Summer Readin'

I always crash into summer with some reading. As soon as that last bell rings and I put that last box of papers away, I head to my little stash of books that I have been tucking away until I have "more time." Here are some of the reads I am looking forward to or have already enjoyed in my first few days of summer. Fun reading with cute boys--my favorite!

My Profession

We have 4.5 days of school this week. Then summer! My fuse is always a little short this time of year; I am just as ready for summer as the students are. So I love a little humor to lighten the mood, especially humor that pokes fun at my profession.

Here's a trailer for "Bad Teacher." My kind of funny!

Writing Warm Up

I keep coming to my blog, opening up a new post, and then I sit here and stare at the screen. I am having blog-writers-block. Ironically, I can open Scrivener, switch to full screen mode (which blacks out everything but the "page" and off I go. I worry about it some, but I guess it's okay to have writer's block on my blog if things are working in my manuscript. (Well, sorta working . . . it is just a first draft after all!)

So my only idea for a blog post today is to tell you about Scrivener. I could go on and on, but I will just tell you my four favorite things and then send you to a link where they say it better.

1. Full-Screen Mode where all you see is the page on a black background (or any background you choose). It keeps me from surfing around on Itunes or checking my email.

2. Name Generator. Very cool feature that prevents me from getting on the internet or looking in magazines to find names. And I keep working.

3. The Cork Board. You can switch to a view where all your chapters show up looking like index cards on a cork board. Makes me feel very organized and it looks much, much better than the pile of sticky notes, papers, napkins, receipts, and crayons that are actually sitting next to me.

4. FREE Trial. That's how I ended up buying it. I tried it free and I loved it. They also offer a discount for teachers, makes me feel the love!

So go to Scrivener get your free trial copy and generate names. You won't regret it!

It's about the love.

I was five years old when Prince Charles married Diana. I don't think I watched when I was five, but well, I was five so I don't exactly remember. I do know that I have been fascinated and nostalgic as the 2011 Royal Wedding approached. I am not a die-hard fan who stayed up/got up in the wee hours to watch the nuptials, but I did record it. Yesterday as I watched and joined in on the spirit of the celebration, I kept thinking about why I enjoy moments like these so much.

1. It's all about the fairy tale. I love the idea of a story that makes little girls dream and dress up and wish for princes. They are out there.

2. It's all about the dresses (and hats). I shopped for wedding dresses for YEARS before I finally got to buy one of my own. There is nothing more beautiful than a bride (in any color) in a fancy dress and veil. An unexpected side-effect of this wedding was the sheer fascination with the hats. I know there is lots of criticism and mockery going on about the hats, but I found them intriguing. How do they keep some of them on their heads?

3. It's all about happiness. I know not all weddings have a happy ending, not even royal ones, but they seem so happy today and so many people seem so happy to share in this moment. There is so much in our world that is scary and dangerous and depressing, I love a moment of happiness.

4. It's all about London. So I have been to London once. I went to Westminster Abbey once. I actually walked up and down Whitehall like four times. But in comparison to most of the people around me, I feel I am practically an expert on London. I felt the need to tour-guide a lot of folks through the locations of the royal wedding. And it makes me want to go back.

5. It's all about love. And I love love. I love stories where two people fall in love, so much so, that I write them, I watch them, I tell them, and I encourage them. When we get a chance to share in the story of someone else's love, we fall in love a little more ourselves.