A brief change of pace...

So, I've been thinking a lot about educational policy in the United States. And, more specifically, the educational policies in my own state, Missouri.

I recently read an article on slate.com about the apparent uselessness of homework at the elementary level. At first brush, I will be honest, I took issue with the notion. "How dare they presume to know more about what I'm doing than I do." I mean, we're given so much content that we have to cover, to convey, to teach, for goodness' sake, and there is only so much time in the day.

However, it didn't end there. It was like a virus in the back of my mind....constantly coming to the forefront of my thoughts....it was really frustrating. So, I kept thinking about it. And, here are my thoughts on this topic. Do with them what you will.

I think we need to completely revolutionize the state standards here in Mo. The state expectations state that we need to have students reading at a "proficient" level, they need to be performing at a certain level mathematically, and all students need to have a fairly sophisticated grasp of American history (fifth grade level) and numerous scientific concepts as well.

Before I go on, I must say....it hurts me to say what I'm about to say. I LOVE teaching social studies....it's my absolute favorite topic, and it's the highlight of my day. I LOVE it. So, as I said, it pains me to suggest...

We stop teaching social studies and science in the elementary level. Completely. Cut. It. Out. Instead of teachers scrambling to fullfill all kinds of, in all honesty, daunting curriculum, we focus entirely on emphasizing the many facets of reading; enjoyment of, comprehension, fluency, reading strategies, etc. We allow kids the time to actually do...oh, I don't know, some reading on their own....that we work in small groups, large groups, mixed groups, leveled groups, silent reading, partner reading, oral reading, individual reading. In that context, teachers would have the freedom to include many different genres of literature. We could introduce kids to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, reference, fun books, serious books, biographies, historical fiction, science fiction, magazines, environmental reading skills. In this context, not only would kids be reading, but when they got to middle school and high school they would be fully prepared for--and up to the challenge of--science and social studies reading. They would also, potentially, have a much broader base of background reading to use in their classes, and....in real life.

I was thinking back on all this, and I don't for the life of me remember studying at any length science of social studies before fifth grade. All we did was read up until that time. (I may be totally off, but that's my recollection anyway.)

How does all this relate to the original slate magazine article? If we didn't have social studies and science requirements, we would have much more time to focus on reading (and writing skills) and we wouldn't need to assign massive amounts of homework to our young children.

So. There you go. Those are my thoughts on the state of education today.....what are yours?

Thanks for stopping by...

Tommy

It's a dog eat dog world, and so help me I'm wearing milk bone underwear

All right sports fans....here he is....in all of his wet dog glory....Leo.....the newest member of the Estlund family....


Just wanted to post that....

Friday Night Lights

Hello, faithful readers.

I feel like I need to explain my absence in the "blogosphere". It's not that I don't have things that I want to write about--I do; nor is it that I am tired of blogging--I'm not. Honestly, September 11th was really hard this year. I don't know what it is...but I found myself wanting to write something profound...something meaningful...something the clearly expressed what I was thinking....but I just didn't think I could do it. At least, not like Sarah, Jim, Rachel, and all of my other friends who summed up what this sad but important occassion meant. So...I'm just going to leave it that it was hard. It probably always will be.

Work has been challenging. Complexities exist in all vocations, as does a certain amount of negativity. I've just felt this week like there is a substantial increase in the level of bad vibes around the place, and it's really disheartening. It's sad really. I can't go any more into specifics, but if you're interested, you can ask when you see me next.

Bibi has been amazing, through all of this. She's been a wonderful companion and shoulder; a great partner, altogether. I feel very blessed and fortunate. (I think that's kind of the point of marriage....being and having a partner, but still....makes one feel quite content in the midst of anything else that is going on knowing that I can count on her, and that she can count on me. It's good....you know?)

I"m reading a book now on the history of the human race. (I know, pretty broad topic, eh?) It's interesting...I've never read much on Greek history, Chinese history, or...well, European history in general. So, I'm enjoying that. Leo is biting my foot right now, so I should go play with him. Oh, I guess I could update you all on Leo. He is getting bigger before our eyes, and Bibi and I walk him at least twice a day. (Starting Monday it might be three times a day.) He's really cute thought, and he's really smart.

