Tuesday, November 17, 2009
House of Night series part 2
I started reading the second book, and while it is good, there are definitely some parts I have to skip. She gets a little sexual in content. It is definitely not as tame as Twilight, just wanted to warn you in case you were considering the book.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Looking for a good book?
I just started the House of Night series. The author is PC Cast (and her daughter Kristin). The name I knew her as was Ms. Bond, and she was my Creative Writing teacher at Broken Arrow's South Intermediate High School. (Also where my mother taught Intro to Law for about 20 years)
I just finished the first book, Marked, and I was hooked. It is a good book, targeted to young adults, much like Twilight. It is very much a mix between Harry Potter and Twilight, with the main character being sent off to Vampyre Finishing School after being marked with the vampyre symbol of a crescent moon on her forehead. She is deemed special because her crescent moon is filled in instead of just an outline like vampyre fledglings usually are.
The book is darker than Twilight and, at times, unnecessarily crass in my opinion, but the story is good. I was hooked and just bought the next 2 books in the series.
This was my first experience reading a book that was authored by someone I know. It is surreal to read a book that is set in my hometown, specifically in my high school, with teachers referenced that I actually had in high school. It is also strange that I can hear Bond's "voice" on every page. I can hear her sarcasm and disdain for men. I can hear her "what teens should and shouldn't do" speeches that I remember her going off about in class. She was that teacher who thought she was so in touch with us, but really she was only in touch with the popular kids. The rest of us, she didn't have a clue about. To be honest, she wasn't my favorite teacher, and actually laughed at some of the things I wrote as she was reading them (anonymously) to the class. I loved writing in my youth and she killed it a little for me.
That being said, she is a talented authoress herself and the series is good so far. I think she has excellent timing because right now the in thing is all things Twilight and vampyre-related so she'll get a lot of fans who are looking to capture the Twilight moment all over again. I wouldn't be surprised if we see these books out in movies soon, too. Well done, Bond!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Snapshots of our day
On the swings, during outside playtime this morning I heard:
Jackson (already on a swing, with me pushing him): Hi, L. Howa yeeew?
L (joining him on the swings): I'm good, Jackson. How are you?
Jackson: Ummm, I good. I had bites today.
I just laughed because that was so random. As if I don't feed my child every day, hah!
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Later Jackson was sitting in a chair and wanted K to come sit with him, so he kept hollering, "K!!!! Come sit wiff me!" She obliged, happily (she is an only child and loves Jackson like a brother) and when she got up several minutes later, S. came to sit with him and he kept pushing her off the seat because he wanted K. (or trying to, but I kept scolding him, telling him that wasn't nice and that S. could sit there, too.)
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This morning I had Sam on a blanket in the living room playing with some old toys that used to be Jackson's. He doesn't really remember them, but he thinks they are new toys so he is always all over Sam trying to take them away and play with them. I have let him play with them a few times so he would get it out of his system and not be curious, but today I had to keep an eye on the other kids playing in the playroom and so I closed the gate so Jackson couldn't get in there where I couldn't see him. He got so mad at me that when I was over in the art center helping L and S get out the paint, he came up behind me and slapped my back very hard. I whirled around and said, "Did you just hit me?" in my loud, "Oh, I don't think so" mom voice, and I put him in time out, all the while explaining that I was sorry that he was angry with me, but hitting is not a good choice. We don't hit our friends and we do not hit our moms. Hitting is not okay. So he was, of course, throwing a huge temper tantrum and trying to scoot himself out of time out when I was not looking. I kept telling him, "You sit there! You may NOT get up. You are not making good choices and you need to think about NOT hitting Mama."
After he was able to get up, we hugged and apologized to each other and talked more about how hitting was not nice, he went to play with "da guys" (action figures). I watched him put 2 action figures in time out and say, "No, no, guys, you don't get up! We don't hit! That is not a good choice! You think about it! You sit there!" haha, poor guy is the youngest one (except Sam) and I guess he needs to feel like he is the boss of SOMEONE. ;)
Jackson (already on a swing, with me pushing him): Hi, L. Howa yeeew?
L (joining him on the swings): I'm good, Jackson. How are you?
