bitter avoidance

hey-- I actually wrote something on my myspace blog. I usually pop on there just to see who else is bored. In sharp contrast I use this blog to warm up for working on my book. But now I am avoiding working on my book because all day yesterday all I wanted to do was work on the book. Now I have an hour (whew-- look out! a WHOLE HOUR) and instead I re arrange the pictures of my friends on myspace. As soon as I get into Carol's comments (she returned her draft Sunday afternoon) I am sure the phone will ring or the dog will want out. Or the other dog will want back in--Today it is very windy and I keep watching leaves blow across the yard. Jarvis' ears act like little sails when he leaps up on the patio. he is just a wee beastie and the wind is quite strong. It is also very cold today.
I can't focus.
I made a yummy sandwich with some leftover green olives (stuffed with mozzarella and floating in chili oil) and left over chicken breast. I smashed it all between a whole wheat bagel.

I also had a chunk of bananna nut bread.

Eric saw a white crow in Flint.

I bought new yarn. It is yellow. I stopped in Art Attack on the way home and got Jesse's new comic and some canvas for Izzy. I saw the yarn..right there..in the case. Nice. support your local artists.

maybe I should flip through some muggle knitting patterns...

First Step

This spring I will have one helluva garden. The first seeds arrived! My lettuce seeds came!!!
AND they sent me a whole bunch of free gifties!! I bought asparagus and 3 kinds of lettuce and they gave me basil, tomato (eeep there is a challenge... 'maters from seeds!!) iceberg, carrots, celery chili peppers, and sage. Please let me recommend these Heirloom Seeds

I am so geeked for spring. I know we haven't even had an inch of accumulation yet--but I want to plant my garden NOW!!

It's time

the annual I HATE CHRISTMAS!! tirade

I do not hate Jesus, nor do I begrudge his followers their happy time-- but dude at the risk of sounding like a little Pace Clone whose rants are here. I do despise the plastic shrinked wrapped greed/guilt fest that starts the second the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade ends. It makes my head hurt. I suppose it comes from growing up with Frakenmuth in my backyard.

Things I adore about the Winter Solstice:

ice skating
sledding
snow balls
real coco after said activities
Charlie Brown Christmas (on DVD avoid commercials*)
The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (ibid)
candles
cedar greens
mistle toe--It's a parasite!!
real tree-- freshly killed by my boys
decorating cookies!!! (we have dinosaurs and VW bug cutters and we have Channukah shapes, we have CRAZY cookie cutters)
other kinds of bars and treats (like peppermint bark and peanut brittle--ho made toffee...mmmmmm)
buckeyes
my daddy's fudge
those little red berry ball wreathes
looking at (laughing) other people's tacky yard ornaments
cringing when my husband starts his tacky yard display (every year I try to decorate in a "classy pagan meets Pottery Barn" flavor and Petey goes for the "haven't quite out grown making the animated deer look like they are getting it on" phase

We must get the tree soon.


*I do like the Dolly Madison strawberry Zingers AND their commercials

serious eeep!-age

Look what just showed up in my email!!!!
OH!! sweeeeet!

Out Now: Classical Comics’ adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry V

Classical Comics is a new UK-based independent publishing outfit with a unique approach to publishing great works of literature in an accessible, reader-friendly graphic format.

Their first two titles, Shakespeare's Henry V [Amazon and Macbeth [Amazon] are both being published in three separate editions, with identical illustrations across all three, but different interpretations of the text: 'original', 'plain' and 'quick'.

In a press release, Classical Comics' Karen Wenborn explains the concept: "Having been told by young readers that they were bored by the Bard, Classical Comics set out to make Shakespeare as energetic and colourful as Spider-Man.


"With literacy levels in schools, and amongst school-leavers, at an all time low, Classical Comics has devised a revolutionary three-tier dialogue approach as an invaluable classroom teaching tool. Each book is published in three versions: Original Text – the full, unabridged script; Plain Text – a modern English version of the original script; and Quick Text – with reduced, simplified dialogue for easier and faster reading."

Clive Bryant of Classical Comics explains further: "We wanted to spread a joy and appreciation of literacy, and particularly to target readers in key stages 2 and 3. Often children of that age are forced to read Shakespeare, but they struggle to get past the language.

