The 3 Rs: Recycling, Recap, and Rethinking

Ok, the 45 books in how ever many days I have now is falling flat. I've been reading the same book for over a week now and though it is really good, I just don't have the time to sit and read it. I just feel like I have so many other things that NEED to get done right now that I haven't given myself the time to really read it. I am going to keep trying but I don't know if I can get through 30 books in less than 30 days.

Let's recap what's been going on since last time I wrote about what was going on...

Thursday: Though I blogged this day, I don't think I mentioned going to my school to meet my team. I was a bit overwhelmed but confident that with the help of my team I can do a fantastic job. It sounds like I may be doing student council along with my mentor teacher which will be super fun considering the fact I was not into student council as a student.

Friday: This was my last Children's Literature class. It went well. I think (and hope) I got an A but I'll find out soon enough. After class, I went to a Bee's game which went to 11 innings (that's 2 extra innings for those of you who don't follow baseball). It was a long night and I had to leave for work at 7:40 the next morning.

Saturday: Work. It was ok but I have to tell a story about a little boy at the group home. It's going to be long but it's so good. Here goes:

I arrive at work one Saturday morning to learn that all the children are COVERED in mosquito bites. One boy in particular seems to be very allergic to the bites and his arm is swelling.

Before I go any further, you have to know that this little boy in particular looks like a mini version of Conan O'Brien. Honestly, take Conan, shrink him down to 6-year-old size, give him a slight lisp, and take away the swoopy hair and you have this little boy. It's fantastic!

Anyway, I end up taking him to the doctor to get his arm checked because it is so swollen and he's saying he's having a difficult time breathing. We get there,the doctor checks him out and says that his arm is really infected so he'll need to give him a strong antibiotic and a S-H-O-T.

Ok, I think. Do I tell him and prepare him for the shot or do I let the nurse ambush him? I decide, in my infinite child development wisdom, to tell him. This launches him into hysterics. He's screaming "I don't want a shot!" "Let's just leave!" etc. I calm him down and tell him how it's not going to be that bad and we need to help his infection get better.

He finally calms down when the doctor opens the door which launches him back into hysterics. "I don't want a shot!" Doctor: "This is just a prescription." Boy pants and seems to not trust doctor. I again take about 10 minutes to calm him down.

We sit and wait in the room for about another 20 minutes (40 minutes total after I had told him he was going to get a shot). Finally, two nurses came in (they must have heard him screaming and knew I'd need reinforcements). One is telling me to put him on the table and the other is trying to hide the 2--not one, but 2-- needles. At this point he is screaming "You're a bad doctor! I don't want a shot!" over and over again.

You need to know another side note. The kids I work with get violent at times. Some are very strong and hard to hold, especially when frightened or angry. This little boy is not one of those ridiculously strong kids.

Back to the story...I put him up on the table to which he responds by trying to push himself off the table. He's pushing so hard that I can't get his arms to move. Finally my brute strength wins out and I get his arms above his head. He's still quite wiggly so I tell the nurses that I'm just going to straddle him (I know, sounds weird but it worked). One nurse holds his legs while the other prepares his legs. As she is cleaning he begins saying "That's it?" in an amazed voice. In order to calm him more I say "Yep, that's it. Wasn't so bad was it?" Then they stick him. His face was priceless and if you want me to recreate it for you I will.

The nurses leave but tell us we have to stay for about 10 more minutes to make sure there is no reaction. As I'm rubbing his legs (as instructed by the nurse) he keeps saying "Ashley, I think they got the bone." I try to tell him that they give shots in your thigh so they don't hit bone but he doesn't believe me and keeps repeating it.

It was hard to see him go through that but he just said such funny things that I had to laugh a bit and share it. I am happy to report that his arm is no longer swollen and he is doing much better.

Sunday: I went to church and had a pretty lazy day.

