Time to Hit the Books

Mornin'!

Cory and I had such a lovely anniversary trip to the city and I am so excited to share photos with you. Until then (probably later today/tomorrow), I'm here to talk about something else!

I have been mulling over graduate school for years. That's right, years.

My senior year of college was really amazing and I loved every moment. One of the last English courses the university requires you to complete is Literary Analysis. This is the class that everyone fears: extremely demanding and an unrelentless professor. Fortuately, I had a group of girls also going through the English--Secondary Education major with me, and we enrolled in the class together. This class was one of the best experiences of my educational career because I pushed myself further than I ever had before. I would read and research for hours and love every minute of it. This was the class that afforded me the opportunity to travel to San Francisco with a classmate and our professor to present research we conducted at a national research conferece. At the end of the course, my professor approached me about continuing the research I started on my topic with her over the summer and beginning the Graduate program for English that fall. At this time, I was a completely different person. I had plans after graduation that eliminated me from being able to stay in the area and I knew that I really wanted to teach. Even though I spent a lot of time turning this conversation in my mind, I decided to tell her no. I couldn't stay in Salisbury for another two years.

Since then, I've been struggling with graduate school. After my first year teaching I enrolled in a local college to complete a masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction for English. After two courses, I knew immediately the program wasn't for me. I didn't feel challenged and a lot of our course work seemed frivolous and redundant, so I stopped going.

Cory has always been supporting my desire to go back to school, and sometimes, even when I don't want to hear it, he encourages me to research various programs. Finally, we found one! This program is a pretty intense program (that will be years long) in Baltimore.

Right now, I'm a bit shy about sharing all the details of the program, the school, and everything else because I am so nervous about jinxing it!

Anyway, I am very excited for this program, but first I need to take the GRE and you know...

get accepted. I enrolled for the GRE this morning and will be taking it on September 24th. I plan on creating a study schedule for myself today and tomorrow and beginning while I'm on vacation this coming week.

I'll keep you posted with the studying and so forth. I just wanted to give you a little peek into my world and what I'm working on :)

xo,
Liz

Happy Anniversary, Cory!

Today, I celebrate my 1 year anniversary with a fabulous man, Cory. To celebrate, I am sharing my favorite wedding photos with you!

Today you're going to see after-wedding and reception photos! The church we were married in is in Sharpsburg, Maryland, where I was raised and my mother still lives. One of the details that makes Sharpsburg such a small-town gem is that a majority of the Antietam National Battlefield is within the city limits. Cory and I really wanted to have some of our wedding photos taken on the battlefield as it is such a historic and beautiful place.

You'll also see that we gave each guest a mini composition books (get it? We're both teachers!) with my favorite E.E. Cummings poem and a sweet note from us printed on a card placed on top. The cover of the composition book read "7.10.10".

Enjoy :)

The Great Gatsby Book Club 2

Good morning, class :)

A Trusty Point of View

To begin the novel, our protagonist, Nick Carraway, begins by flashing back to a brief moment with his father. His father advises him that "whenever you feel like criticizing any one, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had." As Nick mulls over this advice, he realizes that he has always been "inclined to reserve all judgments..."

This is crucial, because it allows the reader to understand that Nick is a character we can trust. Nick is neutral and prides himself on lacking judgment. This is important, because we know that whatever Nick tells us is going to be true and his actions are reliable.

Nick lives in a modest home in West Egg, next to a mansion of Jay Gatsby. West Egg is settled across a lack from a wealthy development, East Egg. Essentially think of this as the Hampton's in New York. There's the really rtizy side (East Egg), and then the more middle-class side (West Egg). Although Nick experienced a comfortable childhood, he understands he will not have a large salary, and in fact, will always struggle a bit. He is okay with this and doesn't seek handouts. Instead, many people begin to force their wealth upon him.

How we see why we need to trust Nick. When Daisy and Gatsby begin to thrust their rich and famous lifestyle upon Nick, he becomes uncomfortable. Instead of judging them, he silently observes and allows teh reader to create their own opinion. Because of Nick's humble personality and lifestyle, Dasiy, Gatsby, and Tom's a seen as being ludicrous and over the top. They are spoiled and stuck-up. The contrast between Nick and the rest of the characters allows Fitzgerald to emphasize a major theme in this work: the hallowness of the upper class.

