scaifea's thread #6

Welcome to thread VI!



Below you’ll find an explanation of my reading habits, which, I warn you, is a bit crazy. Usually I have about 10-15 books going at once, one each from the following groups (and occasionally other books slipped in there, too):

1. A book from the 100 Banned Books book (at least currently. As soon as I finish this list, I'll replace it with another, and oh, I've got tons of lists).

2. A children's book, for Charlie's library. I'm trying to collect books from various award lists, and I like reading them before reading them to Charlie or deciding to add them to Charlie's shelves. For this category, I’m currently working through three lists:
a. 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Die
b. The CYOA books
c. The Newbery Honor books

3. A book from the Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy List, in chronological order.

4. A book for the Presidential Challenge. Books for this category are read in chronological (presidentially) order.

5. An audio book, which I listen to as I knit/sew/otherwise craft/drive.

6. A list I'm working through together with my best friend, Rob: The Hugo/Nebula/WFA/Bram Stoker (and other) lists (combined, in chronological order)

7. For this category, I cycle through 7 different stacks:
a. A book from my shelves which I haven't yet read
b. Agatha Christie's bibliography (in chronological order)
c. Neil Gaiman's bibliography (in some order other than chronological (don't
ask)).
d. Christopher Moore's bibliography (in chronological order)
e. Stephen Fry's bibliography (in chronological order)
f. The NEH Timeless Classics list
g. The National Book Award list (in alpha order by title)
h. The Pulitzer list (in alpha order by author)

8. A read-aloud-to-Charlie-at-bedtime book.

9. An unread book from my shelves.

10. A book from my Classics shelves.

11. A book from our Science Shelves corner.

12. A book on Buddhism or from the Dalai Lama's bibliography.

13. Book-a-year challenge: Two years ago, along with a few others in this group (*cough* Paul *cough*), I made a year-by-year list to see how far I could go back with consecutive reads. I've decided, again, to follow Paul's lead and try to fill in some of those blanks, and so I'm adding an entry here to my lists.

14. An audiobook for the car.

15. This slot is reserved for books that just grab me and shout that they need to be read Right Now.

And on top of these, there will be a multitude of picture books and easy readers, which Charlie and I read together. I've decided again this year also to list our re-reads, but I'll just list them each day and not number them.

So, now you've got a glimpse of just how neurotic I am.
Please feel free to post comments, recommendations, or whatever else strikes your fancy. And Happy Reading, everyone!



What I'm reading now:
-Black Boy (Banned Books)
-The Religions Book (potential Charlie book)
-Water of the Wondrous Isles (The Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy)
-Millard Fillmore (Presidential Challenge)
-Circus Mirandus (audiobook)
-The Crystal Cave (Mythopoeic)
-Dandelion Wine (NEH Children's Classics)
-The BFG (Charlie's bed-time book)
-Don Quixote (an unread book off of my shelves)
-The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Justinian (from my Classics shelves)
-Introductory Astronomy & Astrophysics (from the Science Shelves)
-The Light of Asia (Buddhism list)
-Far from the Madding Crowd (books by year, 1874)
-Books Can Be Deceiving (series that my mom wants me to read so we can chat about it)
-Five Days at Memorial (from the Read Soon shelf)
-The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (everyday audio book in the car)
-The Spoonflower Handbook (just because)

In addition to these, I have some classics-related texts that I'm working through (quite slowly):
-Asinaria by Plautus (reading in Latin)
-Iliad by Homer (reading in Greek)
-Latin Literature by Gian Biagio Conte
-The Cambridge History of Classical Literature Volume 1 Part 1

Books Read:

JANUARY

1. The Quaint and Curious Quest of Johnny Longfoot (Newbery Honor book) - 8/10 = B+
2. Slaves of Quentaris (audio book/1001 Children's Books) - 7/10 = C
3. Runner of the Mountain Tops (Newbery Honor book) - 7/10 = C
4. The Blue Cat of Castletown (Newbery Honor book) - 8/10 = B+
5. Princess Academy (Newbery Honor book/ audio book) - 8/10 = B+
6. Olive's Ocean (audio book/Newbery Honor book) - 7/10 = C
7. The Wanderer (audio book/Newbery Honor book) - 8/10 = B+
8. The Terrible Two (potential Charlie book) - 9/10 = A
9. The Puppy Place: Scout (Charlie's bedtime book) - 8/10 = B
10. A Daughter of the Seine (Newbery Honor book) - 8/10 = B
11. Roller Girl (Newbery Honor book) - 8/10 = B+
12. Abe Lincoln at Last! (Charlie's school library chapter book) - 8/10 = B+
13. How I Live Now (audiobook, 1001 Children's Books list) - 8/10 = B+
14. The Terrible Two Get Worse (loaned to me by a school librarian) - 8/10 = B+
15. Ella Enchanted (audiobook, Newbery Honor book) - 8/10 = B+
16. Echo (Newbery Honor book) - 9/10 = A-
17. Bone Gap (Printz award winner) - 9/10 = A
18. The Ghosts of Heaven (Printz Honor book) - 8/10 = B-
19. George (Stonewall Award winner) - 9/10 = A
20. The Return of the Native (audiobook for the car/book-a-year challenge, 1878) - 9/10 = A
21. Hoot (audiobook, Newbery Honor book) - 8/10 = B
22. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (1001 Children's Books) - 9/10 = A
23. Magic Tree House #17: Tonight on the Titanic (Charlie's school library book) - 8/10 = B+
24. The War That Saved My Life (Newbery Honor book) - 9/10 = A
25. Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: Abraham Lincoln (public library book) - 8/10 = B+

FEBRUARY
26. Crenshaw (public library book) - 8/10 = B+
27. Noah Barleywater Runs Away (Charlie book) - 9/10 = A-
28. The Midnight Dress (Blind Date with a Book) - 8/10 = B+
29. Twilight (audiobook, 1001 Children's Books) - 9/10 = A-
30. Don't Break the Balance Beam! (public library book) - 8/10 = B
31. Hattie Ever After (sequel read) - 8/10 = B
32. A to Z Mysteries: Secret Admirer (Charlie bed-time read) - 8/10 = B
33. A Good Night for Ghosts (Charlie's school library book) - 8/10 = B+
34. The Brilliant World of Tom Gates (audiobook) - 8/10 = B-
35. Zachary Taylor (Presidential Challenge) - 8/10 = B-

The Charlie, Mario & Tuppence Toppers:

And the Bonus Question:

I'm feeling much more like myself today, and part of the reason why is because I realized this morning that I wasn't taking my own advice: Charlie, as some of you may remember, had a little bit of a rough start this year with school. It wasn't anything huge and nothing overly-worrisome - he just has an disappointingly unimaginative teacher, who doesn't mesh super-well with him. He's adjusted fine, although there are still days when he comes home exhausted and a little sad, and I know in large part that's because she doesn't seem to believe that there's more to it than spelling and math and worksheets. Anyway, I'm getting off-topic a bit. To combat his sadness and frustration, I've tried to talk with him about how sometimes we can't change the situation we're in, but we can change how we react to the situation, and sometimes that can be just as powerful. Sometimes we need to *choose* to be happy. And so, as we sit in the car in the mornings in the school parking lot (we usually get there 10 minutes early and then chat and play silly games), we tell each other that we'll both try to choose to be happy today if the need for a choice comes along. And then not too long ago, we started listening to this song every morning in the car, too, and seat-dancing like goofs. It's a great way to start the day and I realized this morning that I needed to take all of my own advice to heart, so, I'm *choosing* to be happy today, and it's working!

Here's the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2iVf6danPg

And here, finally, is your Bonus Question: Do you have a song that, when you hear it, even if you're down, gives you a boost?

"Lucky" by Jason Mraz which was played when the Wayne and I walked down the aisle at the end of our wedding :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acvIVA9-FMQ

Congrats on your shiny new thread, Amber. My positive song is I feel good by James Brown.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QXCGnTy-v2M

Happy new thread, Amber. Charlie is looking older in that photo - he is losing the baby out of his face. I remember when my kids did that, and the funny thing is that I didn't notice so much in every day situations, but it always hit me when I saw photos. Love the action shot of the girls!

I love your thoughts that you shared in your bonus question post - good for you! For me, the song would be Night Shift by the Commodores because it takes me all the way back to the 80s when that song played on the radio, and I just could not get enough of it. And now that my Dad is part of that night shift, it makes me love it even more.

>3 scaifea: Trucking by the Grateful Dead. Also, Ripple...which was our wedding song...long story!
And, anything by Jimmy Buffet. Great question!

>4 katiekrug: Katie: Oh, I love Jason and Colbie! Excellent choice!

>5 Ameise1: Barbara: James Brown is a great idea! You just can't not dance to that one, eh?

>6 Crazymamie: Mamie: It's funny you should say that because one of those top front teeth is dangling by a thread this week (those are still baby teeth!)...
And thanks - I know that it's not that simple for many, many folks to pull themselves out of sadness, and after I posted that, I almost tried to change my phrasing because I don't want to belittle that struggle at all. I know that my sad phases are very likely *nothing* compared to what others go through and I realize that it can be so, so difficult to find one's way back from such despair. Sometimes the bootstraps just don't exist for some.

>7 Dianekeenoy: Hi, Diane! I've been over to your thread, but I don't think I've posted. Apologies. Sometimes I think I already have and haven't, and then it feels weird to jump in. I'll go over and take the dive...

>3 scaifea: So glad you are feeling better!

I have a whole playlist that is basically "music yourself out of a funk." Half Fling is probably the one that is most surefire to make me smile. It is so ridiculous.

>8 scaifea: Ah, well, I can dance to it. Can't sit when I hear it.

Oh, so many happy songs! My recent would be the Proclaimers "I'm Gonna Be 500 Miles" because Scout loves it. But otherwise, Leo Kottke makes me happy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSLc6tTcs8o

Happy new thread. I love the image of you and Charlie getting your groove on in the car in the morning.

>9 lycomayflower: Laura: Wow! That's some song you've got there. Ha!

>10 Ameise1: Barbara: Ha!