Jackson: Ummm, I good. I had bites today.
I just laughed because that was so random. As if I don't feed my child every day, hah!
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Later Jackson was sitting in a chair and wanted K to come sit with him, so he kept hollering, "K!!!! Come sit wiff me!" She obliged, happily (she is an only child and loves Jackson like a brother) and when she got up several minutes later, S. came to sit with him and he kept pushing her off the seat because he wanted K. (or trying to, but I kept scolding him, telling him that wasn't nice and that S. could sit there, too.)
**********************************************************************************
This morning I had Sam on a blanket in the living room playing with some old toys that used to be Jackson's. He doesn't really remember them, but he thinks they are new toys so he is always all over Sam trying to take them away and play with them. I have let him play with them a few times so he would get it out of his system and not be curious, but today I had to keep an eye on the other kids playing in the playroom and so I closed the gate so Jackson couldn't get in there where I couldn't see him. He got so mad at me that when I was over in the art center helping L and S get out the paint, he came up behind me and slapped my back very hard. I whirled around and said, "Did you just hit me?" in my loud, "Oh, I don't think so" mom voice, and I put him in time out, all the while explaining that I was sorry that he was angry with me, but hitting is not a good choice. We don't hit our friends and we do not hit our moms. Hitting is not okay. So he was, of course, throwing a huge temper tantrum and trying to scoot himself out of time out when I was not looking. I kept telling him, "You sit there! You may NOT get up. You are not making good choices and you need to think about NOT hitting Mama."
After he was able to get up, we hugged and apologized to each other and talked more about how hitting was not nice, he went to play with "da guys" (action figures). I watched him put 2 action figures in time out and say, "No, no, guys, you don't get up! We don't hit! That is not a good choice! You think about it! You sit there!" haha, poor guy is the youngest one (except Sam) and I guess he needs to feel like he is the boss of SOMEONE. ;)
Monday, November 2, 2009
Happy Halloween
We went to Tulsa because Ben's mom invited us to a Halloween party for the grandkids. We didn't leave till Sat morning and get back home Sunday at 7ish, so it was a whirlwind trip. Although we had a great time, I am less and less motivated to travel with kids. It was a borderline nightmare. Sam got off his perfect schedule where he was sleeping 10-11 hours a night at the perfect times for me. Jackson hardly napped at all in the car so he was pretty cranky. I swear all our realtives are going to think our kids are brats!! On Sat night, we spent the night with Nana & Papa (Ben's mom & dad) and Sam WOULD NOT sleep. Ben and I traded off being up with him until 3:30 when he finally fell asleep (until 7:30 am). I guess he just didn't want to sleep in a strange crib! We tried everything. I even put him in the car and drove aroudn Owasso for ten minutes until he fell asleep, but 20 minutes after getting him home, he woke back up. That was hard to deal with because he is normally sucha happy baby and a great sleeper! He lays down and doesn't even cry, just goes right to sleep usually.
Anyway, we did have a good time, but it was a short trip and our kids were rotten! Here are a few pics of us trick-or-treating with family.
Anyway, we did have a good time, but it was a short trip and our kids were rotten! Here are a few pics of us trick-or-treating with family.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Letter to the Editor- part 2
Yesterday in my anger I left a message on the library answering machine about my frustrating experience and left my phone number in case someone would like to call me back. I was polite in my message, but it was obvious that I was very upset. Today the manager (?) called me back and basically said she was sorry for my experience. However, she said, the librarians are tired at the end of the day and ready to go home, they had already turned off the computer system and so they couldn't have helped me anyway and their clocks are set differently than other people's watches and that their employees get frustrated when people wait until the last minute to come to the library.
What?! Excuse me?! That is your response?! You have got to be kidding me!
I politely but curtly said that my car clock is set to local time and temperature, and perhaps they might want to consider making sure their clocks are set to that as well to avoid future discrepancies regarding accurate time. She assured me they had done so already this morning after my call.
