This is my Summer Of Reviews. Explained here.
Wow, this review is LONG. I won't have this much to say about the other two books in the Hunger Games trilogy. I felt like I had to cover both my review of this book and the expectations it built up for the trilogy as a whole. It's a pretty unwieldy blog post (!), but the basic portions are as follows:
BACKGROUND - why I read it
TRANSITION TO REVIEW - should kids read it?
REVIEW: SUMMARY OF BASIC PREMISE
MY THOUGHTS ON THE BASIC PREMISE
REVIEW: THE CHARACTERS - they are why I cared... why I am writing so much!
REVIEW: THE MAIN ARC OF THE STORY - what is this book trying to say?
(or, What should the point of the trilogy be? / What does the point of the trilogy seem like it's going to be?)
DO I RECOMMEND IT?
________
Review:
The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins
BACKGROUND:
Last fall, the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy (Mockingjay) came out, and there was a lot of buzz about its release. As they had done with the Harry Potter and Twilight installments, bookstores arranged special events for the official release time and young people planned to stay up all night reading. Through blogs and facebook, I saw that there were many people my age who were excited about the series as well.
Then in the spring, my fifth-grade daughter mentioned that her school library had re-classified the Hunger Games books, and were allowing fifth graders to check them out. Many of the fifth-graders had already read them and the talk seemed to be that this series was the thing to read.
My daughter had heard the premise: teenagers sent to an arena and required to fight to the death. The mere thought threatened to give her nightmares, but her classmates told her it was really good. She asked my opinion. I told her that I, too, was a little bit trepidacious about the premise, but that I was interested in reading it. Her response was, "I'll check it out for you to read, and you can tell me if it is scary." (My report back: "definitely scary." She actually seemed relieved to decide "not gonna read it.")
TRANSITION TO REVIEW:
Violent. Gruesome. Brutal. The basic set-up of the story insures that upwards of twenty teenagers will be killed. Not "will die," but "will be killed." By each other. Teenagers killing each other while a country watches on TV. Does this sound to you like something eleven-year-olds should be reading? It sure doesn't to me. But maybe this book is not intended for eleven-year-olds, and their parents, teachers, and librarians should be instructing them to wait a few years. Just because a child is at an 8th-grade reading level doesn't mean he or she should be reading books written for 8th graders... Let's be careful with our children. Once they see, hear, or read something, it can't be un-seen...
Putting that aside, since I hope it's clear where I stand on that, I asked myself a different question: does this sound like something an 8th-grader should be reading? After reading this book, I felt strongly about my answer. That answer was "it depends."
It depended on where this story went in the rest of the trilogy. In my opinion, this could be a fantastic trilogy for middle schoolers (not to mention older teenagers and adults), *** IF *** it went in a certain direction. I was so excited to read the other two books and see if that was the author's plan all along. I had to wait until school was out to have the time, but I found it so hard to wait!
REVIEW: SUMMARY OF BASIC PREMISE
As The Hunger Games begins, we meet its central character, sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen. We also learn about the country of Panem, the North America of some future time period. Panem consists of thirteen districts and a central governing region called the Capitol. Each district has a certain industry (for example, District 3's is electronics and machines, District 4's is fishing, District 8's is textiles, District 11's is agriculture, and District 12's is coal mining). The Capitol takes the products from the districts, and although certain districts are favored by the Capitol and have strong and healthy citizens (Districts 1 and 2), most districts are places of poverty and hunger. The Capitol citizens live lives of luxury and excess.
At some point in Panem's history (roughly 75 years ago), the districts attempted to overthrow the central government. In retaliation, the Capitol blew District 13 off the map to scare the other districts and keep them in line. After the failed revolt, the Capitol was more determined than ever to weaken the districts. One of the steps they took was establishing the annual Hunger Games as a symbol and reminder to the people of Panem that the Capitol will spare no one, not even children, in order to keep its control over the districts.
One boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts, between the ages of 12 and 18, are sent to the Hunger Games each year. They are put into an arena and must fight until only one child remains. That child is crowned the victor, and is rewarded by never having to go hungry again.
The Hunger Games are televised, as are the various ceremonies, interviews, and events surrounding the Games. All citizens of Panem are required to watch. Unlike the fanatical Capitol residents, the residents of the districts hate the Games, but have to act like they enjoy them. (The exception is the "Career" districts, which have the resources to train their children for the Games, so that by the time they are old enough, the children most likely to win volunteer for the Games.)
MY THOUGHTS ON THE BASIC PREMISE:
Okay, so we've got a dystopian society, and the ultimate version of a horrific reality competition show. Don't put too much thought into this world, however, because it doesn't stand up very well to analysis. For example, how big are these districts? Panem is supposed to cover all of North America, and is divided into thirteen districts. We are given some ideas about the geography: Twelve is in Appalachia, Seven is in the Pacific Northwest, the Capitol is in the Rocky Mountains, etc. However, they seem to be the size of a city, both in mileage and in population. Also, there are inconsistencies in terms of the technology of Panem. They are advanced in some ways and old-school in others.
It's not hard, though, to put the analysis aside and just 'go with it.' We readers are drawn into the story when Katniss volunteers to take her younger sister Prim's place in the Hunger Games, and we turn the pages in breathless anticipation of the outcome. Katniss is certain that she is being sent to her death, since there has only been one Victor from Twelve in the history of the Games. Twelve is the poorest district, and its undernourished, underprepared tributes never survive long in the arena.
REVIEW: THE CHARACTERS
Katniss is not going alone, however. With her are the boy tribute from Twelve, her mentor (the previous Victors mentor the current tributes, and since Twelve has only had one Victor, he must mentor all of Twelve's tributes every year), and the chaperone assigned by the Capitol. Katniss also soon meets her stylist and prep team, who are in charge of her 'look.' All of these characters are exceptionally well-drawn, and by the start of the Games itself, the reader really feels like she knows these people. This is, by far, what I thought Collins did best in writing this book.
Here is what I know about the main characters:
Katniss Everdeen:
Katniss has been in pure survival mode for many years. She had a wonderful father who taught her to hunt and forage in the wilderness outside of the district fence (Twelve is thought to be such a weak district that the rules are not really enforced very strictly), but he was killed in a mine explosion. Katniss' mother had a mental breakdown when her husband died, and Katniss had to provide for herself and her younger sister, Prim. She almost did not manage to keep them alive. She has never forgiven her mother for 'abandoning' them, and as a result, has two core beliefs. 1) She will do anything to protect her sister; 2) The only person she can rely on is herself. Katniss doesn't think about anything more complex than that. It's just "survive," one minute at a time.
Her only moments of happiness happen when hunting with her friend Gale Hawthorne, a boy who also lost his father (but, in contrast with Katniss, not his mother) and provides for his siblings. They understand each other instinctively after all of this time spent hunting together. Gale is more reflective than Katniss, however, and has strong opinions about the Capitol and the Games. He seems like a budding revolutionary.
Katniss' mother, now that she is 'back,' is a healer. Katniss gathers the herbs, or trades her pelts/meat for the ingredients, and her mother treats the sick and injured of the district. Prim has a knack for healing, as well.
More of Katniss' qualities are revealed during the lead-up to the Games. She has a fiery temper, and tends to lash out instinctively. She also has a certain captivating quality about her that her stylist Cinna highlights by dressing her in "fire." On the other hand, she also gives off an impression of purity and innocence.
She also has impressive survival skills and is deadly accurate with a bow and arrow. She is, by far, the most interesting tribute Twelve has sent in a long time, and her mentor is changed by the realization that she may actually have a fighting chance.
Peeta Mellark
Peeta is the male tribute from Twelve. He is from the merchant class (his father is a baker), rather than the mine-worker class. Peeta is going into the Games sure that he will not survive, but determined to die on his own terms. He is not willing to play the Games the Capitol's way, brutally killing his competitors, but is trying to figure out how to survive while maintaining his sense of right and wrong. He is sensitive and intelligent, with a gift for public speaking. He and Katniss have a bit of history, as he took a beating from his mother in order to sneak Katniss some bread when she was at her most desperate. He has always admired her (for her inner strength, or something), but Katniss, of course, hasn't given him much thought (again, she can only think about surviving).
During the pre-Games interviews, Peeta reveals that he has been in love with her for a long time. This, along with the way her stylist has highlighted "that certain captivating something about Katniss," ensures that the pair from Twelve are the main focus of the Games audience. Katniss doesn't know if she trusts Peeta and thinks that he is faking it to 'play' the audience. She keeps him at a distance because she knows that one of them will have to kill the other during the Games.
Peeta has decided that his way to defy the Games is to put Katniss' survival above his own. His only goal in the arena is to keep Katniss alive. Like Gale, Peeta wants to see the Capitol overthrown and the Games abolished, but believes that that is best done by changing popular opinion (whereas Gale's approach is warfare). If the audience loves these two tributes, and doesn't want to see them die, they may rebel against the Games themselves.
