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A Book That is a Keeper

Posted on May 6, 2010 by auburnchick

I rarely read books for pleasure any more.

This would surprise those who know me personally, because there used to be a day when you could not find me without a book in my hands.

My journey back to college a few years involved so much reading that I simply could not stomach the thought of ingesting a book for the fun of it.

However, this week, I have been spending quite a bit of time in the high school’s library – the site of the AP testing I’ve been involved with.  As such, it has been hard to ignore the plethora of books surrounding me.

A couple of days ago, when passing by the circulation desk, I noticed a book sitting on a stand…

The book is Keeper, by Mal Peet.

Now, I’m sure I know what you’re thinking…a soccer book…no surprise as to why AuburnChick might have been drawn to it.

Well, maybe initially, much as we’re drawn to members of the opposite sex because they appeal to us physically.

However, I am not one to “judge a book by its cover,” so I read the first page…and I was hooked.

Folks, I read this book in only a few short hours’ time.

The storyline immediately captivated me.

A young boy, heralding from a small town in South America, discovers a soccer goal in a clearing the middle of the forest.  A mysterious man emerges from the trees and begins teaching the boy the finer points of goal tending.

The boy grows up to become the world’s best goalie.  The story is told from his perspective.

You guys…even if you aren’t a soccer fan, this story will grip you.  It is about more than just soccer but of a coming of age, with a bit of mystery thrown in.

I’ll admit that I was a little disappointed when I closed the book upon finishing it.  I wanted the story to continue.

I am so happy I came upon this unexpected gem.  I hope you’ll take the time to pick it up and read it.  You won’t be disappointd!

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , , , | 3 Comments »

Random Dozen – Lucky to Get It In This Week!

Posted on May 4, 2010 by auburnchick

I’m glad it’s not just me having “a week,” because Linda seems to be having one as well (hugs to you, Linda).

Here are the questions and my answers, although I warn you ahead of time…I did not spend much time thinking about them…ok, not any time.

If you want to play, you still can.  Better late than never!  Make sure you go back to Linda’s blog and link up when you’ve posted your answers!

1. What was the last thing about which you procrastinated?

Not drinking sodas any more.  I keep making the promise to myself, keep using excuses as to why I “deserve” my treats, and thus put off stopping this indulgence.  However, I was a little more motivated after I looked through a couple of yearbooks at the school I’m administering AP exams.  I saw old pictures of teachers I currently know, and I was challenged not to let some of their “changes” (i.e. weight gain, etc.) creep into my own life.  Hopefully, I’ll get a teaching job at this school, and ten years from now, I’d like to still see a skinny me staring back from the camera lens!

2. How long does it take you to fall asleep, and do you sleep through the night?

I usually fall asleep within thirty minutes of laying down.  I typically sleep through the night, although I am a light sleeper.  Hey, I’m a mom.  I think we’re trained to wake up at a moment’s notice!

3. Which decade would you choose to exemplify your favorite fashion styles?

Ok.  So I put more thought into this one, even did a bit of googling.

I’ve selected the 40’s.  The styles were classic, and you still see them reflected in the kind of style I’d like to adopt…classy, a little preppy.

4. What is your personal best dish to feed a crowd?

My Chicken Parmesan is a dish I can count on to feed a big group, and I make it confidently, knowing I cook it well every time I make it.

5. Are you an impulse shopper? What was the last thing you bought on impulse?

I am not an impulse shopper, unless I see chocolate in front of me.  I usually put a great deal of thought into my purchases.  The last thing I really bought on impulse was a package of Coconut M&M’s, which I had never seen before.

6. What is one wish you have for your own funeral?

Yikes!  Dreary question, Linda!  I guess my wish would be that God’s plan for salvation would be shared.  God created us to glorify Him.  That is our sole purpose for existing and the last message I’d want to send out.

7. If it’s true that joy is in found in the simple things in life, what does your joy look like today?

I think that we unnecessarily complicate our lives by buying into the materialistic attitude that abounds today.

I find joy in lazy days, being home, hanging the laundry out to dry, and sitting in the sun…perhaps knitting or just “being.”  I love my quiet time.  That is living simply, and there is a restorative peace and joy that sings a song that my soul dances to.

8. What is your favorite type of bread?

I am not a bread person, but if I had to choose, I’d say French bread, dipped in the oil and seasonings that restaurants put in front of you while you wait for your dinner to be cooked.

9. What trait do you fear developing the most? (Laziness, greediness, grumpiness, etc.)

Hmmm…the grumpiness has been fully developed, and the laziness was coming along nicely until certain “children” decided to grow up and have lives of their own, forcing me to get my rear off the couch and help do the chores again.

