January Recap

On this last day of January, I thought relevant to reflect on the first month of 2014 and the reading I’ve accomplished. One of my new year’s resolutions is to “create time for hobbies most important to my physical and emotional well-being” (yeah, my resolutions are intense this year), and I feel like this blog and my January reads have done just that. I’m proud of the time that I have dedicated to reading instead of watching TV, puttering around the house or checking Facebook (although let’s be honest, I did a lot of that too). January has been a great first step to making time for myself and my passions, and I’m looking forward to see what February has in store!

Here’s a recap of the books I read this month:

1. Outcasts United by Warren St. John
2. Nurture Shock by Ashley Merryman and Po Bronson
3. Seriously..I’m Kidding by Ellen Degeneres
4. 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam
5. Amped by Daniel H. Wilson

So 5 books total, with 4 being non-fiction and 1 fiction. Amped¸ my fiction read, was also my first audio book (review coming soon!). Although January was obviously very non-fiction heavy, I’m proud of the variety of non-fiction: investigative, research based, humor, and self-help. Each of these five books taught me something different. I learned:

• I need to be more grateful for what I have and try to help others achieve their dreams.
• Sometimes we need to trust ourselves to do the right thing.
• Question everything.
• Laughter always helps, and it’s okay to be silly.
• I have more time than I think, and that time needs to be spent doing things I love.
• Technology is complex and we need to consider the effect it has on people, for good or for evil.

Happy Chinese New Year and bring it on, February!

Book Review: 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam

During lunch, my coworkers and I often talk about our lives after 3:14pm when the final bell rings. These lives usually involve: work-related planning and grading, driving kids to practices, fixing dinner, getting oil changes, volunteering at some event,  driving an hour to watch the kids play hockey, making a cake for someone’s birthday tomorrow, and on and on we go. It’s usually during discussions like this that I find myself saying “I don’t even know what I would do with kids- I can barely take care of myself!”

All we talk about in America, it seems, is how much time we wish we had and how busy we are and “gee- wouldn’t it be great if we had time for X, Y, or Z?” Enter the book 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam.  Although not proclaimed as a self-help book, the book’s purpose is to help you think about where you spend your 168 hours- that is, the amount of hours in any given week. Here are Vanderkam’s three arguments:

1. Every decision we make to fill our time is a choice. If we truly value something, we should make time for it- after all, we have 168 hours every week to fill with these choices. 
2.  Everyone has “core competencies,” those activities that we love the most and are best at. Our 168 hours should be filled as much as possible with those competencies.
3. If we don’t like doing something, we should ignore it, minimize it, or outsource it in order to make time for what we do love.

I liked this book because it was a deliberate practice for me to think about how I use my time and how I wished I used my time. It also made me think about my "core competencies." Here they are:

• Dancing
• Reading
• Teaching
• Creating- music, cards, scrapbooks,  journal entries
• Fostering relationships with family and friends
• Spending time outside at the farm

Luckily for me, I get to do a lot of these things in the course of a week. I coach dance at least ten hours a week, most of my Saturdays and a lot of my summers are spent outside at the farm, and Matt and I make regular trips to Minneapolis and Milwaukee to visit long-distance friends.

But this book also made me think about what time I waste throughout the day. I’m looking at you, TV and Facebook. All told, I probably spend two hours a day watching TV and another two on social media websites, if you add up all the ten minute checks throughout the day. These are definitely activities I’d like to minimize. And while I think every teacher can agree that work spills over past the normal hours of the school day, I know I could use my afternoon prep hour my efficiently. How can I grade and plan more efficiently in order to save time later?

I love the idea that every hour I have is a choice- if I do laundry, that is my choice because I value wearing clean clothes and having a tidy house. If I spend my evening reading, I shouldn’t feel guilty because it shows I value having a relaxed mindset to tackle the next day of challenges. Reframed in this way, it makes me much more appreciative of my time and of my choices.