>11 BLBera: Hi, Beth! Oh, I LOVE the Proclaimers song! And what makes it ever better is that David Tennant loves it too!
And yeah, Charlie and I rocking out in the car has drawn more than a few looks and grins from the staff walking from their cars in the morning...

Happy new thread Amber my dear, just love the photo's as well. I don't have a particular song so I just play a bit of Kiss and I always feel happy. Have a lovely day my dear, sending special love and hugs from over here.

>3 scaifea: Happy New Thread! I've finally made it close to the beginning of one of your threads!

Wow, tough question...I have to say that, in general, most music makes me feel happy (except for country and romantic songs). But in particular, I had a song when I was in college that never failed to get me to smile, in a kind of tongue-in-cheek way. I called it my "Happy Song". But I need to provide a little background. The Police were my favorite band back then and I loved all of their music. So, when Sting was in a movie, of course, I had to go see it. I should also perhaps explain that I really like "strange" movies. The movie was Brimstone and Treacle. Sting played a man who infiltrated himself into a family and was essentially the embodiment of evil. The closing credits featured an ironic song by Sting called "Spread a Little Happiness".

https://youtu.be/qJ8ahL8LsEQ

I love this song which has such a joy to it (and his beautiful voice) - but also because a friend recommended it as her song to get her through grim times, so it does double duty to remind me of good friends.

Gregory Porter - Liquid Spirit
https://youtu.be/NS6JV-veVAE

Your Charlie story is sad! And happy! ;)
Wilbur is 3 weeks into having a new teacher, and a new class with only one of his 6 friends from his last 2 years as school. ALso, he has two really naughty kids in the class and it makes me sad, particularly when I arrived early one day to collect him and overheard the chaos in that classroom. Naughty girl yelling out "I hate you all!" beofre storming out of the class and then laughing to herself in the cloakroom...the teacher just seemed to be grasping at control but not really having it.
We have talked about how hard it is for everyone when there are disruptive people in class, and also about how proud I am that he has good manners in class (proud and relieved!), but I can see his enthusiasm for school waning...it scares me as he isn't a fan of school work.
I love your morning happy dance in the car, we sometimes have a disco at home, it is so much fun.

Happy songs? The Pet Shop Boys, or anything with a fast beat and funkiness :)

>14 johnsimpson: John: Well, if Kiss would lift your spirits, I don't know what will! *grins*

>15 rretzler: Hi, Robin! Oh, my deep love for Sting has been around a long time, so I know where you're coming from. I. Love. Him.

>16 charl08: Charlotte: Oh, that's lovely!

>17 LovingLit: Megan: Oh, I'm right there with you, with Charlie and fearing that he's losing his love for school. But he still plays school at home a lot, and when I start to worry again I try to remind myself that I survived an absolutely terrible 2nd grade teacher, as did my live-long love of school. So try not to fret too much, eh?
And I LOVE the Pet Shop Boys!!

Happy New Thread, Amber! Wow...your Bonus Question is a tough one to answer, as music is my primary source of instant happiness. I could list a few dozen songs that would fit, but I'll stick with two classic songs from two of my favorite musical genres, Nuyorican salsa and R&B, that I could sing and dance to all day.

Tu No Puedes Conmigo by Willie Colón, featuring Héctor Lavoe on lead vocals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFgqHdMb8hk

Bernadette by the Four Tops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C_17FtGG6M

Lots of times music can lift me out of a funk, but when you talked about you and Charlie sitting in the car listening to "your song" and getting goofy, I had an instant image of Laura and me in the car singing along with Simon and Garfunkel to Cecilia. So I guess that's the one for me. (I'm putting it under a spoiler cut 'cause I wanna know if she gets it before she looks.) Here's a link so you can all bop along.

Hi Amber, happy to hear you have said goodbye to the blues. There are so many happy songs in the world, but what really gets me going are some of the older rock and roll songs. I could put on a large white shirt and socks and groove away to "Old Time Rock and Roll" by Bob Seger or my favorite driving songs like "Highway to Hell" and "Born To Be Wild", they always put a smile on my face!

>22 DeltaQueen50: "Center Field" and "Wipeouuuuuut" belong on that list, surely!

>21 laytonwoman3rd: That was on the Happy Tape! I used to cue it up so we got to listen to that song.

Happy new thread, Amber! Great advice you have given Charlie. I don't have a favorite song. Pretty much anything with a bouncy beat can help perk me up.

>24 lycomayflower: Laura: *smiles*

>25 lkernagh: Lori: Those upbeat tunes are very happy-inducing, aren't they?

I suppose this is a guilty pleasure because everyone I know thinks it's silly or stupid, but the song that always makes me smile is "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves.

Honorable mention: "Come on, Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners

Check out those 1980s fashions! What on earth were we thinking?!

I only listen to dark and depressing music...

Err, but, um, Hi Amber!! :D

>24 lycomayflower: We won't talk about the (in)appropriateness of those lyrics for a teenaged girl and her mom to be wailing on the way to school...

Happy New Thread, Amber! Love the classic topper!

Bonus question: Walking on Sunshine...oh yeah!!

>27 rosalita: Oh, Julia, there's nothing to feel guilty about with either of those amazing songs!! I particularly love Jack Black rocking out to the first one in, um, that one movie...you know...the one with John Cuzack...dangit...

>28 Ape: Stephen: Hey, whatever makes you happy. Ha!

>29 laytonwoman3rd: Linda: Well, then, I won't mention that up until a few months ago, Charlie's favorite song was Britney Spears' Womanizer... He sang it as "Oooomanizer," though, and it's so, so much better that way.

>30 msf59: Hi, Mark! Thanks! Lots of good songs here, no?

32. A to Z Mysteries: Secret Admirer by Ron Roy (Charlie bed-time read, 127 pages) - 8/10 = B
A Valentine Scholastic Book Club order, because Charlie's teacher read them one of the A to Z mysteries in class and he loved it. This one was okay, but not fabulous; I find the Magic Tree House books much more tolerable for early chapter books.

Also Read Today:
-Time for School, Mouse!
-The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
-Chapter 9 in A Good Night for Ghosts

>27 rosalita: Not silly or stupid as that was going to be my first pick!

Two other "happy" songs I've used for a pick me up recently...

Happy by Pharrell Williams
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv-sUYtM

Shake It Off by Taylor Swift
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nfWlot6h_JM

I'm delurking to show the obscure song that I sang to myself when my job took a drastic change for the worse a few years ago. It's "Ooh, Ooh Child" by the Five Stairsteps. http://youtu.be/yrotsEzgEpg

>3 scaifea: Walking On Sunshine - because it's a happy song - was the first one that came to mind. I know how you feel >27 rosalita: Julia because my husband makes fun of me for even liking it at all, but I don't care. There are others that make me turn up the volume and sing along. They are all totally random. The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson, Let the Good Times Roll - Cars. How can you not feel happy when you're singing about brushing your rock'n'roll hair?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6G-qb1RRCo

>33 Morphidae: Morphy: I have those two songs on my treadmill playlist!

>34 BonnieJune54: Hi, Bonnie! That songs is fantastic, and better yet, those outfits are AMAZING.

>35 nittnut: Jenn: How can anyone thing that song is silly?! Is great! And I could listen to Michael and The Cars all. day. long.

>31 scaifea: The movie is High Fidelity — featuring a cameo by Bruce Springsteen, by the way. :-)

And thanks to all of you for validating my musical taste!

On the agenda for today:

It's a good thing I've recovered my groove, because I'm the Substitute Librarian today at Charlie's school and I'll need that positive energy! Ha! I'm looking forward to a day of story times with the kids, helping them pick out new books to take home and re-shelving the old ones. Perfect! Plus, Charlie absolutely loves it when I'm the substitute librarian, because we get to go into the building 30 minutes early and he hangs out in the library with me, browsing the books and reading what he likes.
And I have no idea what's for dinner. It'll be a fun day, but I'm always completely knackered at the end of it. So it'll be something simple. Grilled cheese and tomato soup, maybe?

On the reading front: I've been on a music kick lately, so I haven't listened to any audio books for a while now. I'll get back to them soon, I think. But I did read another chapter in Five Days at Memorial, which is, of course, excellent, so far.

The calendar book for today: The American Way of Poverty: How the Other Half Still Lives by Sasha Abramsky. This one looks interesting and important - anyone read it? Thoughts?

And the Newbery/Caldecott Trivia: "When Ellen Raskin submitted the manuscript that became the book Figgs and Phantoms, she said that it wouldn't win the Newbery Award, but was sure to be an Honor Book - and in 1976 it was."
Well, then, Ms. Raskin. Hubris much? I mean, really? I'm hoping she was being facetious... Also, I haven't read this one yet - anyone?

>37 rosalita: Julia: That's it!! Love that movie. And I forgot that your boyfriend was in it! Excellent.

I'm thinking that I need to make a spotify playlist: The 75ers Happy Songs...

Morning, Amber! Just heading out the door! Have a good day. In the 50s tomorrow! Yah!

>39 scaifea: It would be a good movie even without the boyfriend. He was just a little bonus.

And yes! Please do make a Spotify playlist. That would be awesome.

>41 msf59: Morning, Mark! And in the 40's today! WootWoot!

>42 rosalita: I'll add it to my To Do list for tomorrow!

I can't keep up with you Amber! Sounds like a fun day ahead of you.

Question: Piano Man by Billy Joel & Escape (the Pina Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes

>44 Thebookdiva: Hi, Abby! Good song choices!

>44 Thebookdiva: Ha! I'm so old I had the 45 of that Rupert Holmes song. It's a great choice for a happy songs playlist!

Good morning, Amber!

Congrats on the spiffy new thread! Like the shelf of good 'uns up top. I still haven't read The Red and the Black, although I did read (meh) The Charterhouse of Parma.

Happy-making song = Al Green's Let's Stay Together: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COiIC3A0ROM Any Marvin Gaye, too.

Happy new thread dear lady.

