Sigh of relief...Almost ;)

Ahhhh, the semester is finally over! Well almost J This marks my last blog, and the last thing I will do for this class.  I am also done with my Psychology class and only have one more test to take for my Politics class.  Lastly tomorrow night I have to take the dreaded Trig final L and turn in all the homework.  Lol looks like it’s going to be a long night!  But after tonight and tomorrow, all done!  I am already looking forward to having less on my shoulders and enjoying the holidays with my family! 

I have really enjoyed getting to know some of my classmates this semester and wish you all luck with your future classes!  To anybody thinking of taking Eng 223, I say do it!  It was one of my favorites and I really enjoyed the stories in that class!  Merry Christmas everyone!

Pronto Sessions, My Favorite!

I was a little disappointed to see that there was not a Pronto session for this pod; though I do understand because everyone is probably too busy with end of the semester stuff.  Pronto is one of my favorite things about this class.  I love the opportunity to get to talk with my classmates and hear other’s opinions of the stories read.  I often leave the sessions with an insight on things I would not have otherwise had after seeing it through someone else eyes.  Another thing that makes these so enjoyable for me is the extra information given by Mrs. Siemens.  It really does put a story into perspective to know about the author, the life they lived, and things they were going through at the time they wrote the piece.
 

Not my favorite thing...

So I am just going to come right out and say it, no sugar coating; I hate poetry!  With a passion.  For some reason or another it just does not process well in my brain.  Almost every poem I read I am left wondering what the heck the author was even talking about.  When I go to read a summary or interpretation of most poems I often wonder how they got such a story out of the poem that was read.  I really wish that I had a better understanding of poetry so that maybe I could appreciate it the way others seem to, but in all my attempts I have failed, I just cannot make myself like it…

Twilight!

I recently had the pleasure of seeing the new Twilight move: Breaking Dawn Part 1.  I must say that having read the book, I was expecting to be a little disappointed, movies always seem to leave out something from the book and I am let down.  That was not the case with this movie at all!  It was almost exactly as I imagined it as I was reading the book.  I love that they were smart enough to know there was no way to do the book justice in just one movie and broke it up into two parts.  To all you other Twilight fans out there, if you have not already, GO SEE THIS MOVIE! You will not regret it! :)

Scarlett Letter

While I did enjoy most of this story, I also found it very hard to read at parts.  There were so many times where there was no action and just way too much description for my taste.  Many times I caught my mind wondering and realized that while my eyes had been reading the words, none of them had really absorbed and I had no clue what I had just read.  I would then skim along until the story seemed to get interesting again.  Despite all this, I did actually enjoy the general story line.  It was like a glimpse into the past, into a time when people were trying to be more religious and closer to what they thought God wanted.  It was sad how judgmental they all were, especially of Pearl.  She was just a child, yet she was made to suffer for her mother’s sins by being an outcast.  The other children mocked her and the adults seemed to think she was the spawn of the devil.  Through all this though, she stood up for herself and was able to grow up and be happy and successful.

Fresh Leaves

Of all the authors from the last pod, Fern was my favorite.  I like her sarcastic, snappy attitude; as it is much like my own and made me smile.  I especially liked “Fresh Leaves, by Fanny Fern” where she writes of the reviews she anticipates.  My favorite line was “We regret to be obliged to speak thus of a lady’s book: it gives us pleasure , when we can do so conscientiously, to pat lady writers on the head…”  I laughed a little at the mocking of how woman authors were viewed by men, much like a little kid who has done well at a very simple task or a dog who has learned to sit.  In  my head I thought “who’s a good girl? Aww what a great job you’ve done!”  I love that while she knew how her works would be viewed by the male society, she kept on writing and working hard to get them published.

