Showing posts with label it’s. Show all posts
Showing posts with label it’s. Show all posts
Thursday, April 13, 2017
It’s an Inside Job
It’s an Inside Job
Hi there.
How is your day going?
On a scale of 1 to 10.
10 being ‘marvellous’
and 1 being ‘not very marvellous at all’.
(euphemism for shite).
Mine started out at 10,
dipped to 4,
but we’re back up to 10 again.
Didn’t take long to catch myself,
let go of the thought that was winding me up
and get positive again.
Nobody else involved;
Didn’t take long to catch myself,
let go of the thought that was winding me up
and get positive again.
Nobody else involved;
I’VE BEEN ALONE ALL DAY !!!!
Today is art day.
Making projects for the New Design Clubs.
It’s my favourite thing to do too!
So why the dip? Why the melancholy intermezzo?
I wasn’t listening to sad music.
Wasn’t listening to radio 2,
interspersed with doom and gloom aka news.
No!
All I could hear was the birds outside.
Which all just goes to show it is an inside job.
It all goes on in my head; nowhere else.
I don’t need anybody else to wind me up;
I can do a perfectly good job all by myself.
Milton put it well...
“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven..”
? John Milton, Paradise Lost
? John Milton, Paradise Lost
Nothing changes.
No news - good or bad. Nothing.
No news - good or bad. Nothing.
Just me and the cat.
A few emails to and fro. Just business. A couple of niggles,
which I am quite good at right-sizing and dismissing nowadays.
But it takes effort to bat off negativity and stay upbeat.
I have to be vigilant the whole waking day.
If I can adopt an attitude of gratitude,
this helps put the barrier up against negativity.
Clearly, I let my guard down while engrossed in the artwork,
and in crept Ivan Axtogrind and his mates.
I have to be vigilant the whole waking day.
If I can adopt an attitude of gratitude,
this helps put the barrier up against negativity.
Clearly, I let my guard down while engrossed in the artwork,
and in crept Ivan Axtogrind and his mates.
My friend Shelagh gave me a most exquisite book recently:
The Red Tree
by Shaun Tan
The artwork is beautiful.
Very, very emotive illustrations.
It’s all about a little girl who wakes up in a bad headspace.
Her day is dark and it doesn’t get better.
She feels very low and isolated....
is struggling to understand what it’s all for.
the whole world seems to be against her.
and she doesn’t know who she is supposed to be
or what she is supposed to do.
She comes home, worn out after a very harrowing day,
only to find that what she was looking for was there the whole time.
It is a fantastic book.
Not many words. Mostly pictures.
But they speak volumes.
And yes.
it is most definitely
An Inside Job.
And gratitude is the key to my happiness.
Love & Gratitude always ,
Barb
xxx
Available link for download
Monday, March 6, 2017
It’s Limerick time! xxx
It’s Limerick time! xxx
Hi there.
Thanks for popping in!
It’s a winter wonderland here on theAshdown Forest.
Very, very beautiful.
Friday’s blog a private peek, right?
Well, when I was younger I used to live in Bavaria, Germany,
and boy! Did we get snow!
The Germans are so prepared for it though!
There would come a point when the snow got so high that there would be a SCHNEEKETTEN (say Schnaykettn. Perfect) alert,
and out would come all the snow chains for the tyres,
and on we would trundle.
Over here, we get 3 inches, and the country grinds to a halt!
E V E R Y Y E A R.
But hey ho. This too shall pass. It always does.
I just hope the poor people out in the cold can get into the warm.
Taking the afternoon off to regroup
and try and remember who I am!
I’ve given up tea and coffee, because it was making me even more anxious than I already am!!!
Peppermint is a lovely tea. Caffeine-free, so that’ll do.
Any other caffeine-free suggestions? And don’t say Vodka!
Not an option here!
What a whirlwind this month is.
This time last year we had just got back from a week
in California at the CHA. So it was just as mental then too.
