Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Thursday, January 19, 2006
m-w experiences
So I write with my students. Can you really be an effective teacher of writing if you don't write yourself? Can you coach hockey if you've never laced up, have only watched the Mighty Ducks?
I'm working on MEMOIR with the kids right now. Can't say I'm all that excited about writing a piece with the thesis, loads of correcting, and the student newspaper looming, (plus regular life like sweeping the black dog hair off of the floor and making sure the laundry gets put away, recycling gets put out). But I think it will be an interesting experience. And I know that all of them aren't super crazy about it either. But (yes, you can start sentences with conjunctions, stylistic you know) the only way to become a better writer is to JUST WRITE. No other way.
So we worked on Memoir-Worthy Experiences for a bit to get some ideas for writing. Here are mine. This really isn't a well thought out list.
Memoir Worthy Experiences
Traveling to CA when I was four
Camping/using acorns as Barbie toys
Too small to go on go carts at Disney Land
Too small to go on a horse ride that Lisa got to go on
Chandelier/surfboard at Great Uncle Dan's
Trampoline/hot springs at campground
Creepy hotel in LA while Mom and Dad were at Teacher's Conv.
Someone was stabbed there that very same night
Trouble with Mr. Serr when I was a senior
Trouble in 3rd grade- punching M. Saunders, writing notes to everyone with advice,
using tape (wasting) as a medical bracelet
Trouble in 1st grade- airplane pencil. stamping Smurf stamps in the tunnel
How I strove to be a good kid/do the right think, yet sometimes trouble struck
Divorce- I don't want to write about this for class
Car crash- changed how I think
Sandy/search for a dog as an adult/companionship
Eye surgery- changed how I think, feeling of loss, so young compared, fear of other eye going bad
Changed my life- step-parenting!
Guitar- follow through
How I deal with change-- cabin being sold, clarinet, Mini-Mart/old buildings, farmsteads
Important? Grad from college, travel to Europe 3X, study abroad/Spain
Night Chris was born, licorace
Travels to NY every few years to visit Dad's side, origin/place, who are we really, how much are our relatives like us without us really knowing them?
+++++++++++++
I think my Writing Territories list is better, but those lists are all at work...
Wanted to put up SOMETHING so as not to completely lose the two actual people who read this...
Have a good weekend!
I'm working on MEMOIR with the kids right now. Can't say I'm all that excited about writing a piece with the thesis, loads of correcting, and the student newspaper looming, (plus regular life like sweeping the black dog hair off of the floor and making sure the laundry gets put away, recycling gets put out). But I think it will be an interesting experience. And I know that all of them aren't super crazy about it either. But (yes, you can start sentences with conjunctions, stylistic you know) the only way to become a better writer is to JUST WRITE. No other way.
So we worked on Memoir-Worthy Experiences for a bit to get some ideas for writing. Here are mine. This really isn't a well thought out list.
Memoir Worthy Experiences
Traveling to CA when I was four
Camping/using acorns as Barbie toys
Too small to go on go carts at Disney Land
Too small to go on a horse ride that Lisa got to go on
Chandelier/surfboard at Great Uncle Dan's
Trampoline/hot springs at campground
Creepy hotel in LA while Mom and Dad were at Teacher's Conv.
Someone was stabbed there that very same night
Trouble with Mr. Serr when I was a senior
Trouble in 3rd grade- punching M. Saunders, writing notes to everyone with advice,
using tape (wasting) as a medical bracelet
Trouble in 1st grade- airplane pencil. stamping Smurf stamps in the tunnel
How I strove to be a good kid/do the right think, yet sometimes trouble struck
Divorce- I don't want to write about this for class
Car crash- changed how I think
Sandy/search for a dog as an adult/companionship
Eye surgery- changed how I think, feeling of loss, so young compared, fear of other eye going bad
Changed my life- step-parenting!
Guitar- follow through
How I deal with change-- cabin being sold, clarinet, Mini-Mart/old buildings, farmsteads
Important? Grad from college, travel to Europe 3X, study abroad/Spain
Night Chris was born, licorace
Travels to NY every few years to visit Dad's side, origin/place, who are we really, how much are our relatives like us without us really knowing them?
+++++++++++++
I think my Writing Territories list is better, but those lists are all at work...
Wanted to put up SOMETHING so as not to completely lose the two actual people who read this...
Have a good weekend!
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Tuesday
Random things you could have heard/witnessed if you were the fly on the wall at our house tonight:
"I really need to stop eating so much chocolate." (MS)
This was after trying on two pairs of pants to figure out what to wear to work tomorrow.
"But there is so much room for chocolate in my life." (MS)
"Did you just say 'There is so much room for chocolate in my life'"? (SG)
"I'm so cute." (SG)
"No, you aren't." (MS)
"Yes, I am." (SG)
"Moms lie." (MS)
"That's the number one rule. Moms lie." (MS)
So after Abbey was thrilled half to the stars by me picking up KFC and bringing it home for supper (my plan since last night when I smelled something similarily good as I headed into the chiropractor), she came back to earth after she confessed that she hadn't indeed read the assignment of chapters 9 - 15 in her reading book for school nor had she finished the questions that go with them. Why do these things always come out at 8:15 when she is in the shower? And after she has sworn that she is done with all of her homework? Parenting. A tough job, but yes, it is ultimately rewarding. Moreso on nights unlike tonight. At 8:15. While the kid's in the shower. So it's no allowance for this week and no SNL on Saturday. Make lemonade with those lemons. There's always SNL next week.
You know you are a dedicated step-mom when you turn your kid's LIGER shirt inside out whilst ironing so as not to distrub the decal on the front. Dedicated or nuts. I prefer dedicated. No wrinkly kid here =)
"I really need to stop eating so much chocolate." (MS)
This was after trying on two pairs of pants to figure out what to wear to work tomorrow.
"But there is so much room for chocolate in my life." (MS)
"Did you just say 'There is so much room for chocolate in my life'"? (SG)
"I'm so cute." (SG)
"No, you aren't." (MS)
"Yes, I am." (SG)
"Moms lie." (MS)
"That's the number one rule. Moms lie." (MS)
So after Abbey was thrilled half to the stars by me picking up KFC and bringing it home for supper (my plan since last night when I smelled something similarily good as I headed into the chiropractor), she came back to earth after she confessed that she hadn't indeed read the assignment of chapters 9 - 15 in her reading book for school nor had she finished the questions that go with them. Why do these things always come out at 8:15 when she is in the shower? And after she has sworn that she is done with all of her homework? Parenting. A tough job, but yes, it is ultimately rewarding. Moreso on nights unlike tonight. At 8:15. While the kid's in the shower. So it's no allowance for this week and no SNL on Saturday. Make lemonade with those lemons. There's always SNL next week.
You know you are a dedicated step-mom when you turn your kid's LIGER shirt inside out whilst ironing so as not to distrub the decal on the front. Dedicated or nuts. I prefer dedicated. No wrinkly kid here =)
Monday, January 02, 2006
New Year's at Chris Shaf's
We celebrated with Jeremy, Chris, and Cindy... Food, Trivial Pursuit, Music, Champagne, and Fireworks! Happy 2006 =)
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