Snow-Storm

One of my favorite of all the Transcendentalists readings was The Snow-Storm.  Not because I particularly love the snow now, but because it reminds me of when I was younger.  Growing up we lived way out in the middle of nowhere, so when it got bad, we were literally snowed in.  My parents never failed to make the most of these times.  They would bundle my four sister’s and me up and the whole family would trot outside to build forts and snow families, dig tunnels, and have snowball fights.  Reading this short and sweet poem kind of took me back to this fond childhood memory, and made me a excited to make the same memories with my children this winter.

Ironic

As we closed out the pod that is all about nature and taking in it's beauty, I was on Facebook last night and there were many people posting about being in awe of nature at that moment. Apparently in areas all around Indiana the Northern Lights, or the aurora borealis, could be seen in all it’s glory! I really wanted to venture outside and check it out, but being that I live in town I doubted I would be able to see much, and I dared not take my sick, crying baby girl out in the cold air. Being that my curiosity was peaked though I did Google this phenomenon and was amazed by what I saw. The Northern Lights are one of the many remarkable shows that nature puts on for us. After further research I really wish that I had taken my kids for a drive and seen this beauty for myself….

Lazy Sunday :D

Ahhhh :)  I love fall! From the colors in nature, the smell of brisk fall air and burning leaves, and most of all, BEARS FOOTBALL!   I love the days I get to sit at home with my family, relaxing in our Bears jerseys, making good food, and waiting all day for Sunday night!  We work hard to make sure Saturday that there is nothing that needs done Sunday.  This is our main family day; between games we cook, do crafts, or play games together.  This is by far my favorite day of the week, especially in the fall!
        Sorry, I'm a little revved up from the Bears win about 3 minutes ago and needed an outlet!

Dirty Little Secret ;)

I have decided that it is time to openly admit one of my guilty pleasures....I am addicted to vampire books. My current love is the Sookie Stackhouse series, which has also been turned into a series on HBO called True Blood. I don't really get why I love these books so much. They are corny, far fetched, a little lame, but I still read them. Maybe it's because they provide me a small escape from reality, but can still be read without much concentration. After I put the kids to bed I like to sit and read a couple chapters. More than once my fiancé has laughed out loud at the expression on my face while I read them. He claims it is one of amused disgust, like I know how dumb it all is, yet I am amused by it. Who else has a dumb little guilty pleasure like this? I am interested to hear that I am not the only one J

The Truth is Inspiring

As I have read through some of the posts from our last pod, I noticed that I was not the only person who seemed inspired and impressed with Sojourner Truth. Before this I knew a little bit about her, but not much. It was interesting to read about the things she had done and said that forever changed the world as we know it. I loved reading her speeches and enjoying her manner of speaking. She was great at making her points in an almost cocky manner, while somehow managing to not be disrespectful. I really enjoyed learning more about this part of history.

Bryant

Of all the things I have read in this class so far this semester, Bryant seems to be my favorite. I normally do not enjoy poetry of any kind, so it is odd to me how much I really love his poems. I don't know why, but it seems I am reminded often of his poems in my day to day life.  They are filled with the beauty of nature and kind of remind me to just enjoy the everyday. They also remind me that life is short, so live it while you can. I love that his poems seem to be able to be applied to anyone, anywhere, in any situation and have a non judging feel to them.

Waterfowl

I love the occasions when I can either apply the stories I read to real life, or am reminded of a story I read in my daily life. As I was driving out to visit my parents this afternoon, I happened to look up into the sky. What did I see, but a waterfowl. A blue heron to be more exact, but the type doesn’t matter very much. I was instantly reminded of the Bryant poem I read last week. The peacefulness, calm, and promise that “Soon shalt thou find a summer home, and rest.” For some reason this gave me a little bit of inner peace, like all was right in the world, if only for a minute…

EEEnie Meenie Miny POE!

