In Which Chelle Procrastinates (and Babbles Quite a Bit)

Hello friends! It is a Sunday night, and I have reams of paperwork to do...so in true Maureen Johnson fashion, I am procrastinating. In all honesty between the heat and crazy kids, I feel like my brain is FRIED. I find myself gazing off into space, practically drooling, trying to come up with words like "client," "prompted," and "unresponsive." Not really difficult words, and they are part of my every day vocabulary, but I have found myself struggling to complete my work more and more frequently as summer progresses. Not that I am ungrateful about my job, I'm not. I love what I do, but dealing with children who have severe behavioral issues is challenging at the best of times and horrific at the worst. However, I do feel gratified knowing that I am working in my degree field since I fought HARD to pay for college and graduate in great academic standing, and knowing that I am positively influencing the lives of these children.

My job has also made me crazy thankful for my own family. I'm not talking about my mom, dad, and brother. I'm talking grandmother, parents, aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins, the whole shebang. At times they seem so overwhelming. If something is wrong they all know about it. If I am in a bad mood, I can't get away from them. I can never be alone. I can't have a phone conversation without someone asking me about it. There is no privacy. And it is wonderful. I know that seems super insane, and really I can't explain it. I always have a champion, there is always someone on my side, someone is always willing to listen. They cheer me up, they keep me level-headed, they tell me if I'm out of line. They encourage me, they shelter me, they support me, they fight with me and for me. They have given me a sense of self, a sense of loyalty, and family, and what is right and wrong. They taught me to stand up for what I believe in, and to never back down if I am fighting for what is right. They teach me every single day that it is okay to be different. I am definitely the odd man out in my family. I am the bookworm, the non-athletic one, the crazy kid who thinks that more money should be given to academics and the arts and that sports teams should have to raise their own money. Essentially, I am Hermione Granger.* They are not. Not that they are Malfoys or anything, they just don't see the world they way I do. They don't understand why I cry when I read about genocide in Africa, or give money to Uncultured Project. But they are still incredible people, and every day that I work with kids who don't have parents who are emotionally available, much less an extended family who wants to interact with them, I give thanks for my own crazy family. Because they love me, even when they don't understand me. They embrace my oddities and encourage me to stand out.

Speaking of bookworms, I got a TON of books this week. Barnes and Noble had a HUGE sale and I had like three coupons for there, on top of my regular discount, so I kind of went overboard. I'm really excited though! I'm not sure why, it's not like I've really been reading recently, but I still love books. I have no attention span, and I find it difficult to stay focused when I'm reading. HOWEVER, I started reading "Sea" by Heidi R. Kling today, and it is fantastic! I had to force myself to put it down so that I could work on paperwork a little bit.** I'm really excited because I got other great books, like Linger by Maggie Stiefvater and the 4th Gallagher Girl book by Ally Carter. Of course, since I am slightly insane I have to read all of the books that proceed these books. It's okay though, those books were AMAZING!

Now I'm off to finish my paperwork!*** If you guys have books that you are currently loving, leave it in the comments! If YOU have a crazy family, feel free to share some of the craziness with me, I'd love to compare insanity =)

*Also, I can't get through a day without making a Harry Potter reference.

**See how well that worked? I just found a NEW distraction!

***No, really! I am going to finish it... *looks around* *procrastinates*

Happy (Belated) America Day

Happy July 5th! It just doesn't have the same ring to it does it? I had intended to write this yesterday, but since I spent the day celebrating the country I love with the people I love the most, it just didn't happen. Terrible I know! However, I did outline some things that I wanted to include, so I figured why not do this a day later? It's not like my love for America ended yesterday with the holiday after all. I love it just as much today as I did yesterday!

First I should outline what the big deal about America is anyway. My best friend Alissa (commonly referred to as BFF1 on Twitter) and I LOVE America. Not in a normal "Man, our country rocks!" kind of way. It's more of a kind of awe that we are allowed to be here, allowed to be who we are, allowed to say what we think. We make America references ALL the time. We randomly quote random speeches, we compare situations we are in to historical events, basically we are complete nutters. I'm not sure why we are like this. Maybe because she was raised on various army bases and I was raised in a small town where you love God, your family, and your country. Whatever the reason, we dearly love our country. We love the huge, wonderful things and the small, random, quirky things. We love the good and the bad. We love it for what it is...a place that isn't perfect but that gives us the opportunity to be ourselves, to grow, and to be magnificent.

