Six Word Memoirs

Red Shirts

It's late, I have other things to do for school, but I'm writing this down: my fifth hour has turned into a tiny little culture with inside jokes and quirks and together-ness, and I love it and I know I'm doing something right. We write and read and discuss what makes writing pieces work and why racism still exists and on and on, but we also had a Snuggie day today and tomorrow for some odd reason, we've decided we're all going to wear a red shirt. I can't even really explain this choice, but it makes me happy that fifth hour is so bonded and gung-ho and willing to do all sorts of silly, funny, random, strange things. They feel comfortable and at home and relaxed in my room, so I know that we are on the right path.

I read what I want

Mona cut my hair today. Not that we're on a first name basis--I never offered my name. I just read her Sport Clips name tag while we talked about books. Mona's friend gave her a book over a year ago for Christmas, and she still hasn't read it. In fact, it still has the bow on it.

I do the same thing. My 2008 Secret Santa gave me a mystery book called Down River. It sounded promising, but I have yet to read it. I always found other books I wanted to read first. Now that I'm in the midst of my reading resolution 2010 (see previous post), I may have time for Down River after all.

At work, I'm reading a book about differentiating instruction called Fair Isn't Always Equal. I plowed through a few chapters this evening, but it was hard, especially when a David Sedaris memoir was nearby. I knew I would enjoy the memoir, but I was just reading the educational book for information.

I think it's human nature to be selfish in reading choice. If someone forces me to read a book, I usually find another book to read instead. This somewhat applies to the classroom. If I gave total freedom to read whatever book, some students would eat it up. Others would be at a loss at what to read. Still others would not read at all. Thus, I assign a common novel for all my students. But why? What skills are they learning from it? Aren't a lot of them just Sparknoting it anyway? Couldn't I teach literary and reading skills with lots of different books?

Reading Resolution: 2010

For the past couple of years, I have spent countless dollars on books that I have yet to read. This year, 2010, I resolve that I will not buy any books for myself until I read the ones that I already have--a number at the moment that hovers somewhere around 30.

This does not mean I can't check out books from the local library. I most recently finished reading The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance (a terrific memoir), and today I checked out Nurtureshock, which I have had on reserve for about a month.

Some of the books on my shelf I have begun and have never finished, like Reif Larsen's The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet. Others, like Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kitteridge, I have never even started.

So here's to a year of reading books that I already own or can borrow from a library. Sorry, Barnes & Noble.

Savage Chickens

Have you heard of the website Savage Chickens? This daily web-comic features hilarious parodies of Shakespeare and references to other parts of English languages. The cartoonist, Doug Savage, draws his one-panel comics on a 3" x 3" yellow Post-It Notes! Today's comic is a nod to Mad Libs. Other comic subjects include zombies, psychology, and work apathy. Enjoy!

Sherman Alexie

Sherman Alexie is a stud. After I read his young adult novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, I knew that I had to read more of his writing. I read his collection of short stories called The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven, and now I'm reading his novel, Flight. Additionally, Alexie writes poetry and has written two screenplays. From what I have read of his writing, Alexie writes exclusively of the Native American experience. However, the themes he addresses in his literature are so universal than anyone can appreciate him. Later this year, he will come to UCO's campus, and I plan to attend his lecture.

Another reason I like Sherman Alexie:

Books on CD

My friend Sarah told me over a year ago to read Water for Elephants, a novel set during the Great Depression on a traveling circus. I just finished the book and greatly enjoyed it for both its plot and characters, some of which included the vilest and most annoying antagonists I have ever encountered in my reading.

Anyhow, I listened to most of this book on CD. Unfortunately, many of the ten discs had unpredictable skips and stutters because of poor handling and scratches. The stutters always seemed to come at the most inopportune times. I was left in suspense, my anger building, as I traveled down the road. Not a good combination. Most of the time, however, the discs hummed along nicely, and the narrator performed very well. He had all kinds of voices--including lots of Southern twang, which got very annoying after a while.

I finally got to the tenth and final CD today, and the disc began to skip again. I couldn't take it, so when I was at the library, I got a copy of the book. The librarian commented that I had two copies of the novel, and I assured her that I knew that. I read the final chapters from the actual book and discovered that black-and-white photographs from circuses of the 1930s were peppered throughout the book. Something I would have never known by simply listening to the audio CD. Still, I feel that listening to a book on CD is a good use of time in the car, but I would only recommend it if the CD are unscratched and if you have a long road before you. I always seemed to come to a good part of the book right when it was time to turn off my SUV.