eternity with them. I didn't have but a very short time to be with them here on this earth (James Isaac died at 9 months in utero and both Panya Ruth and Anna Rose died at 11 weeks in utero), so I want to be sure that I finally get to spend time with them!!!!
Life is definitely worth the living just because my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ Lives! I truly can face tomorrow because I know He lives!!!!!
Hannah Baker in the book 13 Reasons Why chose to end her life. After reading her story, my heart breaks for her. I wish someone would have made her feel special, loved, important. It is so very sad that even one person goes through not knowing if he/she is special, loved, or important to others. If I had been in Hannah's shoes, I might have followed through, too. As she talks about after going to see Mr. Porter, he's heard her say that she plans on ending her life, but she's obviously not important enough for him to follow her out of his office and take her back so they could figure something out or for him to take her to someone who might have helped her. The important thing to note is that after she told him what she was going to do, Mr. Porter never should have let Hannah leave his office. The fact that he did makes him even more guilty than even those who hurt Hannah. He is the adult--the teacher--the school counselor. If anyone should have known not to let someone who even mentions suicide out of his/her sight, it should have been Mr. Porter.
Does that mean that blame Mr. Porter, then? No, I don't. Hannah made her choice. The truth is, each individual has to find the strength within him/herself to keep putting one foot in front of another. When we have Christ is our hearts, it helps. We always have a choice. Hannah made hers; I've made mine.....
Last week, a previous student sent me a link for Jay Asher's book 13 Reasons Why, telling me that she thought I'd like it. Of course, after reading through the link she sent me, I went to Barnes&Noble.com and had the book set up for me to pick it up after my classes that day. I started it immediately. I would have finished it in less than two days except for the fact that I went on a family vacation the day after buying the book, so I didn't have as much reading time as normal. But the first day I was back home in Taylorsville, I finished it.
It was worth staying up a little late to finish.
This is a very difficult book to read, but honestly, it should be required reading for everyone. While the main character is explaining her reasons why she has chosen to end her life, that's not the main focus of the novel, I don't think. I think the most important point/lesson to take away from the novel is the Snowball Effect--how we all affect one another's lives in ways we never even realize. Hannah Baker shares her story in a way that makes me cringe as I think about all the people I have come in to contact with--and as I wonder if I have ever added to someone's hurt, or even been the one to start someone's pain.
It's quite an eye-opening book to read. I have always recognized the fact that we influence people every single day. John Maxwell talks about it in on one of his books (I'm sorry I can't remember which one one right at this moment). He shares a very specific statistic about how even introverts influence/affect several thousand people. Considering the fact that I am not an introvert, it's important to note that I can, do, and have influence[d] quite a few thousand people.....Wow.
Have I influenced those few thousand people positively or negatively? I hope mostly positively. I hope and pray that even the ones who I have influenced negatively, it wasn't TOO BAD......As an English Instructor, I know I've had students who didn't really like me or care for my teaching style (I had one just last week, as a matter of fact). I realize that. I don't think that means I'm a bad teacher. I believe that every single teacher I've ever met has these experiences. I hear great things about my co-workers, and I hear things that make even my toes curl about those same co-workers. If students are talking about other instructors, I know they're talking about me the same.
I can live with that. I can live with the fact that some of my students are not going to have the greatest experience of their lives in my classroom. If every student who walked in the doors of my classroom loved me completely (as a teacher, I mean), then I don't think I'd be doing my job right. Not every one is going to click with my teaching style or my personality. That's ok. The important thing is that the students who do stick it out with me learn--that they learn that reading and writing is not the worst subject on the planet!
Considering the number of students who write me later and tell me about how they got in to medical school, or earned scholarships, or have successfully finished college a 4-year universities, in part, because of my helping them learn to write better, I can live with the handful of students who wish they'd never sat in my classroom.
On a happier note, I thought I'd take Hannah's 13 reasons why she decided to end her life and write a few reasons why I CHOOSE L-I-F-E:
1. My son, Samuel. He truly is the light of my life. I LOVE being a Mom to him. He is such a wonderful blessing. I would love to have all of my precious children (there should be 4 all together), but since I only have Samuel, I appreciate him that much more.
2. My Family: Mom (Rosanne/Posy), Dad (Ken), my sister (Katie), my brother (Kenny), my sister-in-law (Kella), my brother-in-law (Wally), my uncle (Joel/Jolly to me), my niece (Ellen), my nephews (Scott and Nate), my brother and sister-in-laws on my husband's side of the family (there are 12 siblings all together so I'm not going to try to list all their names here!), and of course my husband (James). I love my family very much. Even though I only get to see them a few times a year in short bursts, they are very important to me and I would not be here without them. Literally. I've almost died a few times in my life. My dad rescued me when I almost drowned. My brother rescued me when I choked on a piece of meat. And of course, everyone was there with me through my recent illnesses/surgeries. (See previous blogs for more information about those.)
3. My church family: Jana, Brian, Devon, Brandi, Blake, Brandon, Kristi, Jon, Adam, Jessica, Caitlin, Jack, Michelle, Mamaw Jean, Nikki, Dante, Susan, David, Lucy, Jason, Hillary, Jacob, Krista, Angela, Paul, Kendra, Anthony, James, and Ashley. I love my church family so very much. They make going to church so much fun and enjoyable. I love spending time with them inside the walls of the church and outside the walls of the church. They are just a FUN bunch and I have come to love them as much as I do my very own biological family.
4. My job. I LOVE teaching. I believe it is the gift God has given me. I feel the most complete when I am in a classroom teaching--English (writing/reading). I have had migraines--bad enough that in my office before class, I've had the lights off and I was lying on the floor trying to rest and get rid of the migraine--when I've walked into classes, but as soon as I step in to the classroom and begin teaching, I don't even feel the migraine any more. (Of course, as soon as class was over, it was back and I've had to force myself to hold it together while I've driven home, but you get my point.) Truly, teaching [English] is the greatest natural high in the world. It is a wonderful reminder that everyone should do what he/she has been gifted to do!!! It's not about the money at all. It's about doing what I was meant to do with my life....! And I honestly and truly do love it! I've been asked before what I would do if I wasn't teaching and other than writing (which I already do on the side), the only other thing I would do is....well, teaching something else! I'd rather teach English, but if I don't get to teach English, I'd still be teaching SOMETHING!!!!
5. (These reasons for choosing L-I-F-E are in no particular order, btw.) My hobbies. I honestly love scrapbooking, reading, writing (blogging, too!), watching movies, and playing my piano (even though I play it maybe only once a year, I still love playing it). I have so much fun with each of these activities! Every time I scrapbook, I can't wait to see how the next page is going to turn out! I love showing off my scrapbooks and having people ooh and aah over them! (I love looking at yours, too!!!! Just so you know!) Every time I pick up a new book, it's as amazing as the first time I picked up a book. Reading is just so awesome!!! (As I've mentioned in a previous blog, I've started having the subtitles when I watch movies, so now I get to combine two of my favorite activities in one!!! JUMOY!) Of course, in case you haven't noticed, my whole blog is focused on my reading!!!!
