Body lotion is one of my favorite affordable luxuries.
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
Tuesday, May 31, 2022
Spin Me Right Round
Spin Me Right Round
YA fiction
It's Luis' senior year and he rules Antic Springs Academy, a
prep school a little on the conservative side. There's no Gay
Straight Alliance. Dress codes are built on the binary. Only
heterosexual couples will be admitted to prom. This really riles Luis
who wants to share the special night with his boyfriend, Cheng.
Luis' mother is sympathetic to a point. She doesn't see losing
out on "a dance" as a major tragedy. She believes that the school is
protecting gay students. She'd gone there back in the day. A gay
student, Chaz Wilson, had been found dead the day after her prom.
"Chaz Wilson is my ghost of gayness past. I mean, not
literally--no skinny Black boy with violet eyes appears in my mirror
or emerges from the shadows when no one else is looking. But he
haunts my life like nobody's business even so."
Chaz is about to become a lot more than a ghost in Luis' life.
Luis gets knocked unconscious. When he wakes up he's not in the
hospital, but at his school in the 80's as in when his parents were
teens. Chaz is still alive. Luis' dad is one of the biggest bullies
on campus.
So now, in addition to his prom dilemma, Luis has some pretty
urgent mandates: keeping Chaz alive past prom, somehow getting back to
his own time, and not putting his parents to be on a trajectory that
will lead to his not being born.
David Valdes' Spin Me Right Round combines a roller coaster
suspenseful plot and engaging characters with some pretty deep
insight. It was one of my most enjoyable recent reads.
On a purrrsonal note, for some reason I'd been assuming that I'd still
be going as part of my church delegation to the Poor People's Campaign
event in Washington DC on June 18. I'd managed to ride a little over
an hour. Since my operation isn't until September and I still have to
pee too frequently day and night a day of marching bookended by two
all night bus rides does not feel like a good idea even if everything
goes well. And recently police in large cities have been going
ballistic on peaceful protesters with clubs, tear gas, and rubber
bullets. Not to mention jail. I had committed myself to going
before my kidney stone turned exam week into a nightmare. I emailed
the group about why I can't go. I feel no regret whatsoever. (Jules)
I am very glad she isn't going and taking all those risks. She needs
to be in good shape for her internship. (Tobago).
A great big shout out goes out to the people who will be uniting in DC
from all around the country.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
YA fiction
It's Luis' senior year and he rules Antic Springs Academy, a
prep school a little on the conservative side. There's no Gay
Straight Alliance. Dress codes are built on the binary. Only
heterosexual couples will be admitted to prom. This really riles Luis
who wants to share the special night with his boyfriend, Cheng.
Luis' mother is sympathetic to a point. She doesn't see losing
out on "a dance" as a major tragedy. She believes that the school is
protecting gay students. She'd gone there back in the day. A gay
student, Chaz Wilson, had been found dead the day after her prom.
"Chaz Wilson is my ghost of gayness past. I mean, not
literally--no skinny Black boy with violet eyes appears in my mirror
or emerges from the shadows when no one else is looking. But he
haunts my life like nobody's business even so."
Chaz is about to become a lot more than a ghost in Luis' life.
Luis gets knocked unconscious. When he wakes up he's not in the
hospital, but at his school in the 80's as in when his parents were
teens. Chaz is still alive. Luis' dad is one of the biggest bullies
on campus.
So now, in addition to his prom dilemma, Luis has some pretty
urgent mandates: keeping Chaz alive past prom, somehow getting back to
his own time, and not putting his parents to be on a trajectory that
will lead to his not being born.
David Valdes' Spin Me Right Round combines a roller coaster
suspenseful plot and engaging characters with some pretty deep
insight. It was one of my most enjoyable recent reads.
On a purrrsonal note, for some reason I'd been assuming that I'd still
be going as part of my church delegation to the Poor People's Campaign
event in Washington DC on June 18. I'd managed to ride a little over
an hour. Since my operation isn't until September and I still have to
pee too frequently day and night a day of marching bookended by two
all night bus rides does not feel like a good idea even if everything
goes well. And recently police in large cities have been going
ballistic on peaceful protesters with clubs, tear gas, and rubber
bullets. Not to mention jail. I had committed myself to going
before my kidney stone turned exam week into a nightmare. I emailed
the group about why I can't go. I feel no regret whatsoever. (Jules)
I am very glad she isn't going and taking all those risks. She needs
to be in good shape for her internship. (Tobago).