So now that I've been cheesy and funny...on to the ten things we love about America.

1) Freedom: I am well aware of the fact that freedom is the number one amazing thing about America. We are fortunate to live in a place where we are allowed to vote, get an education, work, believe what we want to believe, and basically be who we are. Not everyone has basic rights, so my freedom is the number one reason I love America.

2) Epic Television: This is one that I had on my list when I called BFF1 to ask her for two items to add to my list, but it is also the first thing she said. It may seem stupid, but just like Harry Potter has provided me with a world full of people that I love, TV has done the same thing. While it's true I may not reference Chandler Bing or Stars Hallow on a daily basis, but I do whistle an alarming number of TV theme songs. TV provides an escape which everyone needs. For me TV shows provide an outlet for my nerdity, and for BFF1 TV represents change in both culture and technology. We love TV. Classic TV, new TV, reality shows, animal shows, cheesy TV, PBS, Food Network, talk shows. We just love it. And BFF1 REALLY loves it. TV is to her as books are to me. So we love that America has AWESOME TV.

3) History: Pretty self explanatory. America is a pretty young country, and yet SO much has happened here. I don't have a lot to say about this one. Basically without the history of our nation BFF1 and I wouldn't have nearly as many references to make.

4) Disney: When I called BFF1 up she didn't say Disney, and I really don't know why honestly, maybe she just KNEW that I would have it on the list. Maybe it is just such a given that she didn't figure she needed to mention it. I don't know about the rest of America, but I grew up with Disney. Disney is the first thing I can remember loving outside of my family. Disney is something we have experienced together. There are maybe two Disney cartoons that I have never seen. Disney also represents the various shifts in our culture and technology. It also shows that no matter how much things change, they also stay the same. My two year old cousin loves The Aristocats as much as I did. I love Cars as much as my four year old cousin does. And I paid for a movie ticket so that I could see HSM3 with BFF1 in theaters. So even though it is a worldwide phenomenon, Disney to me is another fundamental benefit of living in America.

5) Diversity: America is a pretty diverse place. Economically, culturally, scenically...there are so many different things to experience here. For BFF1 it is exploring a small town and seeing what it is that draws people there. For me it is wondering around a city and seeing how different it is from my tiny place on the mountain. I love things that are unique and different, and I think that America really gives me the opportunity to experience those differences.

6) The Vlogbrothers: Okay, this one is a little silly, and also has spread to all corners of the world. However, John and Hank Green are amazing! Not only are they funny, they have inspired an entire group of people to embrace the nerdy part of themselves that most of us have been convinced to bury deep inside. They have also inspired us to reach out to others, to befriend people we would not otherwise have the opportunity to meet, and to stand up for what we believe in-whether it is stopping global warming or speaking out about censorship. They have taught us how to properly insult people (with Shakespeare), how to turn the other cheek, how to imagine people complexly, and so much more.

7) Smith's Rosebud Salve: Okay, this isn't really a GO AMERICA type thing. However, it is an amazing product. It fixes my dry lips, it helps when my hands get chapped from playing outside in the snow, it works as a moisturizer in a pinch, it is a miracle product! And it's made in America with all natural ingredients, which is pretty awesome.

8) Dolly Parton: Okay...this one is all BFF1. For me Dolly doesn't really scream AMERICA, but for BFF1 she really does. For her, Dolly represents the American Dream far better than Steinbeck, Elvis, or Miley Cyrus. Dolly is a small town girl who fought hard to achieve her dreams. She is a strong woman who worked hard to get what she wanted. Has she had too much plastic surgery? Sure she has, but that's her right. She has had a wonderful career as a musician, before autotuning ruined modern music. She has been in several hilarious and heartwarming movies. Best of all? She has her own theme park, and who in this country doesn't aspire to owning their own theme park? I know for a fact that BFF1 and I would LOVE to have one!