"The comic book format and three text versions will undoubtedly help with their understanding. By providing these three text versions, which are all on the same artwork, we allow a reader to absorb the story at Quick Text level, proceed onto Plain English, and then onto the Original script. That way, they understand the play and can appreciate the beautiful language that Shakespeare used.

"We believe that we've created a way for readers to enjoy these fantastic stories regardless of their age or their reading ability."

Karen continues: "Not wanting to patronise its readers, and mindful of the sanctity of the original text, Classical Comics carried out a large amount of research to arrive at the right approach with its books.

"The response from teachers, parents and young people themselves has been extremely positive; three schools - Olveston Primary School, Gloucestershire, Ingleton Middle School, Lancashire and City of Ely Community College, Cambridgeshire - are currently road testing the books. Teaching resources, in the form of both hard-copy ready-made lesson plans for teachers, and interactive whiteboard toolkits, are available to accompany each book."

Four more titles have been scheduled for publication later in 2008, with each being made available in an abridged Original Text and Quick Text versions:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (EEEP!)
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

And there's plenty more information on the whole project at www.classicalcomics.com.

WOW! already!!!

I think I wet them

OH! Oh oh wow!!What an amazing page!

So last night I finished reading Mademoiselle Boylen by Robin Maxwell. Nice little romp. What is significant is that as I flipped through her acknowledgments and the LCD "reader's guide" I notice the reference to the Luminarium. Sweet Jesu Joy of man's desiring!! I sat on the couch for hours after everybody else went to sleep til my battery was at 31%. I was ecstatic. seriously good shit.

sheesh

This is my favorite roasting pan under this giant beast. Can you just see it, under the ginormous fowl? I do 5-8 lb briskets in this pan. I cook about 6-8 lbs of sausage in this "big pan"--but to quote Dolly Parton--this is 5lbs of mud in a ten pound bag.

I have cooked larger hunks of meat--OUTSIDE!! I was afraid it wouldn't fit in the oven. It did fit but there was only about a half inch of clearance. Once I got the bird on the big rack and in the oven the heating element would have been WAAAY too close to the breasticles.

So we bisected the bird. My cleaver and electric knife and the poultry shears. God I wish Helowyse had been here, a dr and and english prof do not a butcher make. Happily we got the thing in there --post brine and with maple glaze. There are new pics at the album.

reaction time

My dearone (L.) has a spiff signature on her email right now, ""What happens is not as important as how you react to what happens."--apparently one Thaddeus Golas pronounced this. I agree with him. For example this morning I had several options.

1. cry
2. stomp my little feet
3. call a tow truck and pay for a jump
4. ask sleepy father in law for a jump (ewwww scratch that image out of your brain)
5. push bug out of garage and explain to children that we were gonna pop the clutch

OPTION 5 (40 year old + 12 year old + 9 year old) X sloping drive=SUCCESS

Got Z to school, got to Isabel's school where we have anywhere from 15-25 minutes till her bell rings. We usually do an "I SPY" page or three from her library book. I, in an effort to reduce emissions shut the car off. It is still warmer than the playground which is the fair weather choice for killing time. (see crochet dishrags of earlier blog) Either way upon arrival at Estabrook I always cut the engine.

NOOOOOOOOO!

Of course in the less than four mile journey--the battery had insufficient time to charge, immediately realizing my mistake I tried the key again. failure

Repeat the listed options above,however please subtract sturdy 12 year old & sloping path. But do add to the list--6. call DH and whimper. Note this was achieved AFTER arrival at EMU because the prospective addition of #7 seemed fruitful, ask little chubby man with big key ring if he has jumper cables in his truck.

"No." he replies,"...but HE (pointing behind me to HS parkinglot) does." I glanced behind me and saw to my glee, TWO MORE chubby guys with big key rings and they were fixing a broken bus. I played the stupid chick card and got a jump from the maintenance guys.

Isabel went in to school and I drove to work--where I sat... with the engine running for 45 minutes. Thankfully me and my Odwalla bar, to go mug (Thank you Trex) full of java (thanks to DH) just calmly listened to NPR's Morning Edition.

Everybody cross your fingers that the bug starts when I leave campus eh?
Guess who is getting a new battery for Thanksgiving!! ME!!! yay!!

No whey!! YES!! WHEY!!