Writing?! Oh my. I should have a book published by now with all the writing I do. Not only do I keep this blog, but I journal--a LOT. I've filled notebook after notebook after notebook with journaling. I now have an online journal, but quite often, I just love the feel of the pen/pencil in my hand, so I still hand write a lot of my journal entries!!! It doesn't matter the topic; I just HAVE to write SOMETHING!!!
Watching movies? People sometimes ask me how I can watch the same movie over and over and over again (or read the same book multiple times). I have no real answer to that except for the fact that I just love them! Every time I watch a movie again, I see something I didn't see before! Since I love musicals, it's the same as listening to an album or song multiple times. No one questions listening to the same song over and over and over again (sometimes back to back, but you know what I mean), so why should anyone question me when it comes to watching movies (or reading books) multiple times?!
Playing the piano. I'm not that good at it, but I DO love to play. I can play for an hour and not even realize that a whole hour has gone by. (It's actually the same for all my hobbies, not just playing the piano!) Why don't I do it more often if I enjoy playing it so much? Lazy. Pure and simply laziness. Maybe while both James and Samuel are gone this summer I'll get back to playing it several times a week......
6. Life is just so much fun!!! Just this past weekend my family (minus a few family members, unfortunately) went to King's Dominion for the weekend! It was so awesome! My 10-year old son was able to all but one roller coaster for the first time!!! He looked so scared on most of the rides, but also very determined. If his Cousin Nate was going to ride something, then he was going to ride. It was so awesome watching him and his expressions as he rode several roller coasters over and over again!!!
Plus, I was with my family! And I got to be with my own Dad on Father's Day! Since I live 4 hours away, that doesn't happen every year. We've gone to Virginia Beach together and all of us stayed in a rental house together for a whole week! And we had a great time!!! We've all stayed in the same cabin together for a mountain trip over New Year's. We love getting together and spending time together for holidays.
Besides all of these wonderful family activities, each day brings something new and exciting for me to learn and explore! New books to read! New movies to watch! New people to meet! New experiences as a teacher! New pages to scrapbook! I could just JUMOY all over the place because life is so AWESOME!!!
(Don't get me wrong now. I've had bad and sad days. I've been so depressed that I've had thoughts similar to Hannah's. I've even thought about how I'd do it--put the car in a closed garage. I've imagined taking a knife to my belly after my last miscarriage. I'm not saying I don't understand where Hannah is coming from. Sadly, I do--too much. But, as Hannah says towards the end of the book about her ending her life being her decision, I choose L-I-F-E.....)
7. (This one has religious content, so if you want to stop here, I understand.) I'll go down a little so if you don't want to read it, it's far enough down that you shouldn't have to.
One of the best reasons for choosing L-I-F-E is my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that when times are tough or really bad for me, or when I'm feeling my lowest and having low-self-esteem days that there is ONE who loves me so very much that He died so that I might have this life of mine. I love Him so much for what He has done for me that I don't want to disrespect Him by not enjoying this life He's given me an opportunity to live. Besides, His word says that He came, lived, and died that not only might I live (have life), but have it more abundantly!!!! I want to be able to spend eternity with my precious Savior in Heaven, so I'm going to do my best to live my life in a manner that I hope and pray He will be pleased with.
As a believer, I also believe that my "lost" children are in Heaven waiting with Jesus for me. I want to be sure that I get to spend eternity with them. I didn't have but a very short time to be with them here on this earth (James Isaac died at 9 months in utero and both Panya Ruth and Anna Rose died at 11 weeks in utero), so I want to be sure that I finally get to spend time with them!!!!
Life is definitely worth the living just because my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ Lives! I truly can face tomorrow because I know He lives!!!!!
Hannah Baker in the book 13 Reasons Why chose to end her life. After reading her story, my heart breaks for her. I wish someone would have made her feel special, loved, important. It is so very sad that even one person goes through not knowing if he/she is special, loved, or important to others. If I had been in Hannah's shoes, I might have followed through, too. As she talks about after going to see Mr. Porter, he's heard her say that she plans on ending her life, but she's obviously not important enough for him to follow her out of his office and take her back so they could figure something out or for him to take her to someone who might have helped her. The important thing to note is that after she told him what she was going to do, Mr. Porter never should have let Hannah leave his office. The fact that he did makes him even more guilty than even those who hurt Hannah. He is the adult--the teacher--the school counselor. If anyone should have known not to let someone who even mentions suicide out of his/her sight, it should have been Mr. Porter.
Does that mean that blame Mr. Porter, then? No, I don't. Hannah made her choice. The truth is, each individual has to find the strength within him/herself to keep putting one foot in front of another. When we have Christ is our hearts, it helps. We always have a choice. Hannah made hers; I've made mine.....
Thursday, June 16, 2011
I Promise to Read
http://www.makeareadingpromise.com/
My dad sent me a link for The Reading Promise several weeks ago. At the time, when I was reading the link he sent me, I thought it was just a great interview with the father and daughter on the news show that had done the interview. Then, I learned that it was actually a BOOK! I think I was surfing the Barnes and Noble web site! Needless to say, I bought the book the day I learned it was a book and started reading it that same day!
I tore through it! It is such a great book! What a wonderful tribute to the wonder and joy of my favorite hobby: reading!!!! Finally! Someone else GETS IT as far as reading is concerned!
I have always been an avid reader; reading several books at once--reading ALL THE TIME. As Sweeney Todd says that his razors make his arm complete, I am most complete when I have a book (and pen) in my hands!!!! I have been reading since before I was 4 years old. I loved that my mom would read to me, but I couldn't wait for her to read the next chapter in a book, so I'd take the book and finish it on my own!!!
I have been trying to read to my son, Samuel, more lately than usual. I really enjoy that, too. He's going to spend 6 weeks with his grandparents this summer--they live 4 hours away. I keep trying to talk Samuel into letting me read to him over the phone (my parents don't have Skype access). He tells me that he doesn't know if he can hold the phone to his ear for that long!!! Maybe he'll let me....At least I know that if he doesn't let me read to him over the phone that my mom will read to him!!!!
My dad sent me a link for The Reading Promise several weeks ago. At the time, when I was reading the link he sent me, I thought it was just a great interview with the father and daughter on the news show that had done the interview. Then, I learned that it was actually a BOOK! I think I was surfing the Barnes and Noble web site! Needless to say, I bought the book the day I learned it was a book and started reading it that same day!
I tore through it! It is such a great book! What a wonderful tribute to the wonder and joy of my favorite hobby: reading!!!! Finally! Someone else GETS IT as far as reading is concerned!
I have always been an avid reader; reading several books at once--reading ALL THE TIME. As Sweeney Todd says that his razors make his arm complete, I am most complete when I have a book (and pen) in my hands!!!! I have been reading since before I was 4 years old. I loved that my mom would read to me, but I couldn't wait for her to read the next chapter in a book, so I'd take the book and finish it on my own!!!