>3 scaifea: So much music cheers me effortlessly:

Some Songs
Tubthumping by Chumbawamba
Seven Drunken Nights by The Dubliners
Mr Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra
Love Minus Zero by Bob Dylan
Gimme Shelter by the Rolling Stones
Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks
Ma Liberte by Georges Moustaki

Pieces of music
March of the Nobles by Rimsky Korakov
Carmen by Bizet
1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky

LPs
U2 - The Unforgettable Fire
OMD - Crush
Kate Bush - The Hounds of Love

I used to make love to my first serious girlfriend to the strains of those three albums and listening to those always gives me a, erm, slight twinge.....I would struggle to the end of track one nowadays!

Oops I guess many wouldn't be so familiar with Georges Moustaki.

This is a subtitled version of dubious quality but the version of the song I love best - Ma liberte.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CusCZ6Yijo

Happy new thread, Amber! Hope you're having fun as the substitute librarian today :) Grilled cheese and tomato soup sounds excellent right about now...

I guess I'm in the minority in that I don't usually listen to music to cheer up. Most of the songs I love are somewhat bittersweet anyway, so I usually end up feeling melancholy and nostalgic if I listen for a long time. Generally I put the radio on in the car or Spotify when I'm working on something at my desk, and that's about it... but when "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter comes on after a rough one, that's generally a pick-me-up for me.

Would love to see your Spotify playlist.

I thought of another song that never fails to make me smile: "Staten Island Baby" by Black 47, a NY Celtic rock band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TW24xkfgII

I love that whole album, 'New York Town.' It's a paean to NYC before and after 9/11 and has some of the saddest and some of the funniest songs I've ever heard.

I love Black 47, Katie. I only have Green Suede Shoes and Fire of Freedom, though. I should look for that one.

>52 rosalita: - I have the CD (remember those?) so we can play it in the car during your visit!

>53 katiekrug: Cool!

>54 rosalita: - Fair warning: I *will* be singing along. And a couple of the songs get me choked up...

>55 katiekrug: I'll bring ear plugs. :-D

Probably best.

Sorry to hear that Charlie isn't getting on particularly well with his current teacher. We had a similar situation when J was in year 3 (which I think is the equivalent of your second grade). It wasn't that she was a bad teacher but she was inexperienced and exactly the wrong sort of teacher for him. She was interested in art and making things look nice, everything that J finds completely irrelevant, and couldn't get the hang of J at all. Early on in their relationship she got the date of the fall of the Roman Empire wrong, and didn't take kindly to him correcting her, while J was never one to back down in the face of authority if he thinks he is right, and their relationship went downhill from there! The only mediocre school report he ever had was had that year.

Hi Amber, hope you are having a good day my dear, sending love and hugs.

YES to the Spotify playlist!

Has anyone mentioned Springsteen's Born to Run yet? That's my go-to "fire up" song.

I also love Walking on Sunshine including Jack Black's hilarious rendition in High Fidelity, which is also an amazing movie. And don't forget the Glee version either, which was mashed up with Halo.

Happy New Thread and my song is an oldie buried on Don McLean's American Pie album but it's the best pick me up song ever.

"Everybody Loves Me, Baby. What's the Matter with You?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG6SCDUiFZs

>47 jnwelch: Joe: I wasn't a huge fan of The Red and the Black, I admit, but I *am* a Marvin Gaye fan, for certain!

>48 PaulCranswick:: Paul: Oh, nice list (except for Dylan (ugh.) and U2 (double ugh.)) - you're very welcome to those two...

>49 PaulCranswick: And thanks for the link!

>50 bell7: Mary: It was a very fun although exhausting day. I'm so ready for that soup and sandwich, too.
I'll try to get round to the list tomorrow.

>51 katiekrug: Katie: Oh, I've never heard of them - I can't wait to have a listen later!

>58 SandDune: Rhian: It's disheartening, isn't it? Gah.

>59 johnsimpson: Hi, John!

>60 lauralkeet: Laura: I have to whisper this because certain folk round these parts are huge Springsteen fans, but, well, I've never really understood the appeal. I'm happy that others are happy with him, though!
And I've never watched Glee, but I do really really love High Fidelity. Such a good movie.

>61 SuziQoregon: Juli: I don't know that one, either - I'll have to have a listen later on... Thanks for the link!

>63 scaifea: I HEARD THAT!!!

:-) Just kidding, Amber. I'm totally fine that some people just aren't into my guy. It's just like books — there's something for everybody out there.

I have lots of happy songs -- "Beautiful Day" by U2 comes to mind, and "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles, but the best one for sheer bounciness and singing at the top of my lungs is Billy Joel's "Only the Good Die Young".

Ah, my happy song is a golden oldie, and I've been singing it at the top of my lungs since 1965!

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day.
When it's cold outside I've got the month of May.

My Girl by the Temptations--hear it here!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc_SDlPMGDA

>64 rosalita: Julia: *snork!* I feel that way about books and music, too.

>65 foggidawn: Oooh, I'm a HUGE Beatles fan, so big thumbs up for that one, and Billy Joel, too! His "My Life" is a good one, too (with the bouns of having been the theme song for Bosom Buddies!).

>66 ronincats: Roni: Oh, excellent! It's impossible not to sing along, with feeling, to that one, I think.

Oh, we're making LISTS!

All That Bass - Meghan Trainor
I'm Yours - Jason Mraz
Don't Stop the Music - Rihanna
Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5
Waka Waka - Shakira

Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO
Counting Stars - OneRepublic
Baby Likes to Rock It - The Tractors
Black Horse and the Cherry Tree - KT Tunstall
Boogie Shoes - KC and the Sunshine Band

Get the Party Started - Pink
Goodbye Earl - Dixie Chicks
I Can't Help Myself - Four Tops
I Feel Lucky - Mary Chapin Carpenter
Joy to the World - Three Dog Night

Jump, Jive, and Wail - Brian Sezter Orchestra
Little Bird - Annie Lennox
Rehab - Amy Winehouse
Something's Got a Hold of Me - Christina Aquilera
These Words - Natasha Bedingfield
Tilt Ya Head Back - Nelly

Turn the Beat Around - Gloria Estefan
Volcano - Jimmy Buffett
Walk Away - Kelly Clarkson
Watermelon Crawl - Tracy Byrd
The Way You Love Me - Faith Hill

Don't get me started on Disney music...

I second "Only the Good Die Young," and I nominate "Wide Open Spaces" by Dixie Chicks.

I can't limit myself to just one happy song. Some of my favorites:

Long Train Running by the Doobie Brothers - I cannot sit still when this song is on!
Saturday in the Park by Chicago
Born to Fly by Sara Evans
Summertime by Kenny Chesney (my hometown boy!)
I'm Alright by Jo Dee Messina
Yo Yo by the Osmonds (I loved this in elementary school!)
When I'm Sixty-Four by the Beatles
Rockin' Robin by the Jackson 5 (another elementary school favorite)
Carolina In My Mind by James Taylor
Kokomo by the Beach Boys
California Dreamin' by The Mamas and the Papas
Your Song by Elton John (I also love Rod Stewart's cover)
Rocky Top - any version

>70 cbl_tn: I second "Carolina In My Mind"!

I'm sorry Charlie's not meshing with his teacher; sounds like she should be teaching more senior classes. As for Wilbur's teacher - well, I decided long ago I couldn't be a teacher and try to keep control of a class. Not that I was ever in a disruptive class, even.

Happy song; I just like singing in general, and belting stuff out is pretty cathartic. The boys' current favouritest band is Boyzone. I usually have BBC WS on in the car, just to keep abreast of what's happening in the world, but maybe I should hunt down some of their CDs so we can all have a good sing along as I'm driving.

Hi Dear One

It's been too long since I visited. I'm so sorry that Charlie is disappointed with his teacher. I remember third grade was difficult for me because of a nasty bugger of a teacher. She was down right mean and cruel.

The answer to your question about a song that makes me happy is that when Will and I first dated, I was smack in the middle of intense grief. A month before our first date, I lost my beloved grandmother to kidney cancer. Hesitant to develop another relationship, he won me over by making me laugh. It felt so good to laugh during such intense pain. I have a particular memory of driving along a country road with him while he was singing along with a John Denver cd containing a song called Bet on the Blue. I can still hear his voice making funny sounds as we drove along.

>38 scaifea: I FINALLY got the gig I've been wanting for the last year. I've got the Thursday afternoon library shift. This week I pulled 4 or 5 of my favorite books and told the classes that if they were stuck for a book to read, I'd be happy to share some of my favorites. Got a couple of takers. Now if I can just get the little dears to pop their books back on the same shelf as they got them...

>74 nittnut: Also in the same spot, spine out, right way up, without shoving other books back behind the row... But I still like doing library shifts :0)

>68 Morphidae: Morphy: Wow, okay then! Maybe I'll just pick a couple of those for the spotify list...

>69 katiekrug: Katie: I do like the couple of Dixie Chicks songs that I've heard (although one of those is a cover, beautifully done) - I should listen to more of their stuff.

>70 cbl_tn: Carrie: Saturday in the Park is excellent, as is Rocky Top and anything by Elton John.

>72 humouress: Nina: Well, honestly I think she's in the wrong business altogether, but, *shrug.* I feel I'm being unfair saying that, though; I still have a nagging feeling that something's going on in her life that's making her, um, not as effective as she could be...

>73 Whisper1: Hi, Linda! For me, it was second grade. That teacher insisted that my parents take to me an eye doctor because of my 'substandard' performance - turns out I was just really bored. And I'm a big John Denver fan myself, so of course I love that story!

>74 nittnut: Jenn: They let the kids re-shelve the books themselves?! That sounds like a recipe for total chaos. Ha!

On the agenda for today:

Grocery shopping this morning, my Friday afternoon volunteering this afternoon, with bill-paying and photo-organizing in between. Some sort of pasta/veggie casserole of some type for dinner tonight, I think.

On the reading front: I'm still on a music kick, so no audiobook progress again, but I did read a few pages in Black Boy yesterday.

The calendar book is the last in a series that I've heard of but haven't started: Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor. Thoughts on the series? I think at least some of you have read it?

And the Newbery/Caldecott Trivia: "Russell Freedman became interested in Eleanor Roosevelt while he worked on a biography of Franklin Roosevelt. Freedman's book Eleanor Roosevelt became a Newbery Honor Book in 1994."
I haven't read this one yet, but I'm kind of excited about it...