In case anyone doesn't know...November is National Novel Writing Month. There is a website dedicated to encouraging people to write 50,000 words in the month of November. (Ideally, all on the same topic--it is NOVEL writing month, not disjointed anecdote writing month!)

I've got an idea, and I"m looking forward to participating this month.

So...here's my question. It's a bit random, but I'm curious. Which do you think has changed the course of history more: The Physical Sciences, or the Social Sciences? Discuss.

No, seriously.

Thanks for stopping by!

Tommy

Who's on First?

I wanted to write a post, a little more in depth, about this past weekend. On the way down to Oklahoma City, we left at about 6 in the morning. Bibi slept a little, and I rocked out to my iPod. Now, when I say I rocked out...I need to be more specific. It's a little like one of those awesome Volkswagon commercials from the 90's. I was dancing, singing....hell, I may have even been tapping the brake pedal to get some strobe lighting going on for those people fortunate enough to be stuck behind me. At one point, while getting my groove on to The Sugar Hill Gang (may have been either Tonto, Jump On It! or Rapper's Delight...I don't remember)...I looked to my right, and there was Bibi, looking up at me with a huge grin on her face as she said, "you...are SUCH a dork..." Yes. Yes I am. But, what was cool was Bibi sat up and danced with me multiple times on the trip.

On the way home, we were rockin' out to The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again". It was so cool....we were rockin' out to it, and we started talking about the meaning. We had a great conversation about the message behind the lyrics, and how...at this time, it is especially appropro. Here they are...

We'll be fighting in the streets
With our children at our feet
And the morals that they worship will be gone
And the men who spurred us on
Sit in judgement of all wrong
They decide and the shotgun sings the song
I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
The change, it had to come
We knew it all along
We were liberated from the fold, that's all
And the world looks just the same
And history ain't changed'
Cause the banners, they all flown in the last war
I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
No, no!I'll move myself and my family asideI
f we happen to be left half alive
I'll get all my papers and smile at the sky
For I know that the hypnotized never lie
Do ya?
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
There's nothing in the street
Looks any different to me
And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye
And the party on the left
Is now the party on the right
And the beards have all grown longer overnight
I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
Don't get fooled again
No, no!
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss

So, that's the song. I know it sounds pessimistic, but it's a great song. Very insightful. That's all.

We enjoyed talking about it. Oh! We also talked about what makes a song "great". The conclusion we came to is that there are two important aspects: 1) It's gotta be great instrumentation, and 2) it's gotta have good lyrics.

For example....ALL of Johnny Cash's collection. Someday by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Feelin' Good Again by Robert Earl Keen. Bittersweet Symphony by the Verve.

So...here's the question....what song(s) stand out to you...both musically and lyrically?

You have two minutes.....
GO!

Thanks for stopping by...
Tommy

The Dog Days of Summer....

Well, things are going swimmingly. Bibi and I drove down to Oklahoma City, OK this weekend to pick up the newest member of our family, Leo, a Rhodesian Ridgeback/German Shepherd mix. He's absolutely adorable and feisty to boot! He's rowdy, but sleeps A LOT! (It was so much fun to come home today after school to find the little guy awaiting my return....and, man did the time fly. It was time for me to make dinner for when Bibi came home in no time flat!!!

We're reading a book by the Monks of New Skete on dog training, and it's cool so far. Very common sense, but not what I would have naturally thought of. So, that's cool.

I also just finished the 9/11 commission adaptation. Very interesting, and a really good read....I'd recommend it.

So, yeah...that's what going on.

So....yeah...thanks for stopping by!

Tommy

A Breaking Update....

Just wanted to let everyone know about something.

I just went and picked up a new book. It's called, "The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation". For those of you familiar with Art Spiegleman's "Maus: A Survivor's Tale" will be prepared for this explanation of the events that unfolded that fateful day 5 years ago.

This book, by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon, is basically a new version of the report put out by the independent commision. This is called a "graphic adaptation" because it is NOT a comic book and it is NOT a graphic novel. It is, as the title suggests, an adaptation of the Official Report, so it outlines the events of the day, with all four planes; the findings of the commission, and what I've found most helpful, a brief tutorial on the history of Islamic terrorism under the iron fist of Osama bin Laden.