Incidentally, I think this often gets overlooked by people, but Peeta is portrayed as physically strong in this book. He scores well in training, the Careers are willing to have him join them (although they mainly want him to get at Katniss), and early on he is able to fight off other tributes when he needs to in order to protect Katniss. I felt that his character shows that a person can be strong and able to physically overpower an opponent, but they can still have humanistic ideals for how people and society should behave.
Haymitch Abernathy
Haymitch is the sole Victor from Twelve, and is therefore Katniss's and Peeta's mentor during the Games. It is his job to help each come up with a strategy, as well as send them help (food, medicine, etc) if the viewing audience sends money (people can 'sponsor' tributes they are rooting for). Haymitch is a great character, showing how the Games breaks even the Victors. Even though he survived physically, he did not survive functionally. He spends every day in a drunken stupor, unable to reconcile what he had to do when he was in the arena, as well as the toll mentoring dozens of doomed children has taken on him over the years.
Haymitch is an extremely smart mentor, but very difficult to get along with. He sees that Peeta is genuine and will win the audience's affections just by being honest. He also sees Katniss's nature, and they have a sort of instinctive way of communicating with one another.
REVIEW: THE MAIN ARC OF THE STORY:
Katniss is confused by how to play the pre-Games pomp and ceremony, but nevertheless her "certain something" captures the fancy of both the audience and the gamemakers*. Once inside the arena, however, her well-honed survival instincts take over. Again, we see how un-self-aware she is, but despite the fact that the POV is inside Katniss' head, we get some glimpses of her character through the behavior of other characters. We see that she has feelings, skills, values, and a certain specialness to her, even though she doesn't see these things in herself.
(*There are booby traps in the arena that are controlled by the gamemakers - they use them, as well as supplies and weapons they may or may not make available, to manipulate the game the tributes can play. They can flush them out of hiding with wild animals, fire, rain, etc. They can use those same things to make them move toward more aggressive players, or they can use them to just kill the tributes themselves if the Games get "too boring" for the audience.)
Katniss' game play only continues to captivate the audience, as she shows cunning and skill. More importantly, she shows mercy and tenderness- particularly toward Rue, the young girl she befriends. These displays of humanity must not be seen often in the Games, because Katniss knows they will provoke the ire of the gamemakers and are therefore risky. However, she is willing to risk it, showing how fiercely she holds onto her humanistic ideals. Of course, this is instinct: she doesn't realize any of it because her psyche is too busy surviving to spare the time for self-examination (unlike Peeta, who is far more self-aware).
And the Games play on, gory and violent, deeply disturbing in the graphic portrayal of teen-on-teen brutality. Because the arena is an engineered place, Collins ups the goriness of the deaths far beyond what they would be if this were a depiction of kids fighting in the woods (which would be hard enough to read; this is far worse).
WHAT'S THE BOOK TRYING TO SAY? (or, What should the point of the trilogy be? / What does the point of the trilogy seem like it's going to be?)
To remind you, my overall impression was that I'm very uneasy about this level of violence in a YA book (I would feel this way regardless of the YA classification, to be honest), but that this could be all worth it IF the other books take this story to the right conclusion. And what would that conclusion be?
The thing I kept thinking as I was reading was, "why wouldn't these children just decide, as a group, to refuse to fight?" Simple, right? Nobody kills each other, nobody has to die, Hunger Games over. Collins handles this issue in a few ways. For one, there are the Career tributes. Their districts view the games as an honor and, since they usually produce the Victors, are willing to train their whole lives and then volunteer. Their entire belief system is based on proving themselves as the best player in the arena, and they would never agree to some kind of 'truce.' In fact, they would quickly 'take care of' any tribute that even approached them to discuss it. For another, the tributes know that the arena itself (through the gamemakers) will kill them anyway. And finally, this is the 74th Hunger Games. This has been part of the culture for generations, and they have been indoctrinated into its value system.
Okay, so I was able to 'go with it' that the children wouldn't just refuse to kill one another. But that has to be where this is all heading, right? These teenagers, with their carefully constructed characters and philosophies about the world (and Katniss's innate 'special something' the audience senses in her, even though she's not aware of it; and Peeta's innate ability to verbalize these ideas without the audience really knowing what they're hearing), must be destined to change this dystopian society. There's no other way for this to turn out, right? I mean, everything was so carefully laid out in this book. And if that's the point of the trilogy, that young people's ideals can catch on and change the hearts and minds of an indoctrinated populace, then this series could be truly great... a wonderful thing for teens to read, despite the violence that I found brutally excessive.
With this overall impression, I couldn't wait to read the sequels and find out how Collins planned to take the story to that eventual ending. As I said, I felt like I really knew these characters and understood them, and when I stumbled across an article in Entertainment Weekly about the casting of the forthcoming movie, I realized just how much I cared about these characters. I think the casting has been inspired and definitely in agreement with the way I saw the characters. I was getting excited about the movie as well as Books Two and Three! The Hunger Games was frequently on my mind. As soon as school was over, I dove into Catching Fire (Book Two); that review is coming. (It won't be as long as this one... not even close.)
THE REST CONTAINS SPOILERS....
What I liked:
I liked the contrast between Peeta's way of changing the world (ideas), and Gale's (rebellion). I liked the way Katniss couldn't help but be drawn to Peeta and his innate goodness, although she fought against it because she thought it was just a Games strategy on his part, and then she gave in but is such an un-self-aware person who has never allowed herself to feel anything that she was completely confused by her own feelings for him. She didn't know that what she was feeling was love, but we knew. I thought that was setting up a nice arc for Katniss throughout the trilogy - she will grow to become more in touch with her thoughts and feelings, and become capable of operating as a more complete human being. Eventually, this journey would allow her to realize that she loves Peeta with her whole body, soul, and mind, while she loves Gale as an essential piece of herself, the way you love a best friend you grew up with because you shaped each other; you ARE each other. I was looking forward to going through that realization process with Katniss.
(Actually, I found Katniss' confusion pretty frustrating. You love him, you idiot! I didn't really like the love triangle being set up and wasn't looking forward to Katniss playing with the emotions of both boys while she became self-aware. As I said, though, I was looking forward to her getting there and was willing to put up with it for the eventual payoff.)
I also liked how the ultimate defiant act that ended the Games was not clear in Katniss' mind - was she doing this because of her love for Peeta, or as a way to defy the Capitol and ultimately refuse to play their game? Of course, we see that it serves both functions. Katniss can take both journeys during the rest of the trilogy.
I liked the set-up of Katniss as orchestrator of a new Panem, the cause symbolized by the mockingjay pin. Clearly, all this time spent describing her 'certain something' so clear to the citizens, Peeta, and Haymitch as well as her ability to demonstrate humanistic values on pure instinct (her fiery temper, her mercy, her placing the survival of Prim, Rue, and Peeta over her own...) are setting her up to realize her role in changing the mindset of the populace and changing the rule. With Peeta as the voice of the ideals, and Katniss as the untamed emotions growing into being the voice of action, this was looking to be a fanstastic story of a good society rising up out of the ashes... led by teenagers, so often the voice of idealism in society - even better.
*** IF *** that's where this trilogy is going. If not, it's just an excuse to sell books using shocking violence.
DO I RECOMMEND IT?
Only if the trilogy turns out to be satisfying in the ways I mentioned, because this book ends in a way that leaves us hanging. So much so, that it would be frustrating to read ONLY this book, and even MORE frustrating to read all three if the trilogy as a whole doesn't live up to what has been so effectively set up and foreshadowed.
Sorry to leave it hanging like this, but that verdict will have to wait...
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Movie reviews: Gnomeo & Juliet and Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part One
I continue my summer of reviews (still working on my reviews of the Hunger Games trilogy) as explained here.
This weekend we rented a couple of movies. I watched Gnomeo & Juliet with the kids, and then after they went to bed The Hubby and I watched Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part One (actually, he slept).
Review:
Gnomeo & Juliet
I liked this movie! I tend to like animated movies, although I pretty much only watch ones that get good reviews.
It's pretty obvious from the title that this is a re-telling of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, set in a duplex and involving garden decorations. And Elton John songs, for some reason, but it's so joyful that we can't help but go with it. In one yard are the "blue" gnomes (they have blue hats), and next door are the "red" gnomes (yep, red hats). There is a rivalry involving lawnmower racing, setting up an escalating series of actions intended to "seek revenge" on the other side's yard.
Gnomeo, a lawnmower racer, is the "blue (queen)'s" son (she's not a queen, but she is the leader for some reason). Juliet is the "red (king)'s" daughter, and is supposed to stand atop a castle-shaped fountain, holding a rose and looking lovely. Her father is overprotective because he misses her mother, and he frequently insists that she remember that she's delicate. Because this movie was made this year, Juliet is of course a modern girl - tough and adventurous - and refuses to behave as though she is delicate.
What I loved most about this movie was the clever dialogue. It paid homage to Romeo & Juliet without clinging too tightly to the original. I enjoyed the references to certain scenes (as well as the many Shakespeare references, both background and foreground), and was also glad that the movie had the freedom to tell its own story. It uses a new voice and tone, and I found it thoroughly enjoyable.
