My Summer Reading List (so far)

I love to read.

This is not news for anyone who knows me, works with me or has been in my class at WLHS. Summer is the part of the year when I catch up on all the reading I have missed out on during the school year and my grad classes.

I scoured the Books a Million close to our house and found some books I can't wait to start reading. In no particular order, here they are:

1. The Meaning of Matthew: My Son's Murder in Laramie and a World Transformed, Judy Shepard: Sometimes I feel like I preach tolerance into a room so full of outside noise that no one hears. The Matthew Shepard legislation on hate crimes is incredibly important to me, so I'm excited I found this book.

2. South of Broad, Pat Conroy: I've never read anything by Pat Conroy, but people who are "book people" like me have raved about him, so here goes nothing! I love that this book is set in Charleston, one of my favorite places and a vacation destination this summer!

3. God's Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question: Why We Suffer, Bart D. Ehrman: Dr. Ehrman is one of my all-time favorite professors. His class at UNC is always full and draws lots of attention because of his controversial content. I have picked up each of his books as I've encountered them, and this one was in a clearance section :)

4. The Water is Wide, Pat Conroy: Again, I've never read anything by Conroy, but this is the book that seems to be the most popular. It's his first person account of teaching, so you know that's in my interest range. I was drawn to this one because of its subject and its genre. I can read lots of fiction, but sometimes a girl needs to broaden her horizons.

5. Eats, Shoots and Leaves: Illustrated Edition, Lynne Truss: Another book I've been after that I found on clearance. My inner nerd did a little dance when I picked this gem off the shelf. I'm hoping it will have some teachable content, too. No point in not getting as much out of it as possible!

On a side note, and I don't intend to use this blog for political purposes (though it's mine and I can!), the look I was given by the guy at the register was...interesting? quizzical? I don't know. Here's the scene that ensued:

Cashier:"isn't that Matthew book about a guy who got killed because he was supposedly gay?"

What?

"Um," I stammer, trying to police myself so I don't make a scene, "The Matthew Shepard legislation is about hate crimes." Good, PC answer.

"Oh..." he gives me that weird look again. "God's Problem, huh?"

"Yes," why am I defending myself at the book store?! It's my money!

"Dr. Ehrman was my professor at UNC. I have all his books."

"Hmph," he says. Can I just pay now?!

Note: no comments on Conroy, nothing on Eats Shoots and Leaves...just judge my politics and your perception of my religion.

Ahhh, life in the South.

Summer Playlist

You know, there is just some music that must be played in the summertime. I am one of those people who needs her music to match her mood. So, here's my summer playlist for 2010 (thus far)

• Alejandro, Lady GaGa: I really like the almost 80s/90s vibe a la Ace of Base this one has. Oh, and the line "just light my cigarette and hush" is pretty awesome :)

• California Girls, Katy Perry: What's not to love about this song? Except for the fact that I would NEVER rock the Daisy Dukes and Bikinis on Top. Favorite line: "Sun kissed skin so hot it'll melt your popsicle"

• Whataya Want From Me, Adam Lambert: I have loved him since American Idol. He's fierce!

• When We Were Beautiful, Bon Jovi: From the album "The Circle". Has a really nice vibe for driving.

• Fast Cars and Freedom, Rascal Flatts: one of my all time favorite songs by this band. SCREAMS summer!!

• Piece of Me, Britney Spears: Come on, is any summer playlist complete without something from everyone's favorite pop star train wreck?

• Fearless, Colbie Calliat: This song really helped me get through Johnathan's initial diagnosis and treatment. I've included it here as a reminder of how far we have come as a family and how strong my husband is and will continue to be.

• Like a Prayer, Glee Cast Version: 2 things I love combined: this classic Madonna tune and my favorite show on television. And, the mix itself is actually amazing!!

• Battlefield, Jordin Sparks: Another American Idol alum I love. This girl has some serious pipes! This song has an awesome bass and was made to be turned up LOUD!

• Gasoline, Rob Thomas: Rob Thomas is good in Matchbox 20, and just as good as a solo artist. This song has some great lyrics and shows off his vocals nicely :)

What are YOUR summer hits? Leave them in the comments!

Sweet Summer

I did it.

I finished another school year!! *cue applause*
WOOHOO!!

I have to admit, I'm a little pleased with myself. A lot of change has happened this year both personally and professionally and I think I've grown because of all of it, good bad and ugly. I'm really grateful to have a fabulous teacher and friend on each side of me on the hall :) I am slowly defining who I am as part of the faculty and even though it's been slow going, I think it's finally developing.

Graduation is tomorrow (Saturday) and I will get to see some of my honors students as Junior Marshals and the group of Seniors I taught this year will be doing the walk. I'm incredibly proud of them for coming this far. It wasn't easy for some, but thank goodness they made it!

I have a lot of plans for the summer travel-wise. I hope to get back to a few hobbies (ha! who ever knew I had any?) that have fallen by the wayside in the last couple of years. Sad, I know :( Hopefully I will be reconnecting with writing, scrapbooking and of course I'll be reading books! Maybe I will even get around to writing about some of the hobbies I undertake. We'll see ;)

I think this is the beginning of a fantastic summer.