Sharing the gift of reading

You never know when or where you'll be able to share the gift of reading with someone. I'm lying in the hospital bed last week (yes another hospital visit...blech) and the nurse comes in. I've asked hubby to bring me books because well, lets face it, lying in a hospital bed is pretty boring. I'm reading J.D. Robb's "Kindred in Death" and the nurse asks me if it's any good. I go on to describe the storyline in brief and it intrigues the nurse. She says she'll have to give them a try. She doesn't get much time to read but loves to and finds it a good way to relax at night. This starts a discussion on favorite authors and titles. Every time she comes in the room that day she askes me for another title. I take books with me everywhere I go, appointments, school, etc. and it's amazing how often i get asked 'what are you reading'? The gift of reading was shared with me a very long time ago by Mrs. Kurtz. I continue to share the gift with anyone I come across because not only is it important that we read...it's just FUN to read.

 

This is me as they read my name...I'm about to receive my diploma. My cane's name is George. He's named after my favorite uncle who was always sure and stead and could be relied on to be there. I decorated him with Ivy Tech colors because he's been with me this whole time, he graduated too! LOL

Graduation and appreciation

Tomorrow is graduation and while this is not technically about literature, it's my blog so I'm gonna blog about it anyway. lol

If not for some very important people in my life I would not be about to graduate and I'd like to take a few to thank them.

Bill -- My love and my life. You are my rock and my support. Your love has given me the confidence in myself to do anything.

Becky, Chris, and Sarah -- You 3 are the best things that have ever happened in my life. I am blessed to be your mom and to have watched you grow into the wonderful adults you are today. I love you all.

Jessica and Jesi -- You kept me real while encouraging me to do my best. You kept me laughing and kept me able to see the absurd side of things. I love you guys.

Joseph -- My dad. You taught me there wasn't anything I could't do if I just put my mind to it. I love you daddy and always will. This one's for you. I did it!!

My friends and family -- Your love and support has meant the world. We are all affected by those around us, I'm blessed to say I have the best friends and family in the world.

And finally:
Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon -- Queen

While I may have never met you in person, your music and your words have influenced my life for many years. "We Are The Champions" got me and the kids through some very dark years. No matter what life threw at us, we knew we'd survive because we ARE the champions.

A line from "Innuendo" says: "You can be anything you want to be, just turn yourself into anything you think that you could ever be." That's exactly what I've been doing and this song reminds me of it every time I hear it.

And finally "I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it Now." This has been my 'theme' song while in school, and it was written by Queen. I want it all and thanks to the education I've received at Ivy Tech and the one I'll be getting at IUSB, I will have it all!

Thank you everyone!!!!

Kipling

I just finished reading 3 Kipling stories and I loved them!!

The Elephant's Child is a lovely story about a curious child who learns the hard way that curiosity, while i can have good rewards, can be hazardous.

How The Leopard Got His Spots made me smile. The cunning of the giraffe and the zebra was great.

My favorite though was Rikki Tikki Tavi. I loved Rikki's courage and tenacity and his absolute faith in himself.

There is an old joke that goes "Do you like Kipling? I don't know I've never Kippled." well I've now "kippled' and I can say without a doubt. I like Kipling!

Blogging is fun and enlightening

I've been reading everyone's blogs and I have to say: You guys are GOOD! I've been keeping up on them, and they make me think. I read Mrs. S's blog yesterday and thought, "If I were teaching this class, what stories would I include?" No so far fetched an idea s that is my ultimate career goal. So I started net surfing to find lists of American Lit short stories. I found this great list:

http://www.classicshorts.com/bib.html

There were a few on there that I remember reading from high school but most were new to me. I have a whole list of great things to read this summer and it was only a google search away.

I'd read Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" in high school, we were going to do it as a play. I went back and re-read it yesterday and it's lost none of its punch. The ending still grabs me by the back of the neck and sends chills up and down my spine.

Today I think I'm in a Kipling kind of mood. There are 3 short stories of his on this site and I think I'll read them all. Should be fun, I haven't really read Kipling before, I've seen "The Jungle Book" of course which is based on some of his stories but I've never read them. It should be fun.

As this is the last week of class, I'll take a moment to wish you all a great summer. If you are graduating, CONGRATS!! If you are continuing on, FANTASTIC!! If you guys every want to chat, I think I'll still keep pronto, so just IM me. Mrs. S....thank you for a wonderful class that made me think and exposed me to some literature I might not have read before. This class has been....FUN!

Make the day yours, go out and learn something new. stealing a line I saw on twitter today: May the fourth be with you. (yeah i know bad pun...no cookie)