I'm only a few pages into it, but so far I've found it interesting, and...really, it's an important work. So, I wanted to make more people aware of it. (It came out today.)

Oh, and I'm still reading Bill Bryson's "In a Sunburned Country". I have read "The Lost Continent", I think at your recommendation, Kelli, and to be honest, I found it a bit cynical. It's, of course, very funny....but I think I was in a stage where I found any negative comments about my home--the midwest--harsh and unnecessary. (In other words, I was being a bit of a baby.) However, I really, really want to read more of his stuff now because he's impressed me quite a bit.

Anyway. This post has been brought to you be the letter "R".

Thanks for reading. Oh! Real quick....anyone actually read the "9/11 Report"? And, if so...thoughts?

Tommy

edit:

Oh yeah....it's a Rhodesian Ridgeback/German Shepherd Mix....and we're picking him up this weekend.

I'm takin' what they're given cuz I'm workin' for a livin....

Well, what a difference a day makes, you know? Friday night Bibi and I rented a couple of DVD's, ate dinner, and went to bed. At 7:30. At night. It was awesome. Holy crap, it was nice.

Got up early Saturday morning, made some coffee, and while Bibi was at work, I cleaned the house. (Yes, to all of my family members, you read that right, and no, it wasn't a typo. I cleaned. The house. All of it.) Then I read some more and finished the book on Apocalyptic literature; (it was very good....I'd recommend it.)

I then started a book by Bill Bryson called "In A Sunburned Country" about his travels through Australia. It's official. I wanna go.

After Bibi came home, we went to Hastings a local book store. Why, you ask? Well, we wanted very badly to look at books on different dog breeds. We have been talking about it, and we realize that we really want to get another dog. So, we are looking, and so far we're looking at quite a few different ones, but nothing for certain so far. So, there you go.

On a somewhat sad note, my beloved Captain, the statue of a sea captain that sits on my desk in my classroom, was completely by accident knocked from my desk this afternoon. He has been through quite a few years, quite a few miles, and has been in who knows how many locations...but, alas, he was unable to survive the fall. The captain...he is no more. )c; (Sniff....sniff.)

So, how was everyone else's weekend? And, back to the Bryson book....I love travelogues....any recommendations?

Thanks for stopping by!

Tommy

I'm takin' what they're given cuz I'm workin' for a livin....

Well, what a difference a day makes, you know? Friday night Bibi and I rented a couple of DVD's, ate dinner, and went to bed. At 7:30. At night. It was awesome. Holy crap, it was nice.

Got up early Saturday morning, made some coffee, and while Bibi was at work, I cleaned the house. (Yes, to all of my family members, you read that right, and no, it wasn't a typo. I cleaned. The house. All of it.) Then I read some more and finished the book on Apocalyptic literature; (it was very good....I'd recommend it.)

I then started a book by Bill Bryson called "In A Sunburned Country" about his travels through Australia. It's official. I wanna go.

After Bibi came home, we went to Hastings a local book store. Why, you ask? Well, we wanted very badly to look at books on different dog breeds. We have been talking about it, and we realize that we really want to get another dog. So, we are looking, and so far we're looking at quite a few different ones, but nothing for certain so far. So, there you go.

On a somewhat sad note, my beloved Captain, the statue of a sea captain that sits on my desk in my classroom, was completely by accident knocked from my desk this afternoon. He has been through quite a few years, quite a few miles, and has been in who knows how many locations...but, alas, he was unable to survive the fall. The captain...he is no more. )c; (Sniff....sniff.)

A Treatise on Why The Reader Should Watch the Simpsons

So, I just read the chapter in this book on how the Simpson's has elements of Apocalytic (the literary element) at various points in the series. I have to be honest, I'm just now soaking it in, so this might not be entirely coherent....but, I'm gonna try.

Basically, Apocalyptic deals with connecting the spiritual to the physical....in that our spiritual lives should not be something purely ethereal and focused entirely in the realm of some far off day. Our spiritual lives should be intimately linked to the material and physical world around us. Our spiritual lives should be entirely about the people around us....the other human beings that make up our spiritual realm. (Spirituality means nothing if it's not about the people around us--think, Mother Theresa.)