And this was the year before!
Phones, Ipads. Glamorous ? NOT!!!
If you always does what you always did,
you’ll always get what you always got...
Are we attending the CHA this year? Nope.
Looking out over the white garden,
I was thinking...
it is time for a Limerick!
Oh we do love a limerick, don’t we?!
I shall give you the first 2 lines,
which you can then copy and paste below, and finish the limerick.
I’m in need of a good laugh, and I imagine you are too.
A winner will be picked on Sunday,
to win a £20 Clarity Gift Voucher.
Sound good?
Right. Here goes....
There was a young lady from Bow,
Who went for a walk in the snow....
la la la la la
la la la la la
la la la la la la la la.
I can already hear the responses !!!!
Be safe.
If it’s icy, don’t go out unless you absolutely have to.
I absolutely have to.
Love & Hugs,
Barb
xx
Friday’s blog a private peek, right?
Well, when I was younger I used to live in Bavaria, Germany,
and boy! Did we get snow!
The Germans are so prepared for it though!
There would come a point when the snow got so high that there would be a SCHNEEKETTEN (say Schnaykettn. Perfect) alert,
and out would come all the snow chains for the tyres,
and on we would trundle.
Over here, we get 3 inches, and the country grinds to a halt!
E V E R Y Y E A R.
But hey ho. This too shall pass. It always does.
I just hope the poor people out in the cold can get into the warm.
Taking the afternoon off to regroup
and try and remember who I am!
I’ve given up tea and coffee, because it was making me even more anxious than I already am!!!
Peppermint is a lovely tea. Caffeine-free, so that’ll do.
Any other caffeine-free suggestions? And don’t say Vodka!
Not an option here!
What a whirlwind this month is.
This time last year we had just got back from a week
in California at the CHA. So it was just as mental then too.
And this was the year before!
Phones, Ipads. Glamorous ? NOT!!!
If you always does what you always did,
you’ll always get what you always got...
Are we attending the CHA this year? Nope.
Looking out over the white garden,
I was thinking...
it is time for a Limerick!
Oh we do love a limerick, don’t we?!
I shall give you the first 2 lines,
which you can then copy and paste below, and finish the limerick.
I’m in need of a good laugh, and I imagine you are too.
A winner will be picked on Sunday,
to win a £20 Clarity Gift Voucher.
Sound good?
Right. Here goes....
There was a young lady from Bow,
Who went for a walk in the snow....
la la la la la
la la la la la
la la la la la la la la.
I can already hear the responses !!!!
Be safe.
If it’s icy, don’t go out unless you absolutely have to.
I absolutely have to.
Love & Hugs,
Barb
xx
Available link for download
Saturday, February 18, 2017
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia S12E02 720P HD
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia S12E02 720P HD
Rating: 8.8/10
Genres: Comedy
Director: Matt Shakman
Writers: Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton
Stars: Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney
Plot:
After an electric heating blanket shorts out while the gang watches The Wiz, they look in the mirror and realize theyve turned black. They have to work out how to get back to being themselves by going through all the classic body switching shenanigans. Written by Italiciser
Download Links:
Download From UpFile
Download From Openload
Download From Clicknupload
Available link for download
Sunday, February 12, 2017
It’s Monday What Are You Reading
It’s Monday What Are You Reading
I’m linking up for the first time with a great reading linky, It’s Monday What Are You Reading, hosted by Shelia at Book Journey and Jen and Kellee at Teach Mentor Texts.
The reason I decided to move from 2nd to 5th was ultimately decided by books. As I thought about how big 5th graders are compared to 2nd graders…and all the attitude they might bring in their bigger selves…I suddenly had an epiphany…with bigger bodies comes bigger reading skills – well maybe that’s not a hard fast rule, but in elementary school I think it makes sense!