Saturday we made mozzarella. There are pix at the new album to the left. We shall definitely be doing this again--it was FUN. Hey--do you know anybody with a cow or a goat?? Things we learned: 1. there are levels of pasteurization 2. warm mozzarella is delish 3. we doubt whether there is an actual difference between "cheese salt" and any other kosher salt. 3. we prly paid too much for the thermometer and cheesecloth but where the hell else would we get the rennet? Now we have enough rennet for 60 batches. 4. One gallon of milk = 1/2 lb cheese (not counting the bites we ate 5. Citric acid looks pretty boring despite it's spiff packaging.

What is rolling through my brain

8 grown ups 2 kids (potential for two more of each. Come On Burrows' household you can blow off work!)

da Menu:

pre bird snackies=olives, pickles, ho-made mozzerella, crackers nuts etc--

MEAL=
Turkey (local free range from Kirk Coleman's farm) will be brined overnight and roasted with a maple glaze--dressing out side of bird--apples inside of bird
taters--smashed w/gravy
sweet tater (w/ mini smushmellows) casserole
green beans (some how haven't quite settled on this: The contenders are: Daddy wants the Campbell's soup & fried onion combo--Pete wants evil&withered & Izzy wants steamed....I am NOT making three green bean dishes)
tinned cranberry jello served in perfect round slices
actual cranberry & orange relish
Zoli's sour dough rolls with Poppy seed and sesame (real butter)

Post Bird Treats=
punkin pie w/ real whipped cream
choc/punkin cheesecake--new idea
choc silk pie A la Rollo


I like it.

This morning in the Freep...

Phillipa Gregory writes historical fiction, really accurate and interesting retellings of famous bits of history. Period dramas if you will--with really great sex scenes. My favorite of hers is "The Other Boleyn Girl" and I noticed this morning that Terry Lawson, Free Press Film critic extrordinaire, was interviewing Natalie Portman (Isabel's hero). Ms. Portman shared the info that she and Scarlett Johansson (Pete's hero but for a entirely different reason) will be in Peter Morgan's film version of Gregory's book.

YAY!!

Tea & a fantasy road trip

There is a fantastic little shop in Stratford, (Canada not England) --not that I've been there in the last year ): called Distinctly Tea. They have a spiff web presence here. They are located at 18 York St.

I feel there is always something inherently "good" about lower numbered addresses; some antique karma that says "I have been here the longest, I have roots." which a street addy that reads 678455513 Seven Mile Rd just doesn't evoke.

We found "Distinctly Tea" about four or five years ago when we were killing time between plays. It is very near the lake--in the back. It isn't up on Tourist Row, it is a picturesque little alley that reminds me of nothing so much as Vieux Ville in Quebec. (say it right! Kay beck)

Lovely people in a beautiful space, so calm and pleasant. The glowing wood floors and atmosphere of a lovingly cared for 100+ year old building housing sparkling glass apothecary jars sealing in the most heavenly scents. Delicately dried and preserved white tips and crumbly black shards of brewing temptations.

Ordering some Darjeeling online is just not the same as smelling broken-leaf Assam. Such an elegant experience, the perfect black with dark copper tips. The bold bite wafting up like the cartoon finger of steam in a Merry Melodies cartoon pie. When you are in the shop you can't wait to rush back to the room and tap your foot till the tea is infused, to smell the vibrant aroma so reminiscent of honey, and perhaps a hint of malt. The first sip warms your soul--calm descends-- the finish has notes as distinctive as red wine. More shopping?? feh-- just make me a cuppa. OH No WAY! They will!-they will brew you a cup right there. If I weren't so clearly aware that I also wanted to hit Elizagoth which has awesome kitsch and to actually see the plays for which we have purchased tickets, I would have never left this shop.

I would still be there learning that saying Chai Tea is the same as saying Tea Tea--kinda dumb, and that steeping and straining methods or pottery vs. glass are just as important topics of conversation as say George W. or the beautiful former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Good luck girl. I'll bet you could use some tea. It fixes things.

shoulda listened to my Mom

The day after I buy two pounds of michigan cherries to make a cherry lavender pie I discover that my Mom was correct.


When she came down for a visit and we wandered around the newly purchased property-- she pointed to plants that she recognized from her gardening experiences. She said, "Sweetie that's a cherry tree." I, smart mouth brat that I am said, "Nunt uh--It's crab apple; if those are cherries--well then I am tall svelte rock star." We moved on-- exploring and poking and trying to keep stupidawg under control.