Monday: I started my second MEd class today. The class is called Writing in the Classroom and so far so good. I really enjoyed the first day and felt like I was able to participate fully but I also learned a lot. I can't wait to see what the rest of the month brings!

That brings us to today...

I never realized how much classroom crap I had been accumulating since I've been in the education program. Holy cow! I've been trying to organize and get rid of what I don't need but it's really hard. I have a job in 6th grade but I'm not sure if I'll love it and want to stay in that grade forever so I'm having a difficult time getting rid of stuff that is neat but not for 6th graders because I might need it one day.

In the midst of cleaning and organizing, I had to go to staff meeting for The Children's Center. We did our normal talk about the kids stuff then the bad news. The group home is going to be shut down on July 31 because "the department wants to spend more money and preventative care." I don't know if I buy it but I don't want to incriminate myself so I'll say no more on that subject. I'm sad to see it go and sad that I won't have an extra paycheck but I'm more sad for all the people who have put so much time and energy into it and have nothing else to turn to. Hopefully it will all turn out for the best.

Book #15 Judy Moody Save the World by Megan McDonald

This book is about Judy Moody and obviously her quest to save the world. It's basically a -didactic-bash-you-over-the-head-with-how-great-recycling-is book. The characters were simplified, characterizations that you'd expect from a book like this...dads are stupid, boys are feeble minded, and girls are strong and scientific. This book was written quite recently but I had to keep checking the copyright date to see if I had missed something. The language the characters use just seems very outdated. Judy says, "Rare!" whenever anything is cool. Is the author trying to start a new fad? I don't know but what I do know is that is annoyed me, A LOT!

More Freebies!

Let's look on the positive side of not being able to sleep even though I was asleep for a solid three hours and just woke up...I get to do some blog stalking, Facebooking, and blog writing. Woot, woot for 3am on Tuesday morning!

Anyway, a great blog, Fantabulously Frugal, "a guide to sales, deals, steals, coupons, tips, and bargains for 20-somethings (and 20-somethings at heart) looking to save money while maintaining a fun and Fantabulously Frugal Lifestyle," has completely drawn me in! I think I'm addicted to checking it out. There are always great deals and steals like reminding me about free donut day at Dunkin' Donuts, free chocolate Friday with Mars candy, free lip balm from Burt's Bees, etc. Check out the site if you want more fabulous deals!

Right now, there is a giveaway with FANTABULOUS prizes. All you have to do is go here and fill in the entry form. So easy! And if you go there and enter because you read my blog, please refer to my blog: Ashley : Looking. You get an extra entry and I get an extra entry...it's a win-win people! So this is where you click the link, enter the contest and stop reading...really DO IT!

Why we love Ashley

Reason #18:

She often laughs so hard she cries.

Lots of Books and TV

OK. I'm back with many books for all y'all...Yippee!!

Book#10 Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr

This is the true story of Sadako, a young girl who lived in Japan. She was born to be a runner and wins many relay races at school. She contracts leukemia due to the atom bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima. While in the hospital, she begins making paper cranes to pass time. Her goal is to make 1000. This is a book I was never really invested in. I didn't like the writing style and the book just seemed to end. I wanted so much more in this book. I wanted the characters to be more defined. I wanted to be grabbed by something, anything, but I wasn't. Though I didn't like it, I'm not saying it's a horrible book. It was recommended to me by someone I respect and I know she knows her children's lit so it was obviously just a story I didn't like.

Book #11 The Children's Story by James Clavell

This story is written very simply and i read in about 30 minutes. The reading level is probably about 3rd grade but I would not suggest using it with 3rd graders. This is actually a book I'd recommend teachers read and maybe use it in 6th grade and higher to talk about propaganda. The story takes place in a classroom. The students and old teacher are sitting and waiting. A young teacher comes in to replace the old teacher. This teacher asks many questions about why students do things. Why they pray, pledge allegiance to the flag, etc. She successfully indoctrinates the students to the new regime in a matter of minutes. It was an amazing story for me to read and realize how much influence a teacher has on his or her students. I would defiantly recommend adults read it then decide if they can read it to or with their students. This book was made into a TV movie in 1984. Here are the videos. They are horrible quality but you get to read the book without really reading it. Though I still suggest reading it because it only takes 30 minutes...30 MINUTES! Just read it!

