"Let everyone sweep in front of his own door, and the whole world will be clean." -Johann Wolfgang Von GoetheSpring made its presence felt today in upstate New York, and we scurried to take advantage of the sunny skies and (relatively) warm temperatures.
Since next week is Spring Break in our part of the country, I'll have some long-anticipated free time. I need to do some cleaning.
There are always those mundane domestic chores to complete. Although I'm not particularly good at housekeeping, the idea of a more organized environment is very appealing, and I can't wait to fling open windows to air out rooms and linen.
I also need to rejuvenate my body, with outdoor rambles and lighter, simpler meals.
Can't neglect my mind: Kim Cofino shared her vacation reading list; here's mine
- "All Shall Be Well; and All Shall Be Well; and All Manner of Things Shall Be Well" by Tod Wodicka. This first novel was written by a graduate of our local HS and has received a positive review in the NY Times.
- "Saving Fish from Drowning" by Amy Tan. Love all of her books, with their mix of mystery and fantasy.
- "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. Promised Intrepid Teacher that I'd read this story of "One man's mission to promote peace...one school at a time". Got tired of waiting for an interlibrary loan and bought my own copy.
- "Reading Lolita in Tehran" by Azar Nafisi. Clay Burell has urged/challenged us to study Vladimir Nabokov’s "Lolita". Amusingly, the original work is not available in Target (I'll need to visit a more sophisticated venue - wonder if eyebrows will be raised when I use my teacher discount card?) but the Nafisi account of teaching "forbidden Western classics" was. Is there some cosmic irony in this?
Which brings me to my next cleaning task. I've been favoriting Tweets that mention potentially useful resources, emailing myself key posts from GReader, and signing up for new tools to try out (Aviary, Diigo, and Gimp, to name a few). Sorting through this cyber cache might be too large a project to take on right now, but perhaps I can begin advance planning for the much longer summer vacation.
There are postings to write and school units to plan.
Perhaps most importantly, there are people to connect with, in person and online.
It's quite a bit to tackle in a single week. There are no penalties if I don't get to everything. But there are definite rewards for cleaning and stretching and growing however and wherever this occurs.
"Measure your health by your sympathy with morning and spring. If there is no response in you to the awakening of nature --if the prospect of an early morning walk does not banish sleep, if the warble of the first bluebird does not thrill you --know that the morning and spring of your life are past. Thus may you feel your pulse." -Henry David Thoreau
“light sweeping” by Shnnn
8 comments:
Diane
You have an ambitious reading list!
I have a stack of books calling to me as well. My yard is where I long to be-watching the green tips of tulips make their way to the sun. Enjoy your leisure time.
Spring is all about the rebirth.
Hi Diane once again a lovely post full of things to think about. We just had a two week break over Easter and the cleaning or shedding is happening here except it is Autumn and I am redefining where I am going in so many ways and also in my garden. I love this time of year as I know do you and as I sit here, we are having some gentle and much needed rain. This revives me and gives me energy too for lots of new directions. Your reading list sounds wonderful - I hope you will give recommendations as often all I get to read is texts for school. Happy break!
Diane, I hope you enjoy your break! :)
I first bought my copy of Lolita back in 9th grade. I've always looked older than I am so the guy the cash register asked me if it was for a college course. He blinked and went "..." when he learned that I was reading it of my free will and I was in high school. :)
I do hope you manage to take it easy. <3 A break is supposed to be relaxing! ;)
(I apologize if you get this several times! Blogger had been acting funny.)
Funny how America can be as difficult as that other theocracy in Iran for finding literature - or for reading it freely in schools. I wondered if anybody out there would catch the irony of the Nafisi book (which, by the way, annoyed me, unfortunately, in seeming the bourgeois moans of a woman who wanted to enjoy her privileges as in the unjust days of the Shah).
Of course the person who caught it was you.
Lolita in Tehran is a good read. I read it after hearing about it a couple months ago on NPR.
The original Lolita is a great book. The Kubrick film is a nice addition to the experience. I actually liked the Tehran book, but I can see Clay's point.
I just finished Three Cups of Tea and I loved it. Well-written account of an amazing man and his story. I think you will find it inspirational. good luck with you list.
Love the spring read! Was so happy to clear some of those books from my nightstand (their accusing stares were starting to make me feel more than a little guilty for neglecting them).
I absolutely loved Three Cups of Tea - it went very well with Incendiary Circumstances, which judging by your list of books, you might also really enjoy.
I hope you had a great break and you're all caught up on all of your reading :)
Kim,
I read "All Will Be Well..." almost done with "Three Cups of Tea." Next up will be "Lolita." The weather has been too enticing to stay indoors and my camera got a good workout.
Hope your vacation was refreshing!
diane
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