9) Our Unbreakable Spirit: So this one is a GO AMERICA type thing, but seriously! There have been so many things in the history of our country, up to and including that whole "taxation without representation" thing. So many examples- Katrina, 9/11, Vietnam, Civil Rights, and so on. All of these are examples of times when people have stood up for their beliefs and for their fellow Americans, and to me that is what this country is about. Not everyone agrees on everything and not everyone believes the same things, but at the end of the day we come together for our fellow countrymen and we care about them. Whether it is a soldier from a small town who gave his life for our country or a huge city that has been impacted by a major disaster, we all feel it and we ban together to overcome it. At least, that's what we do where I'm from.

And Last but not Least Number Ten (also straight from BFF1's list)....Us-Ally and Chelle: In her words we are on the list because "we are the coolest Americans I know." I agreed to put us on this list because we are pretty much Made of Awesome. We are diverse-I'm a nerdy bookworm who is loud and outspoken, she is a quiet fashonista who can outline the history of most any TV show or Disney movie. We have extraordinarily epic bad luck. We laugh at anything and everything. We have overcome MANY hardships between the two of us. We try to make the best out of things, regardless of how much we complain about things. We love people. We love this country. We are cheesy and silly and smart and wonderful girls, who embody many of the things on this list. So she's right...we ARE America, and that's why we are on the list.

So there it is, my love letter to America. Do you love America? If so then why? Or, like many...do you think we are completely bonkers? Probably the latter...but stick around and I promise, before long you will love us =)

Hello Again

Almost four months! I can't believe I've gone so long without posting. Actually, I can but I'm not proud of that. Not many things have happened in the past few months. I settled in to my new job, have read hardly any books, and just spent time with my family. I spend most of my free time with my cousins or one of my two best friends. I don't know why reading has been such a hassle for me lately. I love books more than anything in the world, but honestly I haven't had the attention span to read anything. I've started probably fifteen books and put them down without reading them. I did manage to finish Will Grayson/Will Grayson. It was wonderful, but what did I expect from a book written by John Green AND David Levithan? A lot of people on Twitter, Facebook, on blogs, and in real life have said WG/WG was their favorite John Green book. I can't say that is the case for me. Paper Towns remains my favorite John Green book, with Looking for Alaska coming in a VERY close second. The idea of how our misconceptions of others that Paper Towns deals with is a subject that speaks to be, and the realizations that Q makes on his journey in Paper Towns are ones that we should all be aware of. I plan on re-reading PT soon, so perhaps I will do a blog post outlining all of my thoughts and feelings about it then.

In other John Green book news, I am currently working through the summer at a day camp of sorts that my corporation sponsors for our clients, and I recently did a bibliotherapy session based on Looking for Alaska. I have to say that I was worried about how seriously a group of boys with behavioral issues whose ages range from ages 11-17 would respond to Alaska. However, I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't have anyone make crude comments about Pudge's love for Alaska, no one laughed when my voice cracked as I was reading, and everyone was able to discuss how overwhelmingly difficult it is to lose someone that you love. Moments like the one I had on Wednesday remind me why I left my job at the library and instead embarked on a journey with these kids. Although I was happy and content to spend my life surrounded by books and people who loved them, there was more in store for me. I now have the opportunity to impact the lives of children, to help them realize that one bad choice does not have to equal a lifetime of bad choices, and to show them that someone believes that they too are destined for greatness. Yes, I miss the library, and I miss talking to teenagers who absolutely love books, but seeing a kid who has lost all hope regain a little bit of it is so much more worthwhile.

Now that I have been sappy and made excuses, I hope that I don't stay gone so long in the future. =]

Once Upon A Time Challenge-Books One and Two

The first two books I read for the Once Upon A Time Challenge were Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix and Ash by Malinda Lo. I read both of them in January, but I really wanted to blog about them together (so I'm really sorry about the super long post.) It has taken me awhile to get the reviews written because I need to step back from the books and think about them before I wrote the reviews as "OH.EM.GEE. YOU NEED TO READ THIS LIKE NOW!" I really wanted to be able to talk about why I liked the books and why I think they are such great retellings. Both of these were less "traditional" tellings of the fairy tale we are most familiar with. They both had elements in common with the version most of us are familiar with-a handsome prince, orphaned girls, a ball, miserable step-families, the need for escape, altered appearances. However, they both varied in many ways.