Book #12 The Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi

I mentioned this book earlier but decided to read it again. I loved this book! Sookan is 10-years-old and lives in North Korea during the time when Japan had occupied it. The book's overarching theme, oppression, is one that most students in the United States have not dealt with the way that Sookan and her family do but oppression is something that happens every day all over the world and students need a safe outlet to experience it and decide what they would do in that situation. This book is really well written and it made me feel exactly what Sookan was feeling. Though I would love to read it in a classroom, you'd have to be careful with this because many girls are taken from the factory where Sookan's mother works to be "spirit girls." Though it is not said outright, these girls are basically sex slaves for the Japanese military. But it is so well written and gives students something to really think about that I would read it. Maybe just as a read aloud so I can skip over those parts? I don't know. Anyway, fantastic book!

Book #13 Hiroshima by Laurence Yep

This is a very short and factual book. It talks about what atom bombs are, WWII, Japan and its relationship with the United States at the time. It is laid out very simply so that someone with no knowledge would be able to understand the history presented in the book. One point I liked in particular is right after the bomb is dropped on Hiroshima, the pilot says something to the effect of 'What have we done?' This is an actual account and this pilot really did say this which gives the reader an insight into his mind. I also think it makes him more realistic.

Book #14 A Jar of Dreams by Yoshiko Uchida

This was another great book. Rinko is an 11-year-old girl growing up in California in the 1930's. Times are tough during the Great Depression for everyone but Rinko's family has it particularly difficult. This book has a little bit of violence but it's not so much that I would question its use in a classroom. It's a great book to show perseverance, integrity, and accepting yourself for who you are.

Wow. If you've made it this far, good for your! Give yourself a pat on the back! I have something to complain about. I wasn't feeling well on Tuesday night so I vegged in front of the TV. Now, since all good TV is gone because it's the end of the season, I was subjected to the worst excuse for a TV show I've seen in a long time...I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! Are you kidding NBC? Are you really that desperate? It's like if Survivor (which I also hate but would much rather watch that) and The Surreal Life had a baby you'd get this show. Ugh! It's horrible! I already have to see Heidi and Spencer and his flesh-colored beard dispensing their vanity and need for fame all over the place. But now I'm subjected to them on yet another show? Are we that stupid as a nation that we see this as good TV? The part I saw they dunked all the celebrities into a pit with snakes, spiders, cockroaches, etc. and who ever lasted the longest got immunity. But Heidi and Spencer and his flesh-colored beard said they were "too famous" to do something like that. TOO FAMOUS!?! UGH! I turned it off and watched golfing. It's horrible. Your brain turns to goo if you watch it. Read one of my books instead!

Long time no see

I've been really bad about posting (and reading) but it is coming soon.

This is my last week of my first MED class and like always I've procrastinated my homework. I have a unit plan to get done then I'll start reading again.

I'm going to check out my school tomorrow afternoon. I can't wait to meet everyone!

Some Videos

I just wanted to post these videos so I'm going to start a "thing." I'm sure there is a blog word for what I'm doing but I don't want to figure it out. On the first of every month, I will post some funny videos. Here are our first videos:

We were waiting to get pictures taken and Ethan decided to start "break dancing".



"I'm her mom. No she's not."

I cried.

On a side note, I may need to rethink my 45 books in 90 days quest. When I came up with the plan, I went by a traditional school year calendar which gave me 90 days to August 17th ( I think) but now I'll be starting school on July 27th and want to be done with my goal by then. That being said, I only will have 49 days in my challenge. I'm still going to try for the 45 books though. I'm going to have to read 36 books in 37 days. I can do it. My cut-off date is July 7th. Also, if you have any fantastic children literature that I absolutely need to read, please leave a comment and let me know! Anything suggested will be read!

