Okay,gang, I said I'd be there and I wasn't. I'm sorry. I wanted to, but my trip was cut shorter than I'd hoped. It was either go to school or take care of my own kids. I had to choose them. I hope I'll be able to come in soon, but I can't make any promises.

I finished The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman. It was good; I recommend. I'm now reading How to Lose Friends and Alienate People by Toby Young. It's a memoir, so it's mostly true. It's about this journalist from England who comes to NY to work for Vanity Fair and basically earns the contempt of everyone in the city. He claims to be the kind of guy who walks across a crowded room of people he doesn't know, and by the time he gets to the other side, 10 people hate him. My kind of guy. Wonder if he wants to be my boyfriend. Anyway, it's very funny and also informative about NY magazine life - Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair, etc. And it does some name-dropping of celebrities. It's good.

So my daughter Olivia is a bone-marrow match for Hannah which is good news. Hopefully, Hannah will go into remission in the next few weeks and be able to accept the transplant. If anyone is interested in hearing from Hannah, she has a webpage - you can see pictures of her hair which I dyed pink and purple! as well as other interesting tidbits - go to www.carepages.com, go to visit a care page, click sign up, and then go to hannahmontana to visit Hannah!

Hope everyone had a nice holiday. Are you already working yourselves up for vacation? Be nice to Ms. S and do some fabulous writing and READ!

VOCABULARY 10, HERE IT IS! Sorry it's late!


HONORS


QUISLING-n-a traitor, someone who betrays his/her country to help an invading enemy

PAINSTAKING-adj-very carefule, attentive

NEFARIOUS-adj-wicked, evil

PRECLUDE-v-to prevent

PROVINCIAL-adj-unsophisticated, countrified

RECCALCITRANT-adj-unmanageable, refusing to follow rules

SYBARITE-n-a person devoted to luxury and pleasure, a hedonist

JUXTAPOSE-v-to place side by side to compare or contrast

FECUND-adj-fertile, productive

GAMESOME-adj-merry, frolicsome

DOLT-n-idiot, stupid person

AGAPE-adj-open-mouthed

IMPECCABLE-adj-perfect, flawless

RESPLENDENT-adj- brilliant, lustrous

PERORATE-v- to lecture or give a sermon





C1

MOROSE-adj-gloomy and bad tempered

PAINSTAKING-adj-very carefule, attentive

NEFARIOUS-adj-wicked, evil

PRECLUDE-v-to prevent

PROVINCIAL-adj-unsophisticated, countrified

RECCALCITRANT-adj-unmanageable, refusing to follow rules

RESCIND-v-to take back, cancel, appeal

JUXTAPOSE-v-to place side by side to compare or contrast

FECUND-adj-fertile, productive

SUBSTANTIATE-v-to support with proof or verify

ex. cred: GAMESOME
QUISLING

Okay, maybe I'm obsessively blogging; so what? It's better than watching Cow Belles on Disney . . . Did you have a nice holiday? We had a nice hospital dinner - better than you would have thought. My mom came up which was nice, but it's kind of hard to be trapped in a hospital room with your family. There aren't enough chairs and there aren't a lot of stories and the kid who is being visited is way too occupied listening to and playing with the new ipod her nana brought her - how come I didn't get an ipod? My mom likes Hannah better than she likes me . . . Anyway, I started to do a 1000 piece puzzle, but I lost my patience. Read another 100 pages of Golden Compass - it's really quite good. It reminds me of the Wrinkle in Time books - tapping into your instincts and lost powers and communication without words and such. I want to be like Lyra and I really want a daemon so that I'll never be lonely or sad or alone. The little kids DIE without daemons. I WANT ONE! It's hard to read, because I need to really concentrate on the book because it's so good and mystical and meaningful, but, as I've mentionned, the hospital has MANY distractions. I should probably just read some frothy trash, but I'm determined to focus and finish. I tried to listen to books on tape/cd while I was driving. Not a winner for me. I have to see the words on the page. I must be a visual learner. What about you? Do you learn by seeing or hearing or doing or WHAT?

