Review: Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Let's just say that I can't believe I let a day sit between me and writing a review of this great read.  I actually tore through this one back during the school year, but my lapse in review writing made me forget to stop back in to write about it.  Since the next book is about to come out, I wanted to hurry and get a review written so I could then share this one!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines."

Review:  Just One Day is one of those reads that you think you know what is going to happen, and then you feel a total bait and switch coming, and then you go, "Oh shoot, what in the heck just happened and when is that other book coming out?!?"  

Allyson is that American high school tourist who has had a great trip, but wants to make a real memory.  What does she do?  She sneaks off with this cute Dutch actor to Paris.  

WAIT.  The high school teacher in me literally started screaming, "What in the world are you thinking?!?" I started panicking right away and couldn't relax.  Literally.  Is this Willem some creeper who is going to steal her money and run off, leaving her in Paris to "learn how cool and independent she is there in Paris?  Is Willem going to be kind and take her around Paris to show her a nice time and deliver her safely back to London?  What was going to happen?!?  I panicked!  That, on it's own, kept me on my toes.

Listen.  It's London.  It's Paris.  How wrong can you really go with those locations?  Once you relax (or I relaxed into the story), I thought it was an amazing tale, but things go in a remarkably different direction than you initially imagine.  The story is surprising, and shocking, and stunning all at the same time.  I think that I read the last 3/4 of the book in one sitting and even choked a little tear near the end.  The trip to Europe actually only takes up the first 1/3 of the book, and then the last portion is dealing with what happens.  

For anyone that has reviewed this book, there is a huge reveal in the book that is spoiled if you say too much.  Needless to say, Allyson and Willem do part ways after Paris and you want to know what happens.  That is the crux of this book, and that is what propels the next book coming up.  There is a lot more to the story, but it is such an emotional read that you are stunned by the range that it reaches.  All I can say is GO read it.  This has been one of my favorite reads thus far this year.  I like to be surprised in good ways, and this one kept me on my toes.

Disclaimer:  There is one adult scene in Paris that some teens might be sensitive to.  I do think that the rest of the book handles it in a very adult way and does not brush it under the table.  I wanted to FYI it though for sensitive readers.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel.

The next book, Just One Year, which will be Willem's story, comes out October 15th.  Let's just say that I can hardly wait!

Paris in July 2012

Bonjour! It's that glorious time again to celebrate Paris in July!  Last year I had just gotten home from France, so I was really eager to join in.  Although my trip was a year ago, that one month wasn't long enough and I'd like to participate again. 

As with last year, Tamara at Thyme for Tea and Karen at Bookbath are hosting this fun month.  It will run from July 1st to the 31st, and as they mentioned, "...the aim of the month is to celebrate our French experiences through reading, watching, listening to, observing, cooking, and eating all things French."  Here are some of the things you could do to participate:

• Reading a French book--fiction or non-fiction
• Watching a French movie  (Here is my "triple" review from last year if you want options!)
• Listening to French music
• Cooking French food
• Experiencing French art, architecture, or travel (or reminiscing about past travel to France)
• Or anything else French inspired you can think of...

I'm really excited to do something non-work related, so I'm eager to get going on this fun challenge!  I know I have two books already started and a few other ideas brewing.

Last year I purchased some Edith Piaf music, thanks to a little experience on our bus ride through France that I'll share later.  I've seen this movie before, but remember very little about it and had next to no context for the story.  This time, I'm coming with a bit more knowledge and a lot more curiosity!

Remember this disaster?  Well, I'd like to try this again.  I'm going to do a little reading up on Apple Tart Tatin and see if I can get it right.  Now, who can I take all my attempts to, because this would ruin my diet!

I'm actually already reading Paris My Sweet and want to finish it up soon.  The discussions about food are torture, but such SWEET torture! 

Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow is actually Juliet Grey's follow up novel to Becoming Marie Antoinette, which I reviewed here on my blog.  (See review here:  Becoming Marie Antoinette)  I've had this on hold at the library for months now, so I'm excited to get reading.  I actually started it today and got sucked in pretty quickly.  I've been reading a lot about Marie Antoinette and the kings of Versailles, so this will be another fun one to read.

Well, that is what I'll be doing.  I'm not sure if I'll be posting on specific days or not, but I really am excited to get started.  For information, visit Tamara or Karen's blogs to get started.  I'd love to know if you'll be joining in and what you're thinking about doing for it.  Au revoir!