I have been trying to read to my son, Samuel, more lately than usual. I really enjoy that, too. He's going to spend 6 weeks with his grandparents this summer--they live 4 hours away. I keep trying to talk Samuel into letting me read to him over the phone (my parents don't have Skype access). He tells me that he doesn't know if he can hold the phone to his ear for that long!!! Maybe he'll let me....At least I know that if he doesn't let me read to him over the phone that my mom will read to him!!!!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Love me some Bacon!!!
Kevin Bacon, that is!!!! I LOVE that Kevin Bacon shows up in the most unlikely roles in movies! He could be in EVERY movie and I'd never get tired of him! He's not drop-dead gorgeous like my number 1 Hottie Gerard Butler, but he has a smile that makes you want to just grab him and run away with him to a deserted island!!!
I got Samuel out of school early again today (3rd time in 3 weeks on Friday--so sue me) and we went to see X-Men: First Class. I had NO expectations for this movie. I've seen all the other X-Men movies; I liked them all ok (especially Wolverine--who doesn't LOVE to see Hugh Jackman on screen?!?!), but I have never been a true X-Men fan. But Samuel wanted to see it, so we did.
I knew nothing about it except that it was about how the X-Men got started, so everyone, including Charles Xavier would be younger. I had no idea who was playing the roles, what the story was about....I was totally "blind" going in.
So the movie starts. I'm enjoying my kid's sized popcorn, doing my best to behave myself for Samuel's sake. (You know how I can get during a movie.) Of course, I didn't expect to have any reactions, so I wasn't too worried about the strength of my voice. I was actually getting ready to have a nice nap.
But I got interested in the story. And there was this one actor whose face kept haunting me. I knew I knew who he was, but I couldn't place him. All of a sudden, at a tense moment in the story, it hit me, "That's Kevin Bacon!" Yes, I practically shouted it out loud during the movie in the theater. I apologized out loud and the folks around me just laughed and told me not to worry about it.
Of course, from that moment on, I was engrossed in the story! I mean, it's KEVIN BACON!!!! He's brilliant! One of these days, he's finally going to play a role that puts him on the map where he deserves to be. Of course, he already is. I mean, come on, 6-Degrees of Kevin Bacon is a real game that really works more often than not!!!! Who doesn't know who Kevin Bacon is?! But I mean as as the IT man---THE go-to man of all movie-dom.
I'm even disappointed that they're doing a re-make of Footloose because I love Kevin Bacon as the lead. I've always said that the only real reason for a remake of Footloose would be so Kevin could do his own dancing in the warehouse dancing scene!!!!!! Other than that, you can't mess with close to perfection!!!!
The man is a genius! I wish I could say that I've seen EVERYTHING Kevin Bacon has ever been in, but that's not so. But everything I have ever seen him in, he's awesome!!!! He's also pretty awesome in The River Wild. I think it's time I add some of the Kevin Bacon movies that I've never seen to my Netflix list......!!!!!!!!!!!!
What about the rest of the movie X-Men: First Class? What about it? If you like the X-Men, you'll like this movie. I just want MORE Bacon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I got Samuel out of school early again today (3rd time in 3 weeks on Friday--so sue me) and we went to see X-Men: First Class. I had NO expectations for this movie. I've seen all the other X-Men movies; I liked them all ok (especially Wolverine--who doesn't LOVE to see Hugh Jackman on screen?!?!), but I have never been a true X-Men fan. But Samuel wanted to see it, so we did.
I knew nothing about it except that it was about how the X-Men got started, so everyone, including Charles Xavier would be younger. I had no idea who was playing the roles, what the story was about....I was totally "blind" going in.
So the movie starts. I'm enjoying my kid's sized popcorn, doing my best to behave myself for Samuel's sake. (You know how I can get during a movie.) Of course, I didn't expect to have any reactions, so I wasn't too worried about the strength of my voice. I was actually getting ready to have a nice nap.
But I got interested in the story. And there was this one actor whose face kept haunting me. I knew I knew who he was, but I couldn't place him. All of a sudden, at a tense moment in the story, it hit me, "That's Kevin Bacon!" Yes, I practically shouted it out loud during the movie in the theater. I apologized out loud and the folks around me just laughed and told me not to worry about it.
Of course, from that moment on, I was engrossed in the story! I mean, it's KEVIN BACON!!!! He's brilliant! One of these days, he's finally going to play a role that puts him on the map where he deserves to be. Of course, he already is. I mean, come on, 6-Degrees of Kevin Bacon is a real game that really works more often than not!!!! Who doesn't know who Kevin Bacon is?! But I mean as as the IT man---THE go-to man of all movie-dom.
I'm even disappointed that they're doing a re-make of Footloose because I love Kevin Bacon as the lead. I've always said that the only real reason for a remake of Footloose would be so Kevin could do his own dancing in the warehouse dancing scene!!!!!! Other than that, you can't mess with close to perfection!!!!
The man is a genius! I wish I could say that I've seen EVERYTHING Kevin Bacon has ever been in, but that's not so. But everything I have ever seen him in, he's awesome!!!! He's also pretty awesome in The River Wild. I think it's time I add some of the Kevin Bacon movies that I've never seen to my Netflix list......!!!!!!!!!!!!
What about the rest of the movie X-Men: First Class? What about it? If you like the X-Men, you'll like this movie. I just want MORE Bacon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Rescued?
When my parents came to visit a few ago, Mom brought me Nicholas Sparks' The Rescue. Of course, I have a love/hate relationship with good ole Nick. I love that his books are quick, easy, and interesting reads. They are definitely good and worth reading. The stories are stories about people who seem just as real as I do. My favorite part about his books are the fact that almost all of them are set in the state of North Carolina; Sparks mentions places in NC I'm familiar with--places where I have actually been myself! It certainly makes the reading of his books more fun when I read about a place where I've not just been, but where I've lived!!!! (Could I maybe know someone he's writing about?!)
But I hate Sparks' books, too. Why? Because they're predictable: an important character ALWAYS dies. I think I've read ONE Sparks book where no one died in the end. I don't remember the name of it right off right now, but I do remember that it's the one with the Cape Hatteras Light House on the cover. I really prefer a little more suprise than that. Oh, wait! No one dies in The Wedding....or does the dad die at the end of that one.....? It's been awhile; I can't remember. The Wedding is my absolute favorite Nicholas Sparks book. I think it should be REQUIRED reading for every couple--whether married already or getting married!!!!!
I mean that.
Anyway, I put off reading The Rescue until I finished re-reading the Twilight series. I hate stopping in the middle of something. But I wanted to read it before I start my "heavy" summer reading (The Lord of the Rings series).