Why you might like this book: As I said before, I like that this book made me think deliberately about how I spend my time and it gave numerous examples of different people who were able to make time for what they love. It’s inspiring to think that people have time to build their own business, spend time with their family, train for a marathon, and volunteer three times a week. I also like the idea of thinking of my time in terms of weeks, rather than days. Suddenly, it gives me much more freedom!

Why you might not like this book: This book is 100% targeted to the privileged. When Vanderkam argues that you should ignore, minimize, or outsource unwanted tasks, she assumes that you have a disposable income and can afford to pay for a meal service, weekly maid or even a personal shopper. Although some people I know might be able to afford these luxuries, a lot of my college friends are still living paycheck to paycheck and this just isn’t realistic for them. The author is also a freelance writer in New York City, and sometimes I have a hard time to relating my Midwestern teaching lifestyle to hers. 

I would recommend this book to: People who feel like they need more time in the day and want to spend that time doing something they love- I’m looking at you especially, my twenty-somethings!

To find out how you are spending your 168 hours each week, download the weekly template here from Laura Vanderkam’s website. It truly is a good practice to see exactly how you are spending your time and how you might adjust it to better align with your passions.

As for me, I plan on continuing to make time for the things I love and creating memories with the people I cherish most. And finally, although not necessarily mentioned in 168 Hours, I want to express appreciation for how much time I get to do the things I love- dancing, teaching, and so on. Although I complain about my work sometimes (after all, who doesn’t?), I need to remember that I have a choice to partake in those jobs, and I want to appreciate them for the challenge that they are and be present in the moment.

Have a wonderful 168 hours this week!

Book Review: Seriously...I'm Kidding by Ellen Degeneres

I have never met someone who doesn’t like Ellen Degeneres. I mean, right? She’s real, she’s a good role model, and she’s hilarious- what’s not to like? When I worked part time, I used to be able to make it home from school almost every day to watch her talk show at 3pm. It was glorious.

Ellen Degeneres’ book Seriously… I’m Kidding ended up in my hands during our family’s annual Christmas Book Exchange. This is the third book Ellen has written, and, like her talk show, it is filled with silly quips, jokes, and well-meaning advice covered in ridiculous exaggeration.

Why you might like this book: Seriously… I’m Kidding is a very quick read and the chapters do not need to be read in any particular order. If you like Ellen’s personality and style of jokes, you will really enjoy this book. In fact, here is a glowing review from NPR.

Why you might not like this book: If you are looking for an inspirational, heartfelt memoir, this is definitely not it. I would have liked to see a little more seriousness in Ellen’s writing and was expecting to find out more about her as a person. As such, I would probably recommend the titles below if you’d like a little more meat to your female comedian reading; I found that Mindy Kaling and Tina Fey bared the souls a little bit more than Degeneres, while still maintaining a hilarious voice.

Similar Titles I’ve Read: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling and Bossy Pants by Tina Fey

I would recommend this book to: people looking for a quick beach read or in need of a laugh

Seriously… I’m Kidding is lighthearted, upbeat, and a fun, quick read. While this wasn't my favorite book of all time, I still love Ellen can't wait to see her host the Oscars on March 2!

Adventures in Audiobooks

Confession: Monday was my first time ever listening to an audiobook.

In the past, I have had some qualms about using audiobooks, summed up in two points:

1.       Is reading an audiobook really reading? Or it is more like watching a movie and then pretending to have read the book? Fact: Hunger Games the movie is NOT the same as Hunger Games the book. Even Harry Potter, which is a very well done film series,does not stand on equal footing as the delightfully long books by J.K. Rowling. So, if I don’t have a book physically in front of me, and my ears are reading instead of my eyes, does this really count?

2.       Will I be able to pay attention? I often reread passages or look back at previous chapters to make sure I understand the characters and plot correctly, especially when it’s complex. Will I be able to follow everything that’s going on? Sometimes I zone out when I listen to music in the car- will I miss important parts because I tune out the story?