And Happy Birthday to Louis Slobodkin, born on this day in 1903!

What We Read Yesterday:
-The Octopuppy by Martin McKenna (public library book, picture book) - 8/10 = B
-The Very Hungry Caterpillar
-Chapter 10 in A Good Night for Ghosts

Wow. This is turning into quite a playlist. Has anyone voted for Rebel Yell by Billy Idol yet? Love that on the treadmill.*

The Eleanor Roosevelt book sounds good. Great subject for a children's book. Amazing what she managed to pack into her life. Kind of linked, my finger is hovering over the 'order' button for Jackie Fleming's new book The Trouble with Women (link not working yet).



*Not to imply that I have been on a treadmill recently!

>79 charl08: Charlotte: Oooh, Billy Idol! Yes!!
And I like the looks of the Fleming book, too...

Morning Amber! Almost any song is a good song for me as I can't stop singing along with anything I know.

Last year, Will had a history teacher who's views were totally opposite of his. She interjected them constantly and turned his favorite subject into total frustration. It may have stimulated him because he scored a 5 on his AP Amer History test. So I suppose, negatives sometimes becomes a positive.

More mom's should take those extra 10 minutes to send their kids off to school with a "happy heart and a happy mind" as were my mom's words when I was in elementary school.

>82 Carmenere: Lynda: Oh, I'm with you - I'm definitely the kind who can't not sing if I know the words, which is unfortunate for those around me. I even catch myself singing in the grocery shop aisles (the shop I go to plays an 80's radio station - how could I possibly resist?!)!
I'm sorry to hear about Will's history class - how awful! Wouldn't you think that teachers would be excited to have students engaged enough to start a debate/discussion like that!? Shouldn't the goal be to teach kids how to suss things out on their own and develop interpretation/analysis skills instead of merely cramming stock facts and canned interpretations into their brains? Gah.
And I love those daily 10 minutes with my little guy; it's such a wonderful way to start *my* day off right, too!

Oh! I forgot to mention! Exciting News! Well, sort of - I'm excited, at least.

I got an email from Scholastic the other day (a sort of monthly e-version of the classroom flyers) and so I clicked through to browse their sales. And I found that super-nice hardcover boxed set of all of the Harry Potter books - you know, the one that comes in the Hogwarts trunk thing? the one that I can't find for sale anywhere else any more, not even on Amazon? the one that I really really wanted to get for Charlie to give him on the last day of school this year since we'll be starting the first book this summer? - for 60% off!! WOOTWOOTWOOT!! So, yeah, I ordered it.

>84 scaifea: That is the BEST! *I* am excited for you. Charlie is going to love it!

>85 lycomayflower: I know, right?! Won't I just be the coolest mom ever, handing that over to him when he gets home from the last day of school!? Ha!

>86 scaifea: You will! It makes me happy thinking of it.

(Where are you going to hide it?)

Morning, Amber! Happy Friday! 60 today! Sweet! Very windy, though.

Enjoy your day!

>87 lycomayflower: I have a spot in my sewing room where I hide his presents and such, which he hasn't discovered yet..

>88 msf59: Morning, Mark! 60?! I think we're getting up to 50 here, but 60 sounds amazing! You DO need to get those shorts out...

No shorts, for this guy...yet. These winter-white legs, need a bit more time.

>89 scaifea: Ha! Excellent. I never did figure out how my parents hid things from me. Though I suspect, now, as an adult thing, that some presents just lived at my mom's work until it was time to wrap them.

>91 msf59: Mark: Ha!

>92 lycomayflower: Laura: Interesting... I wonder if said mom will fess up now...

>93 scaifea: Hmmm. She may feel that she has to maintain the mystery....

Happy Friday, Amber!

Nice grab of the HP set.

Another Springsteen song that always gets my motor running is "Thunder Road."

>93 scaifea:, >94 lycomayflower: OK...full disclosure. It wasn't always the same place. Sometimes there was conspiracy involved (sneaking things off to grandma's house, or having stuff delivered to my office and keeping it there). Little things got hidden in my closet behind garment bags, or in dresser drawers under sweaters, etc. But really, by the time @lycomayflower was old enough to snoop around for presents, she never. would. have. done. it. Not that she was THAT GOOD...she just would have hated to have the surprise spoiled as much as we would. I'm the same myself. This leads certain people to wrap my presents funny so I can't tell by looking at them what's inside. Except for books, of course. 'Cause a book-shaped package doesn't really spoil the surprise...a book can be ANYTHING.

>96 laytonwoman3rd: she just would have hated to have the surprise spoiled as much as we would. This is true. I was known to pitch a mild fit at the idea of opening anything early (like on Christmas Eve) too, because it wasn't time yet. (At some point I think I was convinced one present on Christmas Eve was okay because of A Child's Christmas in Wales. I guess Tradition trumped Proper Time in my weird little pre-adolescent brain.)

>95 jnwelch: Joe: Hoo, boy, you all are gonna fill this playlist with Bruce, aren't you? *sigh*

>96 laytonwoman3rd: >96 laytonwoman3rd: Oh, I'm the same way, and I think Charlie is, too. Ruined surprises are The Worst.

See, I love ruined surprises. Or, more accurately, I *hate* surprises. All surprises, even "good" surprises. (There's no such thing as a good surprise.) Fortunately, I'm hard to buy for, so my parents pretty quickly let me start picking my own presents, which they then wrapped and I got to open. It was great.

I also read the last chapter of the book first. I know this probably makes me a terrible person, but I can't focus on the story unless I already know how it ends.

>99 casvelyn: Ha! No, not a terrible person, but that *did* make me shudder just a bit...

Oh, I just thought of another song -- has nobody mentioned "Don't Stop Believing" yet? (If someone has and I missed it, sorry!)

Wahoo!!! Great score on the Harry Potter set. I'm jealous.

>98 scaifea: you all are gonna fill this playlist with Bruce, aren't you?

You can't blame this one on me, at least! I didn't suggest a single Springsteen song (yet).

Hi Amber.

>101 foggidawn: Oh, good one!

>102 SuziQoregon: Juli: I know, right?! I'm so excited.

>103 rosalita: Ha! True.

>104 johnsimpson: Hi, John!

>84 scaifea: SCORE! I'm already excited to see Charlie's face when he opens that present.

>106 lauralkeet: Laura: Me, too! It'll be difficult to wait until the end of the school year...

Okay, here's the playlist (if you don't find your song, there were a couple that I couldn't find):

https://open.spotify.com/user/adscaife/playlist/5qcfnZqgxB5Y0cMDYE6Nvz

And while I was at it, I added a few more:

Respect - Aretha Franklin
Pick Up the Pieces - Average White Band
Mickey - the cover by B*Witched
She's a Bad Mama Jama - Carl Carlton
Gety Lucky - Pharrell Williams and Daft Punk
Praise You - Fatboy Slim
Whisper Your Name - Harry Connick Jr.
The Sunnyside of the Street - The Pogues
Gettin' Jiggy Wit It - Will Smith

I'm not really sure how these work - if it's possible and you want to do so, of course feel free to add more!

I never hear this song anywhere, as it's more than a bit obscure, but this is my favorite feel-good song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eELH0ivexKA. The music video's pretty hysterical also.

I am so psyched, I just "followed" the playlist (I'm first apparently!!). I can't wait to play it, maybe next time I'm on the treadmill. Thanks Amber!!

Has anyone mentioned "I Believe I can Fly" yet?

And I don't think I've seen Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy!"

>109 casvelyn: Ha! Funny! I've added it to the list.

>110 lauralkeet: Laura: You're welcome!

>111 ronincats: Roni: Added and added.

>99 casvelyn: Yay! Another member of the Read the Last Chapter First Club!

I'm downloading the Spotify app now so I can enjoy the happy music!

I have a 3x5 card with a list of things to do when I'm in crisis. The first on the list is listen to happy music so your list is very timely.

ETA: Timely in that I recently created the card with my therapist that is.

>113 Morphidae: Morphy: And I added your entire list to the playlist, so yay!

On the agenda for today:

Charlie has gymnastics class later this morning, then after lunch we'll head down to Dubuque to pick up Tomm's luggage (his Chicago-Dubuque flight was canceled yesterday so he rented a car and drove home) and have dinner out.

On the reading front: Nothing to report. Busy day yesterday and Tomm and I opted for snuggling and movie-watching post-Charlie bedtime instead of reading.

The book calendar weekend quiz: "The Last Man in Europe was the original title of what classic book?"

And the Newbery/Caldecott Trivia: Will James (Smoky the Cowhorse, 1927 Newbery Medal) served a prison sentence for cattle rustling."
Whoa. Interesting! I can't say the same for the book, though... Meh.

33. A Good Night for Ghosts by Mary Pope Osborne (Charlie's school library book, 112 pages), 8/10 = B+

Also Read Yesterday:
-The Duckling Gets a Cookie?!
-Chapter 17 of The BFG

Morning, Amber! Happy Saturday! Glad that wind died down. Whew!

>117 msf59: Morning, Mark! I know, right? I saw a video on FB this morning of a lady trying to get round a city corner with much difficulty in that wind...

>113 Morphidae: Oooh, I'm in good company, then!

>115 scaifea: One of my all-time LEAST favorite novels...

>120 laytonwoman3rd: Linda: Oh, really? Interesting! Do tell...

>121 scaifea: 1984 Had to read it in high school. Hated it. Wouldn't touch it again with a ten-foot pole.

>122 laytonwoman3rd: Linda: What made you hate it so much?

>108 scaifea: Thank you Amber, I haven't used Spotify before, this is a good way to finally explore it :-)

>124 FAMeulstee: You're welcome, Anita!

Hi Amber, hope you are having a really good day my dear, sending love and hugs.