Of course, I flew through it. I didn't read it quite as quickly as I would have liked, but it didn't take me that long. I enjoyed the read, too. I was worried the beginning would be the saddest part of the book, but the rescue at the beginning ends just fine. Personally, not that I want to see something bad happen to anyone--especially NOT to a child, I think it would have been a better story if the first rescue hadn't gone so well. I'm not a sicko. I really am not. It's just that everything is so "perfect" and ends so happily.....and predictably.
I didn't feel on the edge of my seat anxious about what was happening to Kyle (the little boy) because I just didn't believe that Sparks would write about something bad happening to a little boy. And I was right. But I want Sparks to write something NOT EXPECTED.....and it would have been completely unexpected for things to have turned out differently with Kyle......
Did I like the book? Of course I did. It's a sweet romantic story aobut a couple trying to overcome their pasts and just find a way to love one another TODAY. I liked it. It had everything a romantic story like this should have.
I even cried when one of the important characters finally dies towards the end of the story. But I cried the hardests when the main male love lead tells the story of what happened in the fire he's been tormented about since he was 9 years old---and his dad had died. That story was heart-wrenching. You'd have to an unfeeling boob to read that story and NOT cry......The build-up to the telling of that particular horror story is worth the wait. Again, I don't WANT bad things to happen to people, but the reality of life is that they DO. When Taylor tells Denise the story of how his dad died in the fire all those years ago, my heart went out to Taylor and I fell in love with him!!!!!
It is a true Nicholas Sparks book and definitely worth the read. If you've enjoyed any other Sparks' books previously, you'll enjoy this one, too!
But I hate Sparks' books, too. Why? Because they're predictable: an important character ALWAYS dies. I think I've read ONE Sparks book where no one died in the end. I don't remember the name of it right off right now, but I do remember that it's the one with the Cape Hatteras Light House on the cover. I really prefer a little more suprise than that. Oh, wait! No one dies in The Wedding....or does the dad die at the end of that one.....? It's been awhile; I can't remember. The Wedding is my absolute favorite Nicholas Sparks book. I think it should be REQUIRED reading for every couple--whether married already or getting married!!!!!
I mean that.
Anyway, I put off reading The Rescue until I finished re-reading the Twilight series. I hate stopping in the middle of something. But I wanted to read it before I start my "heavy" summer reading (The Lord of the Rings series).
Of course, I flew through it. I didn't read it quite as quickly as I would have liked, but it didn't take me that long. I enjoyed the read, too. I was worried the beginning would be the saddest part of the book, but the rescue at the beginning ends just fine. Personally, not that I want to see something bad happen to anyone--especially NOT to a child, I think it would have been a better story if the first rescue hadn't gone so well. I'm not a sicko. I really am not. It's just that everything is so "perfect" and ends so happily.....and predictably.
I didn't feel on the edge of my seat anxious about what was happening to Kyle (the little boy) because I just didn't believe that Sparks would write about something bad happening to a little boy. And I was right. But I want Sparks to write something NOT EXPECTED.....and it would have been completely unexpected for things to have turned out differently with Kyle......
Did I like the book? Of course I did. It's a sweet romantic story aobut a couple trying to overcome their pasts and just find a way to love one another TODAY. I liked it. It had everything a romantic story like this should have.
I even cried when one of the important characters finally dies towards the end of the story. But I cried the hardests when the main male love lead tells the story of what happened in the fire he's been tormented about since he was 9 years old---and his dad had died. That story was heart-wrenching. You'd have to an unfeeling boob to read that story and NOT cry......The build-up to the telling of that particular horror story is worth the wait. Again, I don't WANT bad things to happen to people, but the reality of life is that they DO. When Taylor tells Denise the story of how his dad died in the fire all those years ago, my heart went out to Taylor and I fell in love with him!!!!!
It is a true Nicholas Sparks book and definitely worth the read. If you've enjoyed any other Sparks' books previously, you'll enjoy this one, too!
Monday, May 30, 2011
More Pandas, Yeah!
I got Samuel out of school early again this past Friday so we could go see Kung Fu Panda 2. It was really good! We both enjoyed it a lot. I didn't eat any popcorn during the movie, by the way. The week before when we went to see Pirates 4, I had somehow or other held my popcorn bag on my leg and the butter bled through, staining my pants. I couldn't get the butter stain out, so now a favorite pair of pants is ruined. I'll still wear them around the house, probably to work out in, but they're ruined otherwise.
Anyway, I got off subject. Kung Fu Panda 2 is a lot of fun and definitely a great movie worthy of going to see. Both it and the first one are better than any of the Shrek movies, by far.....(don't hate me). But NOT better than How to Train Your Dragon!!! The story, as usual, has an obvious lesson/moral for the audience (there's more than one, but the two most obvious): 1. when we find inner peace, we can accomplish anything and 2. we have to let the past be the past; learn from the past, but we can't let the past hold us back from doing and being who and what we ARE in the present.
The lessons are almost TOO overt and obvious, but they don't take away from enjoying the movie. It's kind of refreshing to see modern-day fables shared via a fun medium to watch and enjoy visually.
The Furious Five get more speaking parts this time, so that makes the story more enjoyable. Where the first one focused pretty much on Po and the Furious Five don't really have much to do with the overall story, this time, they're very active within the story. We get to see and hear them a lot more. My personal favorite parts of the movie are when the Furious Five work together with Po to defeat their enemies! They work extemely well as a team (yes, that includes Po) and it's fun to watch! Those scenes in particualar are over much too quickly.
One final thought: Samuel enjoyed it enough that he didn't leave the movie even once to go to the bathroom! (He usually has to go at least once, if not more than that, during a movie!)
Anyway, I got off subject. Kung Fu Panda 2 is a lot of fun and definitely a great movie worthy of going to see. Both it and the first one are better than any of the Shrek movies, by far.....(don't hate me). But NOT better than How to Train Your Dragon!!! The story, as usual, has an obvious lesson/moral for the audience (there's more than one, but the two most obvious): 1. when we find inner peace, we can accomplish anything and 2. we have to let the past be the past; learn from the past, but we can't let the past hold us back from doing and being who and what we ARE in the present.
The lessons are almost TOO overt and obvious, but they don't take away from enjoying the movie. It's kind of refreshing to see modern-day fables shared via a fun medium to watch and enjoy visually.
The Furious Five get more speaking parts this time, so that makes the story more enjoyable. Where the first one focused pretty much on Po and the Furious Five don't really have much to do with the overall story, this time, they're very active within the story. We get to see and hear them a lot more. My personal favorite parts of the movie are when the Furious Five work together with Po to defeat their enemies! They work extemely well as a team (yes, that includes Po) and it's fun to watch! Those scenes in particualar are over much too quickly.
One final thought: Samuel enjoyed it enough that he didn't leave the movie even once to go to the bathroom! (He usually has to go at least once, if not more than that, during a movie!)
