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Category Archives: Random Musings
In which the blogger finds herself in a reading funk
I’m in a funk. I suppose it’s that time of the year. I feel like I live in darkness. I go to work in the dark; I drive home in the dark. And if it’s not raining (thankfully, the snow’s held off this winter), I get a few beams of sunlight through my classroom windows in the morning, but it’s still not the bright light of spring or the intense light of summer. I miss the sun. And unfortunately when I get in a funk, I get in a funk about everything.
I stand in the kitchen, and I don’t know what I want to eat. I sit with the TiVo list and stare at what I’ve recorded, not knowing what I want to watch. I pick up a book, and I’m only lukewarm about it because I don’t know what I want to read. I’m in a funk.
Of course, I’m blaming my reading funk on the weather. Some people might say it’s because I read too much. I don’t know. I don’t think so. I think I’m just simply bored with all the YA I’ve been reading. I’m tired of vampires. I’m tired of werewolves and shape shifters. I’m tired of whining girls and buff boys and absent parents. I’m just tired.
Posted in Random Musings
Tagged as: YA Lit, YA Literature, young adult lit, young adult literature
Happy New Year (My Year in Review)
Greetings, Gentle Readers. It’s been quite some time since my last blog post. This happened not for lack of ideas but for lack of time. During 2011 I read 152 books, participated in a 100 task book challenge – of which I finished 98 tasks, had a successful first defense of my doctoral dissertation (topic adolescent literacy), got married, went to a slew of author readings and concerts, and managed to miss seeing Ellen Hopkins twice within the space of three weeks when she was near my hometown reading, signing, and promoting Perfect and Triangles. (Of course this list is in no particular order of importance, and if it were my marriage would be first.)
I have many New Year’s Resolutions. One is to post more on the blog. Since it’s been sitting abandoned the only people visiting it are spammers, and I’ll refrain from sharing their comments with you, but I could give you the secrets to unlocking the iPhone 4, sell you some Uggs, and well, oh never mind. I’m hoping to post at least once a week. In a perfect world, I’ll post almost every day. For those of you who do visit the blog regularly (and you’re not spamming me), I do update My Reviews and Currently Reading on a regular basis.
Here’s my year in review:
Windows and Mirrors
After a ridiculously long hiatus, I’m back. The hiatus may seem as if I have nothing more to say about YA Lit; however, that’s quite the contrary. I’ve had so many ideas swirling through my head, it’s been hard to tie myself to one idea, sit down, and write. As I know from my writing experiences, you have to just sit down and write and not wait for inspiration to strike. For my blog project, I haven’t followed that advice. I have waited for one idea to stand out from the rest. And this morning inspiration struck.
I’m currently reading The Warlock by Michael Scott. I’ve had The Warlock sitting on my nightstand since it was released in the spring. And after pressure from my students, who are clamoring for the next book in the series, I have picked it up and started reading. And I’m not disappointed.
Posted in Random Musings, Series
Tagged as: Judy Blume, Michael Scott, The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, YA Lit, YA Literature, young adult lit, young adult literature
Context Clues
At the end of January, I posted my troubles finding my Schmidt’s Pick for February. After much reading, I did indeed find a Pick for February. I was reminded the other day that I never shared with you, my dear reader, what that Pick is. Call it oversight. Blame it on being busy (juggling full-time teaching and full-time doctoral work is a bit demanding). Or blame it on me. I’m inundated daily with spam messages left on the blog (some messages are downright offensive), and I assume, wrongly, that the majority of my readers aren’t readers at all but spammers.
A Five Star Rating
5 stars of 5 stars
100% approval rating
2 thumbs up
Reviews. In the plugged in, wired world we live in, a person could review anything or anyone. And people do. As a member of Goodreads, as an online consumer, as a teacher, I find myself living via reviews. As a teacher, especially, I’ve discovered the power of the positive review.
Posted in Random Musings, Teacher Tips, Uncategorized
Tagged as: book reviews, Enchanted Ivy, Extraordinary, information literacy, Michael Scott, Nancy Werlin, Sarah Beth Durst, The Alchemyst, The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flammel, YA Lit, YA Literature, young adult lit, young adult literature