>123 scaifea: Do you KNOW how long ago I was in high school? All I've got left is an impression of the hating. I have a general distaste for dystopian fiction. I don't know whether to blame it on the bad experience with this one, or whether that was one of the reasons I didn't like 1984 (or Brave New World) in the first place. Partly, I think, at the time I read both of those novels, I was in fairly constant terror of totalitarianism (i.e.Communism) taking over the world, in the event we were not all blown to bits in a nuclear war. So, maybe that explains it.

here is my go-to happy song. Thank you Jerry Garcia!

But if I am really unhappy, I need something more serious. Break on Through to the Other Side Really, it's all about the bass.

>126 johnsimpson: Hi, John - We're all having a wonderful Saturday here at Scaife Manor!

>127 laytonwoman3rd: Linda: Huh. I get that. I think I would have really disliked both of them when I was in school, too, but coming at them both just within the last few years, I appreciated what they're doing more, I think.

>114 scaifea: I know! I saw! I LOL'ed! I thought you were only going to add a couple?

Looks like you put your funk behind you, Amber. Music does help. It took a long time to go through your thread because I had to stop and listen to so many songs!
I usually listen to whatever is new but I do have a few old standbys to get me going. Like songs by The Pretenders with songs like The Middle of the Road https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDeHAM93fuc or Would I Lie to You? by Charles and Eddie https://www.google.ca/#q=charles+and+eddie+would+i+lie+to+you

Good morning, Amber. Wishing you a lovely Sunday.

Oooh! Thanks for the awesome Playlist. Love it!

>128 banjo123: Thanks for those, Rhonda! I'll add them to the playlist later on today.

>130 Morphidae: Morphy: Well, I mean, why not?

>131 Familyhistorian: Meg: Good choices! I'll add them to the playlist!

>132 Ameise1: Morning, Barbara!

>133 nittnut: You're welcome, Jenn!

On the agenda for today:

I've got Bran-Apple Muffins in the oven now, so we'll have a nice leisurely morning breakfast time, and then later on I think I'll do some baking (Apple-Raisin Cobbler and possibly some Chocolate Chunk Cookies), a bit of cleaning and then just hanging out with my two favorite fellas before Tomm leaves again tomorrow morning for another 5-day trip.

On the reading front: I managed a nice little chunk of the Taylor biography yesterday while we were at gymnastics, and, well, it's not the most riveting read ever...

The Newbery/Caldecott Trivia: "During his acceptance speech, Joseph Krumgold said he and the title character in Onion John (1960 Newbery Medal) have something in common: a substantial gift overwhelmed each of them."
This one's a good one, folks - if you haven't read it, you should!

Ooh muffins for breakfast. That sounds wonderful. Have a great day Amber.

>136 charl08: Charlotte: They *are* good! One of my favorite muffin recipes. We try to have a hot, from-scratch breakfast on Sundays, since during the week it's usually cheerios or toast or at the most, scrambled eggs. This way we sit round the breakfast table and chat about our plans for the day and the coming week. It's really nice.

Here's the super-simple and really delicious recipe, in case anyone is interested:

Bran-Apple Muffins
Ingredients:
• 1 ½ cups all-bran cereal
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 apple, shredded

1. Preheat oven to 375⁰.
2. Line 12 muffin cups with liners.
3. Mix together bran and buttermilk and let stand 10 minutes.
4. Beat together oil, egg, sugar and vanilla.
5. Add to bran mixture.
6. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; stir until just blended.
7. Fold in apple.
8. Spoon into lined muffin cups.
9. Bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

What We Read Yesterday:
-I Love My New Toy!
-Chapter 1 in Magic Tree House: Leprechaun in Late Winter (Charlie's new school library book)
-Chapter 18 in The BFG

Okay, new songs from Rhonda and Meg added to the playlist!

>137 scaifea: Good morning, Amber. Your muffin recipe sounds wonderful. Just a question, how do you shred an apple? Oh, wait...would you use one of those metal things with holes? (Yeah, I'm not the cook in our family!)

Morning, Amber! Yum to those muffins!

Morning, Amber! Happy Sunday!

>140 Dianekeenoy: Diane: Yep, one of those holey metal things. Or you could use the shredder attachment for your food processor (but cleaning the metal thing is easier than cleaning the food processor, I think).

>141 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie!

>142 msf59: Morning, Mark!

Amber, just stopping by to thank you for the playlist. I used it on the elliptical this morning and really enjoyed it.

I'm two threads behind. Two. How!!!

So basically, hola! Love the topper of Charlie - and the puppy pics are reminding me that my parents are hoping for pups soon. They treated me to a brilliantly awful discussion of dog breeding at the lunch table the other day with my daughter. Luckily she is totally innocent still and hadn't got a CLUE what they were talking about! Fingers crossed cute pics of puppies in a few months ;)

>144 lauralkeet: You're welcome, Laura!

>145 BekkaJo: Hi, Bekka! What kind of puppy are you thinking of getting?

Happy Sunday, Amber!

Apple muffins sound perfect.

>135 scaifea:, You are making me feel a tad hungry now my dear although Karen has been baking some more biscuits tonight and as chief taste tester I found them to be of top quality. Hope you are having a lovely Sunday my dear.

>147 jnwelch: Hi, Joe! The muffins *were* very good!

>148 johnsimpson: Thanks, John! My mouth's been watering over on facebook, reading Karen's posts about her baking!

What We Read Today:
-We Are in a Book!
-Chapter 2 of Leprechauns in Late Winter
-Chapter 19 in The BFG

>3 scaifea: Good for you for telling yourself to be happy. Sometimes that's what it takes. :) When I was deeply depressed a couple of years ago I used to watch
this dancing baby Groot video over and over. Made me laugh every time.

>84 scaifea: YAY! That's so awesome!

#146 Oh no, not us - unfortunately I'm just not home long enough during the day. It would be pure cruelty to a puppy. My parents have a black and white English springer. They finally managed to find a matching male (on island which was the problem) who came round for conjugal visiting the other day...

>151 The_Hibernator: Rachel: So, who is this Groot character? It's from some recent movie, then? If it's not a cartoon, I'm afraid I don't know recent releases (and by 'recent', I mean within in the past 7 years...).

>152 BekkaJo: Bekka: Aw, Springers are so, so adorable! Yay for puppies!

On the agenda for today:

A bit of cleaning, maybe some work on the Latin book and then sewing room time until school's out. Tomm will be home today, which is a nice surprise, although the reason he's postponed his trip for a day isn't so nice - our water heater is leaking... Chicken Noodle Soup for dinner, I think.

On the reading front: I started listening to my audiobooks again yesterday, so I think I can safely say that everything is back to normal! Woot! So, I started listening to The Brilliant World of Tom Gates, which I picked up at the library solely on the basis of it being read by Rupert Grint, and so far I don't know that that's going to be enough to make it worth it... I also read a bit of The Religions Book, which I think may be just what I want it to be - a good guide for helping Charlie understand what his options are, should he decide to choose at all, eventually.

The calendar book for today: Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon. I've not read any of the Outlander books yet, so I'll skip this one for now, at least.

And the Newbery/Caldecott Trivia: "Illustrator Wesley Dennis was asked to alter his illustration of the Newgate Jail in King of the Wind (1949 Newbery Medal) because it looked too nice, 'like a library.' Dennis cheerfully revised the illustrations that he previously had been afraid to make too scary."
Whelp, I know I read this one, but I can't remember a thing about it. *shrugs*

Morning, Amber! I wanna keep staying home! Wah!

Enjoy your day. Shuffles off to work...

>155 msf59: Morning, Mark! Sorry it's a working Monday for you. I think it may actually be warmish enough for me to take The Gals for a walk today. If you, I'll be thinking of you as I'm out and about and listening to my audiobook...

Morning, Amber!

Monday, bah. I'd rather be reading, too. An audiobook while walking the Gals sounds good to me.

>157 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! I'm just about to head out for that walk!

Morning, Amber!
Congrats on the HP/Scholastic find! Certainly, a life long treasure for Charlie!

>159 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda! I'm so excited for it to come, and it'll be very difficult to keep it a secret for another 3 months!

Hi Amber, great to listen to audios when walking. I'm listening to audios when I'm on the way. I saw some ibexes today. That was great fun.

Afternoon, Amber. I completely missed morning. Hope you got the water heater sorted. I heartily approve of your dinner plans - LOVE soup!

Hi Amber! Good luck with the water heater problem. I hope the fix is quick and inexpensive.

Yay for chicken noodle soup! I made some on Saturday and I have lots leftover for lunches this week.

>153 scaifea: Groot is a superhero from Guardians of the Galaxy. He's a gigantic tree who is only able to say "I am Groot," but it means different things in different circumstances. He's my favorite superhero because he's intelligent and gentle, yet gets things done when he has to. I can't really tell you who baby Groot is because that's a spoiler. But he dances to the Jackson Five pretty well.

>162 Crazymamie: Hi, Mamie! The plumbing guy has been round and will be back tomorrow morning to install a new heater. And the soup is in the slow cooker and already smelling lovely!

>163 cbl_tn: Carrie: Quick, it would seem so, but not likely inexpensive. We knew this was coming, though, and have set back money for it.

>164 The_Hibernator: Rachel: Ah. Okay then. *smiles*

Been awhile since I last visited your thread - but with that bookstack-photo on top I felt right at home - and I have a Charlie-book coming up soon - one of my next reads is The BFG - must read it before the new movie comes out.

>166 ctpress: Hi, Carsten! Oh, I think you'll LOVE The BFG!

Hi Amber! Sounds like a nice day planned (minus that pesky water heater business). It seems like spring is starting to creep in a bit. I don't want to jinx us Cheeseheads, but it would be nice to to know that we're "safe" from another big winter storm.

Regarding "happy" music, like a few others have mentioned, some slow/sad songs make me really happy, and looking over my top rated in iTunes, it's a lot of instrumental stuff. However, here are a few that never fail to perk me up.

"When Will I Be Loved" by The Everly Brothers
"Great Day" by Paul McCartney
"Don't Stop the Rock" by Freestyle
"It Takes Two" by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock
"Faded" by Soul Decision (can't not sing along to the whole thing, even though it's cheesy early 2000s pop!)
nearly anything by The Lonely Island (the only downside is singing the songs out loud in public and not realizing I'm doing it - not always the cleanest/most appropriate things!)
The whole album "The Story" by Brandi Carlile
and nearly any 90's R&B (Bell Biv Devoe, En Vogue, Boyz II Men, Color Me Badd, Aaliyah, Blackstreet, Tony! Toni! Tone!, Whitney, TLC, Janet and Michael Jackson, etc...)