The Green Light

Remember last time we met, John Green told us to keep an eye out for the green light? At the tail end of chapter 1, the first reference is made to the green light when Nick spots Gatsby watching him from his yard. Nick says:

"I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glaned sea-ward--and distinguished nthing except a single green light, minute and far way, that might have been the end of a dock. When I looked once more for Gatsby he had vanished, and I was alone again in the unquiet darkness."

Nick is confused by this green light, not knowing it's source or purpose, until chapter 5. (Muahaha, now you have to keep reading!)

Gatsby & Daisy

 By the end of chapter 4 we realize that Gatsby has been carrying a secret in regards to Nick's cousin, Daisy. Nick learns that Daisy and Gatsby once knew each other and that Gatsby has been enduring a heated crush ever since. In fact, it is assumed that Gatbsy purposefully bought such a luxorious mansion right across the bay from Daisy's house just so she could one day see him and his wealth. Gatsby assumes that as soon as she sees his wealthy lifestyle, she will immediately want to be with him instead of her husband, Tom.

We can assume that since Gatsby orchestrated Nick moving into his particular home just so Gatsby would have a chance of reconnecting with Daisy. In fact, it is brought to Nick's attention at the end of chapter 4 that he is serving as a type of pawn for Gatsby to play. Nick is under instruction to invite Daisy over for tea, only to bait her in traveling to West Egg and visiting Gatsby! Tricky, tricky.

What is real? DISCUSSION!

There's a special scene in chapter 3 when Nick visits Gatsby's house for the very first time in hopes of meeting him and getting to know this strange neighbor. While walking throughout the house with Jordan, Nick's secret crush, they encounger a stout man in a library exclaiming that the books are real. He is so excited and cannot believe that all the books are real within the library.

This is fairly representative, because at this point in the chapter, Nick has not yet met Gatsby and is questioning his authenticity. Nick questions whether the stories he has heard of Gatsby in regards to his lifestyle and past are real.

So, knowing that Fitzgerald purposefully wanted to speak of the hallowness of the upper class, in what ways could Nick's confusion in regard to Gatsby's lifestyle and authenticity be reflected in this scene in the library? In what other ways is the hallowness of the upper class shown throughout the novel so far?

ASSIGNMENT:

Read Chapters 5 & 6 by Tuesday!

Happy 1 Year Anniversary, Cory!

Cory and I will celebrate our 1 year wedding anniversary tomorrow. A year flies by, man!

To celebrate, I am taking Cory out of town tonight to spend the night in our favorite D.C. neighborhood so we can enjoy in a few festivities and plans that I have made. We'll be back in town late Sunday night... other than that, I can't spill anything about his surprise ;). You'll find out more on Sunday!

Cory and I had a dream wedding. In a summer where the average temperature in Maryland was 97 degrees, we lucked out with the only Saturday in July under 90 degress--in fact, I don't know if it was above 85 the entire day. We had a gorgeous ceremony at the church I was raised in, had photos taken on the Antietam Battlefield, and celebrated the night away with our closest family and friends at a local art gallery. We all went out downtown after the wedding and it was just so fun. We planned our wedding so all our out-of-town guests were with us Thursday-Sunday. We spent so much time with our friends and family and it felt so warm the entire time. From trivia night at a local bar to brunch the day after our wedding, there was so much love around us. We were so blessed.

To celebrate a little, I wanted to share some of our wedding photos with you, since I never shared very many last year! I'm going to split them up into 2 parts, so you'll get to see a bit today and a bit tomorrow :)

One of the details that made the day so special was that 3 of my most favorite students of all time actually crashed the ceremony. Ok, I may have told them when and where it was, but they weren't formally invited ;). It was really sweet to see them there on our special day :)

4 years ago today...

Happy Anniversary, Kevin & Lindsey!

7-7-07 :)

Hookin' Up, Day 7: Ambassador Crochet

Greetings, hookers! How's it goin? I hope you're dropping by to take a visit to today's installment of Hookin' Up!

