alright book so far

Catch 22 is what I am readin and I am finally strting to get into the book and understanding things in the story.

here ya go

its required for me to post so here ya go.. I'm three chapters in to catch 22 and sick of the humor and lack of story line..

god i hope i'm doing this right...

twss....ANYWAY!! i'm reading Catch 22 and may i say that i hate annotating. i mean i would be DONE reading all of these books by now if i didn't have to write down stuff! *sigh* but anything for you Mrs. Conklin :)

P&P :P

I'm reading Pride and Prejudice and I think Mr. Collins is a creep and he talks to much. It takes a while to read and the fine print is irritating but I like to read books that are set in that time period.
Hope everyone's summer is going well. :D

P&P

Well....I have started reading Pride and Prejudice but I have been so busy that I have not gotten very far into it. I am pretty sure I know who is going to fall in love with whom. The old language is a little difficult but its understandable. Everything is going well!:D

hummm

Humm, im not so sure if i'm writting in the right place but it's worth a shot!
This blog is making me feel a lot better about myself to know that im not the only one struggling with Catch 22. I spend almost more time writting on the sticky notes than I do reading the actual book because there are so many vocabulary notes and things to write down. I talked to the Seniors last year tho and they said that i'll really like the book after discussing it in class so thats good news!
Good luck everyone!
-Lisa

My Book

Yes, I finally figured it out!!! I am also reading Catch-22 and I find that it is getting easier to understand each day. I have been reading 2 chapters each day and am now about halfway through (YES!!!) Also, I have never had more vocab words for one book...EVER.

YAHOO!

Well, I am also reading Catch-22 and have to say I agree with Lena. It seems like a bunch or random nonsense. It took me a while to get into reading it though. It didn't really pull me in at first because I couldn't figure out what was going on. When I got to chapter 15 though, things really turned around. This chapter pulled me in. It was pretty exciting. So far it's my favorite chapter. My book is also annotated like crazy! Probably because I was like "What the heck is going?" the whole time. Well good luck to everyone else. Lena, as long as you read a little over a chapter a day, you should be done in time. I planned on doing my reading log after I finished it, based on my annotations, but I was needed something to keep me awake yesterday, so I did some of it. My vocab list is also constantly growing.

WOO!

Yay, it works! I also started with Catch-22, and it's extremely difficult to read. I tried to read one chapter a day but I'm finding that I have to read more, because the days are running short. However, I'm still very confused on the point of this book. It seems very random to me as well, but it is going easier. I'm doing my vocab list as I go, with my mom's OLD, OLD, OLD Franklin in hand (you should see this thing, it's ancient). I haven't started the reading log yet, but I figure that if I go back and use my annotaions as a box in the chart, that would be okay, huh? Here I go, chapter 15!

Good luck! :)

Lena

First post

I hope this is where I'm supposed to post.....

My Book

I decided to start with what seemed to be the more difficult book to read, Catch-22. It is very confusing at times, but I think I'm starting to get the story line a little... That is, until one or two of the characters starts going on a rant and I have no idea where their conversation came from or even what it's about!! But anyway, the vocab list and reading log are going fine. All I have to say to you guys reading Catch-22 is good luck! You're going to need it...

Which book are you?

Where are my Yossarians, my Major Majors and Dunbars and Milo Minderbinders, my Clevingers, Colonel Cathcarts, Doc Daneekas, McWatts, Snowdens? The list goes on and on, but I'll stop there.

Or perhaps you are more along the lines of Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy, Mr. Collins, Jane, Lydia, Kitty, Mrs. Bennet or the amusing Mr. Bennet?

Which book have you started with for the summer reading? I'd like to get an idea so I can get a mini-discussion going before the first of July.

Happy reading!!

Posting

For those 2010-2011 AP people who are having trouble posting:
Step 1: Do you have an account? I am not computer savvy (notice I've been a part of this blog for over a year and I still don't have a picture), I couldn't figure out how to get an account with my pre-existing yahoo email. Un-savvy that I am, I just made a g-mail account. Most of you are already to this point, if not, feel free to ask me via facebook or email (andreachristine91@yahoo.com)
Step 2: You are on the AP lit and comp blog. Look up to the right of your screen and you will see (if you are logged in) three things at the very top of the site: your email, New Post, and Sign Out. Once you click on "New Post", you'll be transported through the magical interweb to a page that has a blue banner with spaces for you to type your title, an optional link, and your actual post. Write what you're supposed to, add a few witty remarks if you like, spell check and then you have two options: "Publish Post" or "Save Now". And voila! you have your participation points.

If I was unclear or you need help, just facebook or email, I'll probably get back to you within 24 hours.

Summer Reading

It was a nice July day at family camp. The birds were chirping, the children playing, the old people by their campers playing cards and eating prunes, and I was doing my reading log and vocab list for Catch-22. DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN TO YOU! I had planned on reading five chapters of C-22 every day and I definitely didn't. Instead, I sat on the dryer during the week leading up to camp and forced myself to read about 50 pages per day so that I could finish to book before I left and then I did the reading log during camp. I hated that book. Heck, I still hate that book. Hopefully I will never have to read it again. BUT, I also didn't want to admit that I didn't completely understand the book. You're in a class with a bunch of really intelligent people, that's why it's AP. Talk to each other, it helps a lot. Also, for those of you who haven't started Catch yet, if you tend to read structured books where the time-line is evident, throw that idea out the window. After I was about halfway through the book someone said something about thinking of it like a movie with flash backs and flash forwards, I started doing that and it was a lot easier to read. As a side note, I have my own summer reading because I'm a member of the Lee Honors College at WMU (apparently it can not bee escaped). Good Luck!