A great big shout out goes out to the people who will be uniting in DC
from all around the country.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
The List of Things That Will Not Change
The List of Things That Will Not Change
Juvenile fiction
"1. Mom loves you more than anything, always.
2. Dad lives you more than anything, always.
3. Mom and dad love each other, but in a different way.
4. You will always have a home with each of us."
Bea, protagonist of Rebecca Stead's The List of Things That Will
Not Change, has, like so many children in our country, experienced her
parents' divorce. They'd decided to split up when her father realized
that he was gay. Unlike many divorcing parents, they had put Bea's
welfare first, creating a reassuring list of the important things in
her life that weren't going to change.
Two years later a lot is going to change, although nothing on
the list. Her father is getting married to his beloved Jesse. Bea is
thrilled when she learns that she'll be getting a stepsister her age
with whom she seems to have a lot in common. She's always wanted a
sister...
...Only when Sonia arrives on a week long visit the bond that
Bea is expecting doesn't form. Sonia cries after skyping with her
mother. And those late night lights out chats Bea had anticipated
never happen.
Young readers, especially those who have had to navigate their
own family transitions, will really relate to Bea and her coming of
age narrative.
On a purrrsonal note, well the long weekend wasn't as bad as I
anticipated. Most of it was home working on a piece for a
professional journal, writing, reading, and spring cleaning. But
Saturday Eugene asked me if I was up for a very short drive. We
dropped off Amber's birthday presents from us and his mother and
sister. Amber gave me my Mothers Day gifts. We also stopped off at a
couple of yard sales. At one I bought two Christmas ornaments and a
music box. At the other he bought me a pair of shoes covered with
little cat pictures, hot pink Converse high tops (which I want to get
in all colors possible), and lotion. So maybe even if I can't go as
far afield my summer can include some road tripping and yard saling--
especially after they unlock the DOT outhouses. (Jules)
It's nice to have the fam home for three days. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to our Amber who just turned 32 and her
devoted husband, Brian.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile fiction
"1. Mom loves you more than anything, always.
2. Dad lives you more than anything, always.
3. Mom and dad love each other, but in a different way.
4. You will always have a home with each of us."
Bea, protagonist of Rebecca Stead's The List of Things That Will
Not Change, has, like so many children in our country, experienced her
parents' divorce. They'd decided to split up when her father realized
that he was gay. Unlike many divorcing parents, they had put Bea's
welfare first, creating a reassuring list of the important things in
her life that weren't going to change.
Two years later a lot is going to change, although nothing on
the list. Her father is getting married to his beloved Jesse. Bea is
thrilled when she learns that she'll be getting a stepsister her age
with whom she seems to have a lot in common. She's always wanted a
sister...
...Only when Sonia arrives on a week long visit the bond that
Bea is expecting doesn't form. Sonia cries after skyping with her
mother. And those late night lights out chats Bea had anticipated
never happen.
Young readers, especially those who have had to navigate their
own family transitions, will really relate to Bea and her coming of
age narrative.
On a purrrsonal note, well the long weekend wasn't as bad as I
anticipated. Most of it was home working on a piece for a
professional journal, writing, reading, and spring cleaning. But
Saturday Eugene asked me if I was up for a very short drive. We
dropped off Amber's birthday presents from us and his mother and
sister. Amber gave me my Mothers Day gifts. We also stopped off at a
couple of yard sales. At one I bought two Christmas ornaments and a
music box. At the other he bought me a pair of shoes covered with
little cat pictures, hot pink Converse high tops (which I want to get
in all colors possible), and lotion. So maybe even if I can't go as
far afield my summer can include some road tripping and yard saling--
especially after they unlock the DOT outhouses. (Jules)
It's nice to have the fam home for three days. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to our Amber who just turned 32 and her
devoted husband, Brian.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, May 30, 2022
The Seventh Most Important Thing
The Seventh Most Important Thing
Juvenile fiction
"On a bitter November day in Washington, D.C., when everything
felt metallic--when the sky was grey and the wind stung and the dry
leaves were making death-rattle sounds in the valley--thirteen-year-
old Arthur Owens picked up a brick from the corner of a crumbling
building and threw it at an old man's head."