Just Ella is the story of a common girl who wins the prince's heart, but only because she is beautiful. The story takes place after the glass slipper incident, but Ella tells the story of how she ended up in the castle and engaged to the prince. Ella spends her days learning how to be a proper royal lady. She isn't content to sit and do needlework all day, she is upset because she isn't allowed to do anything for herself, and there are times that she is bothered by the opulence that surrounds her when so many in the kingdom are struggling to survive. Ella struggles to find her place in this new world, until the day she falls in love for real-and not with Prince Charming. Then Ella has to decide how she is going to handle the situation she finds herself in.

This book was really good. I enjoyed that it picked up where the original story left off. I was impressed that the story addresses the fact that Cinderella and Prince Charming don't know each other and that their relationship is based on attraction and a shoe that just happened to fit. I liked seeing Ella realize that she was supposed to marry a man she didn't even know, and who had no real desire to know her. I also thought it was nice that Ella fought for her freedom. The ending was abrupt and left some strings untied-mainly about what happens between Ella and the man she loves. Ultimately though, this is a story about finding the things that are important to you and then finding the courage to fight for those things.

Ash has similar themes to Just Ella, but the story is unlike any I have read before. I won't say there aren't other versions similar to Ash, just that I haven't read them. Ash is set in a village far away from the country's capitol. The village borders The Wood, which is inhabited by fairies. The folklore in this book is not any that I am familiar with, but the concept "stay away from the fairies " is clearly stated. However, Ash doesn't follow this advice. Ash is devastated by the death of her mother when she is young. The night her mother dies Ash dreams the fairies are coming for. Ash's father remarries and brings Ash's step-mother and step-sisters from their home in the capitol. Before long Ash's father dies as well. Ash's step-mother takes this opportunity to move the family back to her home in the capitol. Ash's new home borders The Wood, which is comfort for Ash who feels uncomfortable so far away from the only home she has ever known. It isn't long before Ash is completely miserable. She seeks out a dangerous fairy prince-Sidhean- whom she has brushed against the few times she has defied the rules of The Wood and gone wondering on her own. Ash begs Sidhean to take her away from her life, but he tells her the time isn't right. As the story progresses Ash and Sidhean grow close. He is her best friend and a connection to her home village. However, it isn't long before Ash meets Kaisa, the king's Huntress. Ash soon falls in love with Kaisa and is torn between her promises to Sidhean and her love for Kaisa. The love between both Ash and Sidhean and Ash and Kaisa is evident. The reader sympathizes for Ash and hopes that the situation can resolve itself so that Ash and Kaisa can be together. However, your heart breaks a little for Sidhean. Sidhean has always been in the background of Ash's like, he has loved her since she was very young, and he has helped her hide her identity so that she can be with Kaisa. The reader sympathizes with Ash as she tries to find a resolution that doesn't break her heart or the hearts of two people whom she loves.

Ash was beautifully written. Ash's stepmother was vicious. Ash is set up to be an outcast from the beginning. The ideas of Ash's country "superstitions" are completely ignored by the civilized people in the capitol. The Wood is dark, mysterious, and full of wonder. Ash discovers herself in The Wood and learns about love and the different faces love can have. Ash finds her best friend and true love in The Wood, two things she never thought she would have. Ash is about the struggle to be true to yourself and your beliefs. It is about the sacrifices you make when you love another person-and not just romantic love. The friendship between Ash and Sidhean is not traditional, but it gives Ash the confidence to fight for her heart, something she would never have been able to do without a handsome fairy prince. I cannot wait to read more books by the wonderful Malinda Lo.