Review: Rather Paris by Jon Hart and Cooking Update

Let me follow up on yesterday's post about that Tart Tatin.  This was my first attempt at this famous dessert, so I guess it's all right if it isn't perfect, right?  I think my pan was a bit smaller than what the recipe anticipated, so there was too much sauce.  It basically went to the bottom of the plate and made the crust stick to the plate in a carmel-y, ooey-gooey mess.  Yummy, but messy.  I'll try it again sometime later.  By the way, in case you're wondering about the diet--as I talk about a gooey dessert--I've managed to lose 8 pounds over five weeks.  It has been slow, and I could probably lose a lot more if I'd avoid Easter desserts, but isn't this a normal life?  I'm fine with a slow loss.  At least I'm still losing!

Speaking of a French dessert, I had to share Rather Paris, which is a travel book that is part of a variety of travel/food books by Jon Hart centered on Paris.  This little guide jumped out at me on my last trip to the library, as it's such a short and unique little guidebook.  Having been published back in December of 2011, this particular book is really up to date on amazing stores, restaurants, cafes, and so much more in the various neighborhoods of Paris. 

If I were heading back to Paris this summer (I wish), I would definitely take this little booklet in my bag.  It's half the size and about a quarter of the weight of most travel/guide books.  In fact, this doesn't even feel like a "travel" book, but is more of an amazing insider look at a handful of great places throughout Paris.  If you were looking for a place to pick up paint, baby clothes, or even handbags, Rather Paris features a short blurb, address, and picture for your convenience. 

On a quick side note, I would NOT say this is a book that you would rely on for all information on Paris.  This is a mere supplement to the million of other books out there.  On a scale of what's new and fresh, I simply thought this was a nice and fun new option.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the book.

Review: Tout Sweet by Karen Wheeler

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "In her mid-thirties Karen has it all: a career as a fashion editor, a handsome boyfriend, a fab flat in west London and an array of gorgeous shoes. But when her 'plus one' leaves, she wonders if there is more to life than high fashion. So, she hangs up her Manolos and waves goodbye to her city lifestyle, deciding to go it alone in a run-down house in rural Poitou-Charentes, western France. Once there, she encounters a host of new friends and unsuitable suitors, soon learning that true happiness can be found in the simplest of things - a bike ride through the countryside on a summer evening, or six glasses of Pinot in a neighbor's garden. If you've ever dreamed of chucking away your BlackBerry and down shifting, "Tout Sweet" is perfect summer reading."

Review:  After my trip to France this past summer, there isn't much about this book and cover that doesn't appeal to me.  There is that certain passion for life in all of its facets that one can readily recognize in the French, and something that is very romantic--on the surface.  Don't get me wrong, it is very romantic, but Karen Wheeler's memoir reminds us that there are drafty, run-down homes to be fixed, bug bites to cure (with nary a 24-hour drugstore in sight), and a lack of eligible bachelors to be found.  Nonetheless, grabbing at life when she could is an appealing ideal for many readers, including this reader. 

One of the things I loved about this memoir was the full disclosure of both Karen's self-possession and Karen's self-doubt.  It was an interesting inside view of the person who took the journey.  Maybe it was because of this unique inside look into her life that then had me fully vested in finding her true happiness, in whatever way possible.  I loved watching her transform her rundown home into something all her own.  From stripping floors to sealing and painting walls, it was so engaging to actually follow her process of remaking her little French home into one she could reside in. 

One thing that had me on edge for her were the discussions of her romantic relationships.  We start the memoir with a gripping heartache that propels her to France, that I think we all hope will be resolved  with great friendships--which I'm not sure the assortment of people she meets fit--or with a love interest--which is hard when they have other motivations.  Throughout the book she discusses looking for "suitors" in anyone from her neighbor to the baker in town.  There does seem to be this build up to a relationship or sorts, only to have it dropped in the course of about three sentences--literally.  For me, the build up of friendships and suitors to a startling resolution left me a bit out of sorts.  If we were to spend 200+ pages dropping mention of the importance of relationships, I would hope that we would have a balanced explanation of their place in her life by the end.