Reading the first paragraph of Shelley Pearsall's The Seventh
Most Important Thing, you get the idea that things are not going to go
well for Arthur. When we meet up with him again he's served time in
juvie and is in a courtroom awaiting sentencing. The judge is severe
and skeptical. Arthur doesn't think he has a chance of ever coming
home again.
Only Arthur is offered a chance for redemption. His victim has
requested that instead of being incarcerated he work for him as he
recovers. So he will be pushing a beat up grocery cart around his
neighborhood, checking the garbage for very specific items, for 120
hours.
At first Arthur thinks that he'll put in his time and put the
whole mess behind him...
...until he sees what the junk man is creating out of garbage.
That is a real game changer.
What I liked most about the book is that, although most of the
characters, including Arthur, are entirely fictional, there really was
a junk man. His amazing creation is now exhibited in the Smithsonian
American Art Museum.
On a purrrsonal note, when Eugene and I were talking over supper I
began to realize what my summer will be like. He said he didn't
suppose I could go for a ride. Nope. Because I can't get the kidney
stone removed until September I can't go that far from bathrooms. He
said, well I guess camping's out. Four trips in a night to an
outhouse is not my idea of fun or safety. I know it could be a lot
worse. It's a good thing I love to read because it looks like that
will be my summer fun. (Jules)
Well she'll have me to keep her company. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to everyone who will be COVID cautious
as they go about their summer fun.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile fiction
"On a bitter November day in Washington, D.C., when everything
felt metallic--when the sky was grey and the wind stung and the dry
leaves were making death-rattle sounds in the valley--thirteen-year-
old Arthur Owens picked up a brick from the corner of a crumbling
building and threw it at an old man's head."
Reading the first paragraph of Shelley Pearsall's The Seventh
Most Important Thing, you get the idea that things are not going to go
well for Arthur. When we meet up with him again he's served time in
juvie and is in a courtroom awaiting sentencing. The judge is severe
and skeptical. Arthur doesn't think he has a chance of ever coming
home again.
Only Arthur is offered a chance for redemption. His victim has
requested that instead of being incarcerated he work for him as he
recovers. So he will be pushing a beat up grocery cart around his
neighborhood, checking the garbage for very specific items, for 120
hours.
At first Arthur thinks that he'll put in his time and put the
whole mess behind him...
...until he sees what the junk man is creating out of garbage.
That is a real game changer.
What I liked most about the book is that, although most of the
characters, including Arthur, are entirely fictional, there really was
a junk man. His amazing creation is now exhibited in the Smithsonian
American Art Museum.
On a purrrsonal note, when Eugene and I were talking over supper I
began to realize what my summer will be like. He said he didn't
suppose I could go for a ride. Nope. Because I can't get the kidney
stone removed until September I can't go that far from bathrooms. He
said, well I guess camping's out. Four trips in a night to an
outhouse is not my idea of fun or safety. I know it could be a lot
worse. It's a good thing I love to read because it looks like that
will be my summer fun. (Jules)
Well she'll have me to keep her company. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to everyone who will be COVID cautious
as they go about their summer fun.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Friday, May 27, 2022
Lexapros And Cons
Lexapros And Cons
YA fiction
"...What I do are not 'routines.' They're compulsions. You know
when you read something and you're just like, Fuck, that's me! Well
once I read this thing, I knew I had it.
My name is Chuck. I'm seventeen years old. And according to
Wikipedia, I have OCD."
Chuck, narrator of Aaron Karu's Lexapros And Cons, has a life
that is ruled by compulsions. He's constantly washing real or
imaginary dirt off his hands. He has to pee over a dozen times before
he can consider his bladder drained enough for him to go to sleep.
He's sure that his house will go up in flames, killing his family, if
he doesn't keep checking the stove burners...
Chuck knows that these compulsions aren't normal. He's sure he
knows what he has. But seeing a therapist, getting an official
diagnosis, and taking medications are way out of his comfort zone.
Plus Chuck likes a new girl in school. He's tutoring her and
thinks he might actually have a chance of being more than just
friends. Of course she can never guess his secret.