Hmmmmmmm. . . grateful:
1. Olivia and Emma came today and I miss them and I almost had to cry when they left.
2. Grey's Anatomy is on tonight.
3. I didn't eat salad today
4. I'm doing laundry tomorrow.
5. I have a blog so I can do something besides listen to the Disney Channel.
6. I do love Hannah Montana; she's very cute and her songs are pretty zippy. We own her CD.
7. I've been doing lots of crossword puzzles.
8. I'm at the hospital so I don't have to clean my house this week.
9. It's raining outside so that always makes me feel cozy inside.
10. I took a little snoozy nap today which was very peaceful and comfy and warm and hopefully will keep me from falling asleep before Grey's Anatomy even starts . . .

Happy Turkey Day!!!

Hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving! We're looking forward to a sumptuous feast in the hospital. Apparently, a family who once spent turkey day here and who now own a restaurant will be providing a very special meal. Will there be sweet potatoes? Turnip? Stuffing? Sparkling cider? I'll give you an update on Monday.

That's ri ght - Monday! I'll be your teacher on Monday and Tuesday next week. It will be like old times; we'll do vocabulary and READ and correct sentences. E period will even get to take a vocabulary quiz under my watchful eye! Yeah! I can't wait; Monday can't come soon enough.

Speaking of reading . . . I can't anymore. It's so hard to concentrate in the hospital - especially when you have a roommate who is watching Hannah Montana and Sponge Bob . . . I'm trying to read The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman. I think it's really good - I'm 100 pages in but I can't FOCUS!!! If I could just have like 30 minutes of QUIET! Hopefully, you'll give that to me on Mon/Tues during reading time. . .

I've been watching another tv series (I finished Grey's Anatomy - LOVED it so much I bought all the dvds). Anyway, I've been watching Weeds. Some of you would probably like it because it's very funny, but it's rather inappropriate and irreverent. Just remember, the message is: drugs are bad! just say NO! I do love the star - Mary Louise Parker. She's beautiful and funny and reminds me of Lorelei in Gilmore Girls.

So I guess I'll do another grateful list, because I'm not feeling very cheery tonight and when you're down in the dumps, it's a good idea to remember what you have to be grateful about. . .

1. Hannah is feeling much better and is up and about entertaining the whole floor.
2. Emma and Olivia are coming up to eat Thanksgiving breakfast, and we were afraid they wouldn't be able to come.
3. My friend Christine and her husband and her beautiful baby came for a visit today.
4. My friend Melissa and her baby visited for the whole day yesterday, and we ate Bertucci's for dinner. Yum - eggplant parmesan.
5. We have lovely, funny nurses.
6. Hannah was begging for steak for lunch today, and I went to get it; the manager gave it to us for free. Wow.
7. My friends are the very best; they love me even when I'm grumpy.
8. I saw many of my favorite friends over the weekend.
9. My mom is coming to visit tomorrow.
10. The Gilmore Girls are on at 7PM every day. Hip hip hooray!
11. I get to see all of you next week!!!!!

Hello, friends. I'm still in Boston, and I miss you - well, MOST of you. . . Just kidding. I probably miss you ANNOYING folks most of all. . . Are you doing everything Ms. S says? She's pretty smart and wonderful, so be nice to her, please! I am coming in to school this Friday; be on the lookout for me. I am going to try to teach (sort of) E and F periods. A, B, and C period people - please stop by for a visit!

