Intro

Blogging seems a bit like adding a drop of tap water to the middle of the Pacific and expecting people to stand around applauding.  I don't read any blogs unless you count Bill Simmons. But here I am somewhat hoping friends and family might do for me what I rarely do for them and read my blog. 

I love to read and talk about what I'm reading.  My favorite question to ask a friend is, "What are you reading?"  This summer I got the nagging sense that I wanted to start writing more.  Not necessarily that I had something earth shattering to say but simply that I enjoyed the process, the creativity, the challenge.  I love the way writing and summarizing forces me to wipe the cobwebs from my mind.  So, if anything, this is a bit of a selfish endeavor and I'm trying my best to convince myself it would be fun to do this even without a loyal following.  I'm almost there... I think.

I am a sixth grade reading teacher and that alone seems to suggest that my sanity might not be fully intact.  I'm a trained science teacher and when I found out a year ago that I'd be responsible for an hour and a half of reading everyday, I was less than thrilled.  Petrified might be a better word.  However, last year I had the chance to read aloud my favorite book as a kid, Where the Red Fern Grows to my urban, primarily African American sixth graders.  At the end of the year, I asked them:  "What was your favorite read-aloud (we read 6 out loud together)?"  Every student chose WTRFG.  Of course they did.  It's awesome, and 6th graders know awesome when they see awesome.  Boy, girl, black, white, Hispanic, all 26 kids loved it.  I started thinking, "You mean I can just pick stuff that I like, build it up a little bit and they will dive in with me?"  Within reason...yes.

6th graders have their upside.

My students have a year long assignment to read 25 books and I've commited to read 25 books as well.  They must be certain books of course.  This quarter we must read each of the following: biography, non-fiction, realistic fiction, award winner, poetry, and student (teacher) choice.  I've also commited to the spirit of the assignment as well.  They have to read books at their level (based on reading tests that they take).  Nothing too hard or too easy.  So I'm in as well.  No kid picture books will be found in my 25 books (although I do allow an occasional slightly lower "fun" book.  I've got my eye on the Hunger Games for the 3 book, "topical text" requirement for 4th quarter.)

 If I could pick a handful of my friends, favorite authors, a few guilty pleasure celebrities and athletes, have them write about what they were reading, I think I would read that.  And so here I am.  I'll be sharing thoughts, quotes, and ideas that strike my fancy from the books I'm reading.  I'll try to give spoiler alerts, but if I'm discussing a book you are going to read, it's probably best to simply ignore all posts on that book.  An accidental spoiler will slip out.

Anyway, that's the main thrust.  I'm sure it will evolve over time but this is my vision for the next 9 months.  And if you've come this far, maybe you're willing to come a little further. You remember the name of the town don't you?1  Please feel free to read, not read, post comments, ask questions, throw stones, whatever is standard operating procedure here in blog world.
Thanks for reading, mom, dad and lovely wife...

peace,

td





1. Is there a better way to honor Simmons than a Shawshank quote and an unnessary foot note? I think not.  By the way does anyone know how to do a real foot note on these blogs?  Is it possible??