Iowa Tour Pt. III

Well friends, I finished finals/grading/packing and made it across this great nation to Philadelphia where I've been having a rip-roaring time with the fam (more about that later, but let's just say my goat dreams were fulfilled--I know, you're on the edge of your chair now. In good time, in good time.) But, before this semester ended, Warren came to visit so we had a special Tour Iowa edition, including a trip up to Minneapolis (so many lakes, so...

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pardon my gush

There are times when teaching makes me feel like I'm dying but there are times like now where it is so, completely worth it. Like tonight, when I just finished reading 20 rather spectacular student papers. We read Extremely Close & Incredibly Loud and I was astounded (though I shouldn't have been) at how much my students loved it. I didn't want to do a boring analytical paper so I asked them to channel the characters' styles in one of two ways: 1) Write a "Stuff that happened to me" like Oskar's, only have it be about your life using Oskar-style-techniques...

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TWEEN STUDIES FINAL

1. The hit 1999 tween romantic comedy, Drive Me Crazy, was based on what fabulous tween book?A. How I Created My Perfect Prom Date B. The Boy Next DoorC. Makeover Madness2. The prom scene from the hit 1999 tween romantic comedy, Drive Me Crazy, was filmed in what state capitol's rotunda?A. CaliforniaB. UtahC. Florida3. What famous hobbit was supposed to co-star with Sabrina/Clarissa in the hit 1999 tween romantic comedy, Drive Me Crazy, but was cut...

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home alone

Though I am almost a quarter of a century old, I have learned tonight that 1) the dark does not get less dark or scary as you get older 2) you can't double check the locks too many times and 3) the following safety precautions will always be appropriate:Take that, Joe Pesci. [side note: I am home alone for the next week and I kind of love it--though it is a little lonely and yes, I am still afraid of the dark. What do you guys do to savor your home alone tim...

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why hasn't this song been covered

by some really hip indie band? that intro alone: chanting, handclaps--it's prime for the taking!PS: Cloud cars = genius!in other news, in the past 24 hours I have officially cleaned my room, my closet, my desk, my car, washed every dish that could be possibly washed, AND made a whole roast chicken (because, when life gives you lemons--aka the last 2 weeks of a semester--you make a fragrant lemon & thyme stuffed chicken...right?) I could probably go start my paper now. But our kitchen floor did seem like it needed to be swept...and mopped, and...

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