Is Internet Reading Fake Reading?

So I was on my way home from the mall, sitting in traffic on Western Avenue. I know I shouldn't do this, but there's so many stop lights, so usually I'm reading on my phone while I'm sitting.... sitting....waiting on the lights. (dont' judge me and don't give me a lecture about the phone and the car. I know. I'm just sitting so long, and I can get lots of reading done!)

anyways....
The blog I happened to be reading was discussing whether or not Internet reading is "real" reading. You know, I go back and fourth with this as well...personally and as far as reading goes for my students. Like the eReaders. When they first started coming out, I didn't think I wanted one because I love my books, and I like to have them on my bookcase when I finish with them. But then, because he's one of the most thoughtful people I know, Hektor got me an eReader for my birthday last year, and now I love it! It's awesome to hear about a book from a friend, and BOOM! You can go online, buy it, and be reading it within minutes. Not to mention all the free books you can get with them, and the sharing capabilities. So yes, I would definitely recommend an eReader, although I do not like them for reading nonfiction. Sometimes I like to be able to go back and refer to things, and it's hard for me on the eReader, so I plan on buying books about teaching and other NF topics the old fashioned way.

eReader aside, I also read tons on my laptop. I love finding great new blogs, and writing my own (and as you can see, my reading and writing are constantly influencing one another!) I like to be able to research anything whenever I want. Find reviews on restaurants or look up ideas for my next unit of teaching. I love to stay connected with friends via facebook and share our day-to-day stories so easily.

So why is it that I don't consider all the Internet reading I do "real" reading? Why is it that I don't like my kids to be reading articles online? Why is it that I have always made their homework hard copy or real book work? I think my opinions are changing the more and more I think about this.

When I was in college, I never read things electronically. Even when I was working on my Master's, I always printed all the articles I had to read so I could highlight and interact better with them. Maybe just because it was like "official school business" I felt I had to do that, but after thinking about all the reading I do online now, I think I'm way more apt to give kids an article online or scan something in and share it via PDF (since all my kids are on 1:1 MacBooks). It's what they do in their day-to-day lives, and you know, maybe they have a hard time focusing on homework when the world is at their fingertips, but they're going to have to get used to working like this (as if they're not already!)

So all that being said, I think I'm going to have my kids do lots more reading online and on their computers this coming school year.

Opinions on this? How do all you other teachers out there feel about Internet reading? Is it real reading?

Midwestern Summer

Now that my family and friends have all visited, and the moving is done, and my trips have ended, I'm finally getting a feel for a day in the life of summer vacation. Here's a few things that are 100% authentic midwest summer.


Public Pool

First day with nothing really to do, so I spent it at the pool caching some sun. It was there, listening to a kid yell "CANNONBALL!!" that creative inception struck (Is that how that saying goes? doesn't seem right.) Anyways, it just brought me back to the pool we used to go to in Lansing - complete with a concession stand and 15 minute breaks for the kids where only the parents got to swim. I actually asked one of the life guards at this pool (which is conveniently located 3 blocks from my new casa) if there was ever something like adult swim - there's like 1,000 kids in the pool - but no such luck. She said, "We get that a lot." I can imagine. Some A-hole of a kid was purposely splashing me while I laid on the deck. I had my back turned, but I know he did it on purpose. The first time I thought, hey you're at a pool. Gonna get wet. Second time, when he drenched my book, I turned around and gave him some dirty looks. Anyways, public pools and the lingering chlorine perfume you leave wearing - midwest summer.


Cooking Out

Oh yes, cooking out. I know, I know, we do this in Arizona too, but I'm just not sure why I think of it as more midwest. Maybe it's cause I call it "cooking out" and forever Katie made fun of me. Or maybe its cause you can roast a weenie on a stick (I've done that twice this summer!) Cooking out just so reminds me of the midwest, which I have come to love all over again.

As a side note, make sure you do your hot dogs right. 





Tree Lined Streets

You do not see this in Arizona at all. So many trees, and in some places like Oak Park, making almost a little tunnel down the street. Beautiful in the fall, and cool in the summer. Midwest through and through.


Backyard Garden

I'm so excited for the day when I have space to have a garden. We always did growing up - I remember in Riverdale my mom always had a garden. Maybe not in Indiana, but Holly's mom did. Picking cherry tomatoes right off the vine? Bliss. Would definitely like to grow a bunch of veggies, and plant some flowers, too.


Summer Lake Cottage

If I do end up staying in the midwest, a summer cottage is definitely on the bucket list. Thinking a small house with some toys - a speed boat, pontoon boat, and a jet ski. Have a flagpole with school colors flying? Yes, please. And plenty of time on a teacher's summer break to have all the family and friends come up once or a few times over the course of the summer months.


Bags

No one really played this game much in Arizona. Obviously not during the summer months, but we could have used them the 9 other months of the year. The best boards are like these - opposing teams and opposing fans. Nothing says Chicago like the CrossTown Classic, and fans from both sides always keep things interesting.

So there you have it. Midwest summer. What makes your neck of the woods special?

Teardrops on My Guitar

Not sure if you recall, but I got a guitar for Christmas from Hektor. It all stemmed from me asking him about three times if I could bedazzle one of his for my next halloween costume (Taylor Swift). So, it was such a surprise when I opened my very own guitar for Christmas!

He taught me about 8 notes of a little song that morning which I used to remember how to play, but have since forgot. Even though Hektor can play so many songs - "Hey babe, play Sublime. Play More Than Words. Look at this tablature online and play Taylor Swift." - he always can. Makes it look so easy!