Karen Wheeler is a marvelous writer, with an ability to recall her own life story in a novel-like fashion.  I was so easily sucked in that my care and concern for her could match any fictional character I've been introduced to.  Having said that, the philosophical end to the book felt very unsatisfying and left me sad for Karen, and not upbeat about the entire "finding of oneself" and slowing down that I think I was supposed to take away.  On the whole, I have been recommending this memoir right and left, in the hopes that I can come to grips with my own reaction to its ending.  It's not possible for me to spell out all the details, but I will say that the reality of it cuts through all that feels escapist or romantic.  In short, I loved it and I hated it, both at the same time.  I can't say that I've responded so strongly to a book in a very long time, and I'm still left trying to grasp how I felt.  Honestly, you really have to read it to find out how Karen wrapped up her memoir.  For this reader, I'll admit to wishing that maybe (like in my own life) there was just a bit more fiction to finish it off. 


*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a review copy of the book provided by the publisher.

If you've read this one, PLEASE tell me your own thoughts.  I'm dying to discuss it with other readers, so I'd love to hear from you! Did you have the same response that I did? 

Sunday Blatherings: Como Estas?

Getting to this point has been a nightmare of epic proportions (with work), but I'm finally off on my Costa Rican adventure.  I've vowed to push work out of my mind so that I can focus on relaxing and enjoying my time with my bff and family, but I'll admit that I'm still stewing on it all a little.  It will be great though, so I'm going to soak it all in!

Hopefully, once I get back I'll have a bunch of great book reviews to post.  Vacations generally equal great reading time, so I'm hoping that's true this time around.  Yes, I did bring a stack of AP essays to grade, but that shouldn't mean I can't still get some really great reading time in as well!  Now, if I could just remember enough of those 5 years of Spanish classes I've taken...

Review: Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "After nearly two decades spent on British soil, Bill Bryson-bestselling author of The Mother Tongue and Made in America-decided to return to the United States. ("I had recently read," Bryson writes, "that 3.7 million Americans believed that they had been abducted by aliens at one time or another,so it was clear that my people needed me.") But before departing, he set out on a grand farewell tour of the green and kindly island that had so long been his home.

Veering from the ludicrous to the endearing and back again, Notes from a Small Island is a delightfully irreverent jaunt around the unparalleled floating nation that has produced zebra crossings, Shakespeare, Twiggie Winkie's Farm, and places with names like Farleigh Wallop and Titsey. The result is an uproarious social commentary that conveys the true glory of Britain, from the satiric pen of an unapologetic Anglophile."

Review:  If you're like I am, it can be awfully fun to read a good travel book that coordinates with somewhere you've visited or would like to visit.  Having read Bill Bryson's book In a Sunburned Country and laughed endlessly at his anecdotes, I knew I had to read this travel book about the British Isles.  I'm jealous that he had the chance to live there for so long and to get a feel for the local context behind how they view themselves.  A lot of times, a travel writer can only suppose how the locals view themselves or get inside their heads so that we see their world view.  In this case, I really did feel like Bryson was able to explain how Brits view the world and even why.  For instance, living in such a small "island" locale, things are only gauged by what's local.  What would feel like a little jaunt down to the southern end of my own state, to them feels like a real journey.  That just happens to be their frame of reference.

One thing you readily pick up on in Bryson's work is his disdain for sterile locations that have no thought for their beauty.  If buildings and lots are built over historically significant locations, and even more horrendously out of concrete, you get that he's not happy.  Having visited England, but simply traveled a bit, I 100% understand his thoughts on "civilization" and how we put towns together.  The well thought out buildings, cathedrals, hedgerows, and historical landmarks make a place and give it the charm we yearn for.  Enough said.

Bryson has exhaustively backed up his information about the cities and towns he visited with some of the history that went along with it.  In some cases, I had been where he discussed, so I was much more interested.  In others, I had never even heard of them, so I was less interested.  And in a final few more, I've wanted to go visit, so I paid a bit of extra attention.  In short, there is a lot of information that can take his books from a "fun read" to a bit of a travelogue. 

I really do enjoy Bryson's writing style and have grown to trust his knowledge about the places he writes.  I appreciate that he digs in and talks about the infrastructure, a bit about the food he ate (only from time to time), and the people he encountered.  Even if I haven't been where he is talking about, I feel like I'm tagging along.  For this travel buff, that's always a very good thing!

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library e-book version of the book.

Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

It's time for another installment of Paris in July!  I think this challenge needs to stretch along another couple of months, especially because I feel like I'm just getting on a roll.  In fact, I just got my hands on David Lebovitz's book The Sweet Life in Paris, as well as the movie Paris Je T'Aime (after Tasha at Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Books mentioned it).  It seems that I'm going to be busy for awhile with my newest Paris finds!

To be honest though, I'm a book rotater, as I've mentioned before.  That usually makes my reading time a little longer than normal, because I'm reading a million things all at once.  Anyway, I had heard a lot of glowing reviews about Anna and the French Kiss and finally got my hands on a copy.  Let's just say that I started it one day, read a couple of chapters, and put it down.  I picked it back up, and forget putting it back down!  I stayed up half the night finishing it.  For me, that's really saying something!  I love it when a book demands my attention.

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?"

Review:  I couldn't put this book down.  I really worried that with all the hype surrounding it, that I wouldn't like it.  That wasn't the case at all.  Anna is a great character, who is sent off to Paris by her Nicholas Sparks-esque (or that's how I pictured him) dad, who had gained his riches and notoriety from a number of successful tear-jerker novels turned films.  Of course she resents being ripped from her life in the U.S., along with a new possible love interest she had been crushing on before being forced to leave.  Thankfully she meets a small circle of friends who show her the ropes and make her time a little bit easier.  Also, it helps that one of them is an English American guy named Etienne St. Clair who is the school hottie and her new best friend.  The trouble is that he has a longtime girlfriend at another school and Anna has established Etienne as her friend.  That's a hard line to cross, even with enough chemistry to light the city.

The thing that I most loved about the novel, besides being set in Paris, was the development of the characters and their relationships.  Anna was a fun, unique character who had interesting flaws (a fear of going off of campus alone) and some real sounding conversations.  Her friends were people you wanted to know, and her romantic interest was agonizing and exactly the way any teenage girl could dream.  There is a crazy amount of tension in the story that keeps you flipping pages, praying for a resolution in the story.  Not to mention that there are enough misunderstandings to drive you to distraction!  Then, when it all ends and it has come together, you're sad and wish it would just go on.  

This is one charming story.  Thankfully, the buzz about this book was spot on and I'll definitely be recommending it to others!

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel.

The Paris in July Challenge is being hosted at Bookbath and Thyme for Tea.  Stop by to join in today or to check out other great posts.

Review: The Food of Love by Anthony Capella

Thanks to a quick road trip up to Idaho to visit my mother, I had the chance to listen to an audio book, The Food of Love.  I'm not sure if the cat enjoyed it, since he was in the back seat in his carrier, but he stopped howling at me after about 45 minutes.  Yes, I turned it down and tried to comfort him.  He was just being a bit of a diva and wanted out, but there was NO way I was opening that carrier!  He soon settled into a nice nap and I moved on with my audio book.  It's nice to be able to listen to an audio book for long stretches of time and not just during a commute or daily errands!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Laura, a twenty something American, is on her first trip to Italy. She's completely enamored of the art, beauty, and, of course, food that Rome has to offer. Soon she’s enamored of the handsome and charming Tommaso, who tells her he’s a chef at the famed Templi restaurant and begins to woo her with his gastronomic creations.  But Tommaso hasen'’t been entirely truthful—; he'’s really just a waiter.

The master chef behind the tantalizing meals is Tommaso’'s talented but shy friend Bruno, who loves Laura from afar. Thus begins a classic comedy of errors full of the culinary magic and the sensual atmosphere of Italy. The result is a romantic comedy in the tradition of Cyrano de Bergerac and Roxanne that tempts readers to devour it in one sitting."

Review:  Admittedly, I was drawn to this book because of the food and travel elements.  The fun, seemingly romantic turn to the story was also an added bonus, but I was most interested in hearing about the preparation of really great Italian food.  The book jumps into the affair between Laura and Tommaso pretty quickly and spends a large chunk of the book unraveling, just as its Cyrano de Bergerac comparison heralds.  The unraveling is painful, and to be quite honest, I found the romance to not be romantic at all!  The food references were beautiful and poetic, but when twisted up with sexual trysts, they started to sound almost sleazy.  In fact, I'm not really sure that a woman would be wooed in quite the way the author describes it.  I wonder if my own bias in this is mainly because I'm a female reader and the author's perspective as a man is describing what romance looks like to him?  Maybe I just missed it?