As always, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying yet another author I disliked in high school, maybe that means I'm growing up, but I sure hope not!  Back then I didn’t really get it and was annoyed to have to read such weird stories! Now, I am quite the fan of Poe. His stories really draw me in, with their fantastically descriptive settings and their terribly disturbed characters! I am left wondering what the heck is going on with some of them and wanting to know more, while at the same time enjoying what is left to the imagination…

So long, farewell, Auf Weidersehen, goodbye :)

Well, the end of another semester has snuck up on me yet again! I have thoroughly enjoyed this class, and it was great to have to opportunity to get to know some of my classmates better than most online classes allow. I actually learned a lot in this class and became familiar with many great authors I would otherwise never read. Even though at times it is a lot of hard work and quite time consuming, I really do enjoy being in school again and knowing I am working toward my career goal. As the days get longer and warmer though, I can’t help but be grateful for summer vacation :)   Good-bye and Good luck all!

Alice Walker

I was delighted to have the opportunity to read one of my favorite authors this pod! Alice Walker is also the author of The Color Purple, which is one of my favorite reads. I actually got the opportunity to go to this play for a theater class I was taking this semester as well; it was amazing! I love how her themes often revolve around being true to ones self, hanging on to your heritage, and most strongly; sisterhood and family. It is an inspiration to see families stick together like the mother stood up for Maggie in Everyday Use and Nettie and Celie, sisters in The Color Purple, stick together even across continents.

The Man?

The story Going to Meet the Man was by far my most detested read of the semester, I only even finished out of the hope that it might end better than it started. With that said, it was a story that really did make me think. It was a harsh and ugly look at America’s history. While I disliked the story, I could respect the author for this work. It stirred emotions in me. I was angry, I was disgusted, and I was sad all at the same time. And isn’t that the point of reading? It painted an all to vivid picture that most people are quick to forget. So while I didn’t enjoy this story, maybe we all need a reminder every once and a while about how far we’ve come, and why we fight for what is right.

Crazy Ole Blanche :)

So I just finished up A Streetcar Named Desire. I don’t know what I expected exactly, but that was not it! I really did enjoy this though, and it was a pretty quick read. At first I couldn’t decide if Blanche was a serious con artist, or if she was just nuts. By then end though I was thinking, my gosh this chick is was crazy! I also couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for her. She was my favorite character by far! She was so odd and interesting, it made me want to know more about her! There goes the Psychology fanatic in me again!

What the heck?!

This one is more of a not my favorite things. Did anyone else read “A Rose for Emily” and totally not get it? Normally I can read these stories and even if I’m confused, by the end everything just sort of clicks and it all makes perfect sense. But not this one! Mostly I am posting this blog entry because I really want to get feedback and hear other people’s perspectives so that I might get it. Maybe I was tired, or just distracted by my crazy kids when I read it. Maybe once I hear someone else’s opinion I’ll read it again and it’ll make a little sense?!

Who am I?

If my life and past experiences could be compared to any of the Gatsby characters, it would probably be Mr. Wilson. None of my ex-es were ever hit by a car or anything, but other than that I feel like I have been in his shoes. I know what it is like to feel like you’ve given someone all you have and it still not be good enough. They still seem discontent and bitter towards you. I know what it is like to devote yourself to a relationship and be cheated on and lied to. You think things are going okay and then you find some evidence that it is clearly not. I’ve gone out of my way to try to save an unhappy relationship (or two, or three J ) only to be let down in the end. Mr. Wilson was never going to be good enough for Myrtle. No matter how far away he took her or how hard he worked for her, she was looking for things too materialistic for him to ever be able to provide. And if he could have, she still would have found something to be unhappy about because that’s just how people like her are.

Pronto :)

Pronto last night was fun! At first I didn’t think I would really like Pronto, but it is awesome to get to chat with and get to know my classmates a little better. I really enjoy getting to hear about other people’s views on the things we are reading, especially the poetry! It is interesting to see the many different perspectives from which a poem can be read. I must say that Pronto sessions are one of the things that makes this class more fun and remarkable. It’s incredible how quickly the hour goes by and how much I learn! I am really glad I tried it out!

The Good Ole Days...