In particular, I loved the scene when Gnomeo and Juliet met, as well as their "balcony" scene and the time they spent getting acquainted in the abandoned garden. What a "meet-cute" scene it was! They were both disguised, ninja-like, and she was trying to get an orchid from the abandoned greenhouse because she thought it would prove to her father that she is tough and able to take care of herself. It was an action sequence, with back-and-forth both physically and verbally. Nothing terribly original, since we frequently see this kind of "they-are-equals" set-up in modern movies, but still a fun ride. In this scene, I found the Elton John song distracting, though. I was thinking, "who is singing this?" and I didn't feel that the song's vibe matched the scene's pacing very well.
Their "date" in the abandoned garden was a pleasure as well, as they discover a shared interest in lawnmowers (stand-ins for muscle cars) and hot-rodding with them. Juliet is happily surprised to discover that Gnomeo neither tells her to be careful, nor is he threatened by her ability to drive the mower. A real man's masculinity wouldn't be threatened by a capable woman, after all - this is certainly a theme in the modern fairy tale romance! Anyway, the whole thing is as cute as we could hope, and then a lovable character is introduced to boot! My kids fell head-over-heels for the silly pink plastic flamingo. I felt my cheek muscles fatiguing as well.
Finally, I liked the way the movie handled the re-written ending. Of course, they had to change the ending - it's an animated comedy, after all (Elton John, remember?), not a tragedy. But they worked in a wink-wink about the change that I thought was very clever. Gnomeo has a conversation about it with a Shakespeare statue in the park. Shakespeare tells Gnomeo how it's going to end, and it's perfectly in Gnomeo's character to respond with "oh yeah? We'll see about that!" (It's written much better than that, actually.)
I loved the palette of the movie (bright!), the overall tone (joyful!), the updated characters, and yes, the music (with one exception, as I noted earlier). I don't want to wrap up without mentioning the animation of the facial expressions and movements, as well as the voice acting.
A winner! I think we'll end up owning this one!
_____________________________
Review: Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, Part One
Wow, was this movie BORING.
I can't say I'm surprised, since the 7th book in the Harry Potter series (I'm a fan) contains a LONG portion where a LOT Of nothing happens. When I heard that they were turning book 7 into two movies, I wondered how they would do that, because what would happen in the first movie? That's why this is the only Harry Potter movie I didn't rush out to see in the theater. It turns out, my fears were well-founded.
They definitely had a tough task due to the way the story develops in the book. Dumbledore is gone, and Harry is left with a hero's quest but no idea how to even begin to accomplish it. What's more, the Death Eaters are hunting him down, so not only is Harry not safe, but everyone in his vicinity is vulnerable as well. He, Hermione, and Ron go into hiding (Hermione's uncommon skill with magic makes that possible), and sort of sit around for months waiting for some inspiration. A tough thing to film, I'll admit.
However, that's not the biggest problem I had with the film. No, that would be the pacing of the whole movie. This, I would say, was a failure.
The first part moves along rather well, and you would expect that the pacing would slow down for the heroes-in-hiding portion, and then ramp back up for some action sequences in the third act. There were action sequences, but the problem was that they felt slow, too! Slow, quiet, with stony-faced characters. A fight with Nagini, a visit with the strange Mr. Lovegood, a battle with Bellatrix Lestrange; these scenes were all very slow. It made for a movie that I don't plan to watch ever again - I'll just skip this one when I re-watch the series of films. And that doesn't even bother me in the slightest.
This weekend we rented a couple of movies. I watched Gnomeo & Juliet with the kids, and then after they went to bed The Hubby and I watched Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part One (actually, he slept).
Review:
Gnomeo & Juliet
I liked this movie! I tend to like animated movies, although I pretty much only watch ones that get good reviews.
It's pretty obvious from the title that this is a re-telling of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, set in a duplex and involving garden decorations. And Elton John songs, for some reason, but it's so joyful that we can't help but go with it. In one yard are the "blue" gnomes (they have blue hats), and next door are the "red" gnomes (yep, red hats). There is a rivalry involving lawnmower racing, setting up an escalating series of actions intended to "seek revenge" on the other side's yard.
Gnomeo, a lawnmower racer, is the "blue (queen)'s" son (she's not a queen, but she is the leader for some reason). Juliet is the "red (king)'s" daughter, and is supposed to stand atop a castle-shaped fountain, holding a rose and looking lovely. Her father is overprotective because he misses her mother, and he frequently insists that she remember that she's delicate. Because this movie was made this year, Juliet is of course a modern girl - tough and adventurous - and refuses to behave as though she is delicate.
What I loved most about this movie was the clever dialogue. It paid homage to Romeo & Juliet without clinging too tightly to the original. I enjoyed the references to certain scenes (as well as the many Shakespeare references, both background and foreground), and was also glad that the movie had the freedom to tell its own story. It uses a new voice and tone, and I found it thoroughly enjoyable.
In particular, I loved the scene when Gnomeo and Juliet met, as well as their "balcony" scene and the time they spent getting acquainted in the abandoned garden. What a "meet-cute" scene it was! They were both disguised, ninja-like, and she was trying to get an orchid from the abandoned greenhouse because she thought it would prove to her father that she is tough and able to take care of herself. It was an action sequence, with back-and-forth both physically and verbally. Nothing terribly original, since we frequently see this kind of "they-are-equals" set-up in modern movies, but still a fun ride. In this scene, I found the Elton John song distracting, though. I was thinking, "who is singing this?" and I didn't feel that the song's vibe matched the scene's pacing very well.
Their "date" in the abandoned garden was a pleasure as well, as they discover a shared interest in lawnmowers (stand-ins for muscle cars) and hot-rodding with them. Juliet is happily surprised to discover that Gnomeo neither tells her to be careful, nor is he threatened by her ability to drive the mower. A real man's masculinity wouldn't be threatened by a capable woman, after all - this is certainly a theme in the modern fairy tale romance! Anyway, the whole thing is as cute as we could hope, and then a lovable character is introduced to boot! My kids fell head-over-heels for the silly pink plastic flamingo. I felt my cheek muscles fatiguing as well.
Finally, I liked the way the movie handled the re-written ending. Of course, they had to change the ending - it's an animated comedy, after all (Elton John, remember?), not a tragedy. But they worked in a wink-wink about the change that I thought was very clever. Gnomeo has a conversation about it with a Shakespeare statue in the park. Shakespeare tells Gnomeo how it's going to end, and it's perfectly in Gnomeo's character to respond with "oh yeah? We'll see about that!" (It's written much better than that, actually.)
I loved the palette of the movie (bright!), the overall tone (joyful!), the updated characters, and yes, the music (with one exception, as I noted earlier). I don't want to wrap up without mentioning the animation of the facial expressions and movements, as well as the voice acting.
A winner! I think we'll end up owning this one!
_____________________________
Review: Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, Part One
Wow, was this movie BORING.
I can't say I'm surprised, since the 7th book in the Harry Potter series (I'm a fan) contains a LONG portion where a LOT Of nothing happens. When I heard that they were turning book 7 into two movies, I wondered how they would do that, because what would happen in the first movie? That's why this is the only Harry Potter movie I didn't rush out to see in the theater. It turns out, my fears were well-founded.
They definitely had a tough task due to the way the story develops in the book. Dumbledore is gone, and Harry is left with a hero's quest but no idea how to even begin to accomplish it. What's more, the Death Eaters are hunting him down, so not only is Harry not safe, but everyone in his vicinity is vulnerable as well. He, Hermione, and Ron go into hiding (Hermione's uncommon skill with magic makes that possible), and sort of sit around for months waiting for some inspiration. A tough thing to film, I'll admit.
However, that's not the biggest problem I had with the film. No, that would be the pacing of the whole movie. This, I would say, was a failure.
The first part moves along rather well, and you would expect that the pacing would slow down for the heroes-in-hiding portion, and then ramp back up for some action sequences in the third act. There were action sequences, but the problem was that they felt slow, too! Slow, quiet, with stony-faced characters. A fight with Nagini, a visit with the strange Mr. Lovegood, a battle with Bellatrix Lestrange; these scenes were all very slow. It made for a movie that I don't plan to watch ever again - I'll just skip this one when I re-watch the series of films. And that doesn't even bother me in the slightest.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
The first book review of the summer... Stuart Little
The reading project I dove into upon finishing the school year was actually the Hunger Games trilogy. I have MUCH to say about that; that post will have to wait. Actually, I think that is going to take me more than one post.
I'll start myself off with something easier: Stuart Little. This was my daughters' most recent bedtime story. And while I'm at it, can I just say how much I love carrying on this tradition? My dad read me a chapter each night when I was a kid (the Bobbsey Twins books were our favorites), and I love that I'm giving my girls this memory.
This was my first reading of the classic story by E.B. White.
One night, a few chapters in, the beauty of the writing itself really struck me. The flow of the language is just remarkable. The way he chose words and fit them together - I was stunned. It's subtle, and it's truly art.