In the Simpson's, we are given a glimpse of Carnival humor. Carnival humor is about seeing the folly of humanity in humanity...and that includes us. It's not about laughing at someone. It's about laughing WITH someone....everyone around us. And that's another thing...

Think of the great achievements of humanity...the architectual beauties, the monuments to God....often times they are high reaching steeples attempting to bring us closer to heaven, right? And, in the time of these buildings, Gargoyles were found built into these facades. These were frighteningly ugly little people laughing at the failure that we inevitably come to in reaching for these heights. (This does NOT diminish the heights we DO reach...it merely reminds us of the fallibilty of us all....). I don't think of that laughter in malevolent terms...it's a jocular and lighthearted laughter....

The Simpson's shows us all our failings....we see ourselves in the characters....not all of them...but we do see ourselves in some of them....we also see our attitudes reflected in our assumptions about the characters. (Sited in the book, we see Moe, a walking stereotype if ever there was one, in a totally new light when we see that he volunteers at an orphanage weekly.)

I guess the final issue that is discussed in the book that stood out to me was the treatment of Ned Flanders. Ned is seen as the consumate example of a goody two shoes Christian. However, he is never (or VERY rarely) seen in a derisive light.....he is often a satirical (sp?!) character, but not a jerk. He's not perfect, but he is trying. He's a PRACTICING Christian...not a perfect Christian.

Man....I always set out to write deep, enlightening, posts, and I always feel like I fall short. Anyway, you guys should definitely read the book, or at the very least the chapter on the Simpson's....

Yeah.

I once heard someone say that we find prophets (truth tellers) in very strange places. Like, the Simpsons. Where do you all see prophets?

Thanks for reading...

Tommy

Insert Amusing Title Here....

Well, today was the first day of the rest of my....um, well...it was the first day of the rest of the school year....that's what it was. And, it was great. Good times were had by all. I've got a great group of kids, and I have an idea of where I want to take them, and I've got a plan for how to get there. (And, knowing...is half the battle!)

Bibi and I have been enjoying ourselves, after work as well. Last night, after I met all the parents, we sat on the porch and chatted for awhile, then we went for a walk around campus. (It was REALLY funny seeing all the freshman walking around, seeing everything through their eyes....it was funny, just because it seems like SUCH a long time ago. (c;)

Other than that, things are going really well. I'm just very much enjoying myself, and things are good.

I finished both of the Pirates! books, and they were hilarious. Just good mindless fun. Well, actually not all that mindless...there are random and informative footnotes on nearly every page to inform the reader about Pirate lore in oldentimes. They're quite amusing. And educational!

I'm going to start a book now about pop culture and how it affects our view of certain philosophical questions. It mentions....well, actually, I just got up and grabbed the book, so it's actually called, "Everyday Apocalypse: The Sacred Revealed in Radiohead, the Simpson's, and other Pop Culture Icons". So, instead of "philosophy" it deals with the Sacred. Cool.

Alright, well, I'm going to get back to my wife now....you all have a great night....oh, and I wanted to ask...the "Pirates!" books are just mindless fun....does anyone have any suggestions for similar books?

Thanks for stopping by...
Tommy

It's the Most Wonderful Time...of the Year....

Hey ya'll! School starts in two days, and I'm psyched. Good times, will be had by all, I assure you.

Anyway, Kirksville roared to life this morning...it's freshman move-in-day. Woke up at 7, made a pot of coffee, had a couple of friends over, and we all sat outside and watched, listened, and felt the town slowly wake up from it's summer sleep. I don't know if those of you who don't live here anymore remember what it's like....but, well...it's palpable. The town slowly stretches and shakes out the sleepiness, and by tonight the 16-block square around campus will be one mass of party and drunken freshmen. Ah....good times. (c;

Anyway, I finished my book on the language of politics. It was good. It's interesting to have a political debate, to have the other side explained in a clear and logical manner. One of the things I learned, oh, I don't know...back in high school sometime, I think, was that it's important to recognize that intelligent, thoughtful and reasonable people can often times look at a certain issue, all of the facts surrounding that issue, and come away with very different conclusions.