Thursday, May 26, 2011
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES
So I went to see Pirates 4 last Friday--the day it was released. I've heard reviews that say it's the best one yet. I do agree that it's an awful lot of fun. Samuel and I enjoyed the movie very much. But I don't think it's "the best" of the Pirates movies. The first one was and still is "the best" of the films so far. Nothing can beat that very first time I saw Captain Jack Sparrow standing on the mast of that tiny skiff--as if he owned the world! Seriously, it was a very good thing I saw that movie for the first time in the privacy of my own home so I could take care of "business"---yes, it was "wet-my-pants" funny!!!!
This new movie was funny and quite enjoyable to watch. Definitely worth of Johnny Depp and the Pirates franchise and well worth our time to go see it in the theater. It is the first and only one of the Pirates movies that I have actually seen in the theater. I'm not quite sure why I never saw the first 3 in the theater, but I made sure that I went to see THIS one on the big screen! I even got Samuel out of school early to go see it!!!
It turned out to be a great treat for him especially---Samuel had learned just that morning that he'd passed his EOGs and wouldn't need to retest--not even for Math! We were REALLY excited! So our trip to the movies last Friday turned out to be a celebration! We'd have gone no matter what his final scores had been for the EOGs, but it was pretty awesome to go out and be able to celebrate and enjoy the afternoon like that!!!! So we'll always remember this movie for that special reason!!!
Johnny Depp, of course, is amazing. He could have been on screen more and it would have been ok with me! LOL! I love Penelope Cruz and she is really a lot of fun, too. I love that they've made a love interest for Jack, but that they're not fawning all over each other. That wouldn't be Captain Jack Sparrow!!!!
You do need to stay through the credits. There IS a scene after the credits. It's barely 30 seconds long, but I think it's staying through the credits for. After the 3rd movie had a scene after the credits, I thought everyone knew to stay until the credits were over, but the majority of the folks in the theater left as soon as the movie was over, before the credits even started rolling. Out of a packed theater, I think there were barely 10 of us left after the credits.
It's definitely worth seeing!!! Bring on MORE Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz!
This new movie was funny and quite enjoyable to watch. Definitely worth of Johnny Depp and the Pirates franchise and well worth our time to go see it in the theater. It is the first and only one of the Pirates movies that I have actually seen in the theater. I'm not quite sure why I never saw the first 3 in the theater, but I made sure that I went to see THIS one on the big screen! I even got Samuel out of school early to go see it!!!
It turned out to be a great treat for him especially---Samuel had learned just that morning that he'd passed his EOGs and wouldn't need to retest--not even for Math! We were REALLY excited! So our trip to the movies last Friday turned out to be a celebration! We'd have gone no matter what his final scores had been for the EOGs, but it was pretty awesome to go out and be able to celebrate and enjoy the afternoon like that!!!! So we'll always remember this movie for that special reason!!!
Johnny Depp, of course, is amazing. He could have been on screen more and it would have been ok with me! LOL! I love Penelope Cruz and she is really a lot of fun, too. I love that they've made a love interest for Jack, but that they're not fawning all over each other. That wouldn't be Captain Jack Sparrow!!!!
You do need to stay through the credits. There IS a scene after the credits. It's barely 30 seconds long, but I think it's staying through the credits for. After the 3rd movie had a scene after the credits, I thought everyone knew to stay until the credits were over, but the majority of the folks in the theater left as soon as the movie was over, before the credits even started rolling. Out of a packed theater, I think there were barely 10 of us left after the credits.
It's definitely worth seeing!!! Bring on MORE Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz!
BEASTLY by Alex Finn
I picked up this book a few weeks ago because I had seen the previews for the movie version and, of course, I wanted to read the book before I watched the movie. The reviews for the movie aren't good at all--it didn't do well in the theater, apparently, when it was out back in March. I'll still watch it. I hope I'm not TOO disappointed. Quite often, when others hate a particular film or book, I find that I enjoy it very much, so I'm not going to let the bad, negative reviews keep me from watching it. How can a movie with Neil Patrick Harris in it possibly be COMPLETELY awful???
Anyway, there are absotively, posolutely NO surprises in Beastly. It is a modern-day retelling of Beauty and Beast. It takes the original story that we're all very familiar with and sets it in modern day New York City. Of course, it does include a witch and magic, which many of us today don't particularly believe are REAL, but the story is still just believable to be enjoyable. Besides, who doesn't want to see some jerk guy who thinks he's God's gift to the world get his come-uppance??? Kyle certainly needed to see that wasn't as "all that" as he thought he was.
It would be really nice if folks who are so full of themselves could have an epiphany moment where they realize that, while we do need love ourselves for who/what we are, that doesn't mean that we think or act as if we're the greatest individual ever born. What makes life truly worth living are the people we love and who love us in return.
If for no other reason than the fact that this story reminds us to love each other simply and purely for who each person regardless of what he/she looks like, then Beastly is worth the read. It's amazing how when we look beyond the so-called physical "deformities" (zits, bad hair, multiple piercings, bad make-up, warts, fat, awful clothes, etc., etc., etc.), we find wonderful people who enrich our lives in wonderful, amazing ways!!!! We never know who is going to make a difference in our lives until (unless?) we let people in to our lives--regardless of what they look like....
I have been trying over the years to come to a place where I see the beauty and the good in every single person I meet. Have I been 100% successful in the quest? No. Sometimes I have a hard time seeing the good in my own husband! (He's a good man and I love him, but those of you who are married will know what I mean!) But the bottom line is--the truth of the matter is--believe it or not, most people ARE GOOD at heart. I do believe that the majority of people I come in to contact with don't mean to hurt the people they love. It's simply a part of life. The real question is whether or not the loved ones can forgive.....
I'm starting to ramble and not make sense even to myself....!!! I'm not going to go back and change anything. I'm going to leave it as it is.....I hope I haven't offended anyone who reads this....
Bottom line: if you enjoy the Beauty and the Beast story in general, you'll like Beastly--at least the book. (I'll let you know about the movie once I've seen it.) It was a quick, light, and easy read, but worth the time to read. I'll probably pass it along to my family......
Anyway, there are absotively, posolutely NO surprises in Beastly. It is a modern-day retelling of Beauty and Beast. It takes the original story that we're all very familiar with and sets it in modern day New York City. Of course, it does include a witch and magic, which many of us today don't particularly believe are REAL, but the story is still just believable to be enjoyable. Besides, who doesn't want to see some jerk guy who thinks he's God's gift to the world get his come-uppance??? Kyle certainly needed to see that wasn't as "all that" as he thought he was.
It would be really nice if folks who are so full of themselves could have an epiphany moment where they realize that, while we do need love ourselves for who/what we are, that doesn't mean that we think or act as if we're the greatest individual ever born. What makes life truly worth living are the people we love and who love us in return.
If for no other reason than the fact that this story reminds us to love each other simply and purely for who each person regardless of what he/she looks like, then Beastly is worth the read. It's amazing how when we look beyond the so-called physical "deformities" (zits, bad hair, multiple piercings, bad make-up, warts, fat, awful clothes, etc., etc., etc.), we find wonderful people who enrich our lives in wonderful, amazing ways!!!! We never know who is going to make a difference in our lives until (unless?) we let people in to our lives--regardless of what they look like....
