Thursday, January 31, 2008

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GUESS WHO GOT TICKETS TO THE OBAMA RALLY THIS SATURDAY?!?!?!?!



Elizabeth and Nathan are going to regret going with me.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

It's the First Assignment...

...and it's already late. What a great way to start the semester off. In my defense, I wasn't able to get my book from Denise until this morning. I will be reading and posting my response shortly.

Okay, so the introduction...probably should have skipped that. It seriously made me doubt the reputable-ness of the text book. The title 6 + 1 Traits of Writing doesn't especially strike me as all too brilliant to begin with. So when the first and second paragraphs explained how "Debbie targets her lessons to areas of great need," I wasn't especially reassured. I figured by now that it was rather self explanatory that teachers focus on things the students are struggling with most in writing, but maybe I was wrong. I also loved how they showed the progress that students made through using this program. The original was usually barely comprehensible and only three sentences long. Of course, only a few months later, the VERY SAME student was writing structured paragraphs and perfect grammar. Remarkable! They kind of reminded me of Chef Tony and his knife infomercials: "Watch the Miracle blade slice through this brick!" Incredible! I gotta get me some 6 + 1 Traits.

But I must say my opinion of the book significantly improved into chapters one and two. I especially liked that it distinguished the difference between "editing" and "revising," a difference that I wasn't entirely clear on, and I have a degree in English. I think this not only gives an accurate label to two important words in the writing process, but it also provides a clear purpose for doing both things. I also really liked how chapter two focused so heavily on exact assessment, providing great examples and going into detail about how they should be assessed. Providing classroom activities to help the students was another great feature. I hate reading education text books that provide little to no scaffolding or planning for the teacher. Not that I'm lazy, but it's nice to have some direction when I'm trying something new.

I found an interesting resource link all about writing. It gives plenty of ideas and activities to help students improve their writing skills during editing and revising. It also provides scenarios to encourage creative writing. Click me for fun and excitement!

Word

Big news in bloggersville (oh yeah, I did just use that word). Where to start? First, I got a new picture. I know, how cute. I'm not sure I like it enough to keep it. We'll see.

Also, I'm back in school again. I honestly missed my cohort bonding over break. But that means the blog returns to assignments for the most part again.

I will be posting a random quote on the top of my page...as soon as I remember how to do that. I will be changing this as little or as often as I like. No complaining if I don't change it for a while.

Meaghan got me her link. It's pretty sweet. Also, a friend I went to high school with has given me his blog link too. You should go see Justin's site. He doesn't bite often. We were good music buddies and saw Green Day and got our shirts and hats signed by the drummer. One of the most awesome days ever.

Finally, I'm considering starting a new blog where I can post my more "creative" writing. I'm still not sure on this, mainly because I don't know if my writing merits another blog. I would like constructive feedback, although I'm not sure why since I don't know if I plan on wanting to get published in the future. I'll be thinking about this one for a while probably.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

"You Have One New Message"

Me: "My husband called to tell me that he shot himself in the finger with a nail gun."

Entire broomball team: "What?!?! Is he going to the emergency room??"

Me: "No, this is what he told me: 'I'll just call my brother and see if he can get me more band aids because that's all I really need.'"

Thursday, January 17, 2008

I Heart Moss

It is rare when I find TV actually entertaining. However, I'm hooked on a British show, The IT Crowd. I think I find it funny after having both my dad and Mike working in IT...because having someone explain computers to someone who knows absolutely nothing about them is just awkward in and of itself. I think my dad and Mike have both gotten so used to dealing with this, they can predict the exact moment my eyes will start to glaze over, and the little monkey with the cymbols appears in my thoughts while circus music is playing in the background.

My favorite character is Moss. He is just so geeky: the high cut pants, the tie with short sleeved shirt, and his glasses. NBC was planning on making it a show in America, much like they did The Office, using the same actor that plays Moss. However, it is unclear whether they are going to release it. Since I feel the U.S. should not be spared of Moss, I have posted a couple clips of him at his best. The first clip needs a little background information. At the beginning of the episode, it shows a commercial for the new emergency number, going from 999 to 0118 999 881 999 119 7253. There is a little song that goes a long with it to help remember it. So you may want to keep that in mind when you watch this clip.




The last clip is Mike's favorite. This is the final part of an episode in which Roy and Moss place ads in an online dating service. This is the video that Moss made for his.


Saturday, January 12, 2008

Ode to a Top Five

Meaghan has started a new blog. However, she is certainly taking her sweet time in sending me the link. So when she finally stops being lazy, or her husband lets her have the computer, I will post it on the side. And, as you can see, I remembered how to do that (aren't you so proud of me).

She told me her blog is something like lists of top five. If you've seen High Fidelity, then you'll understand...especially knowing that this is Meaghan's favorite movie. She wants it to be interactive and I'm sure I'll be posting some obnoxious or asinine comments on there. So, if nothing else, you should check it out for a good laugh and/or to make fun of me.

In honor of the Top Five theme, I have posted my Top Five Quotes by Meaghan:

1. "See, what we need is a Feudal system. Where are the surfs?"

2. "Next time you get to decide when we almost die."

3. "Homophone: you know, 'homo' meaning to listen? Oh no, wait... that would mean Nathan likes listening to sex."

4. "So I couldn't get the bathroom door locked this morning, and all I could think was, 'Oh...the door is smarter than me.' So I said, 'Do you think the door would take the test for me?' And Maggie says (transitioning to her lower, crabby voice), 'Only if it'll take it for me too.'"

5. "I'm seriously going to make my sister a shirt that says, 'Doctors are sadists who like to play God and laugh at the lesser people's pain.'"


For those of you who haven't seen High Fidelity-I know, Meaghan: hard to believe-I have posted a short clip that includes one of the many Top Five lists in the movie.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Did You Know Oscar Wilde Lived in Dublin??

Mike's cousin, Kayla, or my cousin...in law (??) is studying abroad in Dublin this semester. I think she knew how jealous I was when I told her to be sure to see anything related to Oscar Wilde, and would not come off it. She has started her own blog in an attempt to keep in touch with everyone at home. She seemed much more willing to do so than I was. The link to her blog is posted below and I will try to post it on the side as I have done before. However, if it is not there, then you will know that I forgot how to do that and so must look back to this posting if you are interested in Kayla's life.

Kayla's Dublin Extravaganza

Have a nice weekend; I'm off to Rochester with Meaghan.

Oh, did you know that Oscar Wilde's girlfriend married Bram Stoker?? I know, small world! It's a good thing Wilde turned out to be gay anyway...

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

A Sad Face with a Tear

I personally don't think New Hampshire counts anyway. I mean, come on: John McCain won the Repulican vote. Seriously, I think there were some way better candidates on that side. So I will write this loss off to gross voter error.

Really? John McCain?


John McCain??


Thursday, January 3, 2008

Huh?

OH MY GOD, NOT ONLY ARE PEOPLE IN AMERICA WATCHING THIS, PEOPLE IN OTHER COUNTRIES ARE; I AM EMBARRASSED FOR HER.



Also, my favorite part is when she refers to Iraq as "the Iraq."



Oh, and on a totally unrelated note, suck it Hillary!