And on a different track, can I ask what kind of noodles you use in your chicken noodle soup? I used to be able to find some handmade ones in the grocery store, but am having a hard time tracking them down.

>168 LauraBrook: Hi, Laura! Yeah, I wouldn't rest easy, storm-wise, just yet - there's always March, you know...
And I like to looks of your song list - I'll try to get round to adding them later today.
I used to use egg noodles, homemade ones (my mom's amazing recipe), but since we discovered that Tomm can't have gluten, I use store-bought gluten-free spiral pasta. And sometimes I don't add it at all and instead add more veggies and chicken.

34. The Brilliant World of Tom Gates by Liz Pichon (audiobook) - 8/10 = B-
Meh. A very short (novella-length, really) listen about a boy in upper-ish? grade school, his goofing-off in class, and his love of a certain rock band. I *was* nice to listen to Ron Weasley reading it to me, though.

What We Read Today:
-Meg and Jack's New Friends
-Chapter 3 of Leprechaun in Late Winter
-Chapter 20 of The BFG

And I managed to finish this little dress today, which I'll also be donating to Charlie's school for the silent auction:

>172 scaifea: Oh, that's so beautiful, Amber. Wishing you a lovely day.

>172 scaifea: Oh that's lovely. Someone is going to be very pleased with her new frock!

Morning, Amber! Cute dress - I am in awe if your talents!

Thanks, Barbara, Charlotte and Mamie! When I found the fabric, I just really needed to make a little dress out of it!

On the agenda for today:

Whelp, Charlie woke us up in the middle of the night vomiting and then with diarrhea, so no school for him today. This bug has been making the rounds again; I swear his school is like Mos Eisley - you will never find a more wretched hive of germs and viruses. Gah. So, I'll be hanging out with him here at home, and I'll try to do a bit of work here and there on the Latin book and possibly some sewing room time, depending on how he's feeling later on. Leftover Chicken Soup (how fortuitous that I made it yesterday!) for dinner tonight.

On the reading front: I started listening to Circus Mirandus, which seems promising so far, listened to a bit more of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, read a bit of The Religions Book and a nice chunk of The Water of the Wondrous Isles, so a good reading day!

The calendar book today: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, which is already on my wishlist.

And the Newbery/Caldecott Trivia: "The father of Laura Adams Armer (Waterless Mountain, 1932 Newbery Medal) walked across the country behind an ox-team to settle in California in 1859."
I know I've read Waterless Mountain, but I can't recall much about it, I'm afraid. So not one that stuck with me, I guess.

Oh dear, I hope he feels better soon.

OH! Poor Charlie! Hope he feels better very soon.

Good morning, Amber. Hope our pal Charlie starts feeling better.

Touchstones aren't working today, as far as I can tell. I thought The Goldfinch was really well done.

Thanks, Barbara, Mamie and Joe - I hope so, too. He's already asked for some breakfast, which is a good sign - he's a hard one to get to eat anything at all if he's feeling bad - so hopefully that toast will stay down...

Joe: Yeah, I wonder what's going on with those touchstones today? I'm looking forward to getting to The Goldfinch someday.

Darn it, Charlie... Pretty soon I expect his immune system will be so ramped up that he'll just shrug off most of these bugs.

>182 laytonwoman3rd: Linda: Well, one would hope so...

Lordy, I must be catching up, Amber. You garnered only 15 messages since I was last here! Good for me.

I do hope The Kid will weather the latest whateverisgoingaround. (And you too, Mom.)

I'm aware of mixed reactions to The Goldfinch. Joe says he liked it, but others have panned it. It did score a Pulitzer. I recently acquired a copy, and it qualifies as a Dead-Weight Doorstop. I'm reluctant to put it too high on the TBR; a good foundation to the stack perhaps.

Poor Charlie! Sounds like you both need the 75ers Happy Playlist today.

>184 weird_O: Bill: I tend to like the ones that get mixed reviews, for some reason, and I'll get round to it eventually, since I'm working through those Pulitzers, too.
And thanks - here's hoping I squeak by without coming down with it this time, especially since Tomm left for another trip this morning...

>185 lauralkeet: Laura: Ha! That sounds about right!

35. Zachary Taylor by John S. D. Eisenhower (Presidential Challenge, 166 pages) - 8/10 = B-
I had trouble staying alert while reading this one. Poor Taylor. I don't think it's his fault so much as the fault of the writing, which was not good. Oh well, on to Millard Fillmore...

>172 scaifea: - Love the dress! What beautiful eye-popping colour!

Sorry to read that Charlie is feeling unwell. Joining the others in wishing that he is feeling better soon.

>188 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori. He's better than he was this morning - we'll see how the evening and tonight go...

>189 scaifea: I hope Charlie is over the worst of it and that you continue to be healthy, Amber.

Just adding to the group sending healthy vibes Charlie's way.

Thanks, Meg and Charlotte - he seems to be on the mend.

Meanwhile, though, I think I may be coming down with a UTI. Faaaaaantastic.

Rats. Sorry that Charlie is vomiting. I've got one of those at home too. :(
UTI's stink - but the meds work fast, so hurry and get some.

My favourite feel good movie at the moment is "Love, actually". Great song by Mariah Carey "All I want for Christmas is you". Defy anyone not to bop along with that. Next on my random list of faves in iTunes is "Oh what a night", Four Seasons. That got added after it was used in the previous but one Sherlock series at Dr Watson's wedding. Great show. Good song.

>193 nittnut: Jenn: If I wake up still feeling it, I'll definitely be making a call to the clinic. Here's hoping Charlie is well enough for school so that I can go get medicine.

>194 dajashby: Derrick: I'm a huge Love, Actually fan, too - we watch it every December.

Good morning, Amber. I hope you and Charlie feel much better. xx

>196 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. xx right back atcha!

Sickness at Scaife Manor: The Update!
Charlie has slept through the night with no problems - and is still sleeping, which is a good sign! And I've awaken to no uncomfortableness in the UTI area, so...yay? I'm going with a tentative 'yay' and will continue to shotgun the water all day today and hope that it's out the door.

So, on the agenda for today:
As long as Charlie's feeling okay and goes to school and I'm feeling okay, I'll be working on the Latin book today and possibly sewing a bit this afternoon. There's also a possibility that I'll give myself a couple of hours of Just Sitting in the Rocking Chair and Reading time, which is what most of yesterday turned into, while watching Charlie watch cartoons and then play in the afternoon when he was much perked up. At the slightest twinge of discomfort, though, I'll call the clinic, of course. Leftovers for dinner again tonight, I think.

On the reading front:
I read a goodly chunk of The Crystal Cave yesterday, which is really pretty good so far. Merlin is such a cool character to work with, and I like what Stewart is doing with him so far.

The calendar book for today is another which is already securely on my wishlist: The Circle by Dave Eggers. I know lots of 75ers have already read this one...

And the Newbery/Caldecott Trivia: "Jean Lee Latham (Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, 1956 Newbery Medal) started making up stories to tell her brother so he'd help her with the dishes."
Wow, well, I'm glad she did, because Carry On, Mr. Bowditch is excellent!

Also, Happy Birthday to Wilhelm Grimm, born on this day in 1781!

Morning Amber! Bummer you and Charlie are struggling with virus and infections. Boo to that. BTW: are you drinking enough water? That's what my mom's dr asks every time she has a UTI. Hope you're both back to normal soon.

>172 scaifea: Your donation to the silent auction is beyond adorable! There may be a bidding war on that item.

Morning, Amber! Hope Charlie is feeling better today. We are supposed to get snow today. Boo! Let's hope for tiny accumulations.

I'll be watching for your thoughts on Circus Mirandus, since I have it on shelf. I was disappointed in The Circle.

>198 scaifea: I'm glad Charlie is improving (fingers crossed for today), and I hope you're able to keep the UTI at bay. I hate those things although like you I've developed a certain ... erm ... expertise so I can usually feel one coming on. I don't always prevent it but at least I can get the meds before things get really uncomfortable. Good luck. :)

>199 Carmenere: Lynda: Drinking water is a daily struggle for me - it just can't remember to do it. But yesterday I drank so much that I thought my belly would pop!
And thanks for the dress love! I hope it helps raise some money!

>200 msf59: Morning, Mark! We're not scheduled for any snow here, I don't think – here's hoping you don't get much. So far Circus Mirandus is pretty good.

>201 lauralkeet: Laura: Charlie seems to be back to normal this morning - yay! - and I convinced him to eat a banana as part of his breakfast, to stave off any more possibility of the loose stuff... And thanks for the Good Lucks - I think I'll need them today...

UTI/TMI Update (feel free to skip if my over-sharing makes you uncomfortable):

Yeah, definite twinging now. Gah. I'll be calling the clinic as soon as they open, hoping they can get me in today. If not, I'll head to the acute care clinic. Must have meds today for this, as I can't stand these infections - they are The Worst. Thank goodness Charlie's well enough for school today!

Morning, Amber! Yes! Meds immediately, also I think drinking something more acidic is good - like cranberry juice. SO happy to hear that Charlie is feeling better - hooray for that. Now get thee to a doctor!

>203 scaifea: Gah. More good luck wishes ...

>204 Crazymamie: Mamie: I know that cranberry juice is supposed to help, but I'm nervous about drinking it, since a few years ago I had a nasty hive-like reaction to eating cranberry sauce (or I'm pretty sure that's what caused it). I'm so hoping I can get into the clinic this morning!

>205 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura!

Okay. Definitely forget the cranberry juice.

>207 Crazymamie: Yeah, It's a little frustrating. *shrugs*

Good morning, Amber!

Glad you and your (not so) little guy are doing better.

I hope you get the correct mrds which will help you imediately.