The poetry of William Carlos Williams really spoke to me for some reason. Oddly the shortest of his works included in this book stirred the most thought from me. His poem "The Red Wheelbarrow" was my favorite. It took me back to my childhood, playing on my grandpa's farm. There was always a red wheelbarrow leaned up against the barn where he stored the feed. When I stayed there he would wake me up early, make me his famous pancakes, bacon, and "dippy" eggs; and then we would go out and feed the animals. I love my Papaw very much, and I will never forget the good times I spent with him out on the farm. On that note, I think I will give him a call right now.... : )

Chicago

I just read the poem Chicago by Carl Sandburg, and I must say I really liked it. I enjoyed the description that seemed so fitting for many large cities. I love that after agreeing to all it's downfalls, he showed why Chicago is a great city, and referred to it as his, showing his pride. I don’t know that I have ever witnessed a city as proud as Chicago. I attended a Chicago Bears game last fall, which was awesome in itself, but what really amazed me was how proud and true the fans were. They were Chicago, loud and proud, through and through.

My Road Not Taken...

I read the poem The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost last night. As I lie awake at 4 A.M., for some reason unable to fall back asleep after waking up to feed and change my baby girl, I couldn’t help but think of my own un-traveled path. Right out of high school I spent only one year at Ball State studying Psychology. I think often about how things might have turned out for me if I had conquered my pathetic homesickness and stuck it out there and finished my degree. Although there is so much that could have been better for me that way, I have no regrets. That would have been my easy path. Get a degree, get a good job, and then eventually settle down and start a family. I did EVERYTHING completely backward, yet I somehow managed to end up exactly where I want to be. I’m glad that my path is littered with mistakes and some hardships. I have a wonderful high spirited son, a fantastic step-son, a beautiful daughter, and a good man you loves us all and would do anything for us. I am finally back at the school thing, and will one day have that degree and great job I’ve always dreamed of. All in all, I am delighted I took that off beat path…No regrets, just lessons learned…

A Pleasant Suprise

I must say, I was not at all excited to read “The Red Badge of Courage.” I dreaded it actually. Much to my father’s dismay, I am terribly uninterested in History. I find it dry and boring. I almost yawn at the mere mention of wars, kings, presidents, or pretty much anything History related. I despise movies about history, shows about history, and most of all, books about history. I figured that this book would be another one of those things that I force myself through, bored beyond belief, learning and gaining nothing. I was pleasantly surprised with the “Red Badge of Courage.” I liked that it was not filled with too much boring, factual information. I loved that instead it gave a look into someone’s mind, telling all Henry’s thoughts and emotions; I guess that’s just the Psychology major in me coming through again! It was interesting to see the things that a soldier thinks and goes through. The running, the despair, the guilt, and finally the triumph all through the eyes of a soldier was amazing. Now that I have read this book, I am glad I did!

Authors...

It's official. After this pod I now have another author to add to my list of favorites! Kate Chopin has amazed me with the stories in our class book. I am very drawn into her stories and they actually stir emotions in me. In reading Desiree’s baby I was furious! What kind of a man would do such a thing to both the woman he supposedly loves and his own son!? After this I am anxious to find and read more of her stories. Last pod I was shocked and amazed to realize that I am a big fan of Mark Twain! I haven’t read any of his works since high school, at which time I was annoyed to be forced to do it, and frankly bored to death! I am glad that I have the opportunity in this class to be exposed to authors that I either didn’t use to appreciate, or never knew existed. Wonder what next week will bring…

Introduction

Well, after much confusion I finally got my blog going! I am not very technology smart, and have no experience with blogs, so this will be a whole new thing for me! I am 27 years old and have one 4 year old son, one 4 month old daughter, and one 4 year old step-son. I am currently a stay at home mom, but between housework, school work, and keeping up with my very high energy children, there's not a chance to be bored!

I would like to say that I started this class not knowing fully what to expect and I dreaded it a little. Now that we are three weeks in, I love it! I really enjoy getting to pick and choose what I read and what work I do. In this blog I will discuss some of my favorite things from this class; from stories, to authors, to characters. I look forward to also hearing about some of my classmates favorites!