Updates, and stuff By Catherine on 2/20/2008 11:04:00 AM
This week is February vacation. I just bought a car. Life moves along, as always. I'm failing at my resolution to blog twice a week, but I'm succeeding in making progress with the novel. This is good. I've written 14,000 words since making that resolution. I rule. Obviously.And I think this article is fascinating-- check it out. I mean, I think it's fascinating because I'm a teacher, but I think most people will think it's equally interesting.
I've also been toying with ideas for English classes to teach. They're electives mostly, but I want to outline them for job interviews. These ideas include:
1. The Epistolary Novel (reading including Les Liaisons Dangereuses {Pierre Chodleros de Laclos}, The Perks of Being a Wallflower {Stephen Chbosky}, The Color Purple {Alice Walker}, Poor Folk {Fyodor Dostoevsky}).
2. World Economics in Literature (reading including Animal Farm {George Orwell}, 1984 {George Orwell}, Cry, the Beloved Country {Alan Paton}, The Threepenny Opera {Bertolt Brecht}, The Jungle {Upton Sinclair}). --> emails calling me a communist will be soundly ignored.
3. Literature for Romantics (reading: Water for Elephants {Sara Gruen}, Wuthering Heights {Charlotte Bronte}, Jane Eyre {Charlotte Bronte}, Sense and Sensibility {Jane Austen}, The Awakening {Kate Chopin-- just for a not-so-happy view}).
You know you're a total nerd when you sit around dreaming up English classes you'd like to teach. It's okay, I'm over it.
Labels: education, vacation, writing
Four things By Catherine on 1/30/2008 07:48:00 AM
I don't want to make a habit of posting this stuff, but I was amused by this little survey and figured posting it here was less invasive than flooding everyone's inbox with such inane little factoids on myself. If you feel like responding, permalink and I'll check Technorati for linkbacks.Four (4) things about me that you may or may not have known.
1. I really like sushi
2. I really hate onions (unless they're cooked until they don't resemble onions anymore)
3. I am taking the English MTEL exam next month
4. I have a slight case of OCD... and by slight I mean not slight. Large.
Four (4) jobs I have had in my life
1. Camp counselor
2. Waitress/hostess
3. Cashier at BCF (was Decelle then)
4. Teacher
Four (4) movies I've watched more than once:
1. The Big Lebowski
2. Mary Poppins
3. Independence Day
4. Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Four (4) places where I have lived
1. Northborough, MA
2. Bridgewater, MA
3. Amherst, MA
4. Shrewsbury, MA
Four (4) TV Shows that I watch:
1. Law and Order
2. Forensic Files
3. Jeopardy!
4. Project Runway
Four (4) places I have been
1 . Grenoble, France
2. Ann Arbor, MI
3. Washington, DC
4. Richmond, VA
Four (4) people who email me regularly
1. my mom
2. Amanda
3. Jen
4. Gram
Four (4) of my favorite foods:
1. New England clam chowder
2. Sushi
3. Spaghetti and meatballs
4. Tiramisu
Four (4) places I would rather be right now:
1. Cape Cod
2. Paris
3. Home (am at work-- assembly = no kids)
4. Myrtle Beach
Four (4) people I think will respond:
1.
2.
3.
4. No one.
Four (4) things I am looking forward to this year.
1. Going to France
2. Speaking French (finally)
3. Sunshine and spring
4. Not working a full-time job this summer so I can focus on writing more.
Labels: favorites, s, summer, vacation, writing
I have to post something... By Catherine on 4/23/2007 11:00:00 AM
Or else that god-awful picture will be the first thing anyone sees until forever. A lot has happened in the past few weeks... I was sick and got better, the worst mass murder in US history closed down an institute of higher learning, A and I went to Amherst to visit old friends, a whole group of my students got arrested for possession, and it's finally spring! Summer, even.The news broke in during a game of Scrabble with A's mom-- thirty feared dead at Virginia Tech, among them, the suspect. It was chilly that day, and rainy, and I'd just taken a big sip of molten-hot coffee. I thought I'd choke-- we both gasped, "Oh, my God!" and nursed burnt tongues. Everything that has come out in the last week doesn't need to be rehashed, but, WOW will suffice. I don't have anything intelligent or insightful to add, but I feel weirdly attracted to the story.
The trip to Amherst was wonderful! I miss having all our friends around, and S&S have such a cozy little place for themselves. The BOSB dinner was really fun. Maximus was hysterically drunk, and received his award with much more grace than I could have mustered, given how tanked he was. BOSB dinner tradtion-- get hammered. That's one UMass tradition I didn't participate in... Getting skunked and interacting with administrators never did seem like my cup of tea. I get so self-conscious when I drink, I can't imagine being that confident. Friday was perfectly lovely, complete with corned beef hash and eggs for breakfast (Sylvester's, in Northampton MA, is wonderful, try it out) and plenty of sunshine. I've eaten more take-out and restaurant food this weekend than is reasonable OR healthy. The diet starts tonight! :)
Saturday and Sunday kind of blur together-- sunshine, reading, Scrabble, couscous, beers and burgers. I've got the first touches of color on my arms and face-- legs still too pale to be shown outside the back yard!
As for my students, everyone is ok. That's all I'll say about that here, you never know who trolls your internets...
Labels: Amherst, friends, sunshine, vacation, VT shooting