I think the trait I am concerned about developing is apathy…the “I don’t care” attitude.  I find myself slipping into this mode more often than I’m proud of lately.  This is due to hurts that I simply don’t want to deal with.  It is so much easier to lie to myself and say it doesn’t matter.  This leads to apathy.  I do not want to stop feeling or caring.

10. What trait would you like most to develop?

I would like to talk less and listen more.  I think I would be able to avoid a lot of arguments this way.  Plus, I think it is an important trait to have when teaching.

11. Which room in your house best reflects your personality? Why?

I think the eat-in kitchen area reflects my personality.  On the baker’s rack, I have a couple of baskets of yarn and pictures of family.  A table on the other wall holds my Bible and the devotional I use with the kids.  Even the style of the table reflects my personality…country-ish and bare-minimum.

12. How do you maintain balance in your life regarding, work, family, church, other organizations and activities, and blogging?

Ha!  Balance!  Linda is a hoot!!  Either that, or she’s delusional (shhh…don’t tell her I said that).

Ha, ha, ha!

I strive to maintain balance by prioritizing.  Over the years, I have learned to say no when people ask me to take on additional responsibilities that don’t fit well into my life.

Despite my attempts, I still fail miserably at this thing we call “balance.”  I spend too much time blogging and not enough time at church.

As far as other organizations, I am not a part of anything extra.  Call it burnout, whatever.  I had to draw a line in the sand.  I am a homebody, desiring little else than coming home from a day of work and relaxing.  That is how I maintain balance.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: | 6 Comments »

AuburnChick Wields a Microphone

Posted on May 3, 2010 by auburnchick

Now, don’t go thinking that NBC has already tired of Jay Leno and has tapped me as his replacement.

I wish my microphone duties were as lucrative as that!

No.  The reason why someone has deemed me worth of wielding a stick that only serves to project my already annoying voice is because of AP exams.

Today, my dear friends, marked the first of ten very long, test-filled days.

It is the time of the year that high schoolers dread…AP Exams.  Pass them, and these classes don’t have to be re-taken in college.

I, along with a couple of other substitute teachers, were tapped to proctor the exams at the high school I do most of my work at.

I consider it an honor to be considered dependable enough to take on such a huge responsibility.

It’s not one I take lightly, as the nerves wove themselves into my dreams last night.

I barely got any sleep.  Of course, that could also have been due to the three-hour nap I took yesterday.

Regardless, I was exhausted this morning.

At least I had not spent the weekend studying for Comparative History, English Literature, and Calculus — exams to be given this week.

There were two exams today.  Another sub had the honor of being the “lead proctor” for the first exam.   I studied her every move because my turn was coming, and I knew I would have a tough act to follow.  This lady is, after all, used to being in front of large groups as the wife of a pastor.

Me, not so much.

I was a nervous wreck, but the administrator in charge of the exams reassured me, showing she had full confidence in my abilities.

And then it was time.

My voice cracked a little as I began, but I persevered, gaining strength the further along in the script I went.

How could I not be strong?  I was standing in front of students I’ve grown to know and love over the last few years…the cream of the crop.

I wanted to do my best for them, because they had given their best all year, choosing, in their ambition, to take on difficult course loads.

At the end of Day 1, I felt relieved.

Two tests done, eleven more to go.

If NBC calls, they’ll know where to find me.

Filed under: children, This-n-That | Tagged: , , , | 3 Comments »

Small Gestures Say A Lot

Posted on May 2, 2010 by auburnchick

Small gestures say a lot.

I was reminded of this today.

The kids and I got up and left for church.  On the way, Chicky and I got into a heated discussion about a topic I can’t even recall now.

She was mad, and I was annoyed.

When we got to church, I parked the car.  Not surprisingly, the kids jumped out quickly and began walking to the sanctuary.

They did not wait for me.  They did not even bother to turn around to see if I was following.

I drew in a sharp breath, my feelings hurt.

Watching the kids walk in without me bespoke of the growing distance between us.

As I sat, I thought about what my gestures say to others…a raised eyebrow, the wave of a hand, the smile or smirk I choose to place on my face.

As a substitute teacher, I have discovered that students watch me very carefully and pick up on subtle gestures.  They use these things to “read” me in the same manner that I “read” others’ gestures.

I realized that I need to be more conscientious of even my smallest actions.  I truly do not want to hurt people (most of the time, as I am human and, ashamedly, sometimes act in a spiteful manner).

I want my children to see, in my actions, the deep love that I have for them.  I want the students I work with to know that I genuinely care about them and their success in the classroom and life.

So, I am going to make a concentrated effort to be more thoughtful in smaller ways.  Maybe these actions will go unnoticed, or maybe, miracles of miracles, they will form a bridge that spans the distance that has grown between me and the ones I love.

Filed under: This-n-That | 2 Comments »

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