Yesterday while I waited for the electrician to hook up the hot tub (It's still a cold tub--the heater died in transport.)-- I cleared brush (hey I'm presidential!!) and I dragged the never ending garbage outta the woods. This sweaty hair tangling in the branches work got me close enough to said fruit bearing tree to realize that I was standing on 20 thousand little mushballs with a slippery marble implanted in them. "Self" I said to myself, "Crabapples do not have pits. Nor do they smell like cherries." I had to admit my mamacita was correct.



Next year we pay attention and harvest our cherries BEFORE they turn into bird food. I'll send Izzy up the tree like the little monkey she is and we shall have nummy cherries. For those of you intrepid readers..yes I tasted one..tangy but highly edible. And waaaay better that the most horrible tasting berry in the world which is still unidentified. Carol and I think it might be a sloe berry and that it won't ripen until after the frost. all I know is when I tasted it every instinct in my brain said "spit!!... spit now!!"

Fresh paint

We left the chips up for a week. Three outta five residents liked "Sweet Honey", one vote for Spicy Pumpkin (Isabel) and one for Dandelion (z.) We spent the bulk of the weekend painting.


I am pleased. Now...onto the drapes. MISSION: Cotton velvet-- lined and properly hung.

Book Report

Did you ever get a book from the library and realize that you should have bought it?

I think I have a new hero. Last spring Barbara Kingsolver was on NPR discussing her new non-fiction book (I haven't read any of her fiction--she was on the Oprah List & that takes some serious pushing for me to get over--sounds like one of them is Mosquito Coast-ish which was very engaging

--but I digress let's stay on topic. The topic dear reader is local food.

She has an asparagus bed--and morels--I am inspired and share her concern about the food we buy, grow and devour--despite bristling at her phrasing "feel like a Wiccan" when the UPS guy "catches" her making cheese. Okay a.) I want to make cheese and b.) some of my dearest friends are Wiccan and frankly she doesn't seem to be helping dissolve any misconceptions with that little adjective bomb. However she can turn a phrase and her metaphor simplifying our carbon footprint into drinking a quart of motor oil has stuck in my head.

She is just trying to help us remember what's in season.

INSERT PERSONAL ANECDOTE SUPORTING CONCEPT:

I get a produce box from Door to Door and I may be switching from that company soon because I had gullibly believed it was local--till I got papaya and pineapple (dear readers will remember) that I am pretty sure were not grown in Michigan--Kingsolver labeled these well travelled fruits--"the Hummers" of the nutrition world.

Don't use no double negatives.

William Safire cracks me up. He is well known for his syndicated political column for The New York Times, but my fave factoid is that he is a regular contributor to "On Language" in the NYT Sunday Mag. The column is on popular etymology, new or unusual usages, and other language-related topics.

He has generated a list which I am handing out to my poor trapped guinea pigs today--"Fumblerules". It consists of sarcastically composed sentences such as
"Do not put statements in the negative form."
--which brings me right around to the most confusing construction--the phrase/fragment that reads something like:

"I would not be unhappy to have a bar of chocolate." GADS! I hate that. Be precise--say what you mean.

Another example of Safire's wit? "Verbs has to agree with its subjects." snicker

I think it is funny.

purposely vague

I went to a meeting last night...it was apparently a convention of Stepfordwives(tm) and Mr Roger's clones. Everyone was so...so...CLEAN and well fed. It scared me. Nothing like the crowd in the city. Each "individual" (I use that term loosely) was in Complete agreement with everyone about everything--no discussion, no alternating opinions--no passion. It was so...white bread, so perfectly well behaved. The gathering of those who abide in houses that the house shitter shit out (to quote my dear one) was to discuss the new park.

If I am the creative rebel--if I am the dynamic force--well Groucho said it best..
"I don't want to be a member of a club that will admit me."

Now granted they were celebrating a victorious lawsuit to purchase said property away from nasty developers--and I know I have a couple associates in the subs somewhere --but honestly...they were, hell I can't think of the word...oh hang on--UNIFORM!