Reading...essentially my favorite sport! Don’t get me wrong some of my little second graders were great readers. But no matter what kind of reader you are as a second grader, well…you’re no fifth grader. So, my love of reading and desire to teach rich literature at a higher level I accepted the position!
I’ve since checked out about 40+ books from the library. I’ve always read a lot of YA literature. But, I haven’t been keeping up. Plus, a lot of the YA literature I read is geared more towards high school or middle school readers…so I’ve been reading.
Here are some pictures of this – you can’t read all the titles but you can get a sense of “she’s compulsively checking books out of the library…and may not be in complete control”.
I try to get the same amount of books in English and in Spanish because I will need to make sure to read and provide my students with equal opportunities to read authentic literature in both languages – no easy task my friends!
Here is what I’ve officially read or am reading most recently:
1. Steven Layne’s “Igniting a Passion for Reading”. This is not a book I will be reading to my students, rather it’s a professional development read. I am halfway through and am convinced Steven Layne and I are teaching soul mates. Everything he says or recommends I’ve either done in one – but less purposefully, or have contemplated. One thing he recommends is for teachers to focus their “personal for pleasure” reading on books that fit the age group they are teaching. I haven’t been doing very good at this…so teacher vow: “I solemnly swear to read MOSTLY YA lit this year” (except for during my commute when I listen to books). I highly recommend this book if you are looking for ideas for reading or are looking to be inspired!
2. Judy Sierra’s “Que locura por la lectura” which also comes in English “Crazy About Reading”. This is a book that is great for almost any grade level. It’s well written and clever. Older kids will appreciate they lyricism and wit of the text. I’m looking forward to using this to set the tone in my classroom – Reading is AMAZING!
3. Gordon Zorman’s “The Island”. This was my first read by this prolific author. It was a little slow to start but I’m a sucker for anything that is a series! I love following characters indefinitely. I think this will be a great read for 5th graders – they will have to “freshen up” on their nautical vocabulary though!
4. Andrew Clements’ Frindle. I LOVED this book. The characters were all likable and the school setting didn’t feel contrived at completely out of touch the way some do. This is another read I hope to share with my students this year.
5. Thanhha Lai’s “Inside Out & Back Again”. I’m about a quarter through this book. This is an interesting read about a young girl in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It is written from her perspective in verse. This isn’t a book I would normally pick up, as I prefer prose, but it is well done. I’m amazed at how much of her spirit, wit and will come through this writing style – more so than in your average novel!
6. Julie Kagawa’s “The Immortal Rules”. The first in a trilogy – which means it leaves the reader desperate for the second book. Typical! After Twilight I haven’t really read any vampire books, but this one was more “The Passage” meets “Hunger Games”. I enjoyed it, and found the writing to be well done and the characters interesting. I’m curious to see how the story continues. I do not think I’ll be sharing this one with my fifth graders. :)
7. Pam Muñoz Ryan’s “The Dreamer”. I’m actually reading the Spanish version “El soñador”. A good friend of mine did not enjoy the English version, but so far I’m enjoying the Spanish version. This story is about Pablo Neruda a famous Chilean poet. I’m only part way through but is following him through his childhood. The books is written in a mixture of prose, verse and stream of consciousness all from Neruda’s p.o.v. I do not know that this would be a great read aloud as a whole, but there are many brilliant sections with beautiful language for teaching visualizations, sensory language and figurative language. Also, if you ever want a peek into the mind of someone who is brilliant/incredibly easily distracted this book does it! Anything by Pam Muñoz Ryan is bound to be good in my opinion.
Do you have any recommendations for 5th grade? I’m making near daily library trips, so recommendations are BIENVENIDOS!
Come “friend” me on Goodreads if you’re a YA reader too!
my read shelf:
Happy Reading!
Mrs. Castro
Available link for download
Monday, February 6, 2017
It’s a Monkey of a Month!!!
It’s a Monkey of a Month!!!
Hi there.
Thank you for joining me today.
