Announcements:
******Many of us – as former or current students, and/or as parents – have thoughts and opinions about education. Share them on June 20 as part of Blog for Education Day, spearheaded by April of It’s All About Balance. Here’s what she says:
I think it’s time we had a Blog for Education Day. So I’m starting it. June 20, 2008.
…Let’s talk about whatever concerns us most. Let’s talk about a brilliant teacher or curriculum. Let’s talk about homework. What’s the first thing you think about when you hear the word “education?” Let’s talk about that.
…What are your greatest fears? What are your greatest dreams for your children’s education? Or, go back to your own experiences. Who inspired you? What scared you as a student?
Tell your stories. Take your positions.
*******Got some catching up to do? This week’s theme for Weekly Geeks is “Catch Up on Your Reviews.” If you’re current on those, or you don’t do reviews on your blog, catch up on something else and post about that! Join in over at The Hidden Side of a Leaf.
New in Google Reader this week:
The Boston Bibliophile, home of “Tuesday Thingers,” a weekly LibraryThing meme
See Kori Rant, via the aforementioned It’s All About Balance
Matt, Liz, and Madeline, via Everything Under the Sun
Random reading:
Thoughts on cutting loose and changing paths, and procrastination out of fear of doing it
If you’re blogging about it, you’re responsible for saying it – deal with it. If you like what that blogger said about it, reward that post!
The seeds of weak negotiation skills for women may be sown unexpectedly early. Negotiation doesn’t always involve money, either; sometimes it’s your peace of mind at stake. Peace of mind may mean coming to terms with not meeting your own definition of the “best Mom ever.” Even if you’re not looking at full-scale negotiation, sometimes you do have to learn to ask. But if you ask during the project presentation, you just might get these answers.
The book/social-issue discussion of the week happened here, in a Q&A with the author of The Lolita Effect: The Media Sexualization of Young Girls and What We Can Do About It. It sounds like an important book for parents of both daughters and sons, and the participation in the comments was excellent.
30 major-league ballparks in 27 days?! Sounds fun – exhausting, but fun. Or maybe gardening – accompanied by inquisitive toddlers – is your idea of fun? Also fun: via Lifehacker, Read at Work (which is far less convincing if you have a Mac – just be aware).
**I can’t feature every post that makes an impression on me during a given week in this round-up, but I do mark them with a “star” in Google Reader. If you’re looking for some more random reading, those starred items are in a public feed – you can see some of them in the widget in my sidebar, or just go here.
Book Binge officially ended yesterday, and I have to admit that my reach probably exceeded my grasp on this one. I think it’s an awesome idea, and if MaryP does it again next year I’ll come back for more, but I just don’t fly through books quite the way I used to even a couple of years ago. I know some people with the same problem who can blame that on their young children; in my case, I know it’s because blogging has claimed some of the time that used to belong to reading. Good thing I don’t blog and have young children – I’m very impressed that any of you who do get any reading time “booked” at all!
This is the stack of books I had lined up at the beginning of the Binge, with links to their reviews here:
But Enough About Me: How a Small-Town Girl Went From Shag Carpet to the Red Carpet, by Jancee Dunn – review
Eleanor Rushing, by Patty Friedmann – review
The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho – review
A Family Daughter
I’m currently reading a book that wasn’t part of the original group, The Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond.
These books were supposed to be part of the Binge, but I didn’t get to them (which I think means I’m not supposed to count them, but since they were part of my original book list announcement, I’m just following up):
Veil of Roses
Apples and Oranges: My Brother and Me, Lost and Found
Sleeping With Ward Cleaver, by Jenny Gardiner – Also a review copy, and probably coming along on the road trip too; it looks like nice, light vacation reading.
Did you participate in Book Binge? How did yours go? Don’t forget to post your list of the books you read, and leave the link in a comment on MaryP’s wrap-up post!
Oooh like the blog for education idea. And am intrigued by The Lolita Effect.
That’s cool how you can put the link to you favorite google reader posts. I never think of ‘starring’ anything I’d sharing them.
I don’t know about the book binge. I read 2 books, sure one was 600 pages, but still it looks bad. I guess I could post and say I had laser eye surgery this month. That’s a good excuse. 🙂
Julie – I actually thought that Blog for Education might grab you :-). I haven’t committed to joining since we’ll be on vacation then, but if I can get a post together and schedule it in advance, I’m in. If you want to participate, let April know!
Mike – My husband actually had laser eye surgery just a few weeks before we met, and I don’t think that it knocked him out of commission for a month :-). But hey, one of your books was 600 pages! And I didn’t read as much as I’d hoped to either, so I wouldn’t worry about it.
They all sound good. Is there one in particular you’d recommend? (If there is, could you email me the title? I’m unlikely to remember that I’ve asked the question, once I get done commenting on all the Book Bingers. Phew.)
MaryP
MaryP – I can imagine that getting back to all the Book Binge participants is quite a task. Hope you’ll do it again next year!
Recommendations e-mail is on the way.
Florinda, Thanks for the shout you did! You are too cool!
the Blog for Education is a great idea I’ll have to check itout!
Ello – You did a terrific job coordinating that Q&A. It really was one of the best book discussions I’ve ever read online!
I’m so ashamed that it’s taken me so long to read this post! Thanks, Florinda!
April – Happy to give you the shout-out – and my post is drafted and scheduled to publish on the 20th, so I am officially in the Blog Blast for Education!