Graduation!

It's official...

I have graduated from college!!

Yesterday was the ceremony and brunch at Westminster. I've been to a few high school graduations in my life but I expected a college graduation to be a bit different. It wasn't. It was way too long, I was uncomfortable in my gown (which made me itch and gave me a rash on my uncovered leg...eww), it was so hot, the president spoke way too much, etc. I do have to say that I was very impressed with both of the speakers though. They were great and didn't talk for too long. Way to go guys!

Most of the ladies from the School of Education
Sarah, Rachel, Me, Lacey, Jamie

Christina, Jennifer, Jodi

ESL Ladies
Jodi, Me, Jennifer, Christina

All the graduates

Grandma, Me, Grandpa

Yea! I have a degree!

After graduation, we went out to eat. My sister brought Ali, the baby she nannies, which made for a much more interesting time.

Wow! I'm kinda making a scary face. We all got rained on when we were running in.

I spent most of my time trying to get Ali to laugh and use her Cookie Monster voice. Believe me, it's hilarious!

When you combine chocolate milk, pepsi, raspberry lemonade, and the remains of 4 other drinks, you get this concontion. I dared my sisters to drink it for $20. No one took that offer.

After graduation and all the family stuff, I went to a birthday party for my good friend Meredith. We sat around a camp fire, roasted marshmallows, and reminisced about memories of high school. The time we went to Lake Powell, school dances, making comedic genius videos. Good times ladies, good times.

More Mice and Rats and I Have a Job!

Book #9: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

This is a very sweet book. It's about the adventures of an unusually small mouse, Despereaux Tilling, the princess he loves, a servant girl who wants to be princess and a rat who is determined to bring them all to ruin. It's a magical fairy tale that I think even boys would enjoy. I give this book 5 stars.

"Nothing is sweeter in this sad world than the sound of someone you love calling your name. Nothing." (p. 258)


The job hunt is over!
Yesterday evening, I accepted a job as a 6th grade teacher. I will be on B track which means I start July 27th. Though I only get a 3 week summer (next year) I do get the ENTIRE month of December off. That is freaking amazing! And we have Thanksgiving break, go to school for 5 days, go off track for 3 weeks. Pretty sweet. I think I'm going to like this track business. I am very excited to get started and I think this school will be a very good fit for me. I am going to tour the school and meet my team some time next week (probably Wednesday) and I'll keep everyone updated.

Saul, Julie and Keoko

I had an appointment to get Saul's oil changed today. (Saul is my car's name. It's an old man name and I think my car is creeping to old man status pretty quickly so it fits him nicely) This oil change was supposed to happen 2 months and 1000 miles ago...oops! I've been a little preoccupied lately, anyway, I got up in plenty of time, took a shower, barely got ready but still ended up leaving late. How does this happen? When I was in high school I was impeccable at being on time to EVERYTHING. In this last 6 months to a year I've become horrible at being on time. Maybe my late-for-everything-friends finally rubbed off on me. Ugh.

Looking for a job...

is very possibly the worst experience in the world. I got an email from a principal yesterday wanting to set up an interview. Sure sounds great. I email back saying any time is great. She emails me "How about 10am on Friday?" I again say sure sounds great. She emails me back later saying wait that doesn't work, "How about in between 2:20 and 3pm?" I email back "Does 2:30 work?" Still no response. I'm showing up at 2:30. End of story. On another note, I heard from a professor that an elementary in Salt Lake was looking for a 1st grade teacher and wanted a Westminster grad. The professor said to call the principal, mention that I graduated from Westminster, was interested in the job and that the professor had told me about it. Easy enough. I tried to talk to the principal but I had to get through Maggie, the secretary. I think Maggie secretly wants to be a bouncer at a club and I'm not wearing a short enough skirt or slipping her a 20. So I just faxed my resume like Maggie said. We'll see what happens.