Sorry to hear you're suffering from a UTI. The only one I've had as an adult developed while I was on a trip and then coming home to move into our house, so I just thought I was tired and out of sorts and had pulled a muscle. Nope! Full on bladder infection, which was diagnosed when I finally went to the doctor because I had a fever and felt like utter carp. I got quite the lecture about listening to my body more - so good for you for paying attention :)

>209 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe!

>210 Ameise1: Thanks so much, Barbara! I'm so grateful that my doctor had a 9:45 opening today!

>211 katiekrug: Katie: I've only had three in my life, and the first two were kind of just one, I think, since my doctor at the time gave me an antibiotic for the first one that wasn't, I think, strong enough to get rid of it and it came back in a couple of weeks. When it came back, I was at a conference in San Francisco and in the middle of 5 job interviews as a ABD grad student. Talk about stress and Worst Timing Ever. Ugh. This was over 10 years ago, but I don't think one ever forgets that kind of pain, and so I knew I needed to get some medicine toot sweet.

Okay, I've been to see the doctor, who said that my urine was throwing a party for some particularly unsavory characters (my description, not hers): a bit of blood, a bit of protein, some white blood cells... She honestly looked surprised that I wasn't in a lot more pain (I got the impression that my sample was pretty grim). So, yeah, she gave me a prescription for an antibiotic and sent me on my way. I've already taken the first dose and am committed to chugging as much water as I can possibly fit into my innards for the rest of the week. Thanks so much, all, for the good thoughts! Will now treat myself to a day of relaxing and reading, guilt-free, since I'm not 100% healthy. Win!

>213 scaifea: Glad Charlie is feeling better and that you got meds on board fast for you! Enjoy your day of relaxing!

>213 scaifea: Hooray for antibiotics. They should work their magic pretty quickly. You are definitely owed a relaxing reading day. Go for it.

Thanks, Laura Lauraque!

>213 scaifea: Might be why you were feeling so down a few days ago, with all that coming on.

Great that you got the antibiotics. Take care and feel better soon.

>217 foggidawn: Oh, good thinking! You may be right.

>218 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara! I'm already starting to feel a bit better...

Glad both you and Charlie are on the up. I can't wait for it to be a bit warmer and for all these bugs to do one :/

Glad you're on meds and feeling better, Amber.

Also I might need a cup of water after the marathon of catching up on your threads. ;)

>220 BekkaJo: Bekka: Ah, but spring colds are the worst, no? Ha!

>221 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky!

So, Charlie brought home a math test today, which included this little gem:



So, the quest for mediocrity, the teaching-to-the-test-and-not-to-think-for-themselves crap starts in first grade, apparently. I mean, honestly. At the very least - the VERY least - it you really want that answer then write a better question. But the bigger issue is so disheartening. I'm not going to bother talking to the teacher about it as I'm convinced she's beyond reasoning with on this sort of thing, and I'm not sure it's up to her how to teach this stuff anyway, and she'd just see it as bickering about a point on a test when it isn't about that at all (honestly I couldn't possibly give less of a hoot about the score, which is, again, the whole point). But I have chatted with Charlie about how he shouldn't concern himself with this sort of ridiculousness but to keep on doing his thing and that, sadly, teachers aren't always right.

(Rant over. Apologies - apparently antibiotics make me antagonistic and very mama-bear-ish...)

>223 scaifea: I'm not entirely sure I even understand what the question is getting at. I probably would've answered "the numbers are in the opposite order" or some such perfectly sensible answer but "How is 26 and 62 different" does not make me immediately think "oh, the two is in the tens place."

>223 scaifea: Ug. I am so sorry Charlie's teacher is the sort who can't be talked to about such things, even if she doesn't have the power to change the test. And oh my goodness that is a horribly worded question. I hope Charlie is not too upset about it. This kind of unfairness is the kind of thing that made me absolutely miserable as a sprout.

>224 bell7: Mary: I know, right? And what is the value of teaching 'the tens place' anyway? Is that really the best way to teach addition? Tomm, who's PhD specialty is physics education, says no, so I think I'll believe him...

>225 lycomayflower: Laura: He doesn't seem to care. He knows that what he wrote is correct and we talked about how there are, in fact, TONS of correct answers to that crazy question. That, along with the Whose Line Is It Anyway theory of school that I'm touting to him (the points don't matter), seem to content him.

>223 scaifea: That's really a stupid question. Well, in this case the teacher has to accept several answers, Chalie's included.

>227 Ameise1: Barbara: Clearly she doesn't agree with you. Sometimes the idea of homeschooling is so tempting...

>223 scaifea: Not that I've actively thought about place value in ages, but Charlie's answer makes more sense to me. I mean, nobody in real life goes around talking about the difference between 62 and 26 by themselves. There's always context. What's the difference between a 62-year-old and a 26-year-old? What's the difference between $62 and $26. In both of those cases, saying 26 is younger/smaller/less makes perfect sense.

>224 bell7: The opposite order was the first thing I noticed. I'm not sure what my first grade self would have said, but probably not something about place value, even if I had just been studying it. I don't do well with open-ended questions that secretly have one right answer.

>226 scaifea: I was just going to ask if anyone has ever used "the tens place" outside of school. I don't, except when I'm trying to remember how many digits you need to make 1,000,000 of something. Then I use place value to count out my zeroes.

I'm glad Charlie's okay with it, though. I would have been all like "I'm right, you can't say I'm not right, and you can't take points off for it." Well, in first grade I would have just cried because I just earned a 50% on something, and that is NOT OKAY. (Type A obsessive perfectionists really shouldn't be allowed to go to school. It's too hard on the psyche.)

And apparently modern math education makes me rant too... :)

Well, my major question is more like: Where did she studying how to teach? You know I've always students who are coming in spring to do their practical studying how to teach at my classes. I had never one who would do such a mess.

>229 casvelyn: Your points about what we do with math in real life are solid. The way we teach math in this country is crazy and impractical. And honestly I'm pretty shocked that Charlie took it so well - he is that Type A perfectionist type for certain. I'm hoping my mantra of what really matters and what doesn't is working...?

>230 Ameise1: Oh, Barbara, you didn't go to school for an Education degree in this country, and that's the sad difference (sad for us, not you), and you don't have to teach within the hell that is the US public school administration. Just another part of our country that's insane.

ETA: I want to be a bit more fair: There are many, many teachers in this country who are amazing at their jobs; most of the teachers in Charlie's school are fantastic. But these people struggle against the shit-tastic system of education in the US, struggle to find time to do the important stuff, cramming it in here and there where they can in between standardized testing and the stuff they're required to teach to 'prepare' students for those tests. They put in much more time than they're paid for and the salary they do get is abysmal compared to the service they provide, not to mention the money they pay out of their own pockets for supplies and such. It's, in my estimation, one of the reasons that this country is in such embarrassing shape all round: somewhere along the way we've decided that education isn't a priority and our teachers aren't an asset to be treasured and encouraged and rewarded. And that seems to be to be a grave and very stupid mistake.

Sorry to hear that.:-(

>232 Ameise1: Barbara: I added a bit more to that post to make it more fair, but I'm afraid it's not less ranty...

What We Read Today:
-Scaredy Squirrel at Night by Melanie Watt (Charlie's school library book, picture book) - 9/10 = A-
-What Is Density? by Joanne Barkan (public library book, easy reader) - 9/10 = A-
-Fun at the County Fair
-Chapter 5 of Leprechaun in Late Winter

>170 scaifea: My son's reading the Tom Gates book! It must be the in thing in class, because he dragged me to the school library last week to look for it and take it out.

Just finished reading; I'm glad to hear you and Charlie are feeling better.

>223 scaifea: You know, I didn't get that the teacher had added the answer until the following post; I just thought Charlie had continued on (without registering the different colours, would you believe). Well, that's just weird. A question like that would have stumped me, and still would, because ...well, where do you start? OK - got to get the kids.

I'm glad that you and Charlie are feeling better, Amber.

>235 humouress: Nina: I suspect that your son will enjoy the Tom Gates book more than I did - it's definitely more for his demographic than mine, I think.

>236 kidzdoc: Thanks, Darryl. I had a bit of a rough start to the night - the pain flared up a bit, but it's back to how it was yesterday now. Here's hoping the meds kick in better today...

On the agenda for today:

Menu-planning and making up the grocery list, work on the Latin book, with possibly breaks for sitting in the rocking chair and reading again today. And maybe I'll fit a trip to the library in before picking Charlie up after school. No sure just yet what's for dinner tonight...

On the reading front: I listened to a bit more of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Circus Mirandus, read some more of The Religions Book and a nice chunk of Dandelion Wine, which continues to be beautiful and amazing. Another favorite passage:
"God bless the lawn mower, he thought. Who was the fool who made January first New Year's Day? No, they should set a man to watch the grasses across a million Illinois, Ohio, and Iowa lawns, and on that morning when it was long enough for cutting, instead of rachets and horns and yelling, there should be a great swelling symphony of lawn mowers reaping fresh grass upon the prairie lands. Instead of confetti and serpentine, people should throw grass spray at each other on the one day each year that really represents the Beginning."

The calendar book today sounds pretty interesting: The Third Coast: When Chicago Built the American Dream by Thomas Dyja. Anyone read this one? Mark? Joe?

And the Newbery/Caldecott Trivia: Cynthia Voigt (Dicey's Song, 1983 Newbery medal) calls the job of writer 'one of the world's strangest occupations, full of contradictions, intensely interesting.'"

"with possibly breaks for sitting in the rocking chair."

Sounds good, Amber! Enjoy the day!

Feel better soon, Amber.

Hey Amber! The elephant in the room is Common Core! The way they want kids to think nowadays is totally unrealistic. I also dislike the group think way of teaching. The teacher gives a short lesson and then The kids are grouped into 4 or 5 and together they solve problems. So naturally, there are some in the group who get it right away, others are stuck. Result: the kids who get it get it and move on. The kids who don't don't, unless they meet with the teacher outside class time or get a tutor. That seems to be the way a few of my friends are going to help out their kids.

*sorry for ranting on your thread, just, it irks me*

Hope the meds are already working and you're showing a sign of improvement.

>239 msf59: Thanks, Mark.

>240 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara.