Enter peer pressure. Recently, I have heard so many testimonies of audiobook junkies (you know who you are!) They kept saying to me “wow, I read so many more books this way” and “it’s so great for a long commute” and “you don’t know what you’re missing!” and “sometimes I just sit in the car for ten minutes before going inside because I just want to keep listening.” And so this week, I began listening to my very first audiobook.

While researching a little bit about audiobooks, I learned that it’s super easy to download them (and ebooks too!) from this awesome site if you have a library card and live in Wisconsin, like I do. I can only imagine that other states have a similar program. The books will download right to your iPod, iPhone, or tablet instantly.

However, with the iPod connector in my Jeep on the fritz, I decided to go old school and check out a book comprised of seven CDs from the library at work. Perusing the books, I talked to our high school librarian, who recommended the science fiction story Amped by Daniel H. Wilson, published in 2012. “It’s a book I normally wouldn’t read,” she told me. “But I enjoyed the narrator and it was fun to listen to something different than what I was currently reading.” Michelle has never let me down before, so I checked it out.

Second Confession: This is not exactly the first time I have checked out an audiobook from the library. It shames me to admit this, but previously, I checked out I am the Messenger, by Markus Zusak. Never opened it. However, on this Monday morning, I sat down in the driver’s seat, popped open the little case, nervously inserted Disc 1 of 7 into my CD player, and began my twenty-five minute commute to work.

So with two days and one hundred minutes of listening under my belt, here are my observations about the world of audiobooks:

• It’s true what they say: A good narrator makes a huge difference. The narrator of Amped has a very calm and easy to listen to voice. He also has slightly different pitches/cadences for different characters, but it doesn’t sound weird or fake. So kudos to you, narrator!
• Contrary to my fears, it’s really not that hard to pay attention. And yes, it is very relaxing. Not so relaxing that I’m running red lights or anything though, so that’s a plus.
• It works best for me to stop listening at the end of a track. Just as I like to read to the end of a chapter before closing a book for the night, I also like some closure in my listening. If I’m close to arriving at work and the chapter ends, I will simply turn in off so that I can feel more at peace about where I am leaving off. Weird, I know, but it helps. 
•  Any one in my family will tell you that I’m a bit of a binge reader. Over Christmas, I received a book on the morning of the 25^th and finished the 300 pager by the 27^th- 54 hours. So having to “read” this book in smaller chunks has been my biggest challenge. I almost envy my friends who have such a long commute that they can finish a book in a week. Okay, I don’t really envy the hour long commute, but I am impatient about finishing it. Patience is a virtue though, right? Hopefully I am being virtuous by “reading” slowly.

On a final note, so far Amped is really great. Not exactly light-hearted, but very different than books I usually read, and I think a lot of my students would love it. I will write a book review when I’m done- which will be in approximately 343 minutes of commuting. :)

Is audiobooking still reading? I’m not convinced, but I will admit that I’m enjoying the experience. If you are a big book listener, what books would you recommend in this format? Suggestions are always appreciated!

Book Review: Nurture Shock by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman

In one sentence, this book debunks modern parenting theories and tactics using science. Some topics included in this book include: why giving praise can be detrimental to self-esteem, why kids lie to their parents, why educational TV shows can cause children to be verbally aggressive, why sleep matters so darn much, and more. As authors Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman write in their introduction,

We chose these topics because the research surprised us- it directly challenged the conventional point of view on how kids grow up. However, once we parsed through the science and reviewed the evidence, the new thinking about children felt self-evident and logical, even obvious. (11)

In other words, even though the studies presented disprove conventional thinking, they still make sense and are logical. Why? Because they are backed up by science and data. Here’s an example: the D.A.R.E. program is popular nation-wide; when I was growing up, every fifth grader went through the “Say No to Drugs” program and learned about how to say no to peer pressure, the negative effect of drugs, and the long term consequences of abusing alcohol and drugs. However, as awesome as this program sounds, Bronson and Merryman cite several studies that show the program really makes no difference long term in preventing teenagers from experimenting with drugs. So why is it still used?

