You are such a writer's nightmare. I'm tempted to write a novel just to make the middle incredibly fucked up and have a deceptive ending.

It works really well with books like The Deathly Hallows, though.

Seriously, I get so nervous about what is going to happen if I don't read the end that I speed through and do not enjoy it.

Sophia, how do you watch movies?

Sophia, how do you watch movies?

I actually don't really watch movies that I don't already know. Or aren't formulaic. TV series are good because the individual episodes are short enough that I don't need to go to the end. (and now that there is netflix, I will go to the end of the movie before I decide if I will finish.)

ETA OTOH this is probably why I can work on theatre productions-- because I can watch the same thing endlessly.

But the gun WAS in a locked closet that we broke into?

Well, it wasn't locked very hard, was it?

Well, my overpants for the motorcycle trip finally arrived. They are waterproof and have armor and will be great fro any kind of weather. Probably, though, I should have started my diet BEFORE this trip. Trying to put them on over my jeans involved lots of tugging, first by me alone and I had to call the DH to help. There was wriggling and swearing and finally me lying on my back as the DH wrestled the zipper closed. He's such a mensch, he kept saying the pants were badly designed, he had the same trouble with his, they looked great. Frankly, it was rather horrifyingly embarrassing, while still making us both laugh.

I then tried them on over my flimsy skating pants which are a lot like these: [link] I was able to zip them without assistance although there is still a muffin-top situation. Still, I'll be safe and it's definitely more incentive to get in shape when we get back.

Oh, Kat, did you see dismissal of Walter Dean Myers? About halfway down was when my head exploded.

Because, you know, the kid reading at a five-year-old's level can obviously dive right into Homer with no problem at all.

I am not a WDM fan. I actually agree with some of what this stooge is saying. I just think his writing is meh. But you know what, if kids read it, bring it on! Because it's more important that they read, in their 20 minutes of SSR, something they can access and enjoy.

So don't teach WDM (I certainly haven't and wouldn't) but definitely preach it and sell it to students.

Also, I have to say, Homer with kids, even kids as young as 6th grade, is AWESOME. They love it. A 5th grade reading level can get through some translations.... but I'm more apt to teach Virgil in high school because it has more resonance.

(My friend opened a charter here, [link] Her school runs 6-12 and is unapologetically classics-based. I don't know that I could teach there, but I'd love for my kids to go. Also, every student at her school plays an instrument. It's not a requirement to get into the school, but they are all required to learn.)

My issue is the author of the piece is condescending and comes across like a tool.

I then tried them on over my flimsy skating pants which are a lot like these

I cannot wear pants to skate anymore. It doesn't feel right.

Uhg, I have bionic nose, despite still being a little congested. I swear, I could hire myself out as a drug or mine detector 3 days out of the month.

Aaaand I just discovered my neighbor called asking to take me out for dinner after I picked him up from the train station. Last night. I feel like an ass. I really should check my answering machine regularly.

Because it's more important that they read, in their 20 minutes of SSR, something they can access and enjoy.

Yes! Because if a kid isn't a reader at all, I'd rather see him or her read anything and like it, and open up the desire to read more, and get better at reading.

My issue is the author of the piece is condescending and comes across like a tool.

Also, very much this. I have no real opinions about WDM, having never read him, but I did have an issue with the author completely failing to see that those kids might have been connected with lives that were familiar to theirs in WDM's books.

Plus, anytime you say, "The whole purpose of literature is to elevate," I want to smack you.

Plus, anytime you say, "The whole purpose of literature is to elevate," I want to smack you

If you say this about ANYTHING except a hot air balloon, a smack is totally called for.