Jan Currently, First Book of 2014, & #runtteacherrun

Posting twice today ... eek! First linking up with Farley.

I only saw part of the special (and have never been to Las Vegas) but it's kind of fun to hear his take on these older songs. Some I like less than the original but still think it's fun to hear. Some I like just as much. Some I like even more!

Found the boxes of books in storage (note to the world ... 1)Don't ever accumulate enough stuff that you need to get a storage unit; and 2)If you do ... LABEL BOXES. LABEL THEM WELL.) and they are on the shelves. But they're not ... arranged yet. Here's a "shelfie" tease that will make me look like a geek but oh well. Embrace it, right? ;) The other shelves will take longer. But there will be an HP shelf. And a Mo Willems shelf. And an Anne of Green Gables shelf. That much I know.

Things are starting to come together. Heavens, though ... there are still so many boxes and bags of packing paper that are hard to get rid of out here (no recycling :().

I've seen Frozen and the Hobbit. But of "holiday" flicks that's about it. I still need to see Catching Fire and Saving Mr. Banks and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

Planning food. That has to be better this year. (When I find my menu board we'll start there ... it got "made" over the summer and then packed away during the house showing period.)

I'm LDS so anything more has never been a part of my traditions. But that's what my family has called sparkling cider for years and years and years. Holidays and special occasions? Pop THAT top.


And then Sheila of Book Journey.

Hide and Seek by Kate Messner

No special reason it's number one other than it's a school library copy and I want to finish it so I can get a kid to read it next week! Love a good mystery. Back to reading. Or since the weird tingly pinkies are back maybe arranging bookshelves. Or the movies? We'll see. Just a couple more days of freedom left!



 

PS As soon as I get the allergies a little better under control (this not taking ANYTHING before testing MIGHT KILL ME) I will post a bit about #runteacherrun. Last year I ran a 5K first thing on 1/1. Then did really well for three weeks. Then got appendicitis. And ... even though I recovered without complications I just seemed to be behind and out of my groove and while there were some good spurts here and there as a whole the rest of the year was a wash. So here's to the groove back. #RUNTEACHERRUN

Reading Resolutions 2014

Here's an update for last year's little project, though without pics of student work because of course I can't find them. :P

"So I saw some of those little flip book things on Pinterest and started playing around with making one Library-Centric.... Not much to it but if you want just the part I can share ... click on the pic and download the pdf! My Own Topher font from Kevin and Amanda."

We cut out the numbers with the school die cut though of course kiddos would love to design their own. This will be sort of a passive station ... we'll see how it goes. Stations haven't ever worked out too well (ignored, mostly ... or forgotten because I got distracted and didn't get them back out after having to put them away every day) but I'm going to try. Mostly because between a third grade research project and prep for an author visit and TCEA (co-presenting this year and not even the main one so that's good!) in early February I don't know that there will be time to do a full on lesson activity.

Click here for a printable PDF. Kids need a bit of reminding, though, that they write their answers below the printing, fold the top OVER, and cut on top dotted lines. That way the "2" flap opens up to whichever prompt you choose.

13 in '13 and Book-ish Unboring List

13. Article of Clothing: Well. Clothes aren't as fun when you aren't in shape (fixing that in 2014, right?). So we'll say ...

12. Favorite Movie: Is there a Goodreads equivalent for movies? I know you can sign in to IMDB but that just seems clunky to me. Can't remember what I necessarily saw this year. Just saw The Desolation of Smaug yesterday and of course it was awesome. MEAN CLIFFHANGER ENDING that for some reason I just didn't see coming. Been too long since I read the book. ;0
11. Favorite TV Show: Psych! We've waited so long!