I have been trying over the years to come to a place where I see the beauty and the good in every single person I meet. Have I been 100% successful in the quest? No. Sometimes I have a hard time seeing the good in my own husband! (He's a good man and I love him, but those of you who are married will know what I mean!) But the bottom line is--the truth of the matter is--believe it or not, most people ARE GOOD at heart. I do believe that the majority of people I come in to contact with don't mean to hurt the people they love. It's simply a part of life. The real question is whether or not the loved ones can forgive.....
I'm starting to ramble and not make sense even to myself....!!! I'm not going to go back and change anything. I'm going to leave it as it is.....I hope I haven't offended anyone who reads this....
Bottom line: if you enjoy the Beauty and the Beast story in general, you'll like Beastly--at least the book. (I'll let you know about the movie once I've seen it.) It was a quick, light, and easy read, but worth the time to read. I'll probably pass it along to my family......
Friday, May 20, 2011
BREAKING DAWN...Again
I finished Breaking Dawn last night and have moved on to The Short, Second Life of Bree Tanner. I really enjoy the Twilight series! It’s honestly just a real FUN read. I don’t think it’s something that has any TRUE lasting literary value, but that doesn’t take away from my enjoyment in reading the series!!! Sometimes it’s good just to read something for FUN rather than having to do “heavy” reading (such as for school) all the time. I am really excited about seeing the movie version of Breaking Dawn when it comes out later this year. I really hope that I’ll be able to go and see all the movies when they do the marathon. That’s a pretty cool thing they’ve started doing.
Wasn’t it the Lord of the Rings series of movies that started that trend a few years ago? Someone told me that they’ll show all the LotR movies as a marathon when The Hobbit comes out soon. (When is that? Early next year or before 2011 is over?) I’m looking forward to seeing all of those movies, too. I’m honestly going to read the WHOLE LotR series this summer, so it’ll be interesting to see the movies when I finish. I’ve seen the third movie 3 times now, so it’s time to read ALL the books and watch ALL the movies! Past time, actually!
I don’t have much more than that to say about this reading of Breaking Dawn. It’s like my 7th time reading it, so I don’t really have anything new to say….I’m still disappointed in the ending. I wanted a fight. I didn’t want any of “my” characters to die, but I wanted to see some ACTION! The whole book (well, practically the whole book, anyway)—almost the whole series—leads up to this major confrontation between the Cullens (and all the “good” vampires) and the dreaded Volturi. Everyone is SOOO confident of winning, especially considering the fact that they have the werewolves helping out!!! I really would have enjoyed watching Jane or Alec go down!!!
Of course, if it had come to a fight, someone would have been killed who I didn’t want to die, so that would have been VERY bad….I even found that I love Rosalie by the end, so it would have been REALLY awful if anyone HAD died….
But think about it….don’t you think that might be part of the reason why the Harry Potter series is many steps above the Twilight series? Rowling wasn’t afraid to kill off characters, even major characters. I cried like a baby, truly BAWLING LIKE A BABY, when each one died. I found that I cried harder when Dobby died than when Dumbledore died, even though I cried a lot for both. But it was especially bad in book 7 when the Weasley family got in so much trouble….that was AWFUL!!! It was especially awfully difficult to read because Percy had just come back in to the fold and reunited with his family…..
Oh, the Harry Potter series was supposed to get darker and darker as it went along, and it did—effectively. The Twilight series was supposed to get darker and darker as it went along, but it fell apart and had a disappointing climax. While I hate crying and don’t like to read books (or watch movies) that make me cry, I find that the Harry Potter series stands out for me as the better series mostly because it is darker. For some reason or another, that makes it more credible as a work of literature than the Twilight series. (I’m sorry, Stephenie. Please don’t be offended. I still LOVE the Twilight series!!!)
Sunday, May 1, 2011
A PLACE OF QUIET REST by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
BTW: Religious Content......Read the following at your own discretion....
This is a really wonderful book about drawing closer and closer to God. DeMoss takes the most simplistic concepts about having a deeper RELATIONSHIP with Him and reminds us of the importance of doing whatever we can to draw nearer to Him.
Rick Warren says in his book Purpose-Driven Life that we are as close to Him as we CHOOSE to be. And that's essentially the point DeMoss is making in this book. God is ready and waiting--He's ANXIOUSLY waiting--for us to draw closer to Him. It is up to us to CHOOSE to do whatever it takes to grow our relationship with our Precious Lord & Savior......
Oh, I pray that I will begin to do whatever it takes to have a true, DEEP relationship with my Savior who loves me and WANTS to spend time with ME!!!!
Yeah, that one shocks me, too.....that someone really and truly WANTS to spend time with me!!! As much time as I'm willing to spend with HIM, too..............!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JUMOY!!!!!
This is a really wonderful book about drawing closer and closer to God. DeMoss takes the most simplistic concepts about having a deeper RELATIONSHIP with Him and reminds us of the importance of doing whatever we can to draw nearer to Him.
Rick Warren says in his book Purpose-Driven Life that we are as close to Him as we CHOOSE to be. And that's essentially the point DeMoss is making in this book. God is ready and waiting--He's ANXIOUSLY waiting--for us to draw closer to Him. It is up to us to CHOOSE to do whatever it takes to grow our relationship with our Precious Lord & Savior......
Oh, I pray that I will begin to do whatever it takes to have a true, DEEP relationship with my Savior who loves me and WANTS to spend time with ME!!!!
Yeah, that one shocks me, too.....that someone really and truly WANTS to spend time with me!!! As much time as I'm willing to spend with HIM, too..............!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JUMOY!!!!!
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON by Cressida Cowell
I am absotively posolutely STUNNED at the number of people who haven't seen this movie!!!! It is so very AMAZING!!!!! EVERYONE should see How to Train Your Dragon!!!!!! Not only is it a GREAT story, Gerard Butler is the voice of the dad in the story!!! I could listen to the dad, Gerard Butler, talk all day long!!!! Oh yea!
But did you know there's a book?! It's wonderful, too!!! Granted, you can't read the book or watch the movie thinking that the movie is the story of the book, as we so often like to see when "Hollywood" makes a movie out of our favorite books. When I read the book, I enjoy it as a separate entity from the movie and, because of that, I can enjoy each in its own right. If, like I so often do, I look at the movie as the movie version of the book, I'd be upset that Dreamworks got so many things WRONG from the book. But when you look at each story separately, each story has great qualities.
I love what Dreamworks did with the movie. I love the way Toothless looks on screen and I agree with them that his ears and his eyes are wonderfully expressive and really make him a lot of fun to watch on screen. The story on screen stands for itself and it's AMAZING!