On a purrrsonal note, Wednesday they had the annual Orono Public
Library volunteer appreciation event. I was too tired after working
Clean Sweep clean up all day to show up. But today when I stopped by
the library I received my volunteer appreciation gift. I was over the
moon. It's a bookmark and pen set. The bookmark was handcrafted in
Maine. Talk about purrrfect! (Jules)
Talk about purrrfect, I deposited $78.92 in my credit union savings
account. And, thanks to Clean Sweep, I now has a new bank for all my
change. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to my fellow library volunteers and the
librarians who really know how to show appreciation.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
YA fiction
"...What I do are not 'routines.' They're compulsions. You know
when you read something and you're just like, Fuck, that's me! Well
once I read this thing, I knew I had it.
My name is Chuck. I'm seventeen years old. And according to
Wikipedia, I have OCD."
Chuck, narrator of Aaron Karu's Lexapros And Cons, has a life
that is ruled by compulsions. He's constantly washing real or
imaginary dirt off his hands. He has to pee over a dozen times before
he can consider his bladder drained enough for him to go to sleep.
He's sure that his house will go up in flames, killing his family, if
he doesn't keep checking the stove burners...
Chuck knows that these compulsions aren't normal. He's sure he
knows what he has. But seeing a therapist, getting an official
diagnosis, and taking medications are way out of his comfort zone.
Plus Chuck likes a new girl in school. He's tutoring her and
thinks he might actually have a chance of being more than just
friends. Of course she can never guess his secret.
On a purrrsonal note, Wednesday they had the annual Orono Public
Library volunteer appreciation event. I was too tired after working
Clean Sweep clean up all day to show up. But today when I stopped by
the library I received my volunteer appreciation gift. I was over the
moon. It's a bookmark and pen set. The bookmark was handcrafted in
Maine. Talk about purrrfect! (Jules)
Talk about purrrfect, I deposited $78.92 in my credit union savings
account. And, thanks to Clean Sweep, I now has a new bank for all my
change. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to my fellow library volunteers and the
librarians who really know how to show appreciation.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Clean Sweep sure helped my shoe collection. Only let me assure you I'm not a shoe person of the oh, cute, must buy persuasion who has a matchy match for every outfit. Anything that would be bad for the bod, such as high heels and those pointy toes that look like they'd require off label use of a chainsaw, is a no go. However I'm not ready to embrace anything that would be labeled sensible or orthopedic. Finding shoes and boots that are cute and eye catching while posing no danger to bones or ligaments and are still affordable is a challenge. So when I find them only slightly used and in my size I snap them up.
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
Something Happened to Ali Greenleaf
Something Happened to Ali Greenleaf
YA fiction
Ali is a girl who has a crush on a guy most people would
consider way out of her league. Sean is an ultra popular varsity
soccer player. But somehow Ali has caught his eye. She has reason to
believe that he will seek her out at a party.
Sean does indeed seek Ali out, taking her out of the crowd to a
more private space in the party house. At first his attention feels
like a dream come true to Ali. But when he goes too far and she tries
to stop him he rapes her.
Blythe is also at the party. She's the girlfriend of Dev,
Sean's teammate and best friend. She functions as Sean's damage
control, soothing every girl he's messed over, keeping his reputation
intact.
"...Have I talked to girls for Sean, reassured them, coddled
them? Sure. What kind of monster would I be if I just left these
girls crying whenever he decided they weren't worth his time?..."
But when Blythe befriends Ali it turns out to be a lot more than
reputation damage control. They have a great deal in common. Both
have been abandoned by their mothers. Ali's ran away to a commune to
discover herself. Blythe's is bipolar and unable or unwilling to
manage her illness. Plus Blythe has had her own experience of
violation in a freshman ritual called the initiation.
Told in their alternating voices, Something Happened to Ali
Greenleaf combines an engaging and believable narrative with an
indictment of the sexual harassment that is still going on in 21st
century high schools.
On a purrrsonal note, we've just finished cleaning up after Clean
Sweep. The ice hockey arena is as clean as we found it. Every useful
thing that wasn't sold has been donated.