ARE YOU READING? WRITING? I've only been reading a little bit. It's hard to concentrate up here, but I'm going to try to read more. I read one called Chore Whore (oops - naughty word) that was pretty good about some woman who was a personal assistant to the stars. It's a novel, but the author really was a personal assistant for 20+ years and the front of the book says 98% true. . . I always like to read about how hard other people's silly lives are and how the rich and famous live. Now I'm reading one called Three Dog Night (I think) about a woman whose husband gets hit by a car and sustains a brain injury. It's a memoir, so it's a true personal account. Just started it. I wasted 100 pages on some other book (can't remember the name) that I decided I hated. And I've been reading People and Star and Oprah and Us and doing lots of crosswords. And I've watched two seasons of Gray's Anatomy on DVD - that's the best show EVER (besides the Gilmore Girls). I highly recommend. But don't watch tv - READ!!!!!

Are you working on grateful lists? I am . . .

1. the color pink
2. Hannah is up and around
3. I love my job
4. BOOKS!
5. friends who at least pretend to like me
6. Hershey's almond kisses
7. I'm seeing Emma and Olivia tomorrow
8. I'm going to school on Friday!
9. portable DVD players when you can't sleep
10. text messaging

NEW THREE WEEK PROJECT!

I know, i know, nothing can be as exiciting as something you've never done before, but this one is pretty GREAT if i do say so myself. ok, ready? here it is:

GRATEFUL LISTS!

Yay, you get to make lists of things you are grateful for, what can be more fun than that? NOTHING!

HONORS: 10 LISTS OF 10
COLLEGE I: 8 LISTS OF 10
COLLEGE II: 5 LISTS OF 10

THESE ARE DUE ON THE 4 or 5 OF DECEMBER, but start them now!

COLLEGE II VOCABULARY 5
IF YOU ARE IN COLLEGE I OR HONORS, PLEASE SEE POST BELOW OF VOCABULARY 9

but if you are in the right place......

Vocabulary Lesson 5

1. chimerical - adj. - absurd, wildly fanciful, imaginative

2. cogent - adj. - strong and convincing

3. cursory - adj. - quickly and without attention to detail

4. derogatory - adj. - negative and degrading

5. discerning - adj. - perceptive, shrewd, observant

6. dormant - adj. - asleep, at rest

7. embroil - v - to involve or engage (in a quarrel)

8. deft - adj. - skillful, adept, nimble

9. fallacy - n - false idea, mistaken belief

10. galvanize - v - to stimulate, stir up, or get started


Extra credit:
solidus - n
crepuscular - adj.
cysticercoid - n
counterpane - n
popple - n, v

VOCABULARY 9
Sentences DUE on Wednesday or Thursday 11/15 or 11/16 and QUIZ is on Thursday or Friday 11/16 or 11/17!



duplicity-n- deceitfulness

emulate-v- to try to equal or surpass

euphemism-n- a nice way of saying something that is harsh

fastidious-adj- hard to please, particular

garbled-adj- confused mixture

hierarchy-n- organization by rank or class

impassive-adj- without feeling or emotion

indigent-adj- poverty stricken

jargon-n- specialized vocabulary of members of a group

lethargic-adj- drowsy, dull sluggish


ADDITIONAL FIVE FOR HONORS!


panache-n- flair, flamboyance

inept-adj- incompetent

disconsolate-adj- sad

somnolent-adj- half-asleep

nepotism-n- favoritism to a relative



EXTRA CREDIT-
scofflaw-n- one who flouts laws....traffic, liquor, etc

perspicuous-adj- easily understood

perspicacious-adj- having good judgement, discerning

operculum-n- body process or part that suggests a lid, the covering of the gills of a fish

interstice-n- crack, crevice

Hi, gang.

Do you miss me? I miss you. Luckily, you have the lovely and talented Ms. S to entertain and educate you while I'm away. Just don't forget about me . . .

As you may know, my daughter Hannah has been diagnosed with leukemia. It was caused by one of the medicines she needed to take last year in order to get rid of her tumor. She is going to have to spend the next several months in the hospital kicking the cancer's butt. I am going to be spending a lot of time here as well. I will be planning lessons for you and directing from behind the scenes, but we won't be seeing each other as often as we'd planned. I will come to school whenever I can; I just don't know yet when that is going to be.