The story in the book stands for itself and it's AMAZING, too!!!! There's actually a whole series of books---I think the 8th one in the series comes out later this year......Samuel has read over half of the series and he agrees with me that they're GREAT stories and we can enjoy the books AND the movie---equally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
If you haven't seen the movie, you REALLY should!!!
If you haven't read the book, you REALLY should!!!
But did you know there's a book?! It's wonderful, too!!! Granted, you can't read the book or watch the movie thinking that the movie is the story of the book, as we so often like to see when "Hollywood" makes a movie out of our favorite books. When I read the book, I enjoy it as a separate entity from the movie and, because of that, I can enjoy each in its own right. If, like I so often do, I look at the movie as the movie version of the book, I'd be upset that Dreamworks got so many things WRONG from the book. But when you look at each story separately, each story has great qualities.
I love what Dreamworks did with the movie. I love the way Toothless looks on screen and I agree with them that his ears and his eyes are wonderfully expressive and really make him a lot of fun to watch on screen. The story on screen stands for itself and it's AMAZING!
The story in the book stands for itself and it's AMAZING, too!!!! There's actually a whole series of books---I think the 8th one in the series comes out later this year......Samuel has read over half of the series and he agrees with me that they're GREAT stories and we can enjoy the books AND the movie---equally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
If you haven't seen the movie, you REALLY should!!!
If you haven't read the book, you REALLY should!!!
TWILIGHT....Yes, AGAIN!!!
I've lost count how many times I've actually read all of the books in the Twilight series, but I'm pretty sure I'm pushing #7 or #8......and I enjoy them every single time!!! Why am I reading them again now? (Yes, I'm re-reading ALL of them.) 1. Partly because the movie version of Breaking Dawn is coming out before the year's out and I want to read them again before I see it---and hopefully all the movies when the theater shows them all in one day! 2. Partly because my copy of the Official Guide came in a little over a week ago and, in reading through that, I've been intrigued about the series again and just couldn't stop myself!!! 3. Because I just plain and simply want something SIMPLE and FUN to read right now after all my heavy reading this year!!! LOL!!!
I don't have much more than that to say about this particual read-through. I didn't learn or find anything new that I'd never seen before in reading the first book. I just simply enjoyed the story and had fun! It did take me longer to read it this time than before---a week and half a day.
Of course, I'm still planning on reading the Lord of the Rings series over the summer....there's plenty of time! Don't worry!
I don't have much more than that to say about this particual read-through. I didn't learn or find anything new that I'd never seen before in reading the first book. I just simply enjoyed the story and had fun! It did take me longer to read it this time than before---a week and half a day.
Of course, I'm still planning on reading the Lord of the Rings series over the summer....there's plenty of time! Don't worry!
JUMOY (Jump for Joy)
Caution: Religious Content---Read the following at your own discretion. I realize that since a handful of my students read my blogs that I ought to create a whole new one that is just for religious posts rather than anything and everything I choose to write about, but that's more trouble than it's worth. I'm going to simply trust that if you'd rather not read any of my religious posts that you pay attention to the caution at the beginning and simply not read any further..........I promise that my feelings won't be hurt, just as I trust that you won't be offended that I'm writing religious content, especially considering the fact that I'm telling you up front that I'm doing so.
Anyway, I just HAD to share this......the end of the semester is always a VERY stressful time...not just for students, but for us teachers, too. We have a LOT of work to finish and pull together so everything can officially be FINISHED; it's very time-consuming--taking a lot of time away from family and friends who are all out doing fun "stuff" without us----while we sit at home finishing our research papers--students writing them; me grading them. To make things even more interesting for me, Samuel recently had his tonsils out. That was very stressful and difficult to watch my 10-year old "baby" get through. Of course, I've gotten behind on grading and other school work as a result.
Then, Easter Sunday, my parents came to spend a few days with us. They really wanted me to be able to participate in whatever they were doing, so they always planned their "activity" with Samuel (movie, going out to eat, etc.) for when I finished at school. To make things really interesting, James (my husband) invited some folks from church to go kayaking today. Because said folks have a baby less than a year old, someone had to stay home with the baby. No. I didn't babysit. The baby's granny (who is only a few years older than I am) was here, but we visited. Which I thoroughly enjoyed! (We all took naps! LOLOL!!!)
Oh, and today, May 1, was Samuel's 10th birthday!!!! And get this....tomorrow, Samuel has a reward trip in the evening to go to the movies--paid for by his teachers. (You know we can't pass that up!) Then, on Tuesday, Samuel is going to Bo's in Lenoir for ANOTHER reward trip!!!!
Oh, what a busy time of year!!!!! Anyway, let me get to my real point. I have not been going to prayer meeting that we have at church at 9:30 on Sunday mornings. I don't know how long it's been since I showed up on time for prayer, but it's been a couple of years, I'm sure. (I know; I'm the pastor's wife. The least I could do would be to show up for something as simple as prayer time.) Anyway, I've been doing an extensive Bible Study on having a RELATIONSHIP with my Lord and Savior. As I go deeper into my Bible Study, PTL, I'm drawing closer and closer to my Lord! As a result, I WANT to spend more time with Him in every way possible!
I WANT to do my Bible Study!
I WANT to simply READ my Bible!
I WANT to go to church EVERY time the doors are open....and then some!!!!
I WANT to pray on my own time!
I WANT to pray during scheduled prayer times!
I WANT to TALK about my Lord and Savior!!!
I WANT to worship Him with ALL my Heart, ALL my Soul, ALL my Mind, and ALL my Strength!!!
So, this morning, I got up and got dressed and made sure Samuel was ready so we could leave in time to be at church on time for prayer meeting. And what a prayer meeting it was!!! The Holy Spirit visited us in that place this morning in such a special way!!!!!!!! Oh, it was so powerful! We wept. We worshipped. We praised. We adored. And we wept some more. Sunday School was a wonderful learning experience and a great reminder that God sees our hearts and knows us TRULY. While others only see the outside and what we do or what we say, God sees and knows our deepest, innermost hearts and what's TRULY there. (I pray my heart is, like David, one after God's heart!)
Church, especially the worship service, was another spirit-filled time and SOOOOOO A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!!! The Holy Spirit continued to minister throughout the worship service in a mighty way! We sang about asking God to send us His Power and it came to me that His power is ANY move of the Holy Spirit. We don't need to see the walls come down as they did in Jericho in order to see God's Power! His Power is shown and revealed to us in a hundred different ways throughout each and every day....sometimes God's Power is revealed in the simple act that I am able to GET UP---don't you ever have "those days" when you know before you even roll out of bed that you'd be better off to stay IN the bed????? What an amazing service!!!
So, the enemy tried to tear down all the wonderful things the Holy Spirit had built up in me not just today, but also over the past several weeks through my Bible Study.
How, you might ask?
James invited some church folks, as I mentioned, to go kayaking with him today. Normally, at the end of a semester when I have a lot of grading to do---and James KNOWS I have a LOT of grading to do--this would have been something to send me over the edge and ready to rip his ever-loving head right off and to tell anyone who would listen how very much he doesn't GET how busy I am at the end of the semester.....that he doesn't LISTEN to me when I tell him what's going on and how stressed I am.....and on and on the list goes.