So I have today in addition to the three day weekend to chill. I do
not have what you'd call plans. Today I'm going to Orono Public
Library to return books and take out others. On the way home I'll
stop by a convenience store and get ice cream for lunch if I find a
flavor that looks appealing. The rest of the time I'll be writing,
blogging, reading, and slowly catching up with laundry and my
interrupted by kidney stone and infection spring cleaning. Now that I
have to be drinking (water, not booze) a lot more than usual and
peeing more than usual going on long trips feels risky and spending a
night at a camp with outdoor plumbing feels very risky. (Jules)
She also gets to spend time with her best little cat in the world.
Party on! (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to you, our readers, with best wishes
for a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend. Don't forget that we are
far from out of the woods where COVID is concerned. Also outside
dining comes with the risk of food born illness unless proper
precautions are observed. I know a number of you are going to be
hauling out those grills. Remember an ounce of prevention beats a
pound of cure, especially when cure involves going into the hospital
or feeling really crappy for a week or so.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
YA fiction
Ali is a girl who has a crush on a guy most people would
consider way out of her league. Sean is an ultra popular varsity
soccer player. But somehow Ali has caught his eye. She has reason to
believe that he will seek her out at a party.
Sean does indeed seek Ali out, taking her out of the crowd to a
more private space in the party house. At first his attention feels
like a dream come true to Ali. But when he goes too far and she tries
to stop him he rapes her.
Blythe is also at the party. She's the girlfriend of Dev,
Sean's teammate and best friend. She functions as Sean's damage
control, soothing every girl he's messed over, keeping his reputation
intact.
"...Have I talked to girls for Sean, reassured them, coddled
them? Sure. What kind of monster would I be if I just left these
girls crying whenever he decided they weren't worth his time?..."
But when Blythe befriends Ali it turns out to be a lot more than
reputation damage control. They have a great deal in common. Both
have been abandoned by their mothers. Ali's ran away to a commune to
discover herself. Blythe's is bipolar and unable or unwilling to
manage her illness. Plus Blythe has had her own experience of
violation in a freshman ritual called the initiation.
Told in their alternating voices, Something Happened to Ali
Greenleaf combines an engaging and believable narrative with an
indictment of the sexual harassment that is still going on in 21st
century high schools.
On a purrrsonal note, we've just finished cleaning up after Clean
Sweep. The ice hockey arena is as clean as we found it. Every useful
thing that wasn't sold has been donated.
So I have today in addition to the three day weekend to chill. I do
not have what you'd call plans. Today I'm going to Orono Public
Library to return books and take out others. On the way home I'll
stop by a convenience store and get ice cream for lunch if I find a
flavor that looks appealing. The rest of the time I'll be writing,
blogging, reading, and slowly catching up with laundry and my
interrupted by kidney stone and infection spring cleaning. Now that I
have to be drinking (water, not booze) a lot more than usual and
peeing more than usual going on long trips feels risky and spending a
night at a camp with outdoor plumbing feels very risky. (Jules)
She also gets to spend time with her best little cat in the world.
Party on! (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to you, our readers, with best wishes
for a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend. Don't forget that we are
far from out of the woods where COVID is concerned. Also outside
dining comes with the risk of food born illness unless proper
precautions are observed. I know a number of you are going to be
hauling out those grills. Remember an ounce of prevention beats a
pound of cure, especially when cure involves going into the hospital
or feeling really crappy for a week or so.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Thursday, May 26, 2022
Lawless Spaces
Lawless Spaces
YA fiction in verse
"The whole world (except Mom) is
shouting at me
through comments and texts and phone calls and
news alerts on my phone:
Tiffany Dovewick Tells Her Story
Tiffany Dovewick: A Timeline of Abuse
Is Tiffany Dovewick a Reliable Source?
Tiffany Dovewick: Just Trying to Get Her 15 Minutes Back?"
I'm not sure why we always assume that turning sixteen is
sweet. For Mimi, protagonist of Corey Ann Haydu's Lawless Spaces, it
holds some serious challenges. She's not sure where she fits in with
her mother, Tiffany, and her mother's latest live in, Eric. Her goal
is to become a fashion designer. She alters garments to make them
stylish. Only she has the "wrong" kind of body, the curvy, well
developed kind that makes wearing anything form fitting or low cut
scandelous in many people's eyes. She's still getting cyber bullied
over a picture taken three years ago before she even started high
school.