>241 Carmenere: Lynda: Yep, Common Core is not good. And rant away! I'm in total agreement.

Morning, Amber! Don't get me started on the Common Core. *vents steam through ears* Poor Charlie. Poor you. I remember those days very well.

>244 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie.

Hope you're all recovered.

>238 scaifea: Pretty sure this is the first trivia about a prize winning book I've actually read! Woo! Loved Voight.

>246 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte. I'm not quite feeling it yet; I'm in that awful stage in which the medicine hasn't kicked in enough to take the pain away but has kicked in sufficiently to make me feel bleh.

>226 scaifea: Oh, good. Excellent that Charlie isn't fussed about it!

Hope your meds have kicked you up to feeling better rather than bleh.

>248 lycomayflower: Thanks, Laura. I've been alternating between napping and reading today, trying to give the medicine a chance to get to work.

What We Read Today:
-Press Here
-Chapter 6 of Leprechaun in Late Winter

On the agenda for today:
Grocery shopping this morning, and a call to the clinic to request that other prescription, since this one just isn't doing it - I couldn't sleep again last night for the pain. Gah. Then bills and photo organizing, and then most likely a nap, if the new meds kick in and settle down the hurting. Not sure what's for dinner tonight...

On the reading front: I listened to some more of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Ford and Arthur have just been picked up by the improbability drive), read a nice chunk of The Religions Book and a few pages in Don Quixote.

The calendar book today: Life after Life by Kate Atkinson - I can't decide if I think I'd like this one or not, so I've been hesitating to put it on my wishlist...

The Newbery/Caldecott Trivia: "Hendrik Van Loon became an American citizen the same year The Story of Mankind (1922 Newbery Medal) was published."
Most people don't seem to like this first Newbery winner, but I really enjoyed it. *shrug*

Morning, Amber! Looks like a warm weekend ahead. Yah! I loved Life After Life and the follow-up. You might like the historical elements.

I also loved Life After Life, for the historic elements and a unique approach.

>252 msf59: Morning, Mark! Thanks for that - I'll re-consider adding it to the pile.

>253 lauralkeet: Laura: Okay, okay. Fine! Onto the list it goes. Happy?

Ouch! How's the water chugging going?

I came here to say major kudos for the funk concertgoing. I have no gigs like this in my past!

Morning, Amber! Sorry to hear that your meds aren't working - hoping that you get the other one, and that it works QUICKLY.

>255 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte. I'm a water-chugging expert at this point, but to no avail. Well, that's not fair - I suspect that I would be feeling even worse were I not drinking so much.
And I'm glad you approve of my p-funk experience! It was a hoot, for certain.

>256 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie! ME TOO. So tired of this hurting. The pie in the sky is that by tonight I'll have new meds in me that help me sleep!

>254 scaifea: :)

I'm sorry you're not feeling better yet. I guess I've been lucky in that the meds have usually taken effect very quickly.

>257 scaifea: Sorry you're feeling bad. What you're going through can be so miserable. I highly recommend drinking water + the juice of a lemon once a day--like in the morning. Lemon water is alkalizing, and it creates an unfriendly environment for bacteria. Do this daily and you probably will not have a recurrence.

>223 scaifea: Good morning, Amber! This reminds me of one of my favorite Calvin & Hobbes, where a test asks him to describe something "in his own words", and he gleefully answers in a bunch of gobbledy-gook words he's made up.

Not sure where that badly phrased question gets the kids in learning math.

AAARGH! I'm SO frustrated right now! I called the clinic and asked them to call in the other Rx that my doctor TOLD ME she would make note of in the chart, and apparently the chart says that I am to come back into the office. Um, no. So I asked them to call her (because of f**king course she's not in the office today) to check because I KNOW WHAT SHE TOLD ME. 2 hours later, I still haven't heard back, and I'm so tired and frustrated and HURTING. Why can't people do their jobs properly?! I really need to get a couple doses into my system today so that maybe I can actually sleep a little tonight.

>258 lauralkeet: Laura: You are lucky - the first try never works for me, really, but I can't convince any doctors of this.

>259 labwriter: Thanks for the advice, Becky.

>260 jnwelch: Joe: No, but I know where it gets *me*. Ha!

>229 casvelyn: I'm not sure what my first grade self would have said, but probably not something about place value, even if I had just been studying it. I don't do well with open-ended questions that secretly have one right answer. Hear, hear! This is an excellent way of putting one of my biggest pet peeves as a student. Fortunately I could voice my opinions to my mother and we found textbooks and learning formats that worked for me (I was homeschooled).

I agree there are excellent teachers out there, but sometimes the system is so very messed up. I wish there were more ways of incorporating an individual's interests and learning styles but classrooms just don't seem set up with this in mind and I see ways in which teaching material only one way and to the middle of the class leaves a lot of kids bored instead of excited about learning. (And keep in mind all my personal experience in classrooms is from college. Maybe other classes are different?)

Amber, so sorry to hear you're under the weather and having trouble getting your meds. I hope you hear back from the doctor's office soon :(

>262 bell7: Hey! I was homeschooled too, for elementary and most of middle school. My biggest frustration in the classroom for high school was that we didn't move fast enough through the material and we had to cover everything multiple times. I was used to being able to move on to the next topic as soon as I understood the current topic. And they always had us do class discussions and group projects. I love lectures and would have liked school better if it had been all lecture all the time. So I liked college much better, because I studied history, so it was nothing but lectures.

So sorry to hear that you feel so poorly. Fingers crossed that you get the meds soon. Sending healing vibes.

Okay, so after waiting 2 hours with no call back from the clinic, I called them back and was near tears with frustration and exhaustion, which I'm afraid I couldn't hide very well (I wasn't rude, but I was clearly pathetic), and the woman on the other end took pity, go on the ball and found out that they had called the doctor but just hadn't bothered to call me back (?!) (()*@#&$)(*^@$(&@^)
Anyways, I know have a new prescription and the first dose is in me, along with a couple of tacos (comfort food, dontcha know), so here's hoping it kicks in soon. Gah.

>262 bell7: >263 casvelyn: When I get super-frustrated with the system in this country, I occasionally become tempted by the idea of homeschooling, but that would be doing a disservice to Charlie, who thrives on being in a group of kids every day, and I saw too many home-schooled kids in my college courses struggle with adjusting to the social norms of the classroom and beyond at that level, that I ultimately can't do it. I'm not saying that it's bad for everyone, but I believe that it's not great for a lot of kids, and I *know* that it wouldn't be good for Charlie. Instead, we look for a compromise and supplement what he's getting at school with other stuff here at home to keep him happy and learning.

>264 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara! I'm hoping that the new medicine starts working soon.

Hope the new meds are working, Amber. I'm a chronic UTI sufferer--treated it with antibiotics for 20 years until they all stopped working. Got referred to gynecology, where they have me on preventative stuff--cranberry extract capsule, vitamin C pill and probiotics daily, and I've seen a BIG improvement.

>261 scaifea:, >265 scaifea: I absolutely hate when that happens. My GP's office isn't great about returning calls or closing the loop on things, either. I really like the physicians but the admin side drives me nuts. I hope you round the corner now that you have the new meds.

Virtual hugs. Sorry you've had such a crummy day thus far.

>263 casvelyn: and >265 scaifea: Most of my siblings have gone to school at various points other than college, and I would have to if it weren't for the school system at the time telling us that if I transferred into 11th grade I'd only get a certificate of attendance and not a diploma, essentially because my parents had been grading my tests. (To this day I'm surprised they couldn't have given me placement tests!) There were a few adjustments I had to make for college (different teaching styles was the biggest thing, and I am still not a huge fan of giving presentations or in-class group work) but for the most part I did well. I think going to community college to start out with was really helpful for me because there were a lot of people in my major going back to school and I hung out with a mix of age groups. I, too, got pretty frustrated with not being able to go at my own pace.

And though it worked for me, I wouldn't say it's the way everyone should go, either, but did have to clarify why I was telling my mom about my textbook preferences ;). It's awesome that you do so much with Charlie at home and can tell him that teachers aren't always right when stuff like this happens.

Gahhhh what a pain about the medication. I'm glad you were finally able to get it sorted out. I hope it kicks in quickly!

>270 bell7: Mary: I think the fact that Charlie has two PhDs, who are both former professors, will prove to be both a blessing and a curse for him... Ha!
And yes, this morning wasn't my favorite ever, but I finally got what I needed and I'm tentatively ready to claim that I think it may be starting to work. Fingers crossed that I get some sleep tonight!

Zee new thread - eet eez up.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/219622

>223 scaifea:: Boo to unimaginative teachers. Personally I'd answer, "The difference is 36. What's to explain?"

(Ooops -- missed the new thread announcement while catching up. Never mind.)

>273 swynn: Steve: Ha! Thanks for that. Sometimes I think I'm being too picky about this sort of thing - it's nice to know others feel the same!

>223 scaifea: Yeah, sometimes teachers are annoying and simply wrong and stubborn. I remember getting pissed off when I was a kid because we were learning the difference between "fact" and "opinion" and one of the statements was "I think her hair is pretty." I said that it was a fact because the person was making a factual comment about their opinion. I was really miffed when the teacher didn't accept this explanation. After that, I had very little respect for her opinions. Clearly, they weren't facts. ;)

>223 scaifea: I think Charlie's answer to that stupid question is perfectly acceptable.

>231 scaifea: I will climb on that soap box with you! Boot the ivory tower education theorists out and let the teachers teach. They want to. They love it. Get out of the way bureaucrats, and let the teachers get on with it. *stepping down quietly before I start to foam at the mouth*

>273 swynn: Ha! Me too. Science or math degree perhaps? Lol Pooh to open ended questions.

Amber - Sorry you had to go through a bunch of hassle to get better meds. Here's hoping you're sound asleep and feeling much better now!

>275 The_Hibernator: >276 nittnut: Thanks, ladies, for the rant support! Imagine what it would be like if this country let teachers make the teaching decisions? That might be a nice place to live... Ha!

Yes and Amen by Hillsong
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuaZjyQuCpE&ab_channel=ChileanWorshiper