To say this story is fantastical and imaginative is an understatement. The author presents the absurd in such a frank way, and that's precisely what had us giggling. Stuart is the second child of a man and woman, and he is a mouse. He is a human, but he is a mouse. The first half of the book details various disjointed stories about Stuart figuring out a way to turn on a faucet, or getting trapped in a window shade, or sailing a toy boat on a lake in the park. The second half of the book is centered around his quest to find the bird that had stayed with his family in the winter (it seems that he loves her). The author treats this as a series of little vignettes as well, rather than a narrative, so it is rather jarring when the book simply ends with no resolution to his journey.
I haven't seen the Stuart Little movie, but I can't imagine how this book would translate to the screen; they must have written a completely different storyline.
My favorite part of the book was when Stuart taught school for a day. This was a great example of the wit, whimsy and style of the book as a whole. "Charming" is the word that springs primarily to mind. The girls and I discussed how inspired we were that the author gave his imagination free reign. They both said they like to write stories, and hope to still have that much imagination when they are adults.
All in all, I found this book endearing, although I was suprised that it was a collection of scenes rather than a story. We read Trumpet of the Swan as a bedtime story, and we have read Charlotte's Web on our own, and those books both have beginnings and endings. All three of us were inspired by the author's skill and imagination, so much so that the girls actually vocalized a desire to be able to write like that.
A role model of a book!
I'll start myself off with something easier: Stuart Little. This was my daughters' most recent bedtime story. And while I'm at it, can I just say how much I love carrying on this tradition? My dad read me a chapter each night when I was a kid (the Bobbsey Twins books were our favorites), and I love that I'm giving my girls this memory.
This was my first reading of the classic story by E.B. White.
One night, a few chapters in, the beauty of the writing itself really struck me. The flow of the language is just remarkable. The way he chose words and fit them together - I was stunned. It's subtle, and it's truly art.
To say this story is fantastical and imaginative is an understatement. The author presents the absurd in such a frank way, and that's precisely what had us giggling. Stuart is the second child of a man and woman, and he is a mouse. He is a human, but he is a mouse. The first half of the book details various disjointed stories about Stuart figuring out a way to turn on a faucet, or getting trapped in a window shade, or sailing a toy boat on a lake in the park. The second half of the book is centered around his quest to find the bird that had stayed with his family in the winter (it seems that he loves her). The author treats this as a series of little vignettes as well, rather than a narrative, so it is rather jarring when the book simply ends with no resolution to his journey.
I haven't seen the Stuart Little movie, but I can't imagine how this book would translate to the screen; they must have written a completely different storyline.
My favorite part of the book was when Stuart taught school for a day. This was a great example of the wit, whimsy and style of the book as a whole. "Charming" is the word that springs primarily to mind. The girls and I discussed how inspired we were that the author gave his imagination free reign. They both said they like to write stories, and hope to still have that much imagination when they are adults.
All in all, I found this book endearing, although I was suprised that it was a collection of scenes rather than a story. We read Trumpet of the Swan as a bedtime story, and we have read Charlotte's Web on our own, and those books both have beginnings and endings. All three of us were inspired by the author's skill and imagination, so much so that the girls actually vocalized a desire to be able to write like that.
A role model of a book!
Friday, June 24, 2011
A new focus (if it lasts)
Well, another school year has come and gone, and it is summer break again!
This school year was a big one for me, because not only did my baby go to Kindergarten, but I also became a "working mom."
I went back to work as a middle school science teacher after ten years of being home with my children! What a change it was. I figured it would be interesting to write about my adventures back in the classroom, this time with a family at home, so I thought it would revitalize my blogging efforts.
Obviously, it was not to be.
I was swamped. Many times, in fact, I felt like I was drowning. This year was HARD WORK. I did not get much sleep (!!) and was never even close to logging into blogger.
Enough about that. It's summer now, I made it through the school year, and now I have a year's worth of lesson plans at the ready. Next year I will take on a few more responsibilities at work, but I'm feeling good about it. Last summer I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to start getting lessons ready, but this summer I am giving myself a break!
I am hoping to be able to make this the SUMMER OF READING!
I love to read, but it has been many years since I was able to carve out a spot for books in my life. I want to reintroduce myself to reading this summer!
Not only that, I'd love to reacquaint myself with this here blog.
I am going to give the blog a new focus and write reviews of the books I read this summer. We'll see if I manage it, but it's a good goal. I might write reviews of movies, TV shows, etc. as well.
Sounds like a plan, Stan!
This school year was a big one for me, because not only did my baby go to Kindergarten, but I also became a "working mom."
I went back to work as a middle school science teacher after ten years of being home with my children! What a change it was. I figured it would be interesting to write about my adventures back in the classroom, this time with a family at home, so I thought it would revitalize my blogging efforts.
Obviously, it was not to be.
I was swamped. Many times, in fact, I felt like I was drowning. This year was HARD WORK. I did not get much sleep (!!) and was never even close to logging into blogger.
Enough about that. It's summer now, I made it through the school year, and now I have a year's worth of lesson plans at the ready. Next year I will take on a few more responsibilities at work, but I'm feeling good about it. Last summer I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to start getting lessons ready, but this summer I am giving myself a break!
I am hoping to be able to make this the SUMMER OF READING!
I love to read, but it has been many years since I was able to carve out a spot for books in my life. I want to reintroduce myself to reading this summer!
Not only that, I'd love to reacquaint myself with this here blog.
I am going to give the blog a new focus and write reviews of the books I read this summer. We'll see if I manage it, but it's a good goal. I might write reviews of movies, TV shows, etc. as well.
Sounds like a plan, Stan!
Friday, June 25, 2010
The Second Week of Summer.
Now, that's what we're talkin' about!
You can't beat staying at the Disneyland Hotel, but apart from that, the Second Week of Summer kicked the First Week of Summer's butt!
Middle Girl and The Boy did soccer camp every morning this week, and loved it! The coaches were all 19- and 20-year-olds from Britain, and they played games, did drills, staged a mock World Cup all week (the kids wore the colors of their team, researched the countries, made flags...), and generally put together a great experience for the kids. They wrote a personal note to each kid about their strengths during the week, which really impressed me. I especially love seeing The Boy when he comes out of his shell, which happened very quickly. They are looking forward to doing it again next year!
Big Girl and I had some time alone together. Times like this are really good for our relationship. We did a little grocery shopping (she wanted to buy every single sweet she saw), visited the library, bought some new music from iTunes, played with the new DSLR camera, and just generally enjoyed each other's company.
In the afternoons we had playdates with friends nearly every day. Three of those were at our house, spending hours in the pool! The kids are already sporting tans despite the SPF 85 we are lathering all over ourselves multiple times a day. (Me, I sit in the shade. I am a shade-loving plant.)
One night we went to a concert in the park. It was the local historic marionette troupe, and we try to catch their show about every other year. I reconnected with a college friend there, who has a busy three-year-old daughter and she was always running off. I remember those days, when you were lucky to string four words together! His second baby is due in August, so things are about to get chaotic-crazy-wonderful!
After the concert, we stopped by the brand-new frozen yogurt place. It's one of those serve yourself places, where you can add any amount of crazy toppings because you pay by weight. That's right, this summer has brought FroYo within walking distance of our house. Dangerous.
Second Week of Summer FTW!
You can't beat staying at the Disneyland Hotel, but apart from that, the Second Week of Summer kicked the First Week of Summer's butt!
Middle Girl and The Boy did soccer camp every morning this week, and loved it! The coaches were all 19- and 20-year-olds from Britain, and they played games, did drills, staged a mock World Cup all week (the kids wore the colors of their team, researched the countries, made flags...), and generally put together a great experience for the kids. They wrote a personal note to each kid about their strengths during the week, which really impressed me. I especially love seeing The Boy when he comes out of his shell, which happened very quickly. They are looking forward to doing it again next year!
Big Girl and I had some time alone together. Times like this are really good for our relationship. We did a little grocery shopping (she wanted to buy every single sweet she saw), visited the library, bought some new music from iTunes, played with the new DSLR camera, and just generally enjoyed each other's company.
In the afternoons we had playdates with friends nearly every day. Three of those were at our house, spending hours in the pool! The kids are already sporting tans despite the SPF 85 we are lathering all over ourselves multiple times a day. (Me, I sit in the shade. I am a shade-loving plant.)
One night we went to a concert in the park. It was the local historic marionette troupe, and we try to catch their show about every other year. I reconnected with a college friend there, who has a busy three-year-old daughter and she was always running off. I remember those days, when you were lucky to string four words together! His second baby is due in August, so things are about to get chaotic-crazy-wonderful!
After the concert, we stopped by the brand-new frozen yogurt place. It's one of those serve yourself places, where you can add any amount of crazy toppings because you pay by weight. That's right, this summer has brought FroYo within walking distance of our house. Dangerous.
Second Week of Summer FTW!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
The start of summer
Very uneven start to our summer.
Picked up the kids from their last day of school (early dismissal), then headed straight to an orthodontist appointment. I thought it was one last consultation, so I thought it would be quick and we would be on with our day, which included a sleepover with Big Girl's best friend.
