Where I Was, Where I Am, Where I Am Going

Welcome back friends.

I know it has been a very long time.  Since early March I believe.  This is going to be a long, somewhat disjointed post about where I was, where I am, and where I'm going.

Part I: Where I Was
Alright.  So what happened?

Well, my ego took a pretty massive bruising.  I started posting video versions of my reviews in Google Classroom for my teachers to use as part of their independent reading.  Although the vast responses were positive, one was really not.  I suppose if it had've been a student, I'd've brushed it off and moved on.  It wasn't a student.

So, I stopped reviewing via video.  I stopped reviewing on the blog.  I was hurt.  Badly.  I didn't stop reading of course, but I felt my reviews were worthless and therefore what was the point in even doing them?

But then someone said, "Jill, I haven't seen a review from you in a while.  Did you change the website address?".  I ended up fibbing that packing and end of the year stuff plus Band/Guard had gotten in the way in terms of time.

I realized that the people who enjoy or at the very least read and don't feel the need to criticize my reviews outnumber the one who would find fault in just about anything.  Someone once called it the NegaTrain.  I don't need to be on that railroad, thanks.

Part II: Where I Am (or We Are, actually)

That's where.

The WHHS LMC, built in 1963, held its last two classes yesterday.  As a student, Millie Kalison and Anne Gabriel were my Librarians.  When I moved down from F214, Marilyn Lynch and Diane Taylor were running the show, assisted by Carol Treacey and Joe Winters.  There were other staff members between like Laura Garceau now at Bailey and Sue Walker who has since retired.  This space was home to many.  I feel a lot like when we had to say goodbye to my mom's house.  The bank can take the physical space, it couldn't take our memories.  These walls were Somewhere to a lot of people.  Although the building will be demolished, the memories remain.  Hold on to those.

Alas, we are ready to move.  Joe, Leona, and I are ready to move across what used to be the courtyard to our new home.  357 boxes of books are lined up along the old ways to move to staging over the summer.  I am absolutely terrified of unpacking it all...

Part III Where Am I Going?
A lot of different places, both physically and mentally.

This summer my husband and I have decided to do a lot of traveling.  Disney (with the Band), Nova Scotia, South Carolina, and New Hampshire are all on the list.  In addition, we've both decided to go radio silent during most of those trips (excluding Disney, we're with the Band afterall).  Meaning staying away from work emails and social media.  We both need to focus on our son, who is leaving Carrigan for Bailey.

Professionally, the K-4 West Haven LMSs and I are rewriting curriculum this summer.  I look forward to modernizing our curriculum, last updated in 2010.  A whole lot has changed in our world since 2010. Mrs. Porto and I are attending EdCampCT in August.  We have gone to Google Summit together and I'm really looking forward to this adventure with her.

I am honored to say Ms. M. has invited to continue serving as Guard Advisor.  Summer rehearsals will being in August (crossing fingers we can actually do so with the construction).

Last, but certainly not least, I am returning to reviewing books via this blog and creating video versions for my teachers and students to view in Classroom.  This summer I have decided to reread some of the books that have inspired me and newly read those I know have inspired others.  Welcome to Summer Reading 2019: Girl Power!

See you back here in a few days!

XOXO,
JW

The Curse of Oak Island by Randall Sullivan

I am obsessed with Oak Island.

Much like Rick Lagina of the now hit show on History Channel, I read an article about the island as a child, and I've been hooked since.  Just after I started teaching, the first History documentary came out.  Using it and articles, I had my 7th graders draft research proposals to investigate the island.  Now in their 30s, some of them are my Facebook friends.  I was amazed how many of them watch the show and are now crazy obsessed like me!

I visited Nova Scotia last in 1997.  We were researching family history (my family name Eagles originates in NS; we're somehow related to Charles Barkhouse too).  At the time, the island was closed to visitors, so I was only able to view it from afar.  I tried to get tickets to the tours this summer, BUT THEY SOLD OUT IN FOUR MINUTES!  Being the person I am, we are now chartering a boat to sail around the island with the one and only Tony Sampson of the show!

