Halfway to summer! Halfway to summer! Halfway to summer! That's my new mantra. I don't know about you, but I have a bit of the winter blues . . . Mid-terms wore me out!!! I know, I didn't have to TAKE any midterms, but I had to write them and grade them and figure out your grades and listen to all of you carping (vocabulary word). It was enough to make a person want to curl up in a ball and sleep until April.

Anyway, enough CARPING. Let's move on to TODAY. THIS WEEK. THE NEW SEMESTER.

Vocabulary lesson 15 is up this week:

inveterate - adj. - habitual, long-standing
multifarious - adj. - having great variety, numerous and diverse
renegade - n - an outlaw, a rebel
ruminate - v - to think at length, to mull over
carping - n, adj., v - complaining
clairvoyant - n, adj. - having exceptional insight; a psychic
panoply - n - 1) a splendid display 2)warrior's armor
loll - v - to lounge, to act in a lazy manner
compunction - n - remorse, regret
disparage - v - to belittle, to put down

HONORS:
comely - adj. - attractive and agreeable
askew - adj. - crooked, off-center
presage - v - to foretell
uncouth - adj. - outlandish and rude
gossamer - adj. - sheer, like cobwebs


I've gone over some due dates with everyone. General reminders:

Everyone has drafting due this week on Thursday or Friday (except C pd).
Everyone has a 3-week project due on Wednesday or Thursday.
Everyone has vocabulary due this week - sentences, quiz (except C pd).

Upcoming dates:

Honors: Dialogue journals due 2/7 or 2/8 - that's next week!
Polished writing piece 1 due no later than 2/12.

C1: Dialogue journals due 2/14 or 2/15.
Polished writing piece 1 due no later than 2/20.

We will be talking in class about labeling your work, about late work (and how I don't want it any more), about collecting your graded work, about etc. Make sure you are paying attention!

It makes me tired when I say stuff and no one listens and I have to keep saying it over and over and over. It's important to keep your English teacher happy . . . and NOT tired. If your English teacher isn't happy, NO ONE is happy!!!

My goodness! It seems like a lifetime since I've blogged. Well, it has been since last year! Happy New Year! I know, it's a little late for that; I've already happy new yeared everyone. But still, it's nice to spread the cheer of the new year . . . (Did you notice that rhyme?)

Okay, enough prattling (vocabulary word); we have work to do!

B period: You should have all turned in your second polished writing pieces. They were due last week! Drafting pages are due on Thursday, as are vocabulary sentences and dialogue journals.

D period: Your dialogue journals were due last week. Drafting pages and vocabulary are due on Thursday. Let's turn in a polished writing piece next week.

F period: You should have all turned in your second polished writing pieces. They were due last week! Vocabulary sentences are due today. Drafting and dialogue journals are due on Friday.

H period: Your dialogue journals were due last week. Vocabulary is due today. Drafting pages are due on Friday. Remember to have an I wonder poem, also.

REMEMBER: We are doing the writing prompts in class on Wednesday and Thursday next week. (Except C period - yours will be during your exam period.) I will be out of school next week on Tuesday. I will go over writing prompt strategies with F and H period on Friday. I will do the same for B, C, and D on Monday.

I have distributed exam review/assignment sheets to all classes. If you were absent, make sure to get copies!

This week's vocabulary is the last one before the exam.

Vocabulary 14:
recluse - n - one who lives alone and away from others
farrago - n - a jumble, a confused mixture, a hodge-podge
vernacular - n - slang, informal language
unguent - n - ointment, salve
succinct - adj. - brief and to the point
taciturn - adj. - not talkative
tout - v - to praise highly, to speak positively about
unimpeachable - adj. - beyond reproach, can't be blamed for anything
viable - adj. - able to live or survive
wanton - adj. - deliberately malicious and cruel, immoral

Honors only:
prattle - v - to babble, to talk meaninglessly
mettle - n - courage and fortitude
gregarious - adj. - sociable, outgoing
enmity - n - hostility, hatred
vexatious - adj. - annoying, troublesome