yep, back to journals – no more nanowrimo (congrats to the three of you that finished – remembered:)

here’s fun – the post header comes from where??? no fair googling

“choose your own autobiography” – NPH’s book – Neil Patrick Harris – for all the Doogie and Barney fans out there – not to mention fans of Broadway – very neat use of the choosing structure of the book – made everything unique – and very readable

“beating goliath” – baylor football’s art giles – again, a different structure-wise book – giles lost both of his parents – and his aunt – in a traffic accident when he was in college – they were coming to watch him play – for a while, he blamed himself – and football – for what happened – so moments like that are worth reading – you just get reminded of how every day is a blessing – and how you can appreciate others too – there were also fun facts in there – like one, baylor asked him no questions about his faith during the interview for the job – which i found amazing b/c of baylor’s mission/reason for being – another bonus you can look up if you need to

“how we live now” (please note, only detective will notice that this one is an addition – i thought i’d read more than two books this week – it came to me later) – book by a harvard scientist – who grew up in mobile – a book about mobile – it’s history – in words – in photos – in personal tales – in the stories of others – really a special book if you’ve ever spent time down there – and i have – and will be spending 26.2 miles worth in the near future

bottom line, happy reading – see you tomorrow

maf (the little kid running around chelsea park in his amari cooper #9 shirt this morning)

nice, pretty day to be indoors nanowrimo-ing…

“noggin” – high school BOB – the author wanted to explore what happens when it feels like we are out of sync with others – so he tells the hilarious story of a boy who has his head removed – frozen – and then re-attached when science catches up – it’s really awful – and part that all high school guys preying on Christian girls are gay was tough reading…

“we were liars” – high school BOB – i can’t believe i’ve recommended this book – although, i do think some of my students will “enjoy” it – it did read fast though – so that was nice – the twist at the end was worth reading – but it’s certainly not “stop everything and find this book – and read it!!!” material:)

mike matheny – book about the cardinals’ manager way of thinking for young kids of the game (baseball) – really a great book – some great classic lines in there from other great coaches – one is that champions don’t lose – they just run out of time in some games – that one i really like b/c i definitely played games – athletic and academic – when my heart wasn’t always in it – i think the older you get the more you do fight all the way through

“we should hang out some time” – non-fiction – unusual for YA – author tracks down why he made it to 25 and never had a girlfriend – of course, part of the early part of the book was me – very much a book i could’ve written – there was an eventual veer and it very much wasn’t the book i could’ve written at all – which made it sadder for me in that light – anyway, seemingly set up as a “what went wrong” examination, of course, the author figured out it was him – oh, and that all these girls had really been into him – and his religious parents were jerks for holding him back – okay, now i’m into a rant…

tough week of reading – i have baylor coach’s book on order though – and neil patrick harris’s book – so life will get better – plus, there’s my whole book – which is awesome:)

maf

so the kids get share time on sunday mornings – the faith trainers are encouraged to share – one girl/lady this week, “and i’d like to share that i’m getting married!!!”

yep, sort of makes, “i ran at the park on vet’s day” a bit less “special” to share:)

“i heard it on broadway” – an oral history of broadway – awesome book – a reprint of an older edition – which actually worked well b/c the people interviewed were in lots of the great musicals that transferred to hollywood – so getting backstory on it all was awesome – and there were some good writing tips as well – things about story – really enjoyable and recommendable

“history of sneakers” – great recommendation for elem BOB (are we listening li’l bri – actually, it’s not about ninja cats so i don’t think you’d like it:) the book would work well for middle school BOB as well but, of course, it’s too cool for anything like that – i knew most of the background behind adidas and puma, that it was rival brothers that split over hitler – and about nike – it’s start with runners and oregon and made up names to get into japanese stores – still, some of the links were new – and the design part was fun to read – as many sneakers as i have, a definite read and recommendable

“overview of the Bible” – two baylor professors – i was thankful it was short – something like that can be hundreds of pages – i realized once i started – but at 260, readable – particularly as it was intended – to be read in a course as the Bible was read – lots i knew – which surprised me – some i didn’t – which i enjoyed – for example, trivia/bonus: what’s the opposite thematic book to ruth, my mother’s favorite book in the Bible??? special prize for winning guess – i’ll give hints as needed – provided anyone reads this:)

may your reading and writing contain such fun – always

maf

there i was, watching the bama-lsu game – alone – when BUMP!!!

Mr. Kitty showed up at the window – with his paws on the glass – belly on the window pane – saying “Okay, time for me to go in”

yep, cats can sense when i game is tense…

“spurrier” – great book – biography on gator/gamecock coach – the ole ball coach to be precise – the pacing was very off with the book, it took 120 pages to get steve to college – and the the next 30 years went by in 60 pages before we slowed down for the final 120 pages to discuss the last few years at south carolina – i was glad the game my mother and i attended at legion field in 2010 was called “the ice bowl” – i think i’m still shivering

i think i didn’t expect blogs last week but since nanowrimo doesn’t work for any sixth grader – happy blogging (or as jordan refers to it, “bloging” – which he copied from sarah anyway)

maf

okay, first, lil bri is first for like – ever

(i would swap her out for all my sixth grade – in a heartbeat – it wouldn’t be fair to the elem teachers though – they’d be like “WHAT??? we gave those kids to you a few months ago – it’s not our fault they don’t read…”)

“the storm and the tide” – expansion of a sports illustrated article from years ago – there was a big tornado three years ago – before any of you were born – that devastated tuscaloosa – the book didn’t give much new information – it would be a good book for people though that are unfamiliar with the situation – and with t-town – saban – i enjoyed it though

“offensive conduct: my life on the line” – something like that – by john hannah – incredible player at bama – with the patriots – amazing story how someone with seemingly what everyone wants – fame, money, power – loses it all at 55 and has to rebuild – i do like those types of stories because we all have up’s and down’s – and the down’s – no matter how low – should never define us

“finally free” – michael vick book – again, you’re all too young to know – but vick was like the most hated man for a while in ’07-08 – he was convicted of abusing dogs – running fights with them facing off – the book really wasn’t super insightful – although, our pro athletes aren’t judged by their perceptiveness – i guess it’s a reminder that things catch up – that you might get away with something for a while but situations changed – it was a sad book

happy nanowrimo-ing this week – if you are…

maf