I've been absent from blogging way too much, and I do feel bad about it a bit. With school starting back up again, and finishing up an online class I've been teaching this summer, I simply have been lazy. This was the first summer where I felt like I didn't have much of a break at all--between teaching summer school, an online class, and taking four professional development courses and/or conferences, it just was a summer filled with way too many things. To top it off, I was told I have fibromyalgia. Yes, I mentioned some health issues earlier this summer, but I quickly went into denial about it and didn't face it. My mom has it, so I have had her support. Other than that, I don't know what to think. I haven't asked any more questions and I've brushed it aside. I'm sure I'll learn more over time, but for now, I'm just going to try to do all the things we should be doing anyway--sleeping, eating well, and exercising. What a novel idea, right? :)
All of this has affected my blogging. Thankfully, you can keep up great conversations and friendships via twitter. I've always struggled to circulate the way I would like to. Now, I keep up with people a lot through comments here and also through twitter links that pop up. Outside of that, I haven't made the time for it as I once did. It kind of makes me sad, but it's the truth. Thankfully, book blogging has really just been about the conversation, so I was able to let go of the guilt when I haven't been able to post much.
Although the blog posts have died down, my reading has not. I've actually read some really great stuff this summer! Here are a few of the books that I have recently finished reading:
At school we're asking the students to try to read 40 books over the course of the school year, which includes things like magazines, children's books, and graphic novels. That means that I've had to search out some fun things to read. I'm kind of excited to encourage a real love of reading into my students. If they can just get through my class and not hate reading or not hate it as much as they used to, then I feel like I've done something really good. Literacy has such a huge impact on the rest of their lives, that reading is just one of those things I'd love to get them all interested in.
Well, outside of all this work and personal stuff, I haven't done anything terribly exciting this summer; I've saved money, fixed up some things around the house, and done some canning and preserving. I suppose my efforts to brush up on my Spanish might be entertaining, since I've been watching telenovelas such as the rebroadcast of Sertilegio so I can keep practicing. I hate that I've lost so much of my Spanish. Let's hope a drama-filled telenovela will help me brush back up on my second language. (Besides, William Levy is pretty nice to look at, which makes watching even more entertaining, especially when I'm not sure what's going on!)
As usual, I've blathered on more than I really wanted to. At least I feel like I've pushed my foot back in the door and I can try to get back to posting reviews! Have you ever gone through a major blogging slump? Did it feel hard to return? Anyway, I'm off to NOT think about the fact that I have work in the morning. I hope you all have a great week!