Book # 8: When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park

The first thing I noticed about this book was how similar it was to A Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi. This story is told from two perspectives--Sun-hee and Tae-yul. Sun-hee and Tae-yul are sister and brother. They alternate as narrators of separate chapters, and many times they both provide individual views of the same events. The book follows their experiences living in Korea as it is occupied by Japan during WWII. The novel provides accurate information about the war. Some chapters were dry and boring and I found myself skipping over a lot while I was completely engrossed by other chapters. I don't think I would give this book to anyone younger than 5th grade primarily because the level is pretty high and it would probably become quite discouraging for younger readers. Also, the content may be a bit controversial for some students. I'm giving this book 3 stars. If you're really interested in this subject, this is a good book, but there are better ones out there.

"You burn the paper but not the words. You silence the words but not the thoughts. You kill the thoughts only if you kill the man. And you will find that his thoughts rise again in the minds of others--twice as strong as before!" (p. 106)

"How could an alphabet--letters that didn't even mean anything by themselves--be important? But it was important. Our stories, our names, our alphabet. Even Uncle's newspaper. it was all about words. If words weren't important, they wouldn't try so hard to take them away." (p. 107)

Ghost, Get Togethers, Suicidal Body Updates and Dracula Bunny??

Book #7: Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by Deborah and James Howe

This book is not going to win any prestigious awards. The writing didn't really pull me and the story was really predictable. Chester, the literate, sensitive, and keenly observant family cat, was a pretty great character but there needed to be more. With only 98 pages though, I don't know what else could have been added. Looking at websites about this book (and the 5 others in the series. Who knew?) everyone says it's a classic. What determines a classic? Age? I would not classify it as such. There are probably people who love it and I wouldn't stop a child from reading it but it wasn't my cup of tea. 2 stars vampire bunny, 2 stars.

Suicidal Body Update:
1) The allergies have let up (cue chorus of angles or gospel singers).

2) The cough is still there but not as bad as previously stated (no, it probably isn't Swine Flu and yes, I probably was over reacting).

3) Large bumps, still present. Still painful? Not as much.

4) Broken toe, still broken. Ugly boot? Still present. Ugly boot + cap & gown = lots of boyfriends?

5) No more knee spasms (woot!).

6) Migraine went on vacation for a few days but came back during the night. I think he had been drinking and decided I needed to feel some of his hangover (I don't drink but I'm guessing it's similar).

So on the plus side, unemployment is helping my body.

Graduation par-tay!! Wahoo! After class (which got out an hour early!!) I went to Lindsay's house for a graduation party/get together. It was a lot of fun. We talked and complained and took a lovely stroll down college-memory road. This is where I would add pictures if I took any so use your imagination.

Ghosts live in my house. Or should I say haunt my house? I'm not into supernatural stuff but I'm pretty sure my house is built on what used to be an Indian burial ground. There are always noises going on in the house and not just normal creaking house kinds of noises. Voices when no one is home, slamming doors, walking around kinds of noises. Or maybe a vagrant who hasn't realized I'm home all the time (thanks unemployment!) lives in my attic and he hasn't figured out that he should hide all day now. Maybe all I'm hearing is him borrowing clean underwear and shaving. That's not creepy at all.

On a happier note, I love So You Think You Can Dance and it's officially back. Here's a favorite dance from last year. It's pretty much magical. Watch it 14 times in a row. I did.

Braverism

Book #6: Ramona the Brave by Beverly Cleary

This book was published in 1975 so was therefore around when I was in elementary school. Why was I never introduced to Ramona? She's so cute and spunky and full of enough mischief for the goody-two-shoes-2nd grade version of me to vicariously live through that I think I would have actually enjoyed reading these books. Another thing I really enjoy about this book is the use of vivid language. SO MANY vocabulary words! Astound, predicament, aghast, humiliation, clattered, hastily, glorious, dignity, dawdling, muster, incident. Loved it! I give it 4 stars. I included some quotes I liked from the book. I think I got a bit carried away.

