Oberon Kindle Cover

Received my new Oberon Design cover for my Kindle this week. I had really debated whether I should get a new cover for my Kindle, since I have Kindle 1, which came with its own cover. Here's the problem. The original cover has a lanyard, type elastic that pulls it together. Not only was my lanyard fraying off the back of the cover, but I noticed that a crease had appeared down the front, right-hand side that made me a bit nervous about its protective capabilities. Kindles aren't exactly cheap, so I want to keep it safe, so I broke down and bought a new cover in the hopes it would be more durable. Granted, I've only had it a week or so, but it is nicely padded, has a nice lip around the edge so that the Kindle isn't directly exposed to the outside, and it has a smaller lanyard that attaches it to a button on the front. I picked out "Roof of Heaven," but also really liked "Avenue of Trees." Who am I kidding, I liked almost all of them! Besides all the protective elements to it, the designs and colors are really pretty! :)

Library Loot -- 4/9

I thought I'd have a leisurely evening, reading and laying around. No such luck. I've been doing a bit of grading in my online class, and to top it off, my students did some cyber-sleuthing (stalking), and found my landline number. Now I get phone calls from time to time about their assignments. Silly kids. Love them, but feels weird getting calls at home! I did get to watch "Mama Mia" at full volume, singing along whenever possible. How can you not like that? It makes online grading a bit easier in the long run.

Other than that. I did get a chance to go to the gym (where I probably got more reading done than I have at home), and then headed next door to the library to pick up four books that I'm excited to get to! Library Loot is hosted by Eva and Alessandra, and here's what I picked up:

First, Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy. This has had a wide range of reviews, but since I'm such a sucker for remakes, I thought I'd give it a try and see what I thought! Yes, it's a follow up to Pride and Prejudice.

Second, I got another P&P follow up. I picked up The Darcys & The Bingleys: Pride and Prejudice Continues. Honestly, I haven't heard a lot about this particular sequel, but I have had this one on hold at the library for a bit. We'll see when I can get to it!

Third, I picked up Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle. I wish I could remember where I read about this book, but one of our amazing book bloggers recommended it, so I put it on hold. It has that princess feel I'm obviously going for right now, so looks good to me! :)

Last, I checked out Violet on the Runway by Melissa Walker. The inspiration for this NYC fashion, runway, YA fiction probably came from one to many episodes of The Real Housewives of NYC. You know, since they're all SO into fashion and all! (Sorry, if you've watched that show, then you'd be smirking right along with me right now!)

With one more day of teaching to go, I'll have nine days off to read to my heart's content! :) Can't wait.

P.S. I finished my AP audit, and it has already been accepted!!!

My First ARC!!!

After a fairly nerve-wracking day (and no, for once it's not because of work), it was so exciting to return home to find a package with the "Meg Cabot" sticker I've heard about from other bloggers, sitting on my counter! Honestly, my heart gave a little jump, and I smiled because I knew I'd been chosen to review Meg Cabot's newest sequel to Airhead, Being Nikki. It's terribly exciting, and I need to get a move on. Unfortunately, after getting a bit of bad news about owing MEGA taxes this year, I've had a nasty headache brewing and think I'll be heading to bed early. More reading tomorrow! I really can't wait to dive in. :)

I did want to review a fantastic documentary I watched over the course of the last three days, "Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work." I caught the first episode of this five episode, BBC produced documentary about two months ago when I was flipping channels. Having a fascination with BBC productions, and of course with the Royals, I was instantly gripped by the film. Sadly, it was next to impossible to catch the real times it was being shown on PBS, so I checked the library and put it on hold. How silly though...no one else was even in the que to get this great piece!

Documenting the engagements kept by the Queen, the film follows the British monarch to a state visit to the U.S., showing to what extent everyone goes to in order to make her visit comfortable and monumental. It was interesting to watch the way the White House (actually not white, but "whisper") pulled out all the stops to put together a formal dinner, showing the presidential chinas being considered, and discussing George W. Bush's aversion to white tie events to begin with. You then follow this episode with other visits the queen makes, other dinners and presentations made at the palace in London, and even see her visit her famous home in Balmoral. It's all so fascinating! I don't know how she keeps to her schedule all the time, nor how she deals with talking & schmoozing with so many people all the time! The final episode actually shows her children, cousins, and grandchildren taking on royal duties as well, highlighting the seriousness with which they take their work, championing causes from around the UK.

