Another favorite - a favorite quote!

"The more you read,
The more you know.
The more you know,
The smarter you grow.
The smarter you grow,
The stronger your voice,
When speaking your mind,
Or making a choice"

 

"Favorites"

Dawson wrote out algebraic equations for hours with the same pencil, and never once did he bother to get up and sharpen it. Eventually, it was so dull I think he was writing with the yellow paint on the side of the pencil. Honestly, I was going crazy. Witnessing such flagrant disregard for neatness and for a clean and precise paper was more than disturbing. It was torturous. That's when I realized I'm OCD when it comes to sharp pencils. I always have at least 3 razor sharp #2's close by at all times. I start the day in the classroom sharpening pencils.

I grabbed Dawson's pencil, ran it back into the kitchen, and slammed it into my automatic pencil sharpener. The relief was immediate. When I gave it back to him, he said simply, "Oh, thanks mom. It wasn't really that bad." I wish that was the end of it, but I of course went into a lecture about the difference between "A" work and "C" work and how it all starts with a sharp pencil.

He appeared to be listening, but I doubt he heard me. 6th grader and all - who knows? Any-hoo, I decided I needed a quick break from cooking dinner. And writing with a perfectly pointed #2 was just what I needed. I grabbed a post-it note and decided to list my 10 favorite material things. I wanted it to be quick and spontaneous - a stream of thought. Well really, I only had about one minute until the buzzer went off for the blueberry muffins.

This is what I came up with:
1. Sharp pencils (of course)
2. Red licorice (not really a material item, as once it's eaten it's gone - but who cares)
3. Books and Nook
4. Ipod ( A necessity when walking)
5. Pillow (I can't go on a trip without it)
6. Crock Pot (Crazy, I know. But it so simplifies my life)
7. Yoga pants (I live in them)
8. My computer (where I write, research, and chat with friends)
9. My green glassware (Depression glass collection started for me by my mother-in-law)
10. Android (sad but true, I love my phone. I don't even text or have voice mail - but I love it)

Okay that's it - my quick list of 10 Favorite things. Try it and see what you get. It's rather interesting and rather revealing to say the least. I enjoyed listening to the kids answers on that one. I'll have to try it in the classroom. Wonder how many kids will list their Kinect and their DS's?

Kindle or Nook?

I did it. I broke down and bought myself an eReader. Skeptic to Believer in the amount of time it took to download a free copy of Pride and Prejudice...Umm, like 20 seconds! Awesome, amazing, and soooo cool.

A lot of women are tempted by chocolate. Not me; I'm allergic. Books are my vice. Let's just say the "man cave" never came to fruition. But my hubby will be celebrating now. No more bookcases. I'll be holding my entire library in the palm of my hand.

Don't get me wrong; I still love paper books. Always. But 'tis the season for a grown up gadget.

So, which eReader was it? The Kindle or Nook? I researched and read reviews for hours. I held them and even smelled them. (Odorless! Which is probably a good thing).

In the end I chose the Nook. Ohhhhh, how I wanted the Kindle! It was lighter (by 2ounces) and fit in my purse. I just liked it. But, the Nook had one major advantage.....drum roll......I could check out library books. That rocks! And I can purchase ebooks from other companies, not just Barnes & Noble. Whereas, with the Kindle you can only purchase from Amazon.

I love my Nook! I'm reading several books at the same time, and they're always together. I spent the extra $50 for the 3G version and can download books or search Google anytime, anywhere. Way, way worth it. I searched for "free" books today, and there were 183,000 title to choose from. Insane.

'Tis the Season. And I'm soooo happy!