Both of these books are excellent retelling of the Cinderella tale. Both feature strong girls who don't conform to societies ideas for them and who follow their hearts in a more realistic way than "boy meets girl and they all live happily ever after." Real life (and real love) isn't always easy or simple. Sometimes to be happy you end up hurting other people, and sometimes the people who get hurt are people that you care about. Ella and Ash fought hard to earn their happily ever afters, even if they weren't what was expected.

In Which Chelle Rambles About Nothing of Importance

Well hello blog! I'm sure you think I've forgotten you, but I assure you I have not. You are always there in the back of my mind. I have been on the longest sabbatical from everything. My tiny town has been hit by three large snow storms back to back since the beginning of February. As I write there is still over a foot of snow on the ground and there are rumors of another storm hitting next week. I love winter! Since I work in the schools, though not with the school system itself, I haven't worked since the end of January. I've still had some paperwork and training, but I've basically been on an (unpaid) vacation for the last three weeks. I think that we will most likely go back to school next week but if the storm that is on its way turns from rain to snow I know that we will be missing more school.

So, what have I done with this break? Absolutely nothing. I have been so lazy it isn't funny. I have had the cousins almost every day. I saw The Lightning Thief (review later I promise) with the Fantastic Four (the four cousins that I usually have, ages 8-13) this week. I read a few books. I played in the snow. I started watching Lost from the beginning because I've not seen it but I am really into it and have to watch it from the very beginning so I understand everything. Well understand as much as you possibly can in regards to Lost. I went on a few shopping trips. My younger cousin got engaged so I partied with his bride-to-be. So even though I haven't been in school things have still been pretty exciting.

Lent began on Wednesday. This is something that I try to observe every year by giving up something that I truly enjoy. I used to try to give up caffeine but the crippling head aches and the mood swings were too much to handle. I gave up candy or chocolate a few years, and I always try to give up swearing. However, last year I gave up all potato products. Let me tell you, I am pretty much a meat and potatoes kind of girl. Potatoes are my comfort food. Bad day? I need french fries. When I'm sick I usually eat baked potatoes or stew with potatoes in it. So, this is really me giving up something that I love and that I eat on a regular basis. I did a really good job last year. It wasn't easy and there were days when I wanted hash browns so bad I could have cried, but I managed to resist the temptation. This year I decided to give up potatoes again. However, I wanted to add something else to the pile as well. My aunt suggested I give up pleasure reading. I laughed. I am well aware that my family believes my obsession with books is more than a little nuts, but none of them are really readers. None of them use books as an escape or as an opportunity to loose themselves in another world. None of them really understand that books are a refuge or that a books can be your friend. So, I politely rejected her suggestion. However, I did think about my TBR pile and about all of the books that I have acquired recently and I realized that I have a lot of books that I have never even picked up to read. When I worked at the library it was because I was so busy reading books that I bought for the YA section so that I could answer patron questions and post reviews in the library or on the blog. Now it has just because I own an overwhelming amount of books. So I decided that along with potato products I would also give up purchasing books for Lent. So over the next thirtysome days I am sure I will post about the various struggles I have with these two things.

So, what about all of you? Have you been snowed in for a long period of time? Do you observe Lent? Do long periods of time when you aren't working/in school make you super lazy? In a way I am ready to go back even though it will not be much fun just so I can get back into a routine of some kind!