As if all this isn't enough stress, Tiffany has made the family
very high profile. As a teen she was an actress. A well known
director had molested her. Now she's accusing him. The media is
devouring the conflict. Reporters and camerapeople hang out outside
the family home ambushing Mimi when Tiffany isn't around, asking her
questions she has no answers for.
Mimi's female ancestors have a tradition. At sixteen each had
begun journaling. Their notebooks are all up in the attic. Perhaps
reading them can help Mimi not only understand her family legacy but
begin to chart a path to her own future.
On a purrrsonal note, now the Clean Sweep crew is working the Clean
Sweep clean up. We're restoring the ice hockey arena to its former
state of cleanliness and distributing the unsold merch to local
organizations. Tuesday the Bangor Humane Society people were
delighted with large bags of bedding stuff. Yesterday we delivered
big bags of clothes to Holy Family Thrift Shop and Orono Thrift Shop.
Both sell things people need at affordable prices and raise money for
important community work. Today we'll be delivering to Habitat for
Humanity (which has a thrift shop), Salvation Army, and Welcome to
Housing, an organization that provides people transitioning from
homelessness or transitional housing to first apartments with what
they need to furnish them. We pride ourselves on having the
connections to distribute what we can't sell instead of just dumping
it. (Jules)
They help the Humane Society. YASSS!!! I am a graduate of the
Waterville Humane Society. Without that fine organization I would not
be my family's best little cat in the world. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the 2022 Clean Sweep crew, our
fearless leader, Lisa, our customers, and the organizations we were
able to help.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
YA fiction in verse
"The whole world (except Mom) is
shouting at me
through comments and texts and phone calls and
news alerts on my phone:
Tiffany Dovewick Tells Her Story
Tiffany Dovewick: A Timeline of Abuse
Is Tiffany Dovewick a Reliable Source?
Tiffany Dovewick: Just Trying to Get Her 15 Minutes Back?"
I'm not sure why we always assume that turning sixteen is
sweet. For Mimi, protagonist of Corey Ann Haydu's Lawless Spaces, it
holds some serious challenges. She's not sure where she fits in with
her mother, Tiffany, and her mother's latest live in, Eric. Her goal
is to become a fashion designer. She alters garments to make them
stylish. Only she has the "wrong" kind of body, the curvy, well
developed kind that makes wearing anything form fitting or low cut
scandelous in many people's eyes. She's still getting cyber bullied
over a picture taken three years ago before she even started high
school.
As if all this isn't enough stress, Tiffany has made the family
very high profile. As a teen she was an actress. A well known
director had molested her. Now she's accusing him. The media is
devouring the conflict. Reporters and camerapeople hang out outside
the family home ambushing Mimi when Tiffany isn't around, asking her
questions she has no answers for.
Mimi's female ancestors have a tradition. At sixteen each had
begun journaling. Their notebooks are all up in the attic. Perhaps
reading them can help Mimi not only understand her family legacy but
begin to chart a path to her own future.
On a purrrsonal note, now the Clean Sweep crew is working the Clean
Sweep clean up. We're restoring the ice hockey arena to its former
state of cleanliness and distributing the unsold merch to local
organizations. Tuesday the Bangor Humane Society people were
delighted with large bags of bedding stuff. Yesterday we delivered
big bags of clothes to Holy Family Thrift Shop and Orono Thrift Shop.
Both sell things people need at affordable prices and raise money for
important community work. Today we'll be delivering to Habitat for
Humanity (which has a thrift shop), Salvation Army, and Welcome to
Housing, an organization that provides people transitioning from
homelessness or transitional housing to first apartments with what
they need to furnish them. We pride ourselves on having the
connections to distribute what we can't sell instead of just dumping
it. (Jules)
They help the Humane Society. YASSS!!! I am a graduate of the
Waterville Humane Society. Without that fine organization I would not
be my family's best little cat in the world. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the 2022 Clean Sweep crew, our
fearless leader, Lisa, our customers, and the organizations we were
able to help.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, May 25, 2022
Power Of Flight
Power Of Flight
Pick-Your-Own-Path Adventure
"Welcome! YOU are about to discover what it's like to have a
SUPERPOWER! In this book, it's the power of FLIGHT that awaits you.
But having a superpower isn't easy."
I have many fond memories of R. L. Stine's choose your own
endings Goosebumps series. I read those books to Amber and Katie over
and over, trying different series of choices to create unique
narratives. Amber still has some and they're just about falling apart
from frequent use.