Wednesday’s blog - when we just stop and try to figure out
what we are actually doing!
We’ve been back on the TV prep today, Paul and I.
Paul and Dave are off up to Port Sunlight tomorrow,
to hook up with Heather, Len and Maria
for another very, very busy little one-day event.
I am staying back, to get ready for TV Sunday and Monday.
To be honest I need a little time alone in my art room,
just so that I can get on top of stuff and have a clean up.
File some stamps and stencils, tidy the room,
clear the mind.
I cannot see the spot I am standing on;
I need to step back and reconfigure....
We knew September would be a monkey of a month -
and we weren’t wrong.
But when it goes right, as it did at Tennants in Leyburn last weekend, then it is so worth all the effort.
This was a couple of hours into the set up on the Friday.
To build a Demo Day from scratch is no mean feat!
A couple of hours later, the hall was packed with friends of Clarity!
Thank you for joining me today.
Wednesday’s blog - when we just stop and try to figure out
what we are actually doing!
We’ve been back on the TV prep today, Paul and I.
Paul and Dave are off up to Port Sunlight tomorrow,
to hook up with Heather, Len and Maria
for another very, very busy little one-day event.
I am staying back, to get ready for TV Sunday and Monday.
To be honest I need a little time alone in my art room,
just so that I can get on top of stuff and have a clean up.
File some stamps and stencils, tidy the room,
clear the mind.
I cannot see the spot I am standing on;
I need to step back and reconfigure....
We knew September would be a monkey of a month -
and we weren’t wrong.
But when it goes right, as it did at Tennants in Leyburn last weekend, then it is so worth all the effort.
This was a couple of hours into the set up on the Friday.
To build a Demo Day from scratch is no mean feat!
The next day the whole Clarity Crew were there,
all set to rock n roll.
A couple of hours later, the hall was packed with friends of Clarity!
The hall was full of you guys from this here blog, too!
I had a shout out and arranged for us to meet outside the Clarityroom at the huge antique table, didn’t I?
It was superb.
You should have seen your faces as we went round the table,
giving our names!
So much excitement and chatter!
It was about time you met up properly, eh.
And in the twinkling of an eye, it was all over,
everything back in the van.
Was it successful? I’ll say!! And I don’t just mean financially, although those that attended certainly came with a shopping list!
The atmosphere, the vibe, the energy in the room.
That was the magic.
Will we be back to Tennants?
We have reserved the same room for next year already - and the one next door! It was a little bit tight, and we just needed a little more room to manoeuvre.
I had the pleasure of meeting Rodney Tennant,
the owner of said Auction Rooms.
Very nice gentleman.
There was a large Country House Auction/Sale in progress during the 2 days we were there - hence all the amazing antiques everywhere.
Whilst in conversation with Rodney Tennants,
I said that I found it quite sad to see a whole household,
a family home, being dissolved in that way.
He nodded, and told me that many years ago, when he had first joined Sothebys as a young lad,
his then boss told him the following:
“Welcome to the world of Divorce, Debt and Death. These are mostly the only occasions when people sell their belongings.”
Now of course, he runs his own immensely successful
family business.
But I made my own observation too...
When everybody had left, the public had gone home,
and we were the last people in the building, breaking down the stands again and loading up the van,
there were two men still in the building with us:
Rodney and his General Manager, another very pleasant chap.
That impressed me.
They both waved us goodbye before locking the door for the evening.
Available link for download
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia S12E03 720P HD
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia S12E03 720P HD
Rating: 8.8/10
Genres: Comedy
Director: Matt Shakman
Writers: Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton
Stars: Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney
Plot:
After an electric heating blanket shorts out while the gang watches The Wiz, they look in the mirror and realize theyve turned black. They have to work out how to get back to being themselves by going through all the classic body switching shenanigans. Written by Italiciser
Download Links:
Download From UpFile
Download From Openload
Download From Upload.ee
Download From Clicknupload
Available link for download
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