(In response to the comment left by Anonymous: You're right; Conservatives have some excellent ideas, but I think that point that this book was trying to make is that it is easy to persuade people when you have an understanding of the power of language....it's not necessarily deviousness, nor is it necessarily bad....it's a very intelligent, and at least in todays political environment, necessary skill, one that would serve Democrats well to learn.)

I'm now taking a brief hiatus from the political tomes, and I'm reading "Pirates! In Adventures with Scientists" to be followed by "Pirates! In Adventures with Ahab"

Well, I hope you're all enjoying the inevitable end of the summer....God bless, and have a great week.

Oh, and as always...thanks for stopping by.

Tommy

Snakes on a Blog....

Hey everyone. Just in case there is anyone out there who thought that the movie "Snakes on a Plane" wouldn't be good, I saw it last night...and if it doesn't win best picture....than there is civilization to be found in this world. That's all I'm sayin'. It's the best movie I"ve seen in a LONG time...it's the crack equivalent of a movie-going experience...it goes straight to the pleasure center of the brain.

Go see it....or I'm going to send you Snakes in the Mail. And they're going to bite you. In the eye.

Go see it.

Now.


Seriously.





Go.


(Thanks for reading....)

Tommy

EDIT: Previous Post...

I forgot to ask...are there any political books that you find particularly interesting?

Tommy

Hey! It's been awhile, hasn't it?

Well, I just finished Bloodsucking Fiends, by Christopher Moore. (For those of you who read me regularly, it's pretty obvious I've got a thing for his books. They're REALLY good!!!! Oh, have you read Lamb yet? WHY NOT?!)

Anyway, back to BF's. It was really good. I am Moore's "friend" on MySpace, and I sent him a message the other day, and he told me that he just sent the sequel to his publisher, so that should be coming out around Christmas. (Yay!) BF's is a very funny novel about vampires. I know, I know, I'm not that into Vampire books either, but this one's really good. Basically, Moore turns the whole concept on it's ear, which is a good thing. Needs to be done every now and then, you know?

So, I started reading a new book today, and it's what I really want to tell you about. (Gee, don't I sound like some cheesy PBS special?) It's called, "don't think of an elephant!" by George Lakoff. It came recommended by a friend, (who has also loaned me an unholy number of books, and I'm getting to them....) after a conversation we had about politics, and how political capital is won through rhetoric and the use of language. I had heard a segment on NPR a few weeks ago about how the right has basically taken over the realm of political discourse. This led to the recommendation of this book. Basically, Lakoff's premise states that Republicans and Conservatives have mastered the art of phrasing their language in terms of a recognizable conceptual framework that registers in listener's brains upon hearing it. (Conservatives in the 50's and 60's created thinktanks, magazine's, and journals to help focus their leaders' minds in this direction. Democrats and liberals haven't done this yet, which is why Republican's are doing so well. (Says the premise of the book.)

Lakoff, in the rest of the book, creates a....handbook of sorts for progressives to be able to better handle this tricky rhetorical situation.

So far, it's been interesting. Lakoff puts his political theories into two categories; that of the "strict father", and the "Nurturant Parent". It's been interesting so far, and I'm very curious to read more about how language works in the political realm.

Anyway, that's all for now.

Thanks for reading!!!

Tommy

Things that make you go Hmmmmm...

All right! Hey, how's it going?

So, I REALLY didn't know that I would get that kind of response, when I decided to write about the current situation in the Middle East. I really dig the feed back, and I love that people have left some really intelligent and thoughtful comments.

I do want to clarify, however, that I was NOT, well...at least I was not INTENDING to align myself with either side. I have to say, I agree with Kelli when I say that both sides have done considerable harm as well as considerable good. It's really not simple, and there are definitely no easy answers.

I would, however, like to open up this blog formally for any other ideas or thoughts that people have. I'd love to hear 'em!

This past weekend Bibi and I went to Bloomington, Il for a friend's wedding. It was an excellent time. We're back now, and I'm back in the classroom, working on getting ready for the school year, which officially begins a week from tomorrow. (That's Tuesday.) We've got construction going on, so it looks like a disaster area. Hopefully, the school will be ready. (And, um....hopefully, I will be ready....)

