Three tales of starting something and getting to a point where I couldn't turn back:
I started a book last week, I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore. While covering a class for another teacher, I listened as the students did book talks. One student shared this book and it sounded a bit ridiculous to me and I shared my skepticism with the student. Other students in the class promised me it was a good book. Still reticent that a book about alien species that send their only surviving children and their guardians to Earth because their planet has been irradiated by another alien species could be good, I thought I would give it a try anyway. My preferred method of reading books these days is checking out ebooks from the library and reading them on my Kindle app on the iPad. About two months after requesting the book, my turn finally arrived.
I enjoyed the first two hundred pages or so of the book, I liked the main alien character and I especially liked his best friend Sam, the conspiracy theorist. Of course there is his love interest, bullying of the jocks versus nerds variety, and all sorts of other typical teenage troubles (surprisingly though, no terrible teachers, just a ridiculously ineffective principal). However, about halfway through I really started to lose interest. The love story was too nauseating for my tastes (I get it, you love her and want to tell her you are an alien, but you can't) and I was ready for some action.
The book, unfortunately, is 450+ pages long. I am a strong believer in ditching a bad book. I encourage my students to do so when they are reading independent books. This, however, is my problem: I've already committed a substantial amount of time to reading this book. I feel as though I can't have put in all this time for nothing. So I continue reading what I am calling the stupid book, skimming and waiting for it to get better. With 75 pages to go, I'm not holding my breath.
Update: I started writing this post Thursday night. Lilly woke up and after my mom and Nick tried to console her, it was my turn. Needless to say this didn't get posted. The problem with checking out ebooks is for most versions one only gets a week to read the book and then the book is automatically returned. No, oh, I'll just pay the fine and return the book a few days late. The library swoops into your electronic device and takes the book back. I had forty pages left. Do I check the book out again, or do I ask the student how did the book end? Go to a bookstore and skim the last 40 pages or just say, eh, the good guys probably won and move on?
I ran the Turkey Trot! All two miles without stopping. I loved doing the race, minus the fact that I was overdressed (a long sleeve and a jacket was too much for running on Thanksgiving in Wisconsin!). It was great seeing all the families out and I was looking forward to the days when I could run the race and Lilly will walk the two miles with my mom and perhaps my dad if the spirit moves him. There were a few points where I was a little tired but was motivated and fit enough that I could push through and keep running. I think I am at a point of no return when it comes to short running races. I like the feeling of accomplishment when I am done and for the first time in my life, I am not hating running. Only mildly irritated by it. While I am proud of myself for running the entire two miles, I am a little disappointed I did not make my goal of running it in under 20 minutes. Final time: 20:40. Bummer.
Here's a photo of my mom and her friend Kate, who walked the Trot together. After I finished running, I turned around and met back up with them and walked the last 3/4 of a mile or so with them. I finished twice :)
I am Number Four
I started a book last week, I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore. While covering a class for another teacher, I listened as the students did book talks. One student shared this book and it sounded a bit ridiculous to me and I shared my skepticism with the student. Other students in the class promised me it was a good book. Still reticent that a book about alien species that send their only surviving children and their guardians to Earth because their planet has been irradiated by another alien species could be good, I thought I would give it a try anyway. My preferred method of reading books these days is checking out ebooks from the library and reading them on my Kindle app on the iPad. About two months after requesting the book, my turn finally arrived.
I enjoyed the first two hundred pages or so of the book, I liked the main alien character and I especially liked his best friend Sam, the conspiracy theorist. Of course there is his love interest, bullying of the jocks versus nerds variety, and all sorts of other typical teenage troubles (surprisingly though, no terrible teachers, just a ridiculously ineffective principal). However, about halfway through I really started to lose interest. The love story was too nauseating for my tastes (I get it, you love her and want to tell her you are an alien, but you can't) and I was ready for some action.
The book, unfortunately, is 450+ pages long. I am a strong believer in ditching a bad book. I encourage my students to do so when they are reading independent books. This, however, is my problem: I've already committed a substantial amount of time to reading this book. I feel as though I can't have put in all this time for nothing. So I continue reading what I am calling the stupid book, skimming and waiting for it to get better. With 75 pages to go, I'm not holding my breath.
Update: I started writing this post Thursday night. Lilly woke up and after my mom and Nick tried to console her, it was my turn. Needless to say this didn't get posted. The problem with checking out ebooks is for most versions one only gets a week to read the book and then the book is automatically returned. No, oh, I'll just pay the fine and return the book a few days late. The library swoops into your electronic device and takes the book back. I had forty pages left. Do I check the book out again, or do I ask the student how did the book end? Go to a bookstore and skim the last 40 pages or just say, eh, the good guys probably won and move on?
Turkey Trot
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| Bobbie and Megan after the Turkey Trot 2012 |
Here's a photo of my mom and her friend Kate, who walked the Trot together. After I finished running, I turned around and met back up with them and walked the last 3/4 of a mile or so with them. I finished twice :)
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| Kate, a turkey, and Bobbie before the Turkey Trot 2012 |
Mountain Biking
Nick really enjoys mountain biking. Many of our friends up in Ashland also enjoy mountain biking. I've never been and quite honestly was never all that interested in going. As I hear more and more stories of people road biking getting hit by cars or other terrible things happening, I started to think maybe biking in the woods would be safer. The risk is your own idiocy, not other people's. There are some pretty great mountain biking trails in Eau Claire at Lowes Creek County Park. Trails that my four-year-old nephew can handle. Since Wednesday was going to be nearly 60 degrees and beautiful, we asked my friend Sara if I could borrow her mountain bike for our trip to Eau Claire and try out mountain biking. We left Lilly with my mom and headed out.
I LOVE MOUNTAIN BIKING!
It was great riding through the woods, weaving around trees, riding over logs, and just being out with Nick. What I didn't like - steep hills. Nick and I were heading back to the car and I had forgotten about the big hill we biked up on our way out. We get to the top of the hill and I panic. This is one steep downhill. The hill is kind of sandy and the parts that aren't sandy are covered in pine needles. There are small children and a dog at the bottom of the hill. The only way back to the car - down the hill. I made it. I didn't enjoy it, but I made it. Then I had to bike up a shorter but equally steep hill to get to the car on the other side of the ravine. But, Nick and I are going to bike again today!
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