SUNDAY (EVENING) POST

Well, it’s good to get back to this venue.  I did not do a Sunday (Evening) Post last week (12/11/16) because life got in the way, a planning meeting at school popped up (after the fact of the semester), and I was busy finishing up things, as you will see.

Finished last week:  Ali Smith’s How to be Both, which you will find reviewed here previously.  It was one of the hardest books to review, but one which gave me a great deal of pleasure to attempt.    Astray, a book of short stories by the award winning author, Emma Donoghue, also reviewed previously on this blog.    A cozy mystery, reviewed last week also, The Cat, The Quilt and the Corpse, which was my escape from the craziness of the two-weeks-before-Christmas-hurry-up-and dos.    Conor Kelly and the Four Treasures of Eirean, my first attempt to read a book on my kindle app. (It was easier and more pleasant than I expected.)

Finished on TV:  The season finale of “This Is Us” ,which left me all feel-goody until the cliffhanger at the end.   ” The Big Bang Theory” for this past week.  If this was not the season finale, it should have been.  The baby is here! and (spoiler alert) she takes after Howard’s Mom, judging from her wails and complaints in the nursery.

Continuing to read: The Bone People–disturbing and beautiful at the same time.  I have a luncheon date set for before-going-back-to-school with the friend who recommended the book to me, to discuss it. She re-reads the book every year or so, and I am finding out as I read, why.    Coming of Age in Mississippi, again on the kindle app, and even though I am only on chapter five, I already see why it is a classic and required reading in some classes.

Started: Barely started —Jealous Heart, the sequel to James Lee Burke’s Wayfaring Stranger. We are in River Oaks in Houston, Texas, in the 1950’s and I’m just starting to see the connections with the first book, which are very interesting and promise another great read from Burke.

And, I watched a movie, Max Lucado’s (my favorite inspirational author/see the review of his Before Amen last week) “The Christmas Candle.”  I expected it to be sentimental and smalchtzsy, and in one sense it was, but everyone should watch a Christmas movie and wipe away a sentimental tear or two.  After watching the movie, I have lost my “Bah Humbug” attitude toward Christmas and believe in Christmas miracles, as I told the Sunday School Class this morning.

Which brings me to the last thing on the post (This WAS a long one!).  I had the privilege of subbing for my Sunday School class since our teacher was out with laryngitis and the “Texas crud”, and one thing that really struck home was this:  We were studying Psalm 119 which is an acrostic poem that proclaims the wonders of God’s Laws, precepts, commandments.  Last week I  taught as well, and the lit major in me had a field day with the poetry “angle.”  Today the psalmist was exalting in the good life one was blessed with which made one WANT to obey God’s laws.  One commentator said,” Reading [and meditating on] God’s precepts doesn’t make us sinless, but it makes us sin less.”

 

Author: Rae Longest

This year (2019) finds me with 50 plus years of teaching "under my belt." I have taught all levels from pre-K "(library lady" or "book lady"--volunteer) to juniors, seniors, and graduate students enrolled in my Advanced Writing class at the university where I have just completed 30 years. My first paying teaching job was junior high, and I spent 13 years with ages 12-13, the "difficult years." I had some of the "funnest" experiences with this age group. When I was no longer the "young, fun teacher," I taught in an elementary school setting before sixth graders went on to junior high, teaching language arts blocs, an assignment that was a "dream-fit" for me. After completing graduate school in my 40s, I went on to community college, then university teaching. Just as teaching is "in my blood," so is a passion for reading, writing, libraries, and everything bookish. This blog will be open to anyone who loves books, promotes literacy and wants to "come out and play."

11 thoughts on “SUNDAY (EVENING) POST”

  1. Lovely to read your Sunday Post, Rae. The Sunday School interlude sounds great fun – and I love your conclusion at the end. I’m fascinated to note that you read a number of books at a time – and across such a wide range of subjects. Being the ultimate mono-tasker I’m always awed when folks can happily switch from one book/project to another. I’m assuming that if you pick one up and find you’re not in the mood, you switch across until you find the one that suits? How many books do you regularly have on the go at one time? And do you ever get a scenario where one gets ‘stranded’ so that it lags behind the others in getting completed?
    Your Christmas plans sound lovely and peaceful – I had a bit of a meltdown earlier when the thought of plunging into all the festive hurly-burly had me wanting to hide under the duvet until it was all over… Fortunately, I’m over it now but it can be a demanding time of year if things are out of kilter in your personal life, can’t it? Have a lovely Christmas Rae, and I look forward to continuing our chats about all things bookish in the new year:)).

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    1. I have always had about three, sometimes four books going at once. The secret is having entirely different kinds of books, which you caught on to. If I were to try three novels at a time, I would confuse the characters, plots, etc. Often a book will stay on the TBR pile for a month or more before I pick it up again, but this usually happens early on, and the book just has not “grabbed” me yet. Once I get “into” a slow-starter, I will pick up the pace and finish it up quickly. It always gives me such a satisfied feeling to be “done” and close the book.
      I have baked and made candy and need to buy more tins and containers. I try to connect with the neighbors on my cue-de-sac at Christmas. Goodies always guarantee a welcome reception. Ha.
      I hope your Christmas is upbeat and maybe will be the best yet. Focusing on the Reason for the Season always helps me.

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      1. Thank you for your interesting and thorough reply regarding your reading process, Rae:). What a lovely idea – dropping in bearing gifts! It won’t be the best Christmas ever – there’s too much going on here that simply won’t make it so. But I’m determined that shan’t make it the WORST Christmas ever, either:). I’m off to a party tonight, which I’m really looking forward to – an open house with mulled wine and mince pies – I’ve made a batch as well – and we’re singing carols around a piano. Lovely! I think the focusing bit will be part of what happens tonight…

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      1. Yes! I haven’t been the best blogger in terms of interacting with others while I’m in school. But I have more time now, so hopefully I’ll be on here more. If you don’t mind that is. I go back January the 5th I believe. Oh, that’s great. I wonder what you have in store for your students. 🙂

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      2. I meet my first class of the semester the 18th! That’s one of the perks of university teaching. I am sure there will be a planning meeting or two which will necessitate a trip (40 min, one way) in. I always make at least one check that the “Star Wars Desk” (my term for the built-in technology) is set up and functional (and that I remember how to use it) and see if any changes have been installed. My class closed the second day of early registration, so I am already sadly refusing requests to be placed in my closed class. I have seven Human Fitness and Performance majors, eight psychology manors, two history majors, and one person each for sociology, criminology, anthropology, art and graphic design, plus two school of education majors. Does that make 23? As you can see, I am definitely NOT a math major. My husband is a mathematician,which works out well.

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      3. The challenge will be to find materials (essays, etc.) that appeal to everyone’s interests. I get to pick my own textbook (I use ON WRITING WELL, a paperback by Zissner) and materials. Over the 27 years I have taught the course, I have developed my own handouts.

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  3. I haven’t slowed down yet, but I have high hopes that tomorrow will be a restful day. Maybe if I stay in my pjs it will help? You sound equally busy. Glad to see you are getting some good reading in.

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