Oh, and I finished The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. It was good. Very good. The book had an interesting structure....it was like a comic book in prose form. In comic books, the author has no limit to how much time occurs between frames...it can be the next second, or years later. It can be the same moment from a different perspective, or it can be five minutes before. The comic book character's background can be filled in through flashbacks, or it can be filled in in pieces throughout.

All of these techniques were present, as well as numerous others, and it made for an exceptionally interesting book.

Anybody know of any other books that have a uniqe structure, that add to the enjoyment of the book?

All right...more later!

Thanks for reading....

Tommy

...the Man comes around....

Author's Disclaimer: This post may consist of numerous stream-of-consciousness ideas, as well as disjointed premises, and conclusions. There may also be several typos and mispelled words. Please disregard them. Read at your own risk.

This post has been several days in the making. I've had a couple of experiences lately that have made me feel more "grown-up" and adult than anything in a long time. (I know, I know...I'm 28...I "am" an adult. I don't feel like one though...most of the time I still see myself as that 14 year old kid with HORRIBLE acne and very little self confidence.)

Last night at karaoke, I was sitting between two faily diverse groups of people. On my left were a couple of slightly younger friends, who were talking about the pros and cons of different drinking games. On my right, were some slightly older friends who were discussing the benefits and liabilites of the varying benefits of various insurance programs. You know which conversation interested me most? Yeah, I now know all about the family insurance plan provided by Atmost Energy. It's really good.

Monday, Bibi and I spent most of the afternoon researching America's involvement in Iraq and our history with Israel and Lebanon. It was really interesting; we also have made a concerted effort to watch the world news every night. After our research, from a number of different websites, with a number of tangential side investigations, watching the news was MUCH more interesting.

Today, and a couple of times in the past few days, quite a few people, of various ages have expressed a fairly common objection to watching the nightly news: It's so damn depressing.

That got me thinking.

Bibi and I both mentioned how watching the news represents being an adult, based on our impressions of "adult behavior" from our childhoods. (Translation: Both of our parents watched the news, and that signifies responsible adult behavior to both of us.) So, it feels good...it feels...oh, I don't know...productive to watch the news. But, here's the thing....I don't get depressed watching the news. I know, there are horribly sad and depressing things going on out there....but, well...I don't see watching the news that way. This is cheesy, but it goes back to the G.I. Joe tagline from when I was a kid..."Now you know. And KNOWING...is HALF the battle." I guess I feel like watching the news puts me in a better position to be able to...do anthing about those horrible things. You know...reading is fundamental; and "knowledge is power". That kind of a thing.

It helps me to know our history with Israel, how we've continually helped them and backed them; but it also helps me to know that Hezbollah is backed by Iran, which is another reason that our government uses to justify backing Israel. However, from teaching American History, I know that George Washington, way back in the late 1700's advised us to avoid permanent alliances with foreign powers....which is way I think it's dangerous to blindly support Israel just because we have always supports Israel. However, researching Hezbollah shows me that it is a dangerously militant organization. (It also provides medicine, food, and water to the Lebanese people, which is why the Hezbollah is gaining support--it's also why there is a growing number of countries who think that Israel's actions have been way over the top.)

Ok. So, being educated, and watching the news shows me that there are NO easy answers. That CAN be disheartening, but it doesn't have to be....healthy and lively debate and discussion is a good thing.

Your thoughts?

An exercise in contextual understanding and historical serendipity

I'm reading a new book, titled "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay", by Michael Chabon. I've had this book recommended to me multiple times over the past two years, and it's proving to be an excellent read. Very exciting, very interesting, very well-written. It is also an intellectual lesson.

Let me explain.

A few weeks ago, when I read "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man", by Joyce, I went through an experience that happens sometimes when one reads a well-written, but complex, book. I found myself barely hanging on, as it were. I was almost unable to keep track of the flow of the story, almost unable to stay with the narrative. I had to consciously remind myself of where I was in the story, who was speaking, and...well, basically what was going on at all times. Now, I don't think there is anything wrong with that, so to speak. I find a challenge to be invigorating. However, "Kavalier and Clay" is an entirely different kind of challenge.