But I was wrong.
The brackets were glued onto Big Girl's teeth, to her horror.
She was completely taken by surprise, and her reaction? DEPRESSION. Many tears. She still wanted the sleepover, since she was feeling so sad and wanted her friend to comfort her. I felt bad for her friend, who really rose to the occasion but didn't have much fun. I hope we can make it up to her.
In Big Girl's mind, she was now hideous and a freak. She was terrified by the though of anyone seeing her. She went to dance class the next morning and refused to open her mouth. At her rehearsal that afternoon, I bribed her to smile. I told her we could make a $5 bet about whether the teacher would say anything about the braces. Big Girl chose the side that the teacher wouldn't even notice. So the bet was: if she smiled during the whole rehearsal, and the teacher didn't say anything, I had to pay her $5. If the teacher did say something, no one would pay anyone.
Good deal for the kiddo, huh? In the end, I had to pay her the $5!
Then we went to a Summer Kickoff party and all of her school friends saw her new metallic smile. She was worried they wouldn't like her anymore. Of course it was fine and none of her friends teased her at all.
Definite highs and lows. They continued.
After the fun party, we went to Disneyland to stay overnight there. It was Big Girl's birthday wish, and it was fun for everyone! I REALLY enjoyed getting to stay there.
During the rest of the first week off from school, there were some errands and playdates, and Big Girl had to have four teeth extracted.
That was a doozy.
The ortho and dentist planned for the dentist to do it. When I made the appointment, they asked if she would need nitrous. "At the very least," I said. "Yes," she said, "I see a note here that she has a lot of apprehension over procedures. Okay, see you Wednesday."
The Hubby and I wondered how the dentist was possibly going to remove four teeth from her head while she was conscious.
We took her in. She refused to sit in the chair. She cried, gnashed her teeth, and wailed.
The dentist didn't even come in. He sent for us to come back out to the front. He told us to go to an oral surgeon, because this kid would need a general anesthetic.
I was able to get an appt with the surgeon for that same afternoon.
No food for the girl.
Success at the surgeon. (Gasp) at the price tag.
Interestingly, she recovered quickly. She was back to normal the next day. Time for our summer to get better! Off to the library we went.
COMING SOON:
Well, barbra, that was a strange way to celebrate the start of summer. How are you marking the second week?
Picked up the kids from their last day of school (early dismissal), then headed straight to an orthodontist appointment. I thought it was one last consultation, so I thought it would be quick and we would be on with our day, which included a sleepover with Big Girl's best friend.
But I was wrong.
The brackets were glued onto Big Girl's teeth, to her horror.
She was completely taken by surprise, and her reaction? DEPRESSION. Many tears. She still wanted the sleepover, since she was feeling so sad and wanted her friend to comfort her. I felt bad for her friend, who really rose to the occasion but didn't have much fun. I hope we can make it up to her.
In Big Girl's mind, she was now hideous and a freak. She was terrified by the though of anyone seeing her. She went to dance class the next morning and refused to open her mouth. At her rehearsal that afternoon, I bribed her to smile. I told her we could make a $5 bet about whether the teacher would say anything about the braces. Big Girl chose the side that the teacher wouldn't even notice. So the bet was: if she smiled during the whole rehearsal, and the teacher didn't say anything, I had to pay her $5. If the teacher did say something, no one would pay anyone.
Good deal for the kiddo, huh? In the end, I had to pay her the $5!
Then we went to a Summer Kickoff party and all of her school friends saw her new metallic smile. She was worried they wouldn't like her anymore. Of course it was fine and none of her friends teased her at all.
Definite highs and lows. They continued.
After the fun party, we went to Disneyland to stay overnight there. It was Big Girl's birthday wish, and it was fun for everyone! I REALLY enjoyed getting to stay there.
During the rest of the first week off from school, there were some errands and playdates, and Big Girl had to have four teeth extracted.
That was a doozy.
The ortho and dentist planned for the dentist to do it. When I made the appointment, they asked if she would need nitrous. "At the very least," I said. "Yes," she said, "I see a note here that she has a lot of apprehension over procedures. Okay, see you Wednesday."
The Hubby and I wondered how the dentist was possibly going to remove four teeth from her head while she was conscious.
We took her in. She refused to sit in the chair. She cried, gnashed her teeth, and wailed.
The dentist didn't even come in. He sent for us to come back out to the front. He told us to go to an oral surgeon, because this kid would need a general anesthetic.
I was able to get an appt with the surgeon for that same afternoon.
No food for the girl.
Success at the surgeon. (Gasp) at the price tag.
Interestingly, she recovered quickly. She was back to normal the next day. Time for our summer to get better! Off to the library we went.
COMING SOON:
Well, barbra, that was a strange way to celebrate the start of summer. How are you marking the second week?
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Unlikely Admiration
An interesting question at The Women's Colony today... Who Would I Be Most Surprised to Know You Admire?
I am a snob about music. Not in the way most people think of musical snobbery, because I like a wide range of musical styles: rock, alternative (esp. punk) and musical theater are my favorite genres (see what I mean?). Obviously I'm not a snob in the high-brow sense!
What I am a snob about is singing ability. Even as far back as 4th or 5th grade, I would not stand for a successful musical artist with a so-so singing voice. Even if their act was primarily style or shock, I was obnoxiously loud in the "SHE SUCKS!!" department. I just felt (and still do) that there are so many talented singers out there who ALSO have the big personality. Why are there so many who don't ever get their "big break" while these other hacks are packaged into superstars?
Everyone who has known me for any length of time has heard far too many of my tirades about the music industry's machine. "Pop music is a joke!" "It's all a farce!" "They are treating American consumers like fools!" The first artist that inspired my tirades was Madonna. "Does no one else hear that SHE CANNOT SING?" And it continued... through Britney... even now with that Kesha person...
Since I regard Madonna's famous antics with eye rolls (at best), most people would be pretty shocked to hear that...
...I think Lady Gaga is pretty great.
Sure, she strikes me as "hey, look at me! look at me!" just like Madonna always did, but THAT GIRL CAN SING.
So I find myself cheering her on as she has become a worldwide superstar so quickly.
Sing It, Weird Girl!
People who knew-me-when would also be surprised that I, of the I'll-never-watch-American-Idol-it's-the-pop-music-machine-on-display-and-it-makes-me-sick, am completely impressed with the kids on American Idol.
That show is rough. You have to be really good to make it through that process. The Internet is brutal, and the judges' comments on the show itself are pretty harsh. I wish the judges would make those kinds of comments about the guest artists who perform on the show! That would really demonstrate how hard they are on the contestants!
Some of them are SO talented, and I am rooting for them now that they're off the show and out there giving it a shot!
Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, David Cook, Adam Lambert... they all have AMAZING voices! LOVE!
P.S. GO CRYSTAL!
I am a snob about music. Not in the way most people think of musical snobbery, because I like a wide range of musical styles: rock, alternative (esp. punk) and musical theater are my favorite genres (see what I mean?). Obviously I'm not a snob in the high-brow sense!
What I am a snob about is singing ability. Even as far back as 4th or 5th grade, I would not stand for a successful musical artist with a so-so singing voice. Even if their act was primarily style or shock, I was obnoxiously loud in the "SHE SUCKS!!" department. I just felt (and still do) that there are so many talented singers out there who ALSO have the big personality. Why are there so many who don't ever get their "big break" while these other hacks are packaged into superstars?
Everyone who has known me for any length of time has heard far too many of my tirades about the music industry's machine. "Pop music is a joke!" "It's all a farce!" "They are treating American consumers like fools!" The first artist that inspired my tirades was Madonna. "Does no one else hear that SHE CANNOT SING?" And it continued... through Britney... even now with that Kesha person...
Since I regard Madonna's famous antics with eye rolls (at best), most people would be pretty shocked to hear that...
...I think Lady Gaga is pretty great.
Sure, she strikes me as "hey, look at me! look at me!" just like Madonna always did, but THAT GIRL CAN SING.
So I find myself cheering her on as she has become a worldwide superstar so quickly.
Sing It, Weird Girl!
People who knew-me-when would also be surprised that I, of the I'll-never-watch-American-Idol-it's-the-pop-music-machine-on-display-and-it-makes-me-sick, am completely impressed with the kids on American Idol.
That show is rough. You have to be really good to make it through that process. The Internet is brutal, and the judges' comments on the show itself are pretty harsh. I wish the judges would make those kinds of comments about the guest artists who perform on the show! That would really demonstrate how hard they are on the contestants!
Some of them are SO talented, and I am rooting for them now that they're off the show and out there giving it a shot!
Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, David Cook, Adam Lambert... they all have AMAZING voices! LOVE!
P.S. GO CRYSTAL!
Monday, May 17, 2010
BOSSY's back home
She swoops in, like some sort of fairy godmother, waves her magic pixie dust over the people she has gathered, and friendships are created.
She's BOSSY, ladies and gentlemen.