10. Favorite Restaurant: I'm pretty easy. Firehouse Subs. Panda Express. Don't do fancy very much. I did try Ruth's Chris when a friend was visiting but EGADS I thought I would die of embarrassment because I didn't know we were going and at the time? Wearing the Leia shirt you see above. Was quite good, though.
9. Favorite New Thing: my WALL OF BOOKSHELVES. :)
8. Favorite Gift: pics from my niece Winnie.
7. Favorite Pin: I spend too much time on Pinterest. It's just so easy when you can do it on your phone. So it's hard to pick. The one that still makes me LAUGH THE MOST? A year old today. And you'll think I'm strange. But go here. The original link is broken but the pin will still show the funny image.
6. Favorite Blog Post: Funny. Can never seem to figure out ahead of time what other people will like. Something I thought was awesome will get very few page hits and something I wasn't quite as excited about will get way more. We'll say ... There is a Bird on Your Head. I remembered to take pics!
5. Best Accomplishment: Surviving in one piece? It was a crazy year! Surgery. Presenting at a state level conference 8 days after said surgery. Getting campus Teacher of the Year (last year ... not winning any awards for 2013 fall semester :/). Family moving in and then leaving again. Not getting a new position I really thought I wanted :(. Leaving the house that has been home for over 20 years. Building and moving in to a new place. Two new family members. Would love for 2014 to be a bit ... calmer. Too much to ask for?
4. Favorite Picture: For as many photo blogs as I semi-follow (and community ed classes I have taken) I am SO BAD at taking pics. And then keeping them organized. For now we'll say these. Favorites from my FB wall. Pretty rare I ever take one I like. Then family. And the living room of my new place.

3. Favorite Memory: This one is hard, too! My parents taking care of me when I got appendicitis (pain not a good memory but hey ... even if you did have a significant other (which I don't ... boo :P) it's still nice to have Mom and Dad around when you feel so awful. And they were so much help). Hanging out with my youngest brother before he left for two years. Time with nieces and nephews. Funny texts/FB IMs between siblings. So mostly family time. I like my job but mostly family time.
2. Goal for 2014: Scripture study. I think that if I can get my spiritual self back on track (not that I've been living badly ... just haven't felt as close to Him as I could with some devotional time) lots of things will fall into place ... both personally and professionally.
1. One Little Word: still the same as last year. Intention. I keep ... getting behind and not living with intention. Just scrambling to stay afloat.

Bookish UnBoring List
Sort of a bust. Not a complete bust as I finished about half.
1. Go to a comic store. Got the first time down the second week in January. Was going to collect all the SW (original storyline) ones that came out this year but I missed the second issue while out for the count with appendicitis and sort of lost steam after that.
2. R2D2 trash can. To go along with R2D2's Guide to Folding and Doodling!
3. Read The Twelve and run 500 miles with the Zombies, Run app.
4. Read Penguin and Pinecone and make a book trailer with the cool puppet I got at SeaWorld. Penguin on Vacation was pretty cute. And so was P&P ... up to a point. Then it was just a little strange.
5. Visit indie bookstores. Well, no. Didn't go on any trips and the only one in my area is now EVEN FARTHER away cause I moved. Next year? I want to visit my siblings in CO and WA.
6. HP Nook in new place. Fail. Dunno whether it was that my expectations were super unrealistic or the lame builder but it's too small. In my eyes, anyway. Dunno about the kids. They didn't explore it this trip cause it's still unfinished. Builder seriously just cut a hole in the wall under the stairs and left it. :P Will see about what I can do to save it in the next year.
7. Wall of bookshelves. BUILT! And they are beautiful! But since at least a third of my books are still mixed up in boxes in storage or the garage they are not ready for a pic yet. We sort of stopped unpacking when the holidays started. Expect shelfies some time in February.
8. Something Oz-ish. Nope. Didn't happen. Writing that one off.
9. Book art. That one will roll over into next year for sure!
10. A "tea party" in my new kitchen since I couldn't actually visit PEI? Not yet. We'll roll that one over, too.

Finally Friday Dec. 27

Enter to win a CD of DJ Inkers cards on yesterday's post.

Silly but it made me laugh.



Would prefer this with the bottle edited out and a book or DVD in there ... but I'll have to take it as is.

True.



Also made me laugh.