Chabon has got to possess the most expansive vocabulary of any author I've yet to read. I find myself, nearly every paragraph, wanting to stop to look up at least a couple of words I don't know. It isn't that he's using words I know in a new way; he's using words I've never heard before, I've never read before....heck, I think he's making some of them up! (And, not to be conceited, but I don't think I have that limited a vocabulary at my disposal, although my ability to spell those words when I'm publishing my writing for a vast audience--such as this blog--certainly leaves something to be desired...). So, this book has challenged me in a new way, a way that, to be quite honest, hasn't been challenged in some time. I find that I simply press on, and Chabon's use of the words, his context, helps me through the text most of the time. To me, that is the mark of an excellent author. (Chabon, if you happen to google your name, and this comes up....Way to Go!!! (c;)

Ok, now on to the second part of my title: Historic Serendipity.

About a month and a half ago, I read a book on the Science of Super Heroes called, "The Science of Super Heroes". In this book, which was really quite interesting, I found out that, prior to the US involvement in WWII, comic book authors, and their lead characters, went to Europe to fight the forces of evil well before we wised up. I thought that was interesting--that, cheesy, child's play stuff, schlock in most people's opinions, was in the forefront, the vanguard.

Now, just a month or so later, I'm reading "Kavalier and Clay", which is about a Jewish man from Prague who escapes to to America, and creates a comic book--well before the US involvment in the war--about a super hero who fights the forces of evil abroad. It's basically a fictitious account of how the war was fought in the hearts of individuals in America before it was fought in Europe.

Good stuff....

Any books that you've read that were especially challenging? (I'm thinking, Faulkner's "The Sound and the Fury"?)

And, hey...thanks for reading.

(And, thanks to all my spelling narcs who made me so self-conscious that I spell checked every "iffy" word in this post!!!!)

Tommy

The shortest post ever

Thanks Chuck, for pointing out that my post on teachers in Mexico was obviously typed quickly, and included a really bad typo.

Thanks.

(c;

Seriously...I love my readers...but, do you have to read so damn closely?

(c;

Tommy

Bordeom

Ok, I PROMISE...this is the ONLY one of these damn things I'll do. Seriously.

ABC's from Rachel

A is for age:28
B is for booze of choice:Jack Daniels--straight up.
C is for career: Fifth Grade Teacher.
D is for your dog's name: Kaya....well, in my heart at least. She is no longer with us.
E is for essential items you use/love everyday:Coffee and whatever book I'm reading right now.
F is for favorite song(s) at the moment: Hmm....Silver Sword by Huckleberry. If you haven't heard of it, well, your loss.
G is for favorite games: Vengence, and Monopoly.
H is for hometown: Cedar Rapids.
I is for instruments you play: Alto Saxophone, Piano (just barely) and I played the flute for hmmm...about one week in high school. Thanks Mr. Danser.
J is for jam or jelly you like: Grape. I know, boring.
K is for kids: None....YET.
L is for last kiss: Bibi.
M is for most admired trait: Sincerity.
N is for the name of your crush: None.
O is for overnight hospital stays: I got a deviated septum repaired during college.
P is for phobias: I really don't like spiders...although, I have made substantial growth in that I don't cry like a little girl anymore.
Q is for quotes you like: "Does it ever get any easier?" "No. Well, not if you're doing it right. But, it is the best job in the world." (Boston Public.)
R is for biggest regret: That I was actually worried about what people thought about me in high school.
S is for sweets of your choice:M&M's, snickers, chocolate in general.
T is for time you wake up: 6:30 during the summer (and then I wait til I'm ready to get up.) 5:30 or 6:00 during the school year.)
U is for underwear: Boxers. Knitted preferably.
V is for vegetables you love: I love asparagus. Zucchini. Corn. Broccoli. Green Beans. Tomato. (I know! It's actually a fruit, but most people don't know that.)
W is for worst habit: Picking my nails. Road rage.
X is for x-rays you've had: Wrist, back, teeth.
Y is for yummy food you make: Well, Bibi and I make cholay together. Does that count?
Z is for zodiac sign: Cancer.

There ya go. I PROMISE I won't do it again. (Maybe.)

Thanks for reading...

Tommy