"Agreeing was so pleasant she wished she and her sister could agree more often." (p. 12)

"'If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret any more,' said Mrs. Quimby.

That, Ramona felt, was just about the most exasperating sentence ever spoken by a grown-up." (p. 18)

"They were no longer six-year-olds. They were the strongest people in the world. They were giants." (p. 38)

"Ramona liked good lively comedies with lots of children and animals and grown-ups doing silly things. Next to that she liked cat food commercials." (p. 88)

"Crying had left Ramona tired and limp, but somehow she felt better, more at peace with herself, as if trouble and guilt had been washed away by tears." (p. 148)

“IF” by Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:


If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'


If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Bunches of Made Up Words

Book #4: Frindle by Andrew Clements

I enjoyed this book. It was a very easy read and is about a 2nd-4th grade level book. It's is about a boy named Nick who learns from his teacher that words mean what they mean because we say they do. He gets an idea to start calling pens "frindles" and soon has his whole school using the word. The story follows his 5th grade year and how the word frindle grows into a nation wide word. I give this book 3 stars.

Book #5: The BFG by Roald Dahl

I can hear the outcry now. I'm sure people are going to be very upset with me for saying this but I HATED THIS BOOK! I usually like books by Roald Dahl but this was the exception. I think the reason I hated this book so badly was because of the massive amount of made up words and because of The BFG's horrible grammar. Why are giants always so bad at speaking standard English? Is it in their gigantic DNA? I had the most difficult time finishing this book and actually put it down many times because I was sick of it. I was very disappointed because I had heard that it's a great book. I didn't think so. I gave this book 2 stars. One of the stars was just because it's written by Roald Dahl.




I also had an interview for a 6th grade position today. I rocked it hard! I was so relieved to know that I can give a good interview, the first two I was just a ball of nerves. Now I've gotten over my anxieties and I think I'm going to get a job soon. I hope it all goes well. By the way, this principal taught 6th grade at Jordan Ridge (where I went) when I was in 6th grade. Small world, right?

Why we love Ashley

Reason #25:

She would fluently speak 14 different languages if it weren't so hard to learn.

Rats, Unemployment and (over the counter)Drug Induced Dreams

Book #3: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
If you want a book that will make you like rats and mice, this is it. I hate mice and rats, ewww, disgusting! But I loved the characters--Mrs. Frisby, her mice children, Nicodemus, Justin, Mr. Ages, Brutus--all of which were mice and rats. In the end I almost shed a tear. It was a great book in which if you're anything like me you will identify with the characters (yes, they're mice and rats) and want to live their cool little lives. This book also won a Newbery Medal and I can see why. It is excellently written. Another aspect I enjoyed with this book is that it was written in 1971 (38 years ago!) but is still relevant and still a good read. I think, if not already classified as this, it will become a classic. I give this book 5 stars!

The plus side of being unemployed

-I can sleep until 10 am, eat breakfast then go straight back to bed

-With all this extra sleep, my body is recuperating quite quickly

-I'm reading daily

-I don't have to shower every day

-I'm dreaming again (I think I have to have at least 7 hours of sleep a night for a long period of time for this dreaming thing to happen)

-I am able to make it to family and friend get togethers

What I've learned over the past 3 nights

Benadryl Allergy + Melatonin - an alarm clock = Super Crazy Dreams

I don't remember the details but I was "dating" some guy or maybe we had just met. He had a son. We all ate ice cream. The son wanted more ice cream but there wasn't any more. The dad had to leave. I was bummed. So I packed up my stuff (we were sleeping (not in the same bed or even the same room, my dreaming self is not a super slut) at my grandparent's house but it was more like a motel) and accidentally bumped into him as we both left.

There were 3 more last night that I think would fit better into the "crazy dream" category but I don't remember any details though I do remember waking up after one, saying the details and going back to sleep.