If you're at all interested in Britain, or the royals, then I highly recommend this wonderfully fascinating documentary.

Wish I had some of the Queen's money about now...

Personal Vent: Preparing for the Exam & Audit

I know I often come across as very glib and silly when it comes to my own reading materials and what I do, but there is another side of me that hasn't been fully expressed. This evening (up until 10 minutes ago), I spent several hours pouring over my syllabus so that I could revise a previous syllabus that needs to be resubmitted to the AP board for approval. It's had me rather paralyzed, as I was really unsure about how to outline all I would be teaching over the course of the year. It's SO much work! The other thing that has had me flummoxed about this entire process is how much I have had to shift and change to meet the needs of my students! Just to make myself feel better though, can I please outline what I will have covered (in brief) so that I can at least say I've worked my A@# off?!?

• "A&P," "Araby," "A Modest Proposal," "Yellow Wallpaper," "A Rose for Emily," & various other short stories and articles.
• The Doll's House and Hamlet--both plays.
• Don Quijote, Tess of the D'Urbervilles, and The Awakening for novels, along with two "required" novels from the AP list--per term--for individual book reports, equalling nine to ten novels read.
• Canterbury Tales, "Tyger," "Ozymandias," "Rape of the Lock," "Kubla Khan," "Digging," along with over twenty or thirty other poems brought together in a project.

These literary works don't even include the literary essays, historical documents, current events, and other pieces I brought into class to supplement & make timely all that we've read or done in class. Then top it off with literary, poetic, and writing terms that they have learned; papers, in-class writings, and projects they've completed; and practice exams, creative projects, and interviews I've held with them one on one. All this we've covered while balancing all that high school has to offer a student through clubs and extra -curricular activities.

Sigh...can I PLEASE just pass this silly audit and quit being paralyzed over the fear of it all? Wish me luck. I turn my revised audit in Monday or Tuesday.

Oh, did I mention that I teach another entire curriculum over World Literature??? I really love teaching, but have to say that after reviewing the year, it all seems a bit overwhelming!

Review: Princess in Love by Meg Cabot

Happy Sunday! I finally finished another book last night, and it gave me a little happy grin. Without pretense or hidden messages, Meg Cabot's third in the Princess Diaries series, Princess in Love was a sweet little, fun book that put me one stop further into the story of Princess Mia.

In book three, we find Mia in a relationship with Kenny, the boy who had sent her anonymous love-email in book two. While she muses on the idea of finally having a boyfriend, he's not the one she REALLY loves! The pressure to be a "normal" teenage girl who has a boyfriend who she can lock lips with from time to time has Mia all in a tither. You see, she really doesn't want to kiss Kenny, she wants to kiss Michael! As she tries to figure out how to break it to Kenny, that she doesn't want to be his girlfriend, and how to get Michael to see how much she likes him, she continues to prepare to head to Genovia for her Christmas address as the new princess. What stress!

Told in diary form, and in the language of a teenager, the third Princess Diaries' tale is a fun, rather quick jaunt through Mia's life. After teaching three "classics" in the last month and a half, the more light stuff I can get my hands on to keep me smiling (and not taking myself too seriously), the better!

1% Well Read Challenge

Over at 1% Well-Read, there is this great challenge to try to read 13 novels from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list. Now, I don't 100% agree with all the choices on this list, and believe that quite a few should be added in contemporary literature, but I'll go with what's here because the list is still pretty awesome! The challenge runs from March 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010.

I don't know if I can do this, but I'll try??? Man, I tried the Historical Fiction challenge and only managed 1 out of 3 books!!! Maybe that means I'm a 30% of the 1%? :) Let's hope not, because I actually really would like to read these books.

Well, here goes. I better get started ASAP! Sure wish they had more Native American fiction on this list. Sigh...

Real Housewives of NYC Meet Judge Judy

This is so hilarious! If you watch this show (and yes, I'm an avid watcher and fan of the show...just can't help watching the insanity sometimes), then you'll love this clip with Judge Judy, told in graphic novel form!

Real Housewives meet Judge Judy