All I have to say today is:

I’ve been reading this voraciously over the past few days between two days of presentations, studying for a major quiz, babysitting, and generally trying to stay sane before Thanksgiving. I’m almost finished, but I’m reluctant to get to the end, because I don’t want it to be over! I’m not sure if I’m exactly the intended audience for any of Cory Doctorow’s other works, but this Young Adult novel is BRILLIANT. Pleeeeeease, Cory! MORE MORE MORE. I cannot wait to put this in my class library when I start teaching. I hope I’ll have a few students who read it and want to talk to me about it. I want everyone to read this book! Seriously, I will let you borrow my copy if you ask nicely. Just, please, go find a copy and read it already!

Lots of pictures and links tonight!

On Sunday I saw the matinee performance of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at my friend’s high school. Her kids did a great job and I was happy to see everything come together. I visited the school earlier in the week to attend their final dress rehearsal and take pictures. When the student who the Gigantor Pink Sweater was made for came out, I nearly lost it laughing because he pulled the hat down too far and came out like this:

I gave him a few pointers on wearing the hat a tad more “jaunty” and I was glad to see he figured it out for the actual performance! That right there is my very first sweater, ladies and gents!

This week is all business, though. I have a presentation in each of my classes this week. One is a book presentation on Jerry Spinelli’s Stargirl. I’m sort of winging that one. I taught myself how to play “Happy Birthday” on my new ukulele to play as I enter the classroom in character, just like Stargirl sings to people in the cafeteria. I also stitched up a little “Cinnamon” rat out of an old t-shirt.

I plan on getting a classmate to tape my book presentation tomorrow night so that I can save it for posterity’s sake. Actually, I live to embarrass myself on the Internet (see above). Really, I’m kinda excited about walking, playing the ukulele, and singing at the same time, and if I can pull it off, I’ll be damn proud of myself!

My other project is for my Content Area Literacy course on how to activate students’ prior knowledge on a particular subject, and ways to get them excited and motivated about the upcoming lesson or unit. My group covered four subjects of high school, and I made a website with iWeb to share our information. I got to cover English-Language Arts and am particularly proud of my motivation ideas. You can check out our website at: http://web.me.com/cassiecsmith/Interest_Ignition/Home.html.

After Thanksgiving, I’m turning in my completed list of twenty-four young adult books that I’ve read this semester. I just started Little Brother by Cory Doctorow this evening, and am extremely fascinated by its premise. The l337 speak and hax0r language in the novel makes me have to read certain passages a few times to make sure I completely understand what’s just been said, but so far (20 pages in) I’m enjoying the novel. And bonus that it’s an ex-library book from Cleveland!

Also due after Thanksgiving is another project for my young adult lit class involving the creation of learning centers. Like centers in kindergarten only for high school students and way cooler. My learning centers are all about comics and graphic novels. Again, I’m using iWeb to create a website to showcase my learning centers and w00t- iWeb has a comic book theme! So I borrowed one of Jason’s many superhero shirts and totally geeked out.

Tee-hee. Anyone know why I have those two super hero ladies next to me on the page? I’ll give you a clue- look in the blue box to the left.

Also after Thanksgiving, I may do a tiny neighborhood craft show. Key word is may. I’m not sure if I’ll have enough stuff to show, but really I wouldn’t be going to make a lot of money. It’d definitely be more for the fun of being around other crafters.

As for Thanksgiving itself, I will most likely be traveling to Carbondale, Illinois (home of the Southern Illinois University Salukis) to visit my mom’s entire family. My grandmother had a massive stroke this past Friday and is still in the hospital, but fortunately she’s been able to speak when she’s conscious and can recognize people around her. All of my mom’s siblings are up there with her, and my brother and I will probably be up there, too. My poor dad has to work next week so he’ll be home alone with the pets. I may stop off in my new favorite city of Nashville if my friends are in town, but don’t expect too much excitement. I haven’t been to Carbondale in over ten years so maybe there’ll be something new to see. I finished some pretty blue socks for my grandmother and it’ll be nice to give her those while she’s recovering.

I didn’t want to end this post on a downer. So here’s a cute picture of me and the little girl I babysit riding the kiddie train at Zoo Atlanta. Happy Thanksgiving!

I finally finished the Gigantor Pink Sweater and matching Pink Tam tonight. I cannot stop giggling over the fact that I got my boyfriend to put both on, but sadly he would not allow pictures. I, on the other hand, am a glutton for punishment. Here’s the [video] I made after I finished the tam. I’m whispering because Jason was in the adjacent room and I didn’t want him to laugh at me. Yeah.

And here’s the (almost) whole shebang:

It is intentionally supposed to look crap because the character who will wear it in a high school musical this weekend knitted it. “Mr. Biggley” from How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying has the pleasure of some handmade knitwear! I’ll take pictures at tomorrow night’s dress rehearsal, which I am attending because apparently the numbers I choreographed are the best of the show so far! It’s been a nice trip down musical theater memory lane the past few weeks. And getting the chance to knit my first sweater vest was the cherry on top… even if it does look crap.

What’s the Eddie Izzard line about looking cool and looking like a dickhead?

Just thought I’d stare off this post and SCARE YOU! That was me on Halloween- super duper green! We celebrated with a big group of friends at the Graveyard Tavern in East Atlanta and danced until 2, I mean, 1, no I mean 2 (damn you, Daylight Savings!). Anyway, it was late and COLD and I was green.

Now on to the fun stuff.

I’m knitting a pink sweater vest for a costume for a high school play. And I’m reading a lot (per the usual) and trying to knit for fun in between all that. My bedside table looks like this:

It’ll be fun to show off the vest when I finish because it’ll be my first big garment.

And for all of you who knit, I came across an easy knitting charitable cause today. The Shepherd Center is an AMAZING hospital and rehabilitation center in Atlanta for spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries. They are trying to collect 60 handknit men’s scarves by December 1st and I wanted to put out the call to any readers who knit. I’m going through my stash and plan on making some nice, but simple scarves in order to get a few done. For more information, you can email Tracy Walling at Tracy_Walling@shepherd.org. I think 60 scarves can be easily accomplished over the rest of the month so I highly encourage you to spread the word!