Randall Sullivan has appeared on a few episodes lately.  At first I was skeptical, like could this guy really write a book with anything I didn't already know about the island?  I was really surprised how in depth his research into the very early history (the McGinnis/Vaughn/Smith or Ball stories) and the more modern feud between Fred Nolan and Dan Blankenship.  Both Nolan and Blankenship appeared in that first documentary, where Nolan's cross was what convinced me something was really special about this island.  I also believe Francis Bacon wrote Shakespeare's plays and the Knights Templar were in North America.  Infer what you will.

I am excited to donate this to our library and keep one to bring with me to hopefully get signed by cast members!

Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.

   

The Top 50 Chrome Extensions for the Classroom by Christopher Craft

Christopher Craft aka Crafty is a MASTER of the Google.  I have had the pleasure of hearing him speak and attending his sessions at Google Summits and also bantering with him via Twitter about barbecue. 

Crafty is a wizard with Google for Education and his latest book is pretty sweet.  It's a very compact book, but it's loaded with all sorts of nifty extensions for Chrome, including some of his own making.

This will be shelved in our professional section, but students may check it out as well.

Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman

Yes, today is a twofer review day (because yesterday was marathon errand day--long story short we finally have access to our own money again!).

This was also on display during my recent trip to WHPL.  I liked it but not enough to put it on our wish list, so if you'd like to read it, it'll be returned tomorrow.

Erin and Mark are on their honeymoon when they find a ton of money and diamonds while snorkeling in a plane wreckage site.  Their lives have turned upside down by the financial crash (Mark is a banker) and they really can't even afford the trip they're on.  So one would imagine they'd quietly pay off debt and live happily ever after.

Money changes people.  And usually not in a good way. 

I honestly hated Mark from the very beginning of the book.  I could tell he was going to be a jerk pretty early on.  He doesn't prove me wrong either.

Like I said, readable, but not the thriller promised.

Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

This was on display at the West Haven Public Library when I stopped in to drop off some things to Ms. Kym. 

It was really good and is now on our wish list. 

This was a really interesting premise--a man will wake up daily in a different body among the guests at a weekend affair hosted by the Hardcastle family.  The family's youngest son was murdered while he was supposed to have been watched by their daughter Evelyn.  On the anniversary of the murder, they are hosting this "party".  Our main character has been chosen by a strange masked figure who explains the game.

Imagine a The Westing Game style puzzle mystery meets Caraval or Night Circus combined with one of those whodunit dinner cruises while locked in an escape room with a psychopath serial killer.

I'll be returning this to WHPL as soon as I get the video review of this uploaded to Classroom tomorrow.

Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.

Just a little update

I know I've gone radio silent over the past few weeks and wanted to give a quick update.

First, I had a minor health scare that need to be dealt with.  You may have noticed I wasn't staying after school at all at the start of February.  That's because I was jetting to doctor appointments.  I refuse to schedule such during school hours, and my physicians know that.  I am happy to report all is good.

Literally the next darn day, $7000 was taken out of my savings account.  I had to close all my bank accounts, switch the account every automatic payment comes out of, be without a debit card or checks for two weeks, file a police report, call the credit reporting agencies....it was an absolute nightmare.  FINALLY, YESTERDAY I got access to my own money again. 

While those two events stunk, something really awesome happened.  I met virtually with my fellow librarians on the Joint Committee for School and Public Library Cooperation.  I represent the American Association of School Librarians, along with two others.  I received several compliments on my part of the Standards Crosswalk we are developing.  Unfortunately, we've lost a few members, so the remaining members have to pick up the slack and write some more!  That is a big thing I need to focus on.  In addition, one of our future AASL/YALSA/ALSC blog posts will again feature....me!  Along with Ms. Kym at WHPL, I'll be writing about serving on a state book award committee. I'm super excited to be writing with Kym!

Fear not, I am still reading (in fact, I just went to WHPL yesterday and took out 3 new books).  Look for a new review very soon. Promise!

Love y'all.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.

Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS

The Official Dictionary of Sarcasm by James Napoli

My husband bought this for me as a gag gift:
"Anniversary: Try forgetting it, and you'll see what the hell it means."
It's one of the best gifts ever.

I could use some coffee:
"Barista: A person highly skilled in writing your first name in Sharpie on the side of a heat-treated paper cup."

And I have to go to the doctor after school today:
"Health: A type of insurance plan that covers everything but the rare conditions you managed to come down with."

I knew this would be the last book I was going to read for Book a Day January.  I read 30 books in 31 days, although I did not finish 2 of them, so 28 if you want to be technical.

Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.