She's back home now, her 42-day (No)Book Tour has come to an end, and I can imagine how happy her beautiful family and enormous dog are to see her again. I just feel lucky I got to spend a few hours with her during this, another one of her big adventures!
The first time she ventured out on an Excellent Road Trip, I had no idea what to expect. I had a few butterflies walking into that restaurant. But do you know what happened? I met some terrific people, and after keeping up with them through their blogs for two years, I was really looking forward to seeing them again! This time it was more like a reunion, and we were so busy catching up, and feeling so comfortable, that we all neglected to take pictures!
That BOSSY, not only do we never see each other without her coming into town, but she manages to get the only photos!
There's Heidi and Suebob and Smacksy and Tootsie and (me) and Kelly and Jason and BOSSY and JCK and Aunt Snow and Shayera! Hi guys!
Here's BOSSY's post about our meet-up.
It was a really nice evening. I just wish I could spend even more time with all of these bloggy friends, including BOSSY herself! But she had to move on to the Bay Area. I guess I can share her.
Too bad she couldn't stick around the following day, because Heidi and I decided to spend it together. I think BOSSY kinda wished she had time to join in! (Next time, BOSSY!) I love spending time with Heidi, she is just the loveliest person! We walked around my little town a bit, and stepped into a craft shop full of the strangest trinkets. They are for artist who incorporate a collage style, I'm guessing. Buttons and TV tubes and bottle caps and matchbooks, you name it! After our short stroll, I tried to take her to the yummiest lunch spot in town, but it was really busy. We did alright with another little cafe, though. Then I picked up my son from preschool and we went over to the fancy shmancy museum. My son was very interested in finding Picassos. He was a well-behaved 5-year-old boy in the museum (what a relief), and he talked about Heidi all the rest of the day!
All in all, I sure am lucky to have met some special people through this blogging thing. And I'm only a sometime-blogger!
She's BOSSY, ladies and gentlemen.
She's back home now, her 42-day (No)Book Tour has come to an end, and I can imagine how happy her beautiful family and enormous dog are to see her again. I just feel lucky I got to spend a few hours with her during this, another one of her big adventures!
The first time she ventured out on an Excellent Road Trip, I had no idea what to expect. I had a few butterflies walking into that restaurant. But do you know what happened? I met some terrific people, and after keeping up with them through their blogs for two years, I was really looking forward to seeing them again! This time it was more like a reunion, and we were so busy catching up, and feeling so comfortable, that we all neglected to take pictures!
That BOSSY, not only do we never see each other without her coming into town, but she manages to get the only photos!
There's Heidi and Suebob and Smacksy and Tootsie and (me) and Kelly and Jason and BOSSY and JCK and Aunt Snow and Shayera! Hi guys!
Here's BOSSY's post about our meet-up.
It was a really nice evening. I just wish I could spend even more time with all of these bloggy friends, including BOSSY herself! But she had to move on to the Bay Area. I guess I can share her.
Too bad she couldn't stick around the following day, because Heidi and I decided to spend it together. I think BOSSY kinda wished she had time to join in! (Next time, BOSSY!) I love spending time with Heidi, she is just the loveliest person! We walked around my little town a bit, and stepped into a craft shop full of the strangest trinkets. They are for artist who incorporate a collage style, I'm guessing. Buttons and TV tubes and bottle caps and matchbooks, you name it! After our short stroll, I tried to take her to the yummiest lunch spot in town, but it was really busy. We did alright with another little cafe, though. Then I picked up my son from preschool and we went over to the fancy shmancy museum. My son was very interested in finding Picassos. He was a well-behaved 5-year-old boy in the museum (what a relief), and he talked about Heidi all the rest of the day!
All in all, I sure am lucky to have met some special people through this blogging thing. And I'm only a sometime-blogger!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Hopefully there will be ice
Tomorrow is the bridal shower for the first grade teacher! As Room Parent, I have been very busy coordinating all of the parents who will be making the party happen. It's been email city around here! In fact, I just now responded to a text on my cell phone - and have no idea who it was from. But I asked them to bring ice...
At the same time, this week has involved several phone conversations about the possible teaching job for next year. I think that we pretty much have everything hammered out now; just one or two more phone calls should do it. I am still feeling conflicted about it, but moving forward I will focus on the positive. That's pretty much my way in the world: acknowledge the feelings but focus on the positive.
Hopefully tomorrow I will feel like I have a moment to breathe. After I allow myself that breath, I'd love to tell you about last weekend! I had a great weekend and got to spend some time with really special people. It's quite likely that one of them was YOU!
At the same time, this week has involved several phone conversations about the possible teaching job for next year. I think that we pretty much have everything hammered out now; just one or two more phone calls should do it. I am still feeling conflicted about it, but moving forward I will focus on the positive. That's pretty much my way in the world: acknowledge the feelings but focus on the positive.
Hopefully tomorrow I will feel like I have a moment to breathe. After I allow myself that breath, I'd love to tell you about last weekend! I had a great weekend and got to spend some time with really special people. It's quite likely that one of them was YOU!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Decisions decisions
I recently finished a three-month teaching assignment.
It had been over nine years since I last taught 7th grade science, and I wasn't sure if I still had the skills. The fact that it was my old teaching assignment, in my old classroom and office, led me to predict that it would feel pretty weird being back after all this time. After all, I'm so different now! I left when my first baby was born (literally- I worked the very day I ended up going into labor; she was born at 4 am the day of graduation). So, I was once the young, childless teacher often mistaken for one of the students, devoting every minute of every day to my teaching. Now I'm a mom of three who has spent quite a bit of time working with really young children and thinking about parenting. Aside from my short stint as an aquarium educator, I hadn't done much science in the intervening years. And let's face facts, I would not be able to devote even a fraction of the time I used to give to my teaching, with all of my kids' activities and mommy-time. I wondered if I'd be any good at it anymore!
When my old school called, in need of a long-term sub for the current 7th-grade science teacher who was going on maternity leave, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to find out. It was only for three months, and the teacher would leave me the plans (more on that later). I was familiar with the type of students at the school, and the teachers who knew me were very excited to hear I would be back. Those things really helped. On the other hand, some procedures and many technologies were different, and the daily schedule was COMPLETELY different, so it would be a curious mix of familiar and new.
No small issue was preparing my family for this big change. Three months feels long at the start. The girls were both in school from 8-3, so it didn't impact them much. They needed to be ready earlier in the morning and we had to develop a back-up plan in case I didn't make it by the end of pick-up time. Of course, they needed to help out more around the house. But my boy had the most to deal with. He had to go from being at preschool MWF 9-11:30 to being there MTWThF 9-3:30 or 7:45-11:45 (alternating days). My school was on a rotating schedule, so it was not the same every week, which was confusing for both my boy and the preschool.
It turned out that this was the hardest aspect of the whole experience. My precious boy did NOT like being dropped off in a different room, with different teachers, and he did NOT like being at school on Tuesday and Thursday without his friends, and he did NOT like having to stay four hours later than his old pick-up time. There were many tears shed, and his teachers told me he wasn't playing, but standing off to the side missing his mommy. I always put on a brave face for him, trying to exude a feeling of confidence that it would be a good day at school. But as soon as I was back in the car, driving to work, I often burst into tears myself.
But how was it once I was at work?
In short, it was good. It didn't take me long to find out that I "still got it." The students were funny and smart (by and large), and we connected quickly. It was great getting to know my new colleagues, and I found that not only did I remember the subject matter, it was a good excuse to learn more about the topics.
Earning a paycheck felt pretty darn good, too!
But teaching is VERY hard work, VERY time consuming. Doing this job and also taking care of a family is EXTREMELY difficult. I found that I simply could not work on planning and grading until the children were in bed, which is also when I would sit down and realize just how exhausted I was feeling. It felt like I would never catch a minute to breathe. I hadn't expected to need to do so much planning, but the teacher left me with very little. I designed a lot of work sheets, lab instructions, and assessments. I had 56 middle school students from whom I was collecting homework and class work. I was underwater, struggling to surface.
I am good at this job. I have a talent for breaking down concepts and tasks into smaller, more understandable chunks, then guiding the students in putting them together to understand the bigger ideas. I am good at, and enjoy, making handouts that explain, reinforce, and practice the material. But I am NOT good at setting boundaries for myself. I am NOT good at protecting myself from burnout. I could always see the light at the end of the tunnel, because this long-term sub assignment was for only three months. Now that it's over, I am positively reveling in being back to my normal schedule. Aaaaaaaahhh. My boy is much happier having days off from preschool and a shorter school day. We have been gallivanting off to fun adventures and let me tell you, THIS FEELS RIGHT.
It was good, but I'm glad it's over. Yes.
Now, the school wants me to come be the 7th grade science teacher for the next school year. My boy will be in Kindergarten, so he'll be at school every day anyway, but only for half the day. The school wants to work my schedule so I only have to be there for half the day, trying to align it with my son's schedule. Quite a decision... On the one hand, it's nice to have a life where colleagues value your contributions and you are getting paid for your work. On the other, it would be a whole year of working myself too hard and not having any time for myself and HUGE HASSLES when one of the kids gets sick and can't go to school (THE HUGENESS OF THIS ISSUE CANNOT BE OVERSTATED).
