Hum, What I Learned this Semester

First I probably learned too much about the food industry, and that if I want to eat well and feed my son healthy foods, I'm going to have to spend more time and money on food & shopping.



I learned that I can rewrite the two most important chapters in Double Deuce (when we find out who did it and Spenser and Hawk confront the killers) and change the point of view from first person to omniscient.



And as usual, and most importantly, I learned from my students. I discovered more about which reading skills are the most challenging and then tried to come up with ways to work on developing and mastering these skills. Implied main ideas are a real hurdle. Remembering what topics and main ideas are (not just being able to identify them in a reading, but knowing what they are) is another problem area that we worked on all semester. For the writing class, remembering what introductory elements are is just as challenging.



So each semester, Dr. Wahl and I find new ways to work with these skills and hopefully our students build the skills they need for the classes they will take in the future. (Next semester we will start annotating the readings from the very beginning -- that is one of several adjustments we have talked about making for next spring).

I learned things about each of my students -- too many to go into -- but one of the best parts of the job.

You could say that Dr. Wahl and I are building and developing our own skills. We are repeating the class you know.

King Corn

As we left class after watching "King Corn" last week, Dr Wahl said, I feel overwhelmed." I agreed. Where do we start?

I knew most of what "Chew on This" discussed, but watching the film on the heels or rereading it was a lot to take in at once.

I worry more about my son than me (I'm old!).

I learned that corn is everywhere and not always good for us. I learned more about the environmental impact of industrialized agriculture than I knew before but probably sort of knew some of it and never really thought too much about it. (I suspect that converting my car's diesel engine to ethanol (corn) is not an environmentally sound idea).


I'll have to spend more money than I do on food to buy responsibly grown foods -- if I can find them. Buy more organic, more locally grown (which I was starting to do), and buy from smaller farms. All of which is going to cost me!


I feel overwhelmed because I don't see how we can change it, and it impacts on our health and the health of our children.


I learned not to read or watch anything else about these topics; I might run out of things to eat--oh yeah, we're about to start watching "Supersize Me." Oh well.

Aaron's Choice with Punctuation Added & Now Corrected!

Beat It

They told him, "Don't you ever come around here; don't wanna see your face. You better disappear." The fire's in their eyes, and their words are really clear.

So beat it. Just beat it.

You better run. You better do what you can. Don't wanna see no blood. Don't be a macho man. You wanna be tough? Better do what you can. So beat it, but you wanna be bad.

Just beat it. Beat it. Beat it. Beat it.

No one wants to be defeated. Showin' how funky. Strong is your fight. It doesn't matter who's wrong or right.

Just beat it. Beat it. Just beat it. Beat it. Just beat it. Beat it. Just beat it. Beat it.

They're out to get you. Better leave while you can. Don't wanna be a boy. You wanna be a man. You wanna stay alive. Better do what you can. So beat it. Just beat it.

You have to show them that you're really not scared. You're playin' with your life. This ain't no truth or dare. They'll kick you; then, they beat you. Then, they'll tell you it's fair. So beat it, but you wanna be bad.

Just beat it. Beat it. Beat it. Beat it.

No one wants to be defeated. Showin' how funky. Strong is your fight. It doesn't matter who's wrong or right. Just beat it. Beat it. Beat it. Beat it. No one wants to be defeated. Showin' how funky. Strong is your fight. It doesn't matter who's wrong or right.

Just beat it. Beat it. Beat it. Beat it. Beat it. Just beat it. Beat it. Beat it. Beat it.

Eating

So far today has not been a great eating day -- three cups of coffee, didn't have time to eat the pear that I brought, no time after class to eat since I had to rush off for a meeting. Dr. Wahl handed me two small Reese's peanut butter cups as I dashed out of the meeting and off to meet my son's bus. Grabbed a pear as the bus was pulling up. I just ate handful of pretzels and humus as we are heading off to basketball. I don't think dinner will much better because we don't get back in time to make a "real" meal. Too many things to do gets in the way of actually eating. The only thing I will say about dinner is that at least there was asparagus and my neighbor brought Aaron some chili she had made.

Thursday -- two cups coffee, pear between classes, yogurt after class and my afternoon caffine -- Dr. Pepper. Home handful of almonds on the way to meet my son's bus. Again rushing off to take him to piano class. On the way home, picked up a slice from the Corner Slice (I prefer Vace's) since it was too late to make dinner. After reading stories and getting him to bed, grabbed a couple of pieces of Halloween candy from the bag on top of the fridge.

Friday morning -- coffee, not sure how many cups but two so far.

A pattern emerges: Life interferes with eating.

The good news is that we sit down to eat dinner together almost every night-- whatever dinner might be.

