Just Finished

I've spent the last few days glued to a book. A book on my Kindle, actually. Never thought I'd say that.

It's called People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. A fun bit of historical fiction- something I haven't been able to enjoy in quite a while.  The titular book is the Sarajevo Haggadah, an apparently* famous Jewish prayer book that survived the Inquisition, the looting of the Nazis and numerous other attacks on the people of the Jewish faith through history.

The tale is woven well, though at times I wished I was holding a paper book so I could flip back and forth. The Kindle was a Mother's Day gift, and it has been extremely convenient. It fits well in my bag, and I don't have the guilty feeling that comes with using my work iPad for fun stuff.

The book has a good mix of history and fiction, though the sprinkling of Jewish and Muslim words sometimes made it hard to follow. I also felt challenged by the historical names of particular places, as Eastern Europe and the Middle East were not my strong subjects. However, having read a number of the Temperance Brennan books by Kathy Reichs (and being a fan of the lighter end of that genre in general), the investigative portions of the book were intriguing to me. The main character is a specialist in old manuscripts and was hired to examine and repair a Haggadah that had missing/hidden since WWII. As part of her process of examination, she extracts foreign objects-- fibers, scales, stains-- and each of those take the reader back in time to the place where that particle intersected with the life of the book.

I think this book has a bit of something for everyone, and I definitely enjoyed it. Surprising, after a long run of non-fiction books that didn't quite hit the spot, and fiction books that made me feel overly sensitive. Worth my time, and worth me offering up a review as well.

* I only say apparently because, as noted, I am not hugely familiar with Jewish history or E.European history

KCBW 2015: Zoomed In

Hey there folks! As we continue our expose on a week in the life of a teacher, we rest our typing fingers for a bit and take some pics. As the colloquialism says, a picture is worth a thousand words. So rather than type a thousand words, we'll just take a few pictures. Catch us back here tomorrow as our stunning expose continues! ~The Mystery Student

Staking a claim on my school desk!

Baby tongue. Just because. 

KCBW 2015: a bit about me!

Today we take a look inside the lives of one of our teachers. So unusual, we see them every day, and never really give much thought to their personal lives. Obviously, we think that they eat, sleep, and breathe school. But that is not always the case. Underneath that "teacher look" is a person, someone that we might grow up to be.  

State your name, age, occupation: Mrs. G, older than you, teacher-- duh!

Baby selfies all day!

What do you like about your job?: I really love the material that I teach, and I truly enjoy students. Teenagers are funny sometimes, and definitely lovable. But I must emphasize the importance of being involved in extracurriculars. If I didn't help out with the school musical or MUN, I would not get a chance to see the students on a different level.

our little Tigers fan

What do you do in your free time?: Right now I spend a lot of time with my little one. He's the best, and being a mom is great, but also very busy. When I have free time other than that, I tend to read historical fiction, and crochet a lot of blankets and hats.

My reading has been less as of late, so if you could recommend some books-- I've been taking after my husband quite a bit, reading books that I can learn from, so mainly how to start an at-home business or raising farm animals. I glean a lot from blogs that I follow too.

one of my current projects

Tell me about your family: I have three siblings, plus 4 siblings on my husband's side. JT is one of 10 cousins, with an eleventh on the way. Right now, our immediate family is just the three of us, but both my husband and I would love more kids, if God wills it and we can handle them.

teacher work-- getting creative!

What do you dream about?: Weird stuff, sometimes being back in high school. Lots of flying.

teaching JT to bang on the table

No, I mean what do you want for your future: Oh, that. My husband and I would love a farm, with a few animals and such, but right now we're in no place for it. I dreamt once about being a librarian, but that was also coupled with being a stay-at-home mom, or raising alpacas. I'd love to open my own yarn shop some day, sell my finished pieces and my handspun wool. But I'm so far from that right now. It all seems impossible, and can be quite discouraging.
I really love teaching, and I love my students and my job, but home life has always called to me. Having some home business, being able to raise my kids, bake bread, make cookies. That's a dream.



Stay tuned, folks. The next few days are going to be a bit chaotic. Tomorrow, a picture is worth a thousand words. Thursday, we will be looking at what exactly teachers carry around in the bags they carry. Friday, we'll be sharing a video. And Sunday, a teacher's place of refuge. 
Thanks for hanging out!! The Mystery Student

KCBW 2015: If I were Yarn

Today we embark upon a journey. A journey with a mystery teacher. Who is she? She hasn't been here long, so not many of us know her. Let this be your opportunity. Today, we start with a simple task, allow our teacher to express herself in her own words. Check in tomorrow to get our "get real" interview with her. But for now, I give the floor over to Mrs. G. 

Catch ya later! The Mystery Student

If I were yarn, what would I be?

easy-care, colorful acrylic? long-lasting and impervious, acrylic has always been a go-to yarn of mine. the vibrancy of the colors is what always draws me back. a rainbow of colors. so much opportunity. but would i really describe myself in that way? the colorful part, maybe. i remember my own high school years-- hippie might describe my style for a time. long colorful skirts, a 'devil may care' attitude. but i am a long way from that place now.

what about wool? the yarn of history. as many varieties as acrylic, easily as many colors. the benefits of its warmth, varying levels of soft and rough. sometimes, you never know when, you have to be careful with your wool. too much agitation and the pattern is lost, the wool felted into a fabric, no longer able to be unravelled. but doesn't that describe me, too? handle with care, or don't. sometimes it doesn't matter. in those terms, in that way, i suppose i am more like wool. just as much variety as acrylic, probably even more. delicate and hardy at the same time. i like that.

Yarn is near and dear to my heart, and though I have to only pick one that I am like, I like all yarn.

Getting Ready

Knitting and Crochet Blog Week 2015 starts next week! I love the motivation that it gives me, especially when I've been neglecting my blog this semester. I'm hoping it'll give me the boost and accountability this coming week to get back into the groove of things.

If you haven't checked out the prompts yet, click the link above to do so. Or if you're on Ravelry, check out The Blog Hub. The community that's out on the web for crafters is so great.

This year for KCBW, I'm trying something different entirely. I'm setting up the whole week as if I was being interviewed for a project by my students. I think this will allow me to get out of my comfort zone a little bit more, and hopefully improve my writing skills.

Will I see you this coming week for KCBW??? I certainly hope so!

xoxo
~Mary