Oh yeah, and there's this little aspect: financially, our family has gotten to the point where we need me to bring in an income. When you look at it in this light, this job seems like the right situation; my top priorities for a job are having summers off and not working past 3:00 pm.
I've got some thinking to do, although it does seem like a very good arrangement for me. The feeling in the pit of my stomach is sadness that I wouldn't have as much freedom to help out at the kids' school as I have been wanting. With the girls, I had younger children to take care of, making it hard to be at the school. I always thought, "when The Boy is in school, then I won't have anything keeping me from being there!" Letting go of that makes me grieve a little, to be honest.
Overthink things? Why yes, I resemble that remark!
It had been over nine years since I last taught 7th grade science, and I wasn't sure if I still had the skills. The fact that it was my old teaching assignment, in my old classroom and office, led me to predict that it would feel pretty weird being back after all this time. After all, I'm so different now! I left when my first baby was born (literally- I worked the very day I ended up going into labor; she was born at 4 am the day of graduation). So, I was once the young, childless teacher often mistaken for one of the students, devoting every minute of every day to my teaching. Now I'm a mom of three who has spent quite a bit of time working with really young children and thinking about parenting. Aside from my short stint as an aquarium educator, I hadn't done much science in the intervening years. And let's face facts, I would not be able to devote even a fraction of the time I used to give to my teaching, with all of my kids' activities and mommy-time. I wondered if I'd be any good at it anymore!
When my old school called, in need of a long-term sub for the current 7th-grade science teacher who was going on maternity leave, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to find out. It was only for three months, and the teacher would leave me the plans (more on that later). I was familiar with the type of students at the school, and the teachers who knew me were very excited to hear I would be back. Those things really helped. On the other hand, some procedures and many technologies were different, and the daily schedule was COMPLETELY different, so it would be a curious mix of familiar and new.
No small issue was preparing my family for this big change. Three months feels long at the start. The girls were both in school from 8-3, so it didn't impact them much. They needed to be ready earlier in the morning and we had to develop a back-up plan in case I didn't make it by the end of pick-up time. Of course, they needed to help out more around the house. But my boy had the most to deal with. He had to go from being at preschool MWF 9-11:30 to being there MTWThF 9-3:30 or 7:45-11:45 (alternating days). My school was on a rotating schedule, so it was not the same every week, which was confusing for both my boy and the preschool.
It turned out that this was the hardest aspect of the whole experience. My precious boy did NOT like being dropped off in a different room, with different teachers, and he did NOT like being at school on Tuesday and Thursday without his friends, and he did NOT like having to stay four hours later than his old pick-up time. There were many tears shed, and his teachers told me he wasn't playing, but standing off to the side missing his mommy. I always put on a brave face for him, trying to exude a feeling of confidence that it would be a good day at school. But as soon as I was back in the car, driving to work, I often burst into tears myself.
But how was it once I was at work?
In short, it was good. It didn't take me long to find out that I "still got it." The students were funny and smart (by and large), and we connected quickly. It was great getting to know my new colleagues, and I found that not only did I remember the subject matter, it was a good excuse to learn more about the topics.
Earning a paycheck felt pretty darn good, too!
But teaching is VERY hard work, VERY time consuming. Doing this job and also taking care of a family is EXTREMELY difficult. I found that I simply could not work on planning and grading until the children were in bed, which is also when I would sit down and realize just how exhausted I was feeling. It felt like I would never catch a minute to breathe. I hadn't expected to need to do so much planning, but the teacher left me with very little. I designed a lot of work sheets, lab instructions, and assessments. I had 56 middle school students from whom I was collecting homework and class work. I was underwater, struggling to surface.
I am good at this job. I have a talent for breaking down concepts and tasks into smaller, more understandable chunks, then guiding the students in putting them together to understand the bigger ideas. I am good at, and enjoy, making handouts that explain, reinforce, and practice the material. But I am NOT good at setting boundaries for myself. I am NOT good at protecting myself from burnout. I could always see the light at the end of the tunnel, because this long-term sub assignment was for only three months. Now that it's over, I am positively reveling in being back to my normal schedule. Aaaaaaaahhh. My boy is much happier having days off from preschool and a shorter school day. We have been gallivanting off to fun adventures and let me tell you, THIS FEELS RIGHT.
It was good, but I'm glad it's over. Yes.
Now, the school wants me to come be the 7th grade science teacher for the next school year. My boy will be in Kindergarten, so he'll be at school every day anyway, but only for half the day. The school wants to work my schedule so I only have to be there for half the day, trying to align it with my son's schedule. Quite a decision... On the one hand, it's nice to have a life where colleagues value your contributions and you are getting paid for your work. On the other, it would be a whole year of working myself too hard and not having any time for myself and HUGE HASSLES when one of the kids gets sick and can't go to school (THE HUGENESS OF THIS ISSUE CANNOT BE OVERSTATED).
Oh yeah, and there's this little aspect: financially, our family has gotten to the point where we need me to bring in an income. When you look at it in this light, this job seems like the right situation; my top priorities for a job are having summers off and not working past 3:00 pm.
I've got some thinking to do, although it does seem like a very good arrangement for me. The feeling in the pit of my stomach is sadness that I wouldn't have as much freedom to help out at the kids' school as I have been wanting. With the girls, I had younger children to take care of, making it hard to be at the school. I always thought, "when The Boy is in school, then I won't have anything keeping me from being there!" Letting go of that makes me grieve a little, to be honest.
Overthink things? Why yes, I resemble that remark!
Friday, April 2, 2010
a meme to get me warmed up again
Wow. It's been so long since I've been to blogger that it no longer automatically pops up in my explorer window when I start typing it. sheesh.
When I started my back-to-work-temporarily experience, I thought it would get me blogging again. I thought it would be so interesting to chronicle my experience being back in the classroom "full-time" after over nine years of being a SAHM.
And it would have been.
But I found myself absolutely SWAMPED and sleep-deprived by the experience, and blogging just didn't happen.
I had my last day of work on Thursday, March 25. I was immediately swept into a big brouhaha among the other first-grade parents over a bridal shower we are planning for the first-grade teacher. I am the Room Parent, so am responsible for all of the communication and most of the planning. Thought you would have a minute to blog after all this time? THINK AGAIN, SISTER.
I feel like I have so much to say, and it's daunting. Sometimes getting started is the hardest part.
Then I saw this meme at blackbird's, small town mom's, and Hotfessional's (a few of my favorite people!), and thought this just might do the trick. A meme just might be the perfect trigger to getting on blogger again!
So here's to the future!
1. Do you like bleu cheese? Yes. Especially because it makes me think of The Hubby and his cooking. He loves to add bleu cheese to things.
2. Have you ever smoked? No. Not even one little puff. Is it called a puff?
3. Do you own a gun? Absolutely not.
4. Favorite type of food? Dessert. or Thai food.
5. Favorite type of music? Favorite, punk-ish rock. No, musical theater. Girl-singer-songwriter. Lately I've been listening to country, but that's only because I fell in love with the sound of Josh Turner's voice when I heard it on NPR.
6. What do you think of hot dogs? I think they taste best when you're at a baseball game.
7. Favorite Christmas movie? I'm a sucker for It's a Wonderful Life.
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Mimosas! Whee! but I can't remember the last one I had.
9. Can you do push-ups? Only a few "girl" ones. :-(
10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring. My current jewelry obsession, though? A bracelet with a forget-me-not in it and a pair of dangly claddagh earrings. Santa gave me both last Christmas.
11. Favorite hobby? MUSIC!
12. Do you have A. D. D.? No.
13. Do you wear glasses/contacts? Yes.
14. Middle name? It's unusual. My mom has the same middle name, and I passed it on to my Big Girl.
15. Name three thoughts at this exact moment: "What's that beeping?" "How many kids are playing in my house right now?" "How many hours of Wii has The Boy played today?"
16. Name three drinks you regularly drink: Water. Red Gatorade. Tequila.
17. Current worry? Will I finish writing this?
18. Current hate right now? The politics of hate.
19. Favorite place to be? On stage.
20. How did you bring in the new year? We went to bed early because we had to be up before the sun to get a spot to watch a certain famous parade.
21. Someplace you’d like to go? Costa Rica.
22. Name three people who will complete this. blackbird, small town mom, hotfessional.
23. Do you own slippers? yes. what a weird question.
24. What color shirt are you wearing? what color is this? dark blue-green? teal?
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? too slippery. high-count cotton, thank you.