I was really excited to see Hena Khan's pick-your-path
adventure: Power Of Flight. It's out at just the perfect time. Our
kids will be out of school for the summer in a matter of weeks. Many
will want to have nothing to do with books over vaca. Choose your
path narratives tempt "reluctant readers" more than more traditional
volumes. I think it has to do with the autonomy they offer. Instead
of slogging through page after page after page they get to decide what
direction they want the action to go in at numerous points in the
story. It's a little like a video game.
"Never in a million years did you expect to be here, but in a
strange turn of events, your science project on bacteria growth in
fruit punch earned you a scholarship to the Summer Science Academy, a
two-week program for kids ten and up, based at one of the country's
best universities. Who would have thought that leaving a bottle of
fruit punch in your backpack for days would lead to this?"
The adventure starts at an avian science center. You and your
partner are supposed to participate in a scavenger hunt. Only you
catch her sneaking into a lab. You end up being scratched by the
talons of a big bird in a cage.
On the bus ride back to camp you start feeling sick. You end up
in the infirmary with a fever. The next day you discover that you can
fly. And this is where you make your first decision. The nurse has
seen you gliding out of a tree. Do you admit the truth or lie?
I spent an evening exploring the different plot configurations.
I also enjoyed the many illustrations that really add to the narrative.
If you have a kid about to start summer vaca--especially if they
can think of about a gazillion things they'd rather do than pick up a
book--consider Power Of Flight to be a very wise investment.
On a purrrsonal note, well we now have a Clean Sweep tally. In 2019
before the pandemic we'd set a record of $9,040. Lisa thought we'd
fall a couple of grand short because we didn't have a lot of big
furniture. But we actually set a new record of $10,011. Every cent
will go to student programs such as Black Bear Exchange. (Jules)
I love my new cat bed now. It's soft and fluffy. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to everyone who contributed to making
this year's Clean Sweep such a success!
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Pick-Your-Own-Path Adventure
"Welcome! YOU are about to discover what it's like to have a
SUPERPOWER! In this book, it's the power of FLIGHT that awaits you.
But having a superpower isn't easy."
I have many fond memories of R. L. Stine's choose your own
endings Goosebumps series. I read those books to Amber and Katie over
and over, trying different series of choices to create unique
narratives. Amber still has some and they're just about falling apart
from frequent use.
I was really excited to see Hena Khan's pick-your-path
adventure: Power Of Flight. It's out at just the perfect time. Our
kids will be out of school for the summer in a matter of weeks. Many
will want to have nothing to do with books over vaca. Choose your
path narratives tempt "reluctant readers" more than more traditional
volumes. I think it has to do with the autonomy they offer. Instead
of slogging through page after page after page they get to decide what
direction they want the action to go in at numerous points in the
story. It's a little like a video game.
"Never in a million years did you expect to be here, but in a
strange turn of events, your science project on bacteria growth in
fruit punch earned you a scholarship to the Summer Science Academy, a
two-week program for kids ten and up, based at one of the country's
best universities. Who would have thought that leaving a bottle of
fruit punch in your backpack for days would lead to this?"
The adventure starts at an avian science center. You and your
partner are supposed to participate in a scavenger hunt. Only you
catch her sneaking into a lab. You end up being scratched by the
talons of a big bird in a cage.
On the bus ride back to camp you start feeling sick. You end up
in the infirmary with a fever. The next day you discover that you can
fly. And this is where you make your first decision. The nurse has
seen you gliding out of a tree. Do you admit the truth or lie?
I spent an evening exploring the different plot configurations.
I also enjoyed the many illustrations that really add to the narrative.
If you have a kid about to start summer vaca--especially if they
can think of about a gazillion things they'd rather do than pick up a
book--consider Power Of Flight to be a very wise investment.
On a purrrsonal note, well we now have a Clean Sweep tally. In 2019
before the pandemic we'd set a record of $9,040. Lisa thought we'd
fall a couple of grand short because we didn't have a lot of big
furniture. But we actually set a new record of $10,011. Every cent
will go to student programs such as Black Bear Exchange. (Jules)
I love my new cat bed now. It's soft and fluffy. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to everyone who contributed to making
this year's Clean Sweep such a success!