Progress Report

It's a rainy Monday and since the beach is probably not an option, maybe you're hunkered down in front of the computer screen. Or better yet, you're curled up on the couch with a good book...one of the books you were so generously given by your new favorite English teacher perhaps?

I'm curious how things are going. A few of you have emailed me directly to let me know how things are going, but remember you have NINE more days to post a comment on the blog before the JUNE 30 deadline. I am making this an assignment of sorts, so yes, you will get points for commenting on what book you are reading and how it's going. If you've been dragging your heels, that's fine, just be honest. I'd like to hear if people are having trouble because chances are your AP peers can probably lend a hand. This also goes for the AP alums who are still receiving blog updates. Feel free to simply yell "HELP!" if you are lost, confused, locked in a closet, or cornered by grizzly bears who are trying to steal your books.

Again, don't forget about that June 30 deadline for blog comment/posting. And if you are still struggling with the whole blog thing, let me know that, too, so I can get you some help. Some people have posted already, so feel free to ask them for help as well.

Happy summer and happy reading!!

Happy Bloomsday!!

Today is Bloomsday, the day depicted in James Joyce's epic novel Ulysses. It's the same day James Joyce went on a date with his future wife, Nora Barnacle, in 1904. The day is celebrated by Joyce enthusiasts all over the world, but no where are the celebrations bigger than in Joyce's native Ireland. The James Joyce society in Dublin sponsors a week long festival that began last Saturday. I had the good fortune of being in Dublin six years ago today for the 100th anniversary Bloomsday. Here is a picture of me in Dublin next to a wall where someone had scrawled some chalk graffiti.

Click on the title of the post "Happy Bloomsday," and you'll be directed to the James Joyce society website for more information on Bloomsday and events happening in Dublin. You'll be reading a collection of James Joyce's short stories, Dubliners, over Christmas break. If you're feeling adventurous, give Ulysses a try. A note of warning, your fearless AP teacher started Ulysses two summers ago with the intention of reading 150 pages every June. So far, I've covered 260 pages. It's a work in progress :)

Happy Bloomsday and Happy Reading!!

Trouble posting?

Greetings bloggers!

If you are having trouble posting to the blog, try following these steps.

1) Make sure you are logged in. You can log in using your email address (doesn't have to be a Google account - any email account will do)

2) Once you log in, you should get to the main screen of the blog (with the title and postings) At the top right corner of the screen next your email address, you should see "New Post" Click on that and post away. You can also comment on postings that have already been made.

Still struggling? Shoot me an email and hopefully we can figure it out together!

Happy blogging and reading!

MCC

What Freshmen Will Read

A nice transition article for the incoming AP students and the outgoing college freshmen (wow...how weird does that sound?) I'm curious how many of your prospective universities have a summer reading assignment for orientation. Michigan State has assigned Zeitoun by Dave Eggers. Check out the website. http://www.onebookeastlansing.com/ I'm pumped for the future Spartans out there (Abby and Grace) - Eggers is a brilliant writer!! Other universities have taken to assigning summer reading as part of freshman orientation and having on-campus activities related to the book (discussion panels, documentary presentations, etc)

The article from Inside Higher education chronicles what some colleges and universities consider to be "required reading" for their students. It was cool to see the collection of essays in "This I Believe" listed as one of the top books. The "This I Believe" essay has been a part of my creative writing curriculum for the last several years.

Happy reading to AP warriors, past and present :)

Mrs. Conklin and everyone else,

I just wanted to say I had an amazing year in AP. I sruggled a lot but it was all of you that kept me motivated. We had a great class and all got along really well. I want to wish all of you GOOD LUCK next year and I hope we can all keep in touch. Mrs. Conklin, GOOD LUCK next year with 6 block and I hope you have a great group like we did this year.

Thanks again,
Nicole :)

This is just to say...

I spent yesterday afternoon reading over your evaluations and I was really touched by the thought and consideration you put into them. I have made a list of "Next year in AP..." and will be adding some of your suggestions to the list.

Above all, thank you for making the first year of AP such an oustanding success! I couldn't have wished for a better class and you will all hold a special place in my heart as the first and only AP guinea pigs. Your work ethic, positive attitudes, and willingness to be flexible made this class a pleasure to teach!

Don't forget that the tee-shirts are finished and I'll be picking them up this afternoon. I'll have them at graduation if you want yours then. If not, I'll be around school until Wednesday of next week. You can drop off your $7.50 in the office and Mrs. Allen or Mrs. Luginbuhl will get it to me. I'm anxious to see how the shirts turned out!

Congratulations with being FINISHED with high school!! Woo hoo!! I'll see you at graduation on Sunday!

~MCC