You might like this book because: You don’t need to read every single chapter to learn something. For teachers, I would recommend the following chapters: “The Inverse Power of Praise,” “The Search for Intelligent Life in Kindergarten,” and “Can Self Control Be Taught?” For parents with small children, I would recommend “The Lost Hour,” “Why White Parents Don’t Talk About Race,” “The Sibling Effect,” and “Plays Well with Others.” These chapters truly can be read as their own scholarly article without reading the rest of the book.

You might not like this book because: It has received some critical reviews, including this one from The New York Times. Pamela Paul argues the book is an oversimplification of parenting and not an end-all parenting manual. Still, even she admits that the book calls to attention studies rarely seen in the media.

Similar Titles I’ve Read: Mindset by Carol Dweck, Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, Freakonomics by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt

I would recommend this book to: any parents with small children or people thinking about having children soon, teachers (especially those who work with elementary students), and day care providers.

While non-fiction books aren't always enthralling to me, I am glad I read the book and enjoyed the various studies that Bronson and Merryman reference. It did cause me to reflect what kind of praise I give to my students and how I interact with them, and I hope I can use some of what I learned to improve my teaching and, at some point, parenting in the future.

Book Review: Outcasts United by Warren St. John

At the high school where I teach, we host a school-wide book club called GR@SP. Our school librarian, with teacher and administration input, chooses five books each year to spotlight. In the past, we have also had an author of one of the books come in as guest speakers to our Creative Writing and other English classes; the past two years we hosted Jay Asher (author of Thirteen Reasons Why and The Future of Us) and Chris Crutcher (author of Anger Management, Whale Talk, and Deadline).

This year, we have another five books up for the picking. Before leaving for what is turning out to be an extremely long winter break (we have had school cancelled two days now for cold weather), our librarian loaded up our library’s thirty Nooks with the five books and more, and offered them to staff. AWESOME.

My first book in 2014, therefore, is the only non-fiction book for GR@SP this year: Outcasts United: The Story of a Refugee Soccer Team That Changed a Town by Warren St John.

Published in 2012, this work follows the story of Coach Luma Mufleh and her creation of a free soccer club for recent refugee immigrants in Clarkston, Georgia. The version of the book we are reading for GR@SP is an abridged-by-author version, which makes it a little bit shorter and more high school friendly.

You might like this book because: Coach Luma is basically a rockstar. She demonstrates tough love and high expectations for her players; as a teacher, I love seeing this type of attitude toward students who might traditionally be seen as “high risk” and “low achievers.” She will not give up on them, but she will also not do all the work for these kids. It’s also amazing to hear the stories of these young men who have been through so much in their short lives- it really puts some perspective into those “first world problems” we complain about so much and the type of luxuries we take for granted on a regular basis.

You might not like this book because: At times, I found it a little choppy. In non-fiction books, I always like the author to be somewhat engaged or a part of the story. While St. John uses the first person (“I asked Jeremiah what he thought about…”), he never explains who he is or why he became interested in Coach Luma and her program in the first place. I personally found that a little strange.

(Sort of) Similar Titles I've Read: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore, and In a Single Bound by Sarah Reinersten

I would recommend this book to: any soccer fans, readers interested in refugee immigration, fans of investigative non-fiction, and my dear friend Kirsten.

Overall, Outcasts United is a feel good story and I always love one of those, especially when it’s true! Coach Luma and her team definitely experience ups, downs, frustrations, and victories, but in the end, it isn’t really about soccer, but about an opportunity to succeed, overcome tragedy and obstacles, and become a better human being. And isn’t that what we all want?

Have you read Outcasts United? What did you think?