26. Can you whistle? yes, weakly.
27. Where are you now? in the den.
28. Would you be a pirate? That really doesn't sound like "me" at all.
29. What songs do you sing in the shower? I love to sing in the shower. I sing everything! Rock, pop, country, opera...
30. Favorite Girl’s Name? I don't have a favorite anymore.
31. Favorite boy’s name? Ditto.
32. What is in your pocket right now? Nothing, as usual.
33. Last thing that made you laugh? 2 seconds ago, Big Girl whined that "the other kids don't want to play with me! I think it's because sometimes I get bossy." Then I laughed. (it's funny because it's true)
34. What vehicle do you drive? Honda Odyssey. boring.
35. Worst injury you’ve ever had? Thankfully few injuries. My worst was from childbirth. enough said.
36. Do you love where you live? YES!!!!!!!!!
37. How many TVs do you have in your house? Three.
38. How many computers do you have in your house? One.
39. If you changed your job, what would it be? Famous Marine Biologist
40. If you were granted three wishes, what would they be? I would wish for grand things. World peace, freedom from worrying about paying for health care, and that everyone would care about protecting the environment. Stuff like that.
When I started my back-to-work-temporarily experience, I thought it would get me blogging again. I thought it would be so interesting to chronicle my experience being back in the classroom "full-time" after over nine years of being a SAHM.
And it would have been.
But I found myself absolutely SWAMPED and sleep-deprived by the experience, and blogging just didn't happen.
I had my last day of work on Thursday, March 25. I was immediately swept into a big brouhaha among the other first-grade parents over a bridal shower we are planning for the first-grade teacher. I am the Room Parent, so am responsible for all of the communication and most of the planning. Thought you would have a minute to blog after all this time? THINK AGAIN, SISTER.
I feel like I have so much to say, and it's daunting. Sometimes getting started is the hardest part.
Then I saw this meme at blackbird's, small town mom's, and Hotfessional's (a few of my favorite people!), and thought this just might do the trick. A meme just might be the perfect trigger to getting on blogger again!
So here's to the future!
1. Do you like bleu cheese? Yes. Especially because it makes me think of The Hubby and his cooking. He loves to add bleu cheese to things.
2. Have you ever smoked? No. Not even one little puff. Is it called a puff?
3. Do you own a gun? Absolutely not.
4. Favorite type of food? Dessert. or Thai food.
5. Favorite type of music? Favorite, punk-ish rock. No, musical theater. Girl-singer-songwriter. Lately I've been listening to country, but that's only because I fell in love with the sound of Josh Turner's voice when I heard it on NPR.
6. What do you think of hot dogs? I think they taste best when you're at a baseball game.
7. Favorite Christmas movie? I'm a sucker for It's a Wonderful Life.
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Mimosas! Whee! but I can't remember the last one I had.
9. Can you do push-ups? Only a few "girl" ones. :-(
10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring. My current jewelry obsession, though? A bracelet with a forget-me-not in it and a pair of dangly claddagh earrings. Santa gave me both last Christmas.
11. Favorite hobby? MUSIC!
12. Do you have A. D. D.? No.
13. Do you wear glasses/contacts? Yes.
14. Middle name? It's unusual. My mom has the same middle name, and I passed it on to my Big Girl.
15. Name three thoughts at this exact moment: "What's that beeping?" "How many kids are playing in my house right now?" "How many hours of Wii has The Boy played today?"
16. Name three drinks you regularly drink: Water. Red Gatorade. Tequila.
17. Current worry? Will I finish writing this?
18. Current hate right now? The politics of hate.
19. Favorite place to be? On stage.
20. How did you bring in the new year? We went to bed early because we had to be up before the sun to get a spot to watch a certain famous parade.
21. Someplace you’d like to go? Costa Rica.
22. Name three people who will complete this. blackbird, small town mom, hotfessional.
23. Do you own slippers? yes. what a weird question.
24. What color shirt are you wearing? what color is this? dark blue-green? teal?
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? too slippery. high-count cotton, thank you.
26. Can you whistle? yes, weakly.
27. Where are you now? in the den.
28. Would you be a pirate? That really doesn't sound like "me" at all.
29. What songs do you sing in the shower? I love to sing in the shower. I sing everything! Rock, pop, country, opera...
30. Favorite Girl’s Name? I don't have a favorite anymore.
31. Favorite boy’s name? Ditto.
32. What is in your pocket right now? Nothing, as usual.
33. Last thing that made you laugh? 2 seconds ago, Big Girl whined that "the other kids don't want to play with me! I think it's because sometimes I get bossy." Then I laughed. (it's funny because it's true)
34. What vehicle do you drive? Honda Odyssey. boring.
35. Worst injury you’ve ever had? Thankfully few injuries. My worst was from childbirth. enough said.
36. Do you love where you live? YES!!!!!!!!!
37. How many TVs do you have in your house? Three.
38. How many computers do you have in your house? One.
39. If you changed your job, what would it be? Famous Marine Biologist
40. If you were granted three wishes, what would they be? I would wish for grand things. World peace, freedom from worrying about paying for health care, and that everyone would care about protecting the environment. Stuff like that.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Kid-Powered Decor
I'm glad to be participating in Jen's Holiday Homes Tour again this year!
My home looks pretty much exactly the same as last year, with a few small adjustments. To really get a feel for my home's holiday decor, click on the link and take a look!
So this year, instead of showing my whole house again, I am going to take you on a "Kid-Powered Decor" tour.
Each year, my kids (ages 9, almost 7, and just-turned-5) do more and more of the decorating themselves.
Let's start here: these are the decorations that have been their domain for several years. I got the Little People Nativity and the little tree when I had toddlers in the house, so that they could play with Christmas decorations while staying away from my breakable ornaments and nativity scene. The kids still look forward to putting these out each year.
Next, the kids put up their school arts and crafts from years past. This display grows each year!
Then they found the window clings and arranged those in the front windows. Mommy was busy with who-knows-what and meanwhile, Christmas decorating was taking place!
Out of the box came a whole bunch of Christmas-themed stuffed animals. They were arranged in groups on the living room speakers.
New this year are these penguin towels for the kids' bathroom. There are some penguin fans in our family!
This one is not due to my kids... but it's still kid-powered! The kids next door collected mistletoe when they were up north at Thanksgiving, and packaged it up to sell! Isn't it adorable?!
Last but definitely not least, ta da! This year's Christmas tree! I'm really happy with it. It's much better than the dud we got last year! Nice shape, nice size, very fresh. It looks lovely!
The kids did most of the tree trimming themselves! They still tend to put ornaments in clumps, so I follow them around to rearrange things just a tad.
This is probably their favorite family tradition. It's so much fun to see them pulling ornaments out of the box and saying, "Oh! I love this one!"
I do that, too!
I have had this one for a long time. It's my beloved alma mater! The hubby got it for me not long after we graduated.
This one commemorates the opening of the big aquarium in our area. I bought the ornament for myself when I took my students there for a field trip. Just a few short years later, I was an employee at the aquarium! That made the ornament even more special!
This one was made by a friend of ours who is a professional artist. Isn't he talented?
Big girl and I picked this one out when she was four. What a fun age: possibly the first time they actually remember Christmas from the year before. Selecting this one was a special moment for both of us. She makes sure this is one of the first ones she puts on the tree each year.
My home looks pretty much exactly the same as last year, with a few small adjustments. To really get a feel for my home's holiday decor, click on the link and take a look!
So this year, instead of showing my whole house again, I am going to take you on a "Kid-Powered Decor" tour.
Each year, my kids (ages 9, almost 7, and just-turned-5) do more and more of the decorating themselves.
Let's start here: these are the decorations that have been their domain for several years. I got the Little People Nativity and the little tree when I had toddlers in the house, so that they could play with Christmas decorations while staying away from my breakable ornaments and nativity scene. The kids still look forward to putting these out each year.Next, the kids put up their school arts and crafts from years past. This display grows each year!
Then they found the window clings and arranged those in the front windows. Mommy was busy with who-knows-what and meanwhile, Christmas decorating was taking place!
Out of the box came a whole bunch of Christmas-themed stuffed animals. They were arranged in groups on the living room speakers.
New this year are these penguin towels for the kids' bathroom. There are some penguin fans in our family!
This one is not due to my kids... but it's still kid-powered! The kids next door collected mistletoe when they were up north at Thanksgiving, and packaged it up to sell! Isn't it adorable?!
Last but definitely not least, ta da! This year's Christmas tree! I'm really happy with it. It's much better than the dud we got last year! Nice shape, nice size, very fresh. It looks lovely!
The kids did most of the tree trimming themselves! They still tend to put ornaments in clumps, so I follow them around to rearrange things just a tad.
This is probably their favorite family tradition. It's so much fun to see them pulling ornaments out of the box and saying, "Oh! I love this one!"
I do that, too!
I have had this one for a long time. It's my beloved alma mater! The hubby got it for me not long after we graduated.This one commemorates the opening of the big aquarium in our area. I bought the ornament for myself when I took my students there for a field trip. Just a few short years later, I was an employee at the aquarium! That made the ornament even more special!This one was made by a friend of ours who is a professional artist. Isn't he talented?Big girl and I picked this one out when she was four. What a fun age: possibly the first time they actually remember Christmas from the year before. Selecting this one was a special moment for both of us. She makes sure this is one of the first ones she puts on the tree each year.
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