For those of you who haven't been following Hookin' Up, let me explain this awesome adventure to you. As you may know, the lovely Kathryn over at Crochet Concupiscence is all about building the crochet community one stitch at a time. I have to say, she's pretty darn good at it, too! Her latest project has been hosting and moderating Hookin' Up, a month long blog tour visiting 30 crochet blogs, each day a new crocheter introducing a new blog to you! Sounds fun right? Maybe you saw my interview yesterday over at Crochet Adventures, and if you didn't but are sort of curious, I encourage you to click away and find out more about this lovely group of crocheters!

Today I am going to introduce you to the wonderful woman behind Ambassador Crochet, Kristine.

Okay, so when you first think about the name of her blog and shop Ambassador Crochet, it's obvious there is some sort of mission behind it. Kristine, mother of 5 gorgeous little girls, has an extremely user friendly blog that will help a crocheter of any level. From tips and tricks when teaching youngsters how to crochet to sharing with you lots of up-to-date charity opportunities to donate your hooked creations, she exhibits a passion for crochet and community that is extremely admirable.

As a crochet designer, you can tell Kristine is busy working on new accessories for little ones. 

If you're anything like me, a young gal who is not yet a mother but seems to be flooded with neices and nephews, her pattern shop is just what Santa is ordering this coming holiday season. (And I would be shocked if any of you gasped at that... considering we have 5 months until the holiday season and it takes a long time to crochet gifts!) You should definitely check out her pattern shop if you're in need for a quick, purposeful gift for a niece or nephew in your life.

Let's say you're just an average crocheter trying to figure out what other hookers are working on, then her Work in Progress Wednesday blog feature is just for you!

I loved getting to know Kristine on her blog because it's a delicate balance of family, cuteness, and crocheting. This mama deserves all the crochet time she can get, and we're fortunate that she comes up with such gorgeous designs when she does!

I hope you go over to check out Kristine's blog. If nothing else, check out this adorable story of when her husband took her yarn shopping for their anniversary this past April ;). I mean come on! So cute!

Until next time,

Liz

current project: granny square blanket

Hello there! I have been busy at work on a few different projects. The first is getting or home unpacked. I'm going to be honest, 97% of our boxes are unpacked. There are just a few laying around, and I'm fully willing to admit that they are mine, but I'm just feeling unmotivated (ie: lazy) to unpack them. gah. So, to avoid the unpacking, I am working on a granny square blanket! Yes!

I recently saught the advice of crochet expert and lady-of-awesome, Linda Permann, in regards to the materials she uses for blocking projects. I realized that to get the final finish on my products, I really need to start blocking on a regular basis. When I have blocked small projects in the past, I have just used homegoods I had lying around the house (ironing board, etc.), but I needed a bigger surface to block on. Linda suggested that I buy interlocking mats from my local hardware store. It's what she uses and really loved working with them.

Her suggestion was dead on! They're awesome! First of all, these blocks only cost me $17 from Home Depot. Secondly, they are really durable and the clean up from the blocking solution I use is very easy.

Once you buy rust proof pins from your local craft store, you can block for the rest of your life! These blocks connect together to make a really large surface, but I have found that I'm usually just using 2 at a time. Whenever I stick the pins in them, they don't rip or tear, they just make the little pin hole.

Not a big deal.

Here's an example:

(The photo quality isn't great because I had my ISO really high since it was storming outside.)

I love them!

I'm just about 5 granny squares away from finishing up this blanket.  I need to run to Hobby Lobby and grab more yarn for the boarders. I'm using Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn in Mulberry, Sungold, and Ivory.

Want to make your own Granny blanket? It's a really great gift for the holidays, but you should probably start now :)

Individual Squares:

Each square is made of 2 rounds of each color = 6 rounds total.

I'm blocking them so they measure about 7 in. x 7 in.

Blanket:

The total blanket will be 6 squares by 6 squares = 36 squares total.

Total yarn used:

2.5 skeins of Mulberry

2 skeins of Sungold

1 skein of Ivory

You can definitely buy all your yarn from Hobby Lobby needed for this project for under $20. It's a great deal. Of course, I Love this Yarn is acrylic, but it is really soft.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment or drop me an email @ Donnasdecembers(at)gmail(dot)com!

Happy Wednesday,

Liz