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Sunday, May 22, 2022
Goodnight Racism
Goodnight Racism
Picture book
Many of us have ushered our children to sleep by reading
Margaret Wise Brown's classic (as in published before I was born)
Goodnight Moon. My baby is twenty-five and I can still recite parts
from memory.
So maybe it's time to move on. Maybe it's time for a narrative
that challenges rather than romanticizes how we see the world. Most
certainly it's time to add Ibram X. Kendi's Goodnight Racism to the
old bedtime story line up.
Kendi's moon looks down on a world of inequality where many kids
lack the basics such as food and shelter. But when they drift off to
sleep children dream of a more just world.
"A world where all kids have the same chance
to have peace,
to have joy,
to have a childhood."
The text is sparse. But every phrase carries its weight,
creating a realm of meaning. Take "to have a childhood." In America
most of us assume that's universal. But last week an international
student from Tanzania was describing situations of such dire poverty
that kids who in Maine would be starting kindergarten in carefully
chosen outfits are laboring in factories or scavenging dump heaps for
anything salable.
If you have little ones or grands you owe it to them to add
Goodnight Racism to their bedtime story line up. The world needs them
to dream of a better future
"A world where our rules open doors,
open minds,
and create equity
and justice for all"
and work with us to achieve it.
On a purrrsonal note, by the time we opened the doors on Clean Sweep
there was already a good sized line to get in. The people were extra
excited because this was the first time since 2019 we'd been able to
carry out this beloved tradition. Much of Friday we were swamped.
For hours the check out line extended all the way from front to back
of the ice hockey arena and off to one side. Saturday was more
leisurely although we still had plenty of customers. People were so
excited about their purchases and telling their stories. One couple,
for example, was buying chairs for their first apartment. The Clean
Sweep magic was very much alive and well. Lisa had thought we might
be well below our 2019 record earnings because we didn't have a lot of
big furniture. But now she's revising her estimate upward. I'll let
you know how much we took in when I find out. (Jules)
I have a new cat bed. It just doesn't smell right. (Tobago)
A great big shout out to all our Clean Sweep customers whose money
will go to important programs benefitting UMaine students such as
Black Bear Exchange.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
Many of us have ushered our children to sleep by reading
Margaret Wise Brown's classic (as in published before I was born)
Goodnight Moon. My baby is twenty-five and I can still recite parts
from memory.
So maybe it's time to move on. Maybe it's time for a narrative
that challenges rather than romanticizes how we see the world. Most
certainly it's time to add Ibram X. Kendi's Goodnight Racism to the
old bedtime story line up.
Kendi's moon looks down on a world of inequality where many kids
lack the basics such as food and shelter. But when they drift off to
sleep children dream of a more just world.
"A world where all kids have the same chance
to have peace,
to have joy,
to have a childhood."
The text is sparse. But every phrase carries its weight,
creating a realm of meaning. Take "to have a childhood." In America
most of us assume that's universal. But last week an international
student from Tanzania was describing situations of such dire poverty
that kids who in Maine would be starting kindergarten in carefully
chosen outfits are laboring in factories or scavenging dump heaps for
anything salable.
If you have little ones or grands you owe it to them to add
Goodnight Racism to their bedtime story line up. The world needs them
to dream of a better future
"A world where our rules open doors,
open minds,
and create equity
and justice for all"
and work with us to achieve it.
On a purrrsonal note, by the time we opened the doors on Clean Sweep
there was already a good sized line to get in. The people were extra
excited because this was the first time since 2019 we'd been able to
carry out this beloved tradition. Much of Friday we were swamped.
For hours the check out line extended all the way from front to back
of the ice hockey arena and off to one side. Saturday was more
leisurely although we still had plenty of customers. People were so
excited about their purchases and telling their stories. One couple,
for example, was buying chairs for their first apartment. The Clean
Sweep magic was very much alive and well. Lisa had thought we might
be well below our 2019 record earnings because we didn't have a lot of
big furniture. But now she's revising her estimate upward. I'll let
you know how much we took in when I find out. (Jules)
I have a new cat bed. It just doesn't smell right. (Tobago)
A great big shout out to all our Clean Sweep customers whose money
will go to important programs benefitting UMaine students such as
Black Bear Exchange.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Saturday, May 21, 2022
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