Random Tuesday

I'm linking up with Stacy for Random Tuesday Thoughts.

{Heavy sigh} Where to start?  The last week has been chock full of activity, both in our nation and around our house.  Terror acts, mudslides, rains, Jerry Lewis!  I cannot even begin to comment on the sad events in Charlottesville.  There are just no words.  I try to avoid politics on the blog, and I don't want to change that, but we need to pull together as a country against all evil, both abroad and at home.

Moving on to cheerier topics... How'd you like the eclipse?  It was more spectacular than I thought it would be.  My son, the lucky dog, was in Wyoming and got to see the full eclipse.  He is there as the last part of his study abroad class.  The first part was in Australia, but since it's an astronomy class, they spent the last week in Casper so they could see the full effect of the eclipse.  He said it was, "Way cool," and he wants to do it again if he ever gets the chance.

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He loved the activity they did after the eclipse just as much.  They hiked the Lee McCune Braille Trail on Casper Mountain.  They wore visibility-obscurring glasses and used guide ropes to follow the trail.  They got proof that when your vision is impaired, your other senses are heightened.  Cool, huh?  He said it made him even more grateful for his sight, too.

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Soooooo. School started yesterday.  Fun, fun!  I have HUGE classes this year, but for the most part, they seem like good kids.  But, boy!  The first full day back was super long, partly because we had time during the day to take them out for the eclipse, but partly because it was just the first day.  Lots of kids not knowing where to go or how to get there.  I'm exhausted from it!  But I'm predicting a better-than-average year.

My son returns from Wyoming today and starts another semester at college tomorrow.  My daughter will be driving back to college today although her classes won't begin until next Monday.

The Jerry Lewis telethon for Muscular Dystrophy was always the sign that school was about to start when I was young.  School never started before Labor Day, and the telethon was always that weekend.  As a teenager, I used to work the phones at the local donation center in my town.  I looked forward to it.

In 1971, when I was six, Jerry Lewis guest starred on another childhood favorite of mine, The Carol Burnett Show.  Here's a clip.  Hope you like it!


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Random Tuesday

Wow!  What a first day back!  Yesterday was the first day for returning teachers.  Not only that, but they had sixth grade orientation, too.  That made for a 10 1/2 hour day.  But it was a good day.  Our new principal (she used to be one of our APs) did some creative planning and had us doing things that were more than just sitting there listening.  That's a first.  We even had a field day of sorts and a creative activity.  Plus, I met many of my students.  I think it's going to be a great year!

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Our K-12 students return to school Monday the 21st.  My son's classes start the 23rd, and my daughter's on the 28. But me?  I'm back.  My summer is over.  It was fun while it lasted.

My daughter has a new boyfriend.  She's 21, and this is only her second actual boyfriend.  No, she's not ugly.  😛 She's particular, and she should be.  She is so good compared to me at her age.  I'm really proud of her.  My son, too.  He has taken a more proactive attitude toward school since the summer started even going so far as to sign up for a study skills class to help in college.  He finishes his summer class up in Wyoming next week where they will get to see the eclipse.  We won't be able to see it from here.

Here's some teacher humor to make you smile!

Thank you to this website for some clever puns.

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Have a great week, and link up with Stacy for some random Tuesday thoughts!

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Sunday Synopsis

The Prince by Kiera Cass
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Prince is a companion story to The Selection. The Selection is told from America Singer's perspective. The Prince tells some of Prince Maxon's background and his point-of-view after his first meeting with America. It also acts as a prequel to the second novel, The Elite.

I love Kiera Cass' writing. I love the details she includes. But this novella missed out on the opportunity to aquaint the reader even better with Maxon, his lifestyle, his hopes, his ambition. It also doesn't fully describe the feelings he had for America.

I read this story about two years after I read The Selection. I wish it had been available then because it was hard to go back and place myself in the proper part of the story in which it happened. And in reality, these details could have been included in the original novel.

The Guard by Kiera Cass
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Guard is set between books 2 and 3 of The Selection series. The guard is Aspen Leger, America's first love. He is working as a guard at the castle for a number of reasons, but first and foremost, to be near America and protect her. During this companion story, Aspen is still head over heels in love with America, so I have trouble reconciling the fact that they both choose someone else in the end.

All in all, I enjoyed this story more than The Prince because the reader gets a glimpse into parts of the castle that don't involve Maxon or America, and we also get to see a perspective from someone who is not part of the selection process.

There is a teaser for The One, the next novel in the series, toward the end. And because they are close to the end, Aspen and America's relationship does not make sense. I really wish she'd just included this story in one of the books.

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Wordless Wednesday

Young Life Camp, Colorado, January, 2017. copyright Forgetfulone

image-in-ing weekly photo linkup.

Wordless Wednesday

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Random Tuesday

I'm linking up with Stacy for some randomness.

I must admit... I've been watching this season of The Bachelorette.  It may (or may not) have anything to do with the fact that she's from my home state, or it may (or may not) have anything to do with the fact that I saw her on last season's Bachelor, which I may (or may not) have other reasons why I was watching that.  That season of The Bachelor was the first one I had seen in a long time.

Anyway, I don't do well with shows that I have to wait a week or two to find out the resolution of a cliff hanger, or in this case, a rose ceremony.  So I recorded them all.  I watched the first four all on the same night, then a week or so later, another four, then I watched everything that was left except the finale, which I watched the night it aired.  I was really surprised how it ended, not necessarily with who she chose, but with how it all happened.

Now, I realize that much of it is scripted, and I've seen outtakes that show what was said to them off camera in order to get them to respond a certain way to catch on camera, but I still enjoy it.  I suppose there's some romance missing in my life.

Wait, what?  Next week???? Oh, I am so not ready!  I've enjoyed having almost no obligations, being able to stay up late, being able to sleep late, having my kids home for at least part of the summer. Speaking of which, my son just returned from his study abroad trip to Australia where he learned a lot and had a great time.

 Next, he gets to go to Casper, Wyoming to see the total eclipse!  I'm excited for him.  Me?  Not so excited to go back to work in six days.  Oh well.  Such is life.

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Sunday Synopsis

16th Seduction by James Patterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a thrill ride. The only negative thing I have to say is that the coauthor tends to use more similes than Patterson, and I can always tell when she has written them and not him. The book covered two major plots with suspense and interest. It had me wondering how Lindsey would get out of this predicament.

Seargent Lindsey Boxer finally has Joe back in her life and is trying to figure out how she, Joe, and their baby daughter can go back to the normal way they lived prior to his disappearance. They are working on it when a San Francisco museum is blown up. They seem to be at the right place at the right time when a man who is acting strangely takes credit for the explosion. Joe, of course, runs in to see what he can do to save the people inside, and a few minutes later, there is another blast. While Joe is in the museum.

What seems like a simple case with the confession of the mastermind behind the blast becomes anything but simple. Following the trial, Lindsey is served with papers saying that she is being sued. This could be the end of her career.

Action, emotion, and suspense are the bedrocks of Patterson's writing, and this will not disappoint the typical fan.

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