My new reading goal

I'm kind of stuck. I know I've got many books to read but I'm stuck on what to read next. I've caught up on all my YA lit that I've had sitting on my desk and my next Scholastic order isn't for a couple weeks. 1776 is down at my sister's and I haven't had a chance to get that yet. So as I'm sitting here late at night getting ready for a lengthy road trip over the next week, what can I read?! I've looked on my book shelves at my stacks of Mary Higgins Clark, Patricia Cornwell, MM Kaye, Stephanie Meyer and JK Rowling and decided to avoid rereading any of my favorites again. I HAVE to get through some Jane Austen. So here's my goal. I've got her complete unabridged works in one binding. I'm going to get through at least TWO of them before I get back next week. I think I'll start with Emma and Sense and Sensibility. Ready? Go.

(I know, Meg, try not to be embarassed that I'm your sister and just NOW getting around to them.)

My proud moment today!

I was able to tell my neices apart on the phone! Yay for Aunt Amy!

She's 87!

lol- gotta love this spunky lady! make sure you watch the whole thing :)

The Phantom

My enrichment group (29 women) went to Hale Tuesday night and saw the play "Phantom." Its not your traditional Phantom of the Opera story. We had heard many good things about it and every six months we try to go see something there, so this is the play we saw this time. I was less than happy with the ending and the portrayal of the characters, needless to say.

I understand that there are many people who loved this version of the story, BUT! I didn't. I thought the actors themselves did a fine job, however, the more I've thought about it, the more I've become disenchanted with the characters and how they ended things. Granted, Phantom is not traditionally one of the most cheeful stories of all time, but they really botched this! NONE of the characters had ANY redeeming qualities about them, except maybe Phillippe, and he was such a small role that he doesn't count.

The Phantom ends up murdering people in cold blood. Christine leads the Phantom on and lets him believe she is going to stay with him forever, UNTIL he trusts her to show her his face and THEN she screams and leaves him because he's ugly. The theater owner turns out to be the Phantom's father from a torrid love affair of earlier years BUT he's never told the Phantom this until the Phantom is shot and dying. He's left the Phantom in the caverns underneath the opera house his entire life, saying he's been protecting him from the world. The Phantom's mother died when he was 8 so he's been down there hangin' out.

There were parts that resembled the original (or what I call the original) story, but not enough to convince me that it was just told from a different perspective. It was enough different that I didn't like it at all.

And for my final comments about Phantom (and this might make Meg cry), I'll stick with Gerald Butler- who's always been my version of the Phantom. I loved that his voice wasn't as pure as Michael Crawford's. I loved it that he was tender and crazed all at the same time. Loved it. Yep, in my world, he's my Phantom.

My little moment, if I may :)

Some of you know that I'm on the executive board for the UMLA. I've been on the board for 10 years, now, I think. We are a group of teachers from various school districts who try to promote and support middle level education in the state. blah blah blah. We give out awards each year to individuals for doing certain things. My board felt it was my year to receive the Peggy Rowland Award. I guess you could say Peg was the "founder" of UMLA. I'm not going to bore you with the requirements- you can check out the website for that, I think.

Anyway, if you'll allow me a little moment to "toot my own horn", here it is. It was really sweet of them to do this for me and kind of embarassing, quite frankly. I don't do anymore than any of them do on the board or in their classrooms or anywhere else for that matter. So I'm trying to just "accept it" as one of my friends said. So thank you to the board members, and especially Annette, who wrote the nomination. I'll type it up below, because I know if I don't, my mother will want to read it and I won't have the letter handy.

So- the post keeps going and you can stop reading because it will get lengthy but here's what Annette said:
"It is my pleasure to nominate AmyRoberds for the Utah Middle Level Association's Peggy Lee Roland Award. I have served on the UMLA Executive Board with Amy for the past seven years. Amy has been an active member of the board for 10 years. She started on the board as a region representative, she became the secretary in 2005, and she has served in that position ever since. It soon became evident to me that Amy did a lot more than take minutes of our meetings. She has worked tirelessly to make sure the annual conference always took place and was a quality event. She has arranged for the food for breakfast, lunch and awards luncheon every year since she began on the board, has sought out presenters, has helped with registration, and has presented on middle level topics herself. She actively attends meetings where her input is extremely important.

Amy truly understands middle level students and their unique needs. She understands what makes them "tick," and she knows how to reach them, even those who don't work well with other teachers and have been "turned off" by school. She has been actively involved in implementing middle level concepts in her school and district.

On a personal note as a middle school educator, Amy is the type of teacher I would love to work with. She would be the perfect team mate because she understands young adolescents and works hard to meet the needs of middle level students.

Without reservation, I recommend AmyRoberds for the Peg Roland Award for excellence in Middle Level Education.
Sincerely,
Annette

Small and simple memory

I slept so well last night! I know this sounds silly, but I'm blaming my sheets. When I bought my bigger bed, I bought sheets at Costco. They're like 8000 thread count or something ridiculous like that. I love them. But I only have one set. So when I change my sheets, the other set is sub-par.
I've always wanted to find sheets like my Grandma Hammond had. Its such a strange memory to have of someone, but I remember her sheets always being so soft and cottony. I loved sleeping at Grandma's for many reasons like the candy jar, grapenuts and sewing lessons, but I also loved the sheets! For years I have tried to find sheets exactly like hers. I thought maybe 100% cotton was the key- nope. Thread count? nope. So I gave up when I found my Costco sheets.
But yesterday, I went back to Costco to get another set of amazing million thread count sheets. I saw another brand that was 300 thread count, cotton/poly blend. I squished my finger inbetween the zipper to try and feel them. They felt kind of like Grandma Hammond's sheets! I was so excited! So I bought a set and prayed that once they washed up, I'd be able to sleep in the back bedroom at Grandma's house again.
I stripped my bed last night, washed up those sheets and sure enough- Grandma's back bedroom was now located upstairs at my house. I slept so well last night. :)

For my mom readers :)

Keepin' in touch

I was just thinking the other day about all the ways I'm in touch with people. From my phone and texting, to blogging, to Facebook, to emails, to good old fashioned US Postal service. What fun it is to keep in touch with so many people! I get to hear from my sisters and my cousins and aunt. I get to hear from dear friends from college and high school that I've lost track of. I get to read my niece's blog and giggle at her funny videos. It may not be as personal as some people would like, but when you're separated by so many states and sometimes countries, it works. So- HEY! everyone! From me :)