Since Tommaso isn't the cook in the story, and just the Lethario who wants in Laura's pants (sorry to say it that way mom, but that's the only way of describing it), it's much easier to connect to the shy chef Bruno.  In the beginning I thought he was a bit of a creeper; why would he be so smitten with his roommate's girl, enough so that he would create these magical dishes for their dinners?  Over time though, Bruno's heart really comes through and helps to round out the story and the insincere sort of romance going on between Laura and his roommate.

There are lovely descriptions of food and food preparation, from handmade pastas to stewed meats and tender spring vegetables.  Bruno's passion for food is more attractive than he is, which I do think the author was vying for, so his descriptions were excellent.  Although the story felt sleazy in the beginning, there was redemption in the arc of the story by the end.  Overall, it was still a nice read, with great food references.  Now, can I get my ticket to Italy please?!?

*FTC Disclosure:  This review is based on a library copy of the book.

Just out of curiosity, could you be seduced by really great food, enough so that you would overlook a creeper?

Sunday Blatherings: Back from Holiday

Hampton Court, the famous home of Henry VIII.

Bonjour and Happy Father's Day for all here in the U.S.!  I arrived back late, late Friday night from my trip to London and Paris and am now trying to quickly readjust before work meetings all this next week.  The trip was great, although so tiring at the same time.   I suppose that's what happens when you do everything in a whirlwind eight days.  It was a great eight days though and I have come home with a lot of great memories!

First off, can I say that in eight days I lost 7 pounds.  Does that say anything about the amount of walking we did?  On average, we walked, climbed stairs, stood in lines, rode metros, and meandered through sites for 8-9 hours a day.  Every night, I rubbed my poor sore feet in the hopes that they would still be attached to my body by the end of the trip!  Even the teens that traveled with us complained that their feet hurt, so I know it wasn't just me.  Who knew that I could go on vacation, and still eat croissants, pastries, and nutella and not gain an ounce!  (Oh, and did you know France has these cool Chicken & Thyme flavored Lays potato chips?  Some in our group didn't like them, but I thought they were delish!)  I suppose I should schedule more vacations if this is the case?  The travel diet sounds pretty darn good to me!

I'll admit that our trip got off to a rocky start and I'm not much of an American Airlines fan at this point.  Our flight was late getting into Chicago when we left, and although the plane was still in the gate, they wouldn't let us on.  It didn't make sense to me though, since there were eleven people on the incoming flight that needed to catch that plane and it sat at the gate for almost 30 minutes after we ran to get there.  In hindsight, we're all pretty sure they sold our seats and just bumped us.  We ended up sleeping a pretty miserable night in the airport and catching a flight that next night at around 6:30pm that put us into London early Saturday morning.  Lucky us though, they also lost our luggage in the switch, which we then didn't get until Sunday evening.  That means that we not only had literally slept in our clothes in the airport one night and again on the overnight flight into London, but then had to wear them for two more days!  Yes, talk about a lovely sight that we all just had to laugh at and keep moving.

Regardless of the rocky start to our trip, we made up for it all by really hitting the pavement and seeing as much as possible.  We did all the normal in London, which I have to say that I absolutely loved.  I'm even now looking into courses that I could take that would put me back into London for a couple of months.  I loved it all.  The city is great, full of history, and teeming with activity.  We got rained on a good bit last Sunday, but we had a great time while we were there. 

Canterbury Cathedral

On our way out of London to France, we spent a day in Canterbury.  Talk about an amazing cathedral!  I teach some of the tales in The Canterbury Tales, so I took a lot of pictures to hopefully create some nice teaching materials.  We'll see if I'm smart enough to create something with iVideo, or at least on PowerPoint.  I'm also going to have to go back and reread Murder in the Cathedral by T.S. Eliot and Jean Anouih's Becket, which I've never actually read.  This should all really add to my Middle Ages unit and some of the materials (a book and an audio CD) will make for nice background information.

Paris was our next stop after crossing the English Channel and driving down from the coast.  What can I say about Paris that a million other people and artists haven't said, sung, drawn, or performed?  It's an amazing city full of life and energy from the get go.  Before we left on the trip I  had purchased To Dance With Kings by Rosalind Laker, which is a book that centers on Versailles and the history of the time that the kings lived there.  I started it on the plane, but was so distracted, prone to motion sickness, and busy once we got there, that I only really read about 40 pages into it.  Now, I'm kind of glad I didn't get far, as the history behind it now makes more sense to me.  Knowing that they moved from the Louvre, out to what was originally a "hunting lodge" that turned into what is now this enormous palace, has helped the story come together even more.  Now I'm really looking forward to finishing the novel!