I feel so bad that I haven't taught myself something, but it's hard. I'm not an ounce musically inclined, at all. Awhile ago I taught myself one chord that I needed for that Taylor Swift song I was going to teach myself. I looked it up online, practiced it a little bit, and made a diagram on a post it that ended up on the fridge. He came over that night, saw the post it and was totally laughing cause I wrote "Stretchy" on it....you really have to stretch your fingers to play whatever chord that is!!


Since then, I haven't really made any attempts to try and learn. I really just need him to teach me and sit with me, but we just haven't yet.


So, would it be horrible if I bedazzled it anyways? I mean, would I still be able to use it or would it be ruined? I'm thinking of making it look like this ---->


If I decided to do that, there will be tear dops on my guitar...Hektor's, so perhaps I will just go now and learn a new chord : ) But I'm not over this Halloween costume idea just yet!


Hektor - if you're reading this, how about you be a part of the costume, too. Me - Taylor Swift. You - Kanye. Brilliant!

no. more. drinks.

All those drinks seemed like a pretty good idea last night. And at 8am this morning, I had already been up for an hour and a half...all of which began with the spins. I seriously haven't felt this bad in ages! Reminds me of nights with Katie and/or Dunk in Phoenix when we'd wake up and try and piece the night back together.....details of shenanigans slowly trickling back to us the more we rehashed our whereabouts. Those usually included some pretty hilarious remembering (A cabbie kidnapped me! I'm at the joyeria!) but that's a story for another day.


The difference now is that I'm totally embarrassed of the nonsense from last night. I mean, come on....I'm passed the days of undergrad doing this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night (how did I ever manage that?!) At 31 with this kind of behavior, I have to wonder who out there is judging. Don't lie...I know you are.

truth.

So yes, Katie is here and I think I've hit my alcohol limit. I'm sure she'll be fine with that, but not sure we can go up to the Signature Lounge for two waters on the rocks.


You know, even worse that the stupid crap you do when you're drunk is waking up feeling like you've paid so little attention to your health that you want to get up and go work out stat. I'm down for a drink or two with dinner, but I think I'm over the drinking all night plan. Not fun and messes up your body for day(s) after!


So here we sit, being hungover. We at least got out for a walk by the lake, and are planning on getting to the Taste a little later after it cools off a bit....but until then, Mean Girls sounds like just what the doctor ordered.

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Pontoon and Logitech Bluetooth Speaker
We heard this song on the way down to the lake house in Indiana, and then I downloaded it while we were on the boat. Even though Holls thinks the "Motorboatin" lyric is questionable, I don't care. LOVE this song, and I love Hektor's new bluetooth speaker.

To use this speaker, you use your phone as the remote control. You can stream music from Pandora or iheartradio, or play from your music library. Battery is a rechargeable one...you just plug it in at night and then you're totally wireless!

Pic Stitch

Julia told me about this app....you can use it with your pictures to make little collages of pictures. You can then export them to Instagram, facebook, or message or email them to people. Here are a few I put together:

And no, I don't think I'm a photographer, but it's fun!

Signature Lounge
Jon and Courtney told me about this place awhile ago, and I took Heather for my first visit. It's a restaurant and lounge on the 95th and 96th floors of the John Hancock building. We got a table right by the window and had a few drinks, some great conversation, and enjoyed the view. Katie comes today and we're planning on a trip there tomorrow after the Taste.

Flip Flop Fantasy
So I'm not totally sure if this is the color that I got, but it's close. Love mani-pedis every other week, and my favorite salon is one in Oak Park - Avenue on Oak Park Avenue. Will definitely be going back there once school starts!

Old Navy Sleep Shorts
I want all of these shorts! So perfect for sleeping and lounging around the house. Only $8....these are my newest addition!

and what I'm not loving...


Breakfast Buffets
Unless said buffet is at the Marriot on the beach in Florida, I'm not going. Hektor is always wanting to go to buffets. We went to one in Niles a few months ago - Shooters? Not good. Then the other day on the way home from Indiana, we stopped at Golden Corral. I had seen them in AZ so I though that I couldn't really go wrong with a chain. Not so much. Not good. Not going again. Unless it's at a fancy hotel that uses silver platters and makes their waffles into heart shapes.

Trying to be a writer....

Actually, that image isn't true. My ideas are nonexistent! I've been wanting to write on my blog for so long, but I've had two issues: 1. I haven't been home and been kinda busy when I am here, and 2. I've had total writer's block! What happens mostly is that Katie blogs all the time and I LOVE LOVE her blog and just want to copy it (which I have) but I can't just do that all the time!


Katie and I also have been talking alot about writing a book. This summer was going to be the summer we did it, and we talked about it and outlined it. We worked on it for one or two days, and then haven't looked at it since! If you want to be a writer, you have to have some serious dedication! You really need to block time out of your day to do it, and I just haven't done it at all.


So writer's block. What could I write about?

• The Bachelorette and how those relationships NEVER work out?
• Making Jello shots in orange and lemon peels?

Mine did not look this good. Tip: do not use lime peels.
Tip: cut the peel first. Tip: Mango jello is the best!

• My new bed? I am waiting on delivery right now! and I now have a guest bedroom! (Room is too small to shut the door, but it's a second bedroom!)
• The fact that I haven't done ANY running since the color run?
• New apps that I love?

Pic Stitch

• A bar in my neighborhood (Crocodile) that serves you a pizza with every drink you buy?
• My "secret group" on facebook?
• How it turns out that I hate breakfast buffets?

Alright, well I guess I have a few ideas. Perhaps tomorrow I should reread this before I begin!