Not my first choice for a morning activity

Mulching leaves at Wallace took about oh... 45 minutes. I have been mulching leaves for over two hours. AND I'M NOT DONE! I have to let the mower cool off. My ears are ringing--not as bad as the were on National Chipper Vac Day--but bad enough. I think I vibrated my pinky off. I feel like a poorly groomed race horse--got all sweaty now I am freezing. It is supposed to snow tonight. Happily for the only bit of "lawn" we are concerned about being *turf* is all good. I got the croquet field mulched up and put in the compost barrel. The barrel always amazes me. Ya stuff it full and it all just magics itself into 1/16 it's former mass. I shoulda took three pictures-- one of the area with the leaves--one shot without the the leaves (just straight lines of mulch--like when you vacuum plush carpet--the ugliest green and gold striped shag carpet--kinda Brady Bunch style... and then the third pic would have to wait for the small pile of "black gold" I will get this spring. At least the croquet field is okay for this batch of droppings--the two biggest trees are still holding their leaves but I bet they drop them this week. Then I did the outside of the driveway (s) and put those clippings on the flower bed by the parking spots--but if global warming works in my favor it will rain like a bitch--wash the new mulch down into the turf--freeze the clingy leaves--they drop-- and I repeat what I did this morning on a some sunny day next week. Gods--if I ever needed convincing for the native grass meadow (which I didn't) I am convinced now that monoculture manicured lawns are the devil's work. I promise you dear one-- any chance of maintaining the golf course are DEAD. This place is freaking huge. We gotta get a goat.

I can't wait till they tear up the barn area for the geothermal coils. Then I can see what planting pattern I will have. I think they are gonna do a big loop? Soon I will know for sure..we got approved for the financing and they claim to have it all done by Turkey Day---EEP!

Cook's Symposium

This was my second ever Cook's Symposium. click here Mom I didn't take the camera tho when I find the link to everybody else's pictures. I will link to them, especially the shots of Helewyse (my sausage muse) when she quartered a chicken in about 30 seconds flat. I will never pay for somebody else to cut up my chicken again.

So--we left Ypsi about 8:40 and got to Kazoo in great time but then a cute (but fierce looking) cop wouldn't let us off the freeway where we wanted to so we took the grand tour all around Kalamazoo including a quick jaunt through the "Holiday Parade" they conveniently forgot to tell us about. Rollo has the best toys--his GPS on his phone pointed out that we were still off by two miles--we corrected course and finally got to the site about ten to 11; thus effectively missing Hauviette's 16th C Ottoman class. Serious bummer. Okay be flexible--next class? YAY Helewyse and the afore mentioned "Knife skills" class--dude..she is a goddess. The care and feeding of one's knives is an important thing and I trust the daughter of a butcher. I learned much--had some basic beliefs confirmed and got reprimanded firmly for putting my knives in the dishwasher. CAVEAT: The fact that they get their own space, not touching anybody else or anything only earned tightly pursed lips. Okay so then I finally found Faillen and Kassia (I knew Vickie would be in the lunch tavern) and we scooted off to different classes.

Rollo's Anglo-Scandinavian Feast class (really more of a guided discussion brainstorming session) went really well-- and I repeat I have never met a Viking I didn't like. We had a great discussion centered on the reason FOR feasting and how the SCA feast is really a hybrid animal--a mythical beast perhaps? I learned that the Oseburg Burial Tripod is really prly an honorific grave site token thing and not actually a functional kitchen item. I don't care cuz the replica somebody brought along was sooo damn sexxxy--sigh

I didn't make Alys Catherine's comfit class but that is okay cuz I spent a VERY happy two hours in Giles' class learning about period food preservation. Giles shared an anecdote he found during his research that is a little icky--but I like icky and I'll bet I have you attention now eh? Okay so these archeologists are working and they find some sealed amphoras--yay for them--bad form they pop the tops off and discover 10,000 year old honey--and damn! It still tasted good--second brave (but scientifically irresponsible) archeologist wants to taste ancient honey too and dips his hand down in further into the jar for a bigger scoop and pulled up...( i had guessed a cat) EWWWWW BABY HAIR!!! EWWWWWWW. They mummified a kid in the honey!!!

I of course start thinking it had to be a slave kid or something cuz wouldn't an honored heir (hair heir get it? bad pun) get better treatment than a cooking jar full o honey? Then I start thinking oooh maybe they murdered the kid and this is where they hid the body---hmmm I think I smell a short story--or an Amelia Peabody plot!
Later in the class a tiny light bulb went off over my head when I realized..I OWN A CHIMNEY!!! EEEEP!!

I bought the CD with the facsimile cookbook and everybody's handouts (Oh--in case you were wondering? Vikings don't give handouts--they take them!) Can't wait to check it out--it better be Mac friendly!