To her pointed comment about people waiting until the last minute, I was seething, but responded that I do not close my preschool until 5:30 and that my husband was not at home so I had to bring both my boys under the age of 2 with me. It took me a few minutes to get out the door, a few minutes to get to the library, and a few minutes to get them both out of the car, but that I was at the door at 5:53 and was unable to be served. I had not intended to wait until the last minute. In fact, I had actually tried to get the books the night before, but was unable to make it until 7:45 the previous night (on Tues and Thurs they close at 8) and a librarian was standing guard at the front door, shooing people out and not allowing new patrons inside, so I didn't bother to get out of the car since that night I had not requested the books yet and I would have had to search for them myself.
Her attitude was that of making an obligatory phone call, but not caring much about my experience. She was in a hurry to get "call disgruntled library patron" checked off her to do list for the day as she rushed me off the phone and talked over me when I replied to her comments. Her apology was insincere and her reasons for her employees' actions were weak. I'm all the more irritated and fired up to write a letter, but based on the comments I received on my last blog post, I'm thinking I need to take time to get my facts straight first, and possibly find out who the chain of command is and who to write to (if I decide to do that) before I publicly attack the library. I feel validated knowing that so many people share my concerns and frustrations, so thank you for that!
GGGRRRRRRR!!!!!
What?! Excuse me?! That is your response?! You have got to be kidding me!
I politely but curtly said that my car clock is set to local time and temperature, and perhaps they might want to consider making sure their clocks are set to that as well to avoid future discrepancies regarding accurate time. She assured me they had done so already this morning after my call.
To her pointed comment about people waiting until the last minute, I was seething, but responded that I do not close my preschool until 5:30 and that my husband was not at home so I had to bring both my boys under the age of 2 with me. It took me a few minutes to get out the door, a few minutes to get to the library, and a few minutes to get them both out of the car, but that I was at the door at 5:53 and was unable to be served. I had not intended to wait until the last minute. In fact, I had actually tried to get the books the night before, but was unable to make it until 7:45 the previous night (on Tues and Thurs they close at 8) and a librarian was standing guard at the front door, shooing people out and not allowing new patrons inside, so I didn't bother to get out of the car since that night I had not requested the books yet and I would have had to search for them myself.
Her attitude was that of making an obligatory phone call, but not caring much about my experience. She was in a hurry to get "call disgruntled library patron" checked off her to do list for the day as she rushed me off the phone and talked over me when I replied to her comments. Her apology was insincere and her reasons for her employees' actions were weak. I'm all the more irritated and fired up to write a letter, but based on the comments I received on my last blog post, I'm thinking I need to take time to get my facts straight first, and possibly find out who the chain of command is and who to write to (if I decide to do that) before I publicly attack the library. I feel validated knowing that so many people share my concerns and frustrations, so thank you for that!
GGGRRRRRRR!!!!!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Letter to the Editor
I'm thinking of writing an angry letter to the Editor of the Saginaw newspaper. I'm very frustrated with the services our local library offers and with the grumpy service they provide. I am a good teacher, using the library services for the benefit of the community, promoting literacy even. Here is a list of my grievances. Am I being unreasonable?
-Though I live a stone's throw (literally) from the city of Saginaw limits (in Fort Worth) and within about 3 miles of the library, I have to pay a yearly non-residents' fee to use the city of Saginaw library. The closest Ft Worth library to me is over 10 miles and through heavy traffic.
-You can only borrow DVDs for a day and the late fines are ridiculous!
-You can only check out 5 hardback books, but all the children's books are hardback, so if you are a teacher, tough luck, you only get 5.
-They are closed on Mondays!!
-The summer reading program for kids was weak.
-They do not have a computer system in place that allows for requesting books to be held, I have to call every time.
-When they say their hours are until 6:00, that really means 5:50. I showed up tonight at 5:53 to pick up books that were already at the counter on hold for me, and the doors were locked. A worker looked right at me and ignored me. There I was at the door with my 2 kids under the age of 2, needing those books for my lesson tomorrow, and nope, can't get in.
-They say they will pull books and hold them for you if you request it, but when you do request it, they think of every reason in the book not to be able to do it. "We're too busy today." "We're shorthanded." I understand telling me that every once in a while, but I have gotten this response at least 7 times. Fine, just fine, I'll let my 2 year old run rampant in the library since I am usually a single mom and have him (and Sam) with me - which is why I can't go find my own books -then the crotchety old library ladies can reshelve all the books he pulls off the shelf!!