This is just a short blip on the radar of all that happened on my trip, but I couldn't move smoothly on to reviews and other reading-related posts without giving my trip a nod.  On a personal level, travel is what I live for.  If I could afford to travel out of the country every year I would do it, but it's not really a possibility at this point, so I enjoy every moment of the time I do get to spend abroad, about every four years.  It definitely takes some planning, and skimping and saving on my part to make it happen, but it's so worth it.  Besides, on a professional level, I think that connecting the literature that I've read and loved with the locations and history behind them is invaluable.  Although I try not to share history and places like big travelogues with my students, I always hope that some of what I bring back helps them to get excited to also connect to the writings of great authors.  My hope is always that they see the value and importance of reading and studying literature, because as a great teacher and mentor of mine said to me, "Business and other lucrative fields might control the world, but the humanities CHANGE the world."  I've hung onto that thought and can see more than ever the impact of art, history, music, and literature on the standard of one's life.  Without these beauties, where would our lives be?

Enough waxing poetic for one day.  Today I'm going to go for a nice, long walk to keep up with what we did on our trip, and then will settle down with a stack of good books.  Since I really haven't read in over a week, I'm behind on books I need to read and review by the end of the month, so that's what I'll be doing.  I hope you're having a great weekend!  To close, I'll include a short video clip of the Eiffel Tower doing its hourly sparkle at night.  We had such fun sitting back on the grass, avoiding the salespeople with their champagne and lit-up Eiffel Tower statues for sale.  It was all an experience to remember.  It's slightly cheesy to get so excited about it, but the Eiffel Tower really was a real highlight.  Au revoir!

London Calling...

Well, I'm off on a quick trip to England and Paris.  Here I thought I'd have a couple of days to unwind, do a little reading, blogging, commenting, etc.  Boy was I wrong!  School ended on Friday with graduation, which went off really well.  That next day I had a good friend come into town and we went to see Les Miserables, which is touring the country right now.  (The play and the company both were great!)  Sunday I collapsed in a heap of post-school year fatigue, and the first two days of the week were spent at a school meeting that kept me busy all day long.  This transition from the end of school to this trip has been a pretty busy, eventful one.  Maybe that will make sleeping on the plane a possibility so the jet lag isn't quite so crazy?  I sure hope so!

Thanks to everyone who has given me great advice on everything from what to take or what to see.  Now I can hop a flight and be on my way.  Oh, and thanks to my new toy (iPad), I didn't have to pack half a suitcase of books!  It felt really odd and I almost snuck a stack in anyway, but just knowing I have hundreds to choose from on my iPad is pretty great.  Maybe that means I can buy more once I get to London??? 

When I get back, things will be busy throughout much of the summer, so I'm going to really try to kick back and completely enjoy every moment.  Yes, I'll be taking a lot of pictures of places and things that I can share in some of my lessons at school, but that's always kind of fun.  My students tease me a bit about some of the pictures that I'm included in from my trip to Greece, so I have to keep the teacher-included pictures to a minimum on this trip! 

Thanks again, and I'll see you on the other side.  (We'll see if I can get a post or two written before I leave, but it seems a little unlikely at this point!)

Sunday Blatherings: 1/2 Way Through 2010-2011 School Year!

Friday wrapped up Term Two at the high school where I teach.  I also finished my contract work with my online job and finals week in the online class I'm teaching came to an end.  That was a lot of extraneous stuff that kept me running like a hamster in a wheel for far too long.  Needless to say, I haven't left my house these past two days as a reaction to the past two weeks.  It's been REALLY nice!  My library account is maxed out and I was given a bunch of books for Christmas, so I have plenty to read without leaving the house.  In reality, I just need to find time to write reviews.

On a super bright note, all of this work was really in preparation for a trip to London and Paris (and a few other stops in between).  I just purchased my tickets on Wednesday, so I'm pretty excited, as you might guess.  Sure I have to wait until June, but if an upcoming vacation isn't something to put your head down and work for, then I don't know what is.