Rollo and I split after Kassia & Faillen announced that we would be getting together for a whole new holiday twixt xmas & newyears--- GLUTTONY DAEG!! (More details later)

We hit Bell's YUM for dinner. They moved the general store to the front of the block and we did NOT go in--that would have been too much unsupervised fun--I finally tasted the 8000 batch that is like $15 for a freaking six pack and found it to be a tangy yummy VERY strong ale. They served it is a tiny little brandy snifter--which was clever cuz that shit was heady--wowsers!

We got home a smidge before nine and I, pathetic geezer that I am-- was asleep by 9:30.

de-decorating

Humph. It really isn't as much fun taking down the decorations as putting them up... nor enjoying them. Our fun new additions this year included a bat that flies around in circles in a very realistic fashion (Very funny L. ha ha) and a collection of tiny action figures from The Rocket.

One set is "B" movie victims and the other is Glo in the Dark zombies. I mingled these little peeps in amongst the candles on the mantle. So it looks like the zombies are chasing the movie extras. Of course, like the letters that hold Solstice stockings and spell out "S" "A" "N" "T" "A"--the figures kept getting re-arranged and placed into compromising positions--loyal readers will remember Peter's prison deer-- OI!-- so instead of "Santa" our mantle often reads "Satan" or "a Stan". Pete & Matty keep joking they are gonna buy more letter shaped hooks from target (there is often Joy and Noel available) and expand the lexicon.
Yeah--so our first official Samhain mantle decorations were zombies hunting b movie victims and more often then not the zombies and screaming women would be "interacting", similar to the reindeer for the yard--Pete placed them in "rutting mode" sigh...

But all the porch lights are in and the punkin candles rewrapped and serving platters tucked away. My favorite holiday is done till next year--happily we have lots of sugar leftover.

Why haven't the kids eaten it all yet? Because we filled a large plastic cauldron with treats for our NEW neighbors while we went tricksy treating back in NPNA.

I turned on the skull lights & the orange lights lining the front porch...when I placed the "Take one! Happy Halloween" sign
BUT-- I failed to flip on the porch light. The "international symbol that we want to play" signal (alternately known as the "Bitch, the light is out! The candy is GONE! beacon) I suck. *bad neighbor* At least nobody TP-ed us & now we are up two bags of Reese's! Yay us!

oh my head hurts

*WARNING BORING EDUCATIONAL THEORY FOLLOWS. There is nothing funny or conversational or slightly entertaining in this blog post just my exasperated mental vomitus. hey... it's my blog and I'll whine if I want to.*

It isn't like riding a bike; teaching I mean. Three and half years off was apparently enough of a break to hold the cheerful level for one month. Today sucked. Sometimes I am pretty sure the kids are smarter than me. At other times I wonder how the idiot standing in front of me managed to get his pants on. Oh wait --they do seem to be sagging pretty horribly...perhaps he can't generate a complete sentence because he knows we can all see his underwear. I personally would be distracted away from compositional topics if I knew the entire Halle Library could see *MY* drawers.

Today was a very frustrating experience for me. It was another day of spinning my wheels and jumping through somebody else's hoops. I am trying to maintain my respected colleague's syllabus with the dawning realization that I cannot read her mind simply by running my finger over the printed words of her handouts. This lack of understanding on my part should in no way diminish the plan said colleague laid out for the students, but I am at a loss as to how to "discuss" something we have already covered for an hour & 15 minutes. You see dear one,much of what is coming up makes more sense in my head to have been done early in the writing process. I have looked ahead in the syllabub (intentional pun there as I need a drink) to see another day spent at the library--then a week of conferences, and the assigned readings are some sample papers from past terms and really..honestly not a lot to work with--buzz words and useless page numbers. Thank the gods that Turkey Day is in the middle of this last month or my brain might implode. I have to keep her scheduled due dates because we are on that path now--but I am gonna have to dig and I mean dig deep to get at least three more class periods organized into a more efficient use of these kids' time. There is time allotted for presentations?? WWHHAATT??? why weren't these done back by the proposals when questions and discussion generated could help formulate a thesis statement. It is kinda late in the term to start questioning one's topic choice. ARRRRRGHH.

I can't just sit there and stare at them--we have to DO something. Maybe I'll teach them how to play poker for Halloween candy. That would be just as effective a time waster as going to the library en masse.