I know there are more reasons I am angry, but I can't think of any right now and I need to go do laundry. Should I write the letter?
-Though I live a stone's throw (literally) from the city of Saginaw limits (in Fort Worth) and within about 3 miles of the library, I have to pay a yearly non-residents' fee to use the city of Saginaw library. The closest Ft Worth library to me is over 10 miles and through heavy traffic.
-You can only borrow DVDs for a day and the late fines are ridiculous!
-You can only check out 5 hardback books, but all the children's books are hardback, so if you are a teacher, tough luck, you only get 5.
-They are closed on Mondays!!
-The summer reading program for kids was weak.
-They do not have a computer system in place that allows for requesting books to be held, I have to call every time.
-When they say their hours are until 6:00, that really means 5:50. I showed up tonight at 5:53 to pick up books that were already at the counter on hold for me, and the doors were locked. A worker looked right at me and ignored me. There I was at the door with my 2 kids under the age of 2, needing those books for my lesson tomorrow, and nope, can't get in.
-They say they will pull books and hold them for you if you request it, but when you do request it, they think of every reason in the book not to be able to do it. "We're too busy today." "We're shorthanded." I understand telling me that every once in a while, but I have gotten this response at least 7 times. Fine, just fine, I'll let my 2 year old run rampant in the library since I am usually a single mom and have him (and Sam) with me - which is why I can't go find my own books -then the crotchety old library ladies can reshelve all the books he pulls off the shelf!!
I know there are more reasons I am angry, but I can't think of any right now and I need to go do laundry. Should I write the letter?
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
What is wrong with me?!
I must be hormonal or something! Lately, I have been either super depressed for no real reason, embarrassed over something trivial, very angry about something only one step up from trivial, and then really happy and empowered. I think it is a combination of factors:
1. I'm LONELY!! Ben is always gone and I'm bored and I love my children and my home, but I am ready to get away from both for a while!! Plus, I have no one to talk to. I'm around kids all day and get very little adult interaction!!
2. I'm frustrated with the weight loss plateau I'm on. Okay, well, that isn't exactly true; I am losing, but it is taking FOREVER!!! I hate feeling so pudgy and out of shape! I hate that most of my jeans make me look like a streetwalker when I try to get into them, so I don't and just look fat in other pants. Dresses are good, I should just wear dresses...
3. I found out about something not-so-good that had been going on that I didn't know about, and it is partly my fault becuse I had failed to take care of something and partly my fault for being so naive and trusting. Now I am embarrassed that I was so blind. I feel really stupid, even though it really isn't that big of a deal.
4. I'm stressed about handling so many responsibilities on my own all the time! AND worried that I may not be balancing them all very well.
5. Happy and empowered - well, that is because I was at the gym running myself skinny on the elliptical and I was jamming to a song I liked on my MP3 and feeling strong and confident.
Hmmm...I should live at the gym.
1. I'm LONELY!! Ben is always gone and I'm bored and I love my children and my home, but I am ready to get away from both for a while!! Plus, I have no one to talk to. I'm around kids all day and get very little adult interaction!!
2. I'm frustrated with the weight loss plateau I'm on. Okay, well, that isn't exactly true; I am losing, but it is taking FOREVER!!! I hate feeling so pudgy and out of shape! I hate that most of my jeans make me look like a streetwalker when I try to get into them, so I don't and just look fat in other pants. Dresses are good, I should just wear dresses...
3. I found out about something not-so-good that had been going on that I didn't know about, and it is partly my fault becuse I had failed to take care of something and partly my fault for being so naive and trusting. Now I am embarrassed that I was so blind. I feel really stupid, even though it really isn't that big of a deal.
4. I'm stressed about handling so many responsibilities on my own all the time! AND worried that I may not be balancing them all very well.
5. Happy and empowered - well, that is because I was at the gym running myself skinny on the elliptical and I was jamming to a song I liked on my MP3 and feeling strong and confident.
Hmmm...I should live at the gym.
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