Am I justified in saying those things about James? I think I am. Is it right--no, is it HONORING for me to say those things or to feel like that about him? Absotively posolutely NOT. I keep praying that I will be a light shining for God. Losing my temper with James, justified or not, does NOT allow God's light to shine through me. Rather than drawing me closer to God, my anger has always taken me further away.......and don't forget that's when I'd run to the food for comfort rather than to God!!!
But TODAY......the Holy Spirit was with me!!!! I did NOT get angry with James!!! I did NOT lose my temper!!!! As Samuel and I got in the car to go to lunch (believe it or not, we all ended up going out to eat, too, together--I ate a salad off the salad bar), I simply prayed and asked God to help me still get my work done without my losing "it" or getting upset about the change of plans.....
And guess what?! At 10:15 pm, I finished grading the set of papers I'd brought home!!!!!!! That means that I was able to visit with my company (ok, so we both napped.....still, it was what she wanted to do and what the baby NEEDED to do!!!!), spend some quality time with the birthday boy, AND STILL GET ALL MY WORK DONE WITHOUT HAVING TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT and without losing my temper!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Guys, THAT is reason to R-E-J-O-I-C-E and to Shout for Joy!!!! JUMOY to the nth degree!!!!!! And now, I'm going to bring this to a close, get a good night's sleep, and be ready for what the Holy Spirit is going to do to help me tomorrow!!!!! Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, I just HAD to share this......the end of the semester is always a VERY stressful time...not just for students, but for us teachers, too. We have a LOT of work to finish and pull together so everything can officially be FINISHED; it's very time-consuming--taking a lot of time away from family and friends who are all out doing fun "stuff" without us----while we sit at home finishing our research papers--students writing them; me grading them. To make things even more interesting for me, Samuel recently had his tonsils out. That was very stressful and difficult to watch my 10-year old "baby" get through. Of course, I've gotten behind on grading and other school work as a result.
Then, Easter Sunday, my parents came to spend a few days with us. They really wanted me to be able to participate in whatever they were doing, so they always planned their "activity" with Samuel (movie, going out to eat, etc.) for when I finished at school. To make things really interesting, James (my husband) invited some folks from church to go kayaking today. Because said folks have a baby less than a year old, someone had to stay home with the baby. No. I didn't babysit. The baby's granny (who is only a few years older than I am) was here, but we visited. Which I thoroughly enjoyed! (We all took naps! LOLOL!!!)
Oh, and today, May 1, was Samuel's 10th birthday!!!! And get this....tomorrow, Samuel has a reward trip in the evening to go to the movies--paid for by his teachers. (You know we can't pass that up!) Then, on Tuesday, Samuel is going to Bo's in Lenoir for ANOTHER reward trip!!!!
Oh, what a busy time of year!!!!! Anyway, let me get to my real point. I have not been going to prayer meeting that we have at church at 9:30 on Sunday mornings. I don't know how long it's been since I showed up on time for prayer, but it's been a couple of years, I'm sure. (I know; I'm the pastor's wife. The least I could do would be to show up for something as simple as prayer time.) Anyway, I've been doing an extensive Bible Study on having a RELATIONSHIP with my Lord and Savior. As I go deeper into my Bible Study, PTL, I'm drawing closer and closer to my Lord! As a result, I WANT to spend more time with Him in every way possible!
I WANT to do my Bible Study!
I WANT to simply READ my Bible!
I WANT to go to church EVERY time the doors are open....and then some!!!!
I WANT to pray on my own time!
I WANT to pray during scheduled prayer times!
I WANT to TALK about my Lord and Savior!!!
I WANT to worship Him with ALL my Heart, ALL my Soul, ALL my Mind, and ALL my Strength!!!
So, this morning, I got up and got dressed and made sure Samuel was ready so we could leave in time to be at church on time for prayer meeting. And what a prayer meeting it was!!! The Holy Spirit visited us in that place this morning in such a special way!!!!!!!! Oh, it was so powerful! We wept. We worshipped. We praised. We adored. And we wept some more. Sunday School was a wonderful learning experience and a great reminder that God sees our hearts and knows us TRULY. While others only see the outside and what we do or what we say, God sees and knows our deepest, innermost hearts and what's TRULY there. (I pray my heart is, like David, one after God's heart!)
Church, especially the worship service, was another spirit-filled time and SOOOOOO A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!!! The Holy Spirit continued to minister throughout the worship service in a mighty way! We sang about asking God to send us His Power and it came to me that His power is ANY move of the Holy Spirit. We don't need to see the walls come down as they did in Jericho in order to see God's Power! His Power is shown and revealed to us in a hundred different ways throughout each and every day....sometimes God's Power is revealed in the simple act that I am able to GET UP---don't you ever have "those days" when you know before you even roll out of bed that you'd be better off to stay IN the bed????? What an amazing service!!!
So, the enemy tried to tear down all the wonderful things the Holy Spirit had built up in me not just today, but also over the past several weeks through my Bible Study.
How, you might ask?
James invited some church folks, as I mentioned, to go kayaking with him today. Normally, at the end of a semester when I have a lot of grading to do---and James KNOWS I have a LOT of grading to do--this would have been something to send me over the edge and ready to rip his ever-loving head right off and to tell anyone who would listen how very much he doesn't GET how busy I am at the end of the semester.....that he doesn't LISTEN to me when I tell him what's going on and how stressed I am.....and on and on the list goes.
Am I justified in saying those things about James? I think I am. Is it right--no, is it HONORING for me to say those things or to feel like that about him? Absotively posolutely NOT. I keep praying that I will be a light shining for God. Losing my temper with James, justified or not, does NOT allow God's light to shine through me. Rather than drawing me closer to God, my anger has always taken me further away.......and don't forget that's when I'd run to the food for comfort rather than to God!!!
But TODAY......the Holy Spirit was with me!!!! I did NOT get angry with James!!! I did NOT lose my temper!!!! As Samuel and I got in the car to go to lunch (believe it or not, we all ended up going out to eat, too, together--I ate a salad off the salad bar), I simply prayed and asked God to help me still get my work done without my losing "it" or getting upset about the change of plans.....
And guess what?! At 10:15 pm, I finished grading the set of papers I'd brought home!!!!!!! That means that I was able to visit with my company (ok, so we both napped.....still, it was what she wanted to do and what the baby NEEDED to do!!!!), spend some quality time with the birthday boy, AND STILL GET ALL MY WORK DONE WITHOUT HAVING TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT and without losing my temper!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Guys, THAT is reason to R-E-J-O-I-C-E and to Shout for Joy!!!! JUMOY to the nth degree!!!!!! And now, I'm going to bring this to a close, get a good night's sleep, and be ready for what the Holy Spirit is going to do to help me tomorrow!!!!! Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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