Reading Goals for the Coming Week

So far in January I have read three books. I know that it is hard to put that in perspective, but this time last year I had read at least double that amount. I am having such a hard time getting into books this year. Last year I was working at the library and everyday someone was asking for book recommendations or wanting me to tell them what a certain book was about. This year I am at a new job and I work with first graders. They don't really care about the newest Maureen Johnson book. I could read a hundred kid's books, and I do read with them, but it isn't the same. I knew when I left the library that I would miss connecting with people about the books that I read. I still have contact with my old co-workers and even a few of the teens that I worked with, but it isn't the same. I miss talking to people about books. That is one of the main reasons that I started this blog, to talk about the things that I don't really have people to talk to about in real life. It isn't really meant to be a review type blog, mainly because there are few books that I genuinely hate. There may be books that I wish I hadn't purchased, but honestly it is rare for me to find no redeeming quality in a book. I love books. I love them in a way that doesn't make sense to a lot of people. To be able to sit down and submerge myself in another world is incredible. I love that. I love bookstores. When I was in college and would be at the point of a stress induced breakdown I would get in my car and go to the local Barnes and Noble. When I visit new places I find the bookstores and visit them. Books are my friends and my first love. Not in a creepy I don't talk to people and never exist in the real world kind of way. But more of a I am so fascinated by the ability to weave tales that I can't help but absorb them. I'm not a writer. I am excellent at research, and I wish that I could be a storyteller, but I can't. However, I am always aware of the fact that you can't have storytellers if there is no one to listen. So, since I am in a reading funk and can't seem to actually get through a book right now, feel free to leave me suggestions. I read books of every genre, although I generally am drawn to YA and books about faery. I think my biggest problem is that I have a ton of books checked out from the library, I got a ton of books for Christmas, and I bought a bunch of books right after Christmas in all of the huge online/in store sales. I am suffering from too many excellent books! My plan is to return all of the library books, even the ones I have been wanting forever and reading some of my own books for a change. I actually have books that I bought last summer and still haven't even picked up! I may have a slight addiction =D. Hope you all have a fantastic week! I am hoping the kids I deal with aren't insane since we had a snow day on Friday and a half day on Tuesday.

OH! I almost forgot! I started watching Lost (again) from the first season. There is no way that I will be caught up by the time the new season starts, but I am making an effort. If you love Lost (or good music) you should check out The Oceanic Six, a band made up of three YouTubers/Wizard Wrockers. They are incredible!

In Which I Blog Instead of Doing My Work

It's bright and early on Sunday morning and I'm frantically trying to complete the insane amount of paperwork I have left to turn in on Monday before I go to the school. So, what am I doing instead? Well, I'm listening to songs by The Oceanic Six, a band that sings about Lost, and blogging. At least I'm avoiding a book! That's good, right?

Anyway, the reason for the post is that I'm feeling somewhat distracted and maudlin. Sure, good music helps, but so does talking about your feelings. Right? Anyway, my family is gone and I'm pretty sure talking to yourself just makes you seem nuts (and I really don't need help in that department.) Moving on. Here is a little backstory about me. Not really that I share with people on a regular basis, but it is relevant to my current mood. Okay, when I was in college I met a guy. Things were good with this guy, not perfect-we had plenty of ups and downs, but they were good. I fell in love. He fell in love. We finished college and planned to get married, but then we didn't. I don't actually know what happened because I never got an explanation, but it was horrible. It was one of those events that shapes your future. So, I haven't been out on a date in a year and a half. A lot of that has do with the fact that I just enjoy my family, I live in a small town, and most of my friends are in relationships so I'd have to fly solo on a night out. It also has to do with the fact that I don't really know if I am interested in being in a relationship again. I'm very much a traditionalist and I don't really do casual relationships. Mainly because I'm busy and I don't really have time to invest in something that is going to go nowhere. Also, because honestly I want a family and I'm goal oriented and I don't see the point in being part of something that has no future. That's harsh, but it's how I am. I can't really help that. A large part of it also has to do with being hurt so badly. I've had other relationships, and some of them ended horribly, but never left me so broken. That sounds really dramatic I know, but it is the truth.

So now the dilemma is this: all of my friends are in a relationship. Now, this doesn't mean I think I need to be in a relationship, but it does mean that they think I should. Last night my cousins girlfriend had some sort of "Eureka!" moment where she realized her cousin is perfect for me!!! The problem with the perfect cousin? He lived thirteen hours away. However, I'm apt to believe that long distance could work better. Things are more exciting when you only see someone once in a while. I know this because epic-fail-relationship was semi-long distance. The reason distance is an issue is because of the things I miss about being in a relationship. I miss having someone to hold my hand, someone to drive to town if I don't feel like it, someone to decided chicken or pasta, little stuff. I don't know. This whole post is kind of BLAH, and I'm sure it wasn't what you were expecting. I'm going to set on the perfect cousin info and see how I feel about it. I have to think things through. Impulse is not my friend! Hope you guys had a great weekend!