Tag Archives: Keith

Music and Books

21 Jul

Do you ever hear a song and think of a book you’re reading or have read?  Monday through Thursday I have to drive to Oakland University and back for my Masters class, so I’ve been listening to the radio quite a bit.  I’ve heard a couple songs that make me think of one book inparticular, but I’ve also heard some songs that sound like they belong with a book (even if I can’t think of which one). 

For example, every time I hear “Savior” by Rise Against I think of Beautiful Creatures.  That song is just about perfect for Ethan and Lena.  Then today I heard “She Will Be Loved” by Maroon 5, and that song too made me think of Beautiful Creatures.  Why do I keep thinking of that novel?!  Maybe I need to make a book trailer for it… Hmmm… 

I heard Paramore’s song “The Only Exception” last night, and I don’t know which book that song fits with, but it definitely belongs with one.  I have XM radio in my car, and I was bored with the other stations, so I put on station 9 which is all 90s music.  “Name” by the Goo Goo Dolls (love them!!) came on; this song too belongs with a novel.  Maybe I’m just feeling incredibly sappy since Keith’s gone for a week :(  

Do any of you have songs that you connect with books?  Have any of you made any, or thought about trying to make, book trailers this summer?

It’s neither mountainous nor pleasant : )

15 Jul

I’m currently reading Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr.  Once I finish I’ll write up a review of some kind.  I’m bringing it up tonight because the part I read last night reminded me of a moment with Keith.  The protagonist, Sam, is riding along with a guy she has a crush on.  He’s driving a stick, and since she hasn’t gotten her license yet, he teaches her how to switch gears as he’s driving.

Keith drives a manual, beat up, red F-150.  It’s a dirty guy’s truck, but I have so many seemingly small, but pleasant memories connected with it.  On a cool fall night in Mount Pleasant, Keith decided to teach me how to switch gears as we drove to buy always tasty Taco Bell.  Keith knows to switch simply by listening to his truck.  We started by him telling me when to switch, but eventually, after driving up and down Mission a few times, I started hearing the difference as well.  I won’t go so far as to say that I can drive a stick (let’s not get carried away here), but I still have a knack for knowing when to switch gears. 

Have any of you read something that left you with a similar nostaglic connection?

A little bit of this, and a little bit of that

8 Jul

First things first– are any of my YAers reading this during the summer?  I hope so! :)   I’ve been meaning to update, but I admit, I’ve been a slacker.  All of you (if any of you are reading this), can thank my professor for this update.  In my writing class we have to keep both an academic journal and a personal journal.  Thankfully, she is allowing me to use my blog as a personal journal.  So I’ll be updating more frequently (insert hopefully huge grins on all of your faces).

To begin– Heidi and Caroline requested that I start a discussion about the movie Eclipse.  I know it’s not a shocker to any of you that I saw it (Keith came too!).  While it stayed closer to the book than the previous movies, I left the theater thinking “That was it?”  Can any of you relate?  It was one of my favorite books in the saga, and yet, I didn’t enjoy the movie that much.  The battle scene was not nearly intense enough, for example.  I do appreciate the history behind Rosalie and Jasper; those who have not read the books can finally understand their unexplained behavior!  What are your thoughts on this?  Am I totally in left field right now? 

Anywho, I’m tackling that massive pile of books I received through my Donors Choose fundraiser.  Since school ended I’ve read Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl, Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan, Graceling by Kristin Cashore and Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti.  I actually went out and bought Something Like Fate because I wanted a pure and simple girly book :)   I’m working on writing book reviews for Graceling and Will Grayson, Will Grayson; I’ll post them ASAP.  I can say right now that Will Grayson, Will Grayson is a super wonderful book and I hope Green and Levithan write many more books together.  I encourage all of you to read it as soon as you can!

Right now I’m half way through Fire by Kristin Cashore.  It’s the companion to Graceling, and quite honestly, it’s not nearly as good.  I need to finish it before I can better explain what it’s missing.  If it continues to be too difficult to read, I might put it aside and try Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta.  What have you all been reading this summer?  You are reading, right?! 

Don’t be shy; leave comments and generate some discussion :)

Feeling refreshed!

30 Oct

Warning: This post will probably be all over the place, but most of you know I can be that way :)

I was at the MCTE conference today (Michigan Council of Teachers of English).  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that conference!  We have a keynote speaker every year, and this year it was Jacqueline Woodson.  She writes wonderful books like If You Come Softly; I plan on reading it very soon.  Anyway, after the keynote speaker is done we attend different sessions based on our interests.  I went to one about creating a community of readers in the classroom.  Most of you know that I strive to do this.  What you may not know, is that I don’t always feel that my colleagues understand my passion.  Unfortunately it is difficult to get other teachers as excited as I am about encouraging reading outside the classroom.  The speaker at this session was Daria Plumb.  She feels the same way I do about reading and sharing her passion for reading with students like I do with all of you.  It was extremely refreshing :)   I feel so much better about how I teach.

Anyway…  I decided that I need to post again.  I want to make this something I do on a regular basis.  Sound good?  I thought so!  Currently I’m reading Unwind by Neil Shusterman.  It’s been subject to banning in some school districts because it deals with Pro-Choice/Pro-Life.  The story takes place years after a second Civil War over the issue.  Being “unwound” is the new alternative to abortion.  Trust me, it’s a great read!

On a side note, I think I’ve finally hooked Keith onto Twilight.  He saw the movie with me last year, and he started reading the book, but he never finished it.  But I was able to get him to read New Moon.  I think he liked it more than he lets on :)   I’ll let you know if he picks up Eclipse.

I’m off to finish reading Unwind.  I’ll let you know if I still like it once it’s finished.  I’m not sure what I’ll pick up next…

Here are some links that Daria Plumb told us about:

www.notrequiredreading.com (book reviews by teens)

http://www.talestoldtall.com/BooksforBoys.html (books for guys- duh)

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