You are such excellent classes - I hate that I'm not going to be with you all the time. Be nice to Ms. S, and hopefully I will see you soon.

I know, I know - I'm posting the vocabulary early this week . . . I'm not going to be here tomorrow (Tuesday, 11/7), and I wanted to be sure that everyone had access to the definitions. It's a short week this week so quizzes and sentences will be on WEDNESDAY for E and F periods and on THURSDAY for A, B, and C periods.

Three-week projects are due on Monday, 11/6 and Tuesday, 11/7. A, B, and C - you have dialogue journals due on Thursday, 11/9. I want to get writing assignments (new ones) SOON - more info. to follow, but plan on some time in the next week . . .

Vocabulary Lesson 8:

1. adulterate - v - to corrupt, contaminate, or pollute
If a company doesn't dispose of its waste properly, neighboring water supply could be adulterated.

2. aloof - adj. - standoffish, indifferent, not interested
At parties, I tend to be aloof; I have trouble socializing with large groups.

3. apochryphal - adj. - false, counterfeit
The student invented apochryphal tales to explain why his homework was missing.

4. belittle - v - to make something seem unimportant, to trivialize
Even though my daughter's problems seem trivial to me, I try not to belittle them because they are important to her.

5. capitulate - v - to surrender, to give in
If we don't capitulate to the criminal's demands, she may kill the hostages.

6. crestfallen - adj. - discouraged, disappointed
I was crestfallen when I discovered that I hadn't even been nominated for teacher of the year.

7. conciliatory - adj. - meant to soothe or reconcile
After an argument, it's nice to make conciliatory remarks to smooth things over.

8. dearth - n - shortage
I always worry about having a dearth of food - I like to stock up in case of emergency.

9. desecrate - v - to treat with disrespect
Vandals who desecrate graves with graffiti can be arrested.

10. diffident - adj. - shy; modest, unassertive
The diffident little boy didn't even correct the teacher when she called him by the wrong name.

HONORS ONLY:

11. spectral - adj. - ghostly
We were frightened by the spectral glow that filled the room.

12. mendacious - adj. - lying, false
The student's mendacious accusation cost the teacher her job.

13. guffaw - n - boisterous laughter
When you hear a guffaw coming from my classroom, you know it's because I've just told one of my hilarious jokes.

14. bilk - v - to swindle or cheat
At the flea market, I tried to bilk the old man so I could get the antique chairs for a song.

15. pusillanimous - adj. - cowardly, faint-hearted
It was pusillanimous to run away from the problem instead of facing the music.

I know, I know . . . I didn't get Vocabulary 7 up yesterday . . . It was Halloween; give me a break, Max!!! Here it is:

Vocabulary 7:

1. quintessence - n - the purest form, the most typical example
2. tentative - adj. - not definite; hesitant
3. repugnant - adj. - disgusting, loathsome (um . . . MAYONNAISE!)
4. venerate - v - to honor, to treat with great respect (what you should do to your
English teacher)
5. sophomoric - adj. - immature; over-confident
6. stultifying - adj. - causing to appear stupid, rendering useless
7. stark - adj. - harsh, desolate, grim, bleak
8. rebuff - v - to reject, to snub
9. voracious - adj. - ravenous, greedy
10. quiescent - adj. - dormant, inactive, at rest

Honors only:

11. xenophobia - n - fear of foreigners, fear of strangers
12. besmirch - v - to tarnish or soil
13. imprudent - adj. - not careful
14. penurious - adj. - stingy, parsimonious
15. perfunctory - adj. - superficial, not thorough, half-hearted

Extra credit:

nictitate - v
emotophobia - n
scuttlebutt - n
coulrophobia - n
oenophile - n

Are you happy now? Max? I'll be happy at midnight tonight . . . Know why? Because then I'll be voraciously reading!!! I'm thinking about setting my alarm for 12:01.