Nieces and nephews making me laugh this week as well. They'll be gone next week. Insert sad face here. And now a random question ... anyone ever heard of "ulnar nerve entrapment"? Cause the tingly pinkies is getting worse and worse and even though I would feel RIDICULOUS (I don't have the best relationship with my PCP ... though as of Jan. 1 I don't have to have his OK anymore so HELLO ALLERGIST) going to see a "specialist" about it. But it's definitely more noticeable over the last 18 months or so (and more the last 2) and if Google is to be believed it can cause permanent damage. But how often is Google to be believed?

 

Clip Art Fanatic & Celebrate with a Smile

So it's fun to give stuff away. And it's fun to use fun clip art. So here's a Win-Win.
DJ Inkers. Loved her stuff since the days before digital downloads or even CDs or even FLOPPY DISKS. In the move? We found a big stash of DJ Inkers BOOKS that I used to have to make copies of for snail mail letters. Am I dating myself? She has so many different offerings.

But snail mail. Or hand delivered cards. As much fun as digital art can be hard copy is even more awesome. MAIL. And being the person who is on top of things to be prepared WITH a card to send their loved ones. Ever find yourself late in the game wanting to be said person?

Here's your chance!
The CD is normally $39.99 but it's on sale right now (though 1/1) for $23.99. So use this opportunity to buy it for yourself ... OR comment below for the chance to WIN a copy. Sometime the morning of 12/31 I will put the number of comments into random.org and pick a winner. DJ Inkers will send the winner a copy of the CD! I don't necessarily see their rules but let's say US only just to be safe. And the comment topic? Oh ... the first card need you will have in the new year. Can't think of a January one but I have a brother and sister both with birthdays in February.

But maybe January will come and I'll realize last minute I forgot something. Behind for card getting elsewhere but not too behind to get one in the mail. ;)

Finally Friday Dec. 20

So I just noticed this never posted last week. Wonder what I did (or DIDN'T do ... must have gotten distracted with cute small ones). Anyway ... here it is. There will be another one on Friday and next week an updated "Reading Resolutions" activity as well as a couple other yearly recaps and such.







My friend did this whole series with Seuss the Elf. It was awesome. She needs to post the rest of them!

Next year possible craftiness.

Tired. Nap would be awesome but niece and nephew are here! And as long as nasty germs go away and keep people healthy three more are coming on Monday. Best weekend wishes!

Library Holiday Wish List

This is just a silly for fun list. Of course in real life I'd rather have all students have safe homes where they get read to each and every night and get enough healthy food to eat and time to play and exercise. And a school system that didn't try to test every last bit of creativity out of them.

It never ceases to amaze me how many other TLs have to deal with the same no-walls NONSENSE. What idiot architect (and yes, I know that's not a very nice word) ever thought it was a good idea? The only time it's good is when we have new book displays … I love to hear how excited the kids are as they walk by. All the other times when I have to yell (even with a microphone) simply to be heard over the general "hallway" noise by the kids right in front of me … well. You know how I feel about it. So like usual the top of the wish list is …


Now in previous years I have mentioned the Big Book Furniture. And Hogwarts Lego sets. And a hot cocoa maker (HA HA HA here in TX … usually). And an iPodcasting station.

This year the post is kind of dull cause I don't have any pics. And it's all about what I think a Makerspace might start out as.

Space for and then a big cabinet with doors that lock (for after school times … as much as I'd like to be able to leave it out for the after school peeps we do not have unlimited materials budgets) to hold:

book related puzzles;
colored paper (the pretty deeply colored kind … not the cheap kind … I'm a paper snob);
cardstock;
upcycled cardboard (ie tp and paper towel rolls, empty cereal boxes, etc.);
markers;
crayons;
colored pencils (and a decent sharpener that everyone promises to not come down with 50 pencils and proceed to sharpen all of them WHILE I am teaching … speaking from experience here :P);
pipe cleaners;
pom-poms;
glue sticks;
craft glue;
scissors;
craft sticks;
rubber bands;
electric circuits kits;
hand wipes (cause seriously … even with just glue sticks the little ones manage to make a mess of themselves :/); and
wipes to clean off the wood tables that don't ruin the finish (is that possible? Also allowable by Risk Management staff? :P).