Double Deuce -- My Way

Spenser and Hawk are sitting drinking coffee at a a little table in front of the croissant shop at the International Place Cafe. Hawk is wearing his tough guy chic and Spenser is looking like the former boxer, ex-cop that he is. Both look tough. A steady stream of office workers wander through the cafe, stopping to order a coffee drink and a croissant or muffin.

Several women feel Spenser and Hawk's eyes on them as the two men check them out. Leah Linkletter, an auburn haired secretary from a law firm on the 32nd floor, notices their interest, likes the look of Hawk, so doubles her efforts to attract his attention. Hawk looks her over again.

Just about everyone takes note of the two men since they clearly do not work in any of the nearby offices. Even though they are deep in conversation, it is clear they don't miss a beat and see everything around them -- not just the women.

Spenser is trying to get the lowdown about Jackie. He knows Susan won't let it rest until he tells her something. And Hawk is a friend. Hawk is humoring Spenser -- throwing him a bone or two -- but not giving up too much about his relationship, or more accurately non-relationship, with Jackie. Neither of them is worried about what is about to happen and the plan they have already set in motion.

Two more men appear -- pretty tough and scary looking men. Billy is huge, bigger than big and as hard as a rock and not too bright a bulb. The other man, Tony Marcus, is in charge and is clearly used to being in charge. Somewhat middle-aged and soft. Billy and Tony stroll towards Hawk and Spenser. Marcus sits at the table with Spenser and Hawk while Billy obediently goes to the counter to get Marcus his coffee and croissants.

Marcus thinks he has everything covered and nothing can bring him down. Spenser and Hawk are hardly blips on his radar. Spenser and Hawk are ready to change all that. They just have to spring the trap. Billy doesn't have a clue what is going to happen next. His motto is to simply follow orders. That has always worked for him and kept him protected and well-fed. He has no plans to change anything at this point in his life. So what if he has to do some things he doesn't really like. (chapters 43-44)

Double Deuce

I like Double Deuce more for the characters of Spenser and Hawk than for the crime that they solve.

I have read this book several times now, so maybe the storyline is so familiar that I don't "see" it any more. To me, it is a pretty standard crime with pretty typical characters involved. Which might explain why Parker is so successful and proliferate. He's got the recipe down pretty well.

But I still enjoy the talk between Spenser and Hawk and their friendship/working relationship. I like the ease they have with each other. I like "listening" to them while they are in the car together. I enjoy Hawk explaining why Parker is with him to the people of Double Deuce. I don't really think there are people out there who talk like Spenser and Hawk do in this novel. I wish there were.

What I don't like are the female characters. Susan seems like a bossy know-it-all. Cool and distant. Other than being beautiful, I'm not sure what she brings to the relationship with Spenser. Is she meant to keep him in line? Tame him?

Jackie is more likable, but still feels too obvious in what she is after -- status career and a man.

The other woman are even more stereotypical -- give their lives to help others, etc. They are even less round than Jackie and Susan.

A couple of things could be happening with the women in the book. First it is written by a man, who maybe doesn't write strong, round female characters.

Second, the book was written at a time when women were just beginning to gain success outside the home and in professions other than nursing and teaching and other typical "female" jobs. Susan is a highly educated psychologist and Jackie is in the world of journalism. So maybe Parker was working off of new stereotypes of women professionals. I think I met some of those women when I was working in a law firm -- they really felt they had to prove themselves in a man's world.

Whatever the case, I don't think I would like either of them.

And I still like the novel.

Reading -- Yum

I love to read -- I know, no shock to my students.

I definitely think of books when I think of reading. Favorite authors depend on the moment -- John Irving, George Pelicanos, Isabel Allende, Toni Morrison. Oh far too many to list.

But I read everything -- Washington Post (addicted to the crossword puzzle and Carolyn Hax), BBC news; Huffington Post, the newest addition to my online reading. At the gym, all the junkie gossip magazines Us, People. I love novels and can spend a day reading a book (if I only had a day I could do that). I am somewhat picky about books; I find it hard to read things that aren't well written. Most books on bestseller lists are not well written. I wander around online, reading random stuff, clicking on links. Links my friends post on facebook or send me.

I recently started a book club with three friends. This month it was my turn to pick the book. I chose In Praise of Slowness about slowing down, not multitasking and not hurrying. I usually avoid anything labeled as self-help, which is what this book is, but I hear this is a fast read (hahaha). I started the club but am the one who never finishes the books in time and last month I accidentally read the wrong book -- long story -- but at least I finished the book before we met.

I read to my son every night -- we still read picture books and have added in Sonic and chapter books. The Magic Treehouse series is big at the moment.

There's nothing better than picking up a book, entering a new world, and reemerging hours later feeling as though I have been somewhere else.

I love to read.