Book #124: Losing My Cool

Thomas Chatterton Williams' Losing My Cool: Love, Literature and a Black Man's Escape from the Crowd is one of the smartest most interesting and relevant books my students have assigned me so far.

The writing is amazing, thoughtful, deep and relevant.

The writer is someone you'd sit next to and listen to for hours, trusting him to take your places with his stories.

His mother was white, his father was black, and they very intentionally raised him to be black because that would be "the way the world would see him."  The author takes pieces of his black identity and plays with it, dances with it, analyzes it and leaves the reader waiting for his book.

The day after I finished reading this book I personally thanked the student who assigned it to me and asked her if I could lend it to another student.  It's that good.
Read this book.

Intervention Tuesday

Remember when I started this read-every-book-my-college-students-assign-me project over a year ago? Remember how I  happily read 30 books? then 50 books? Then 100 books?  Then um, more?

Well guess what?

The universe tried to stage an intervention on me this past Tuesday.

Tuesday morning, after talking about this and that and the other, my mom gently (gently) said "Isn't enough enough with those books? Can't you stop?"

I hear in her voice a bit of what she knows is in my core.

I don't do things halfway, which means I sometimes do something intensely until I'm completely sick of it and never want to do it again (ex: crocheting) (ex2: shoe shopping).

Moderation is something I've learned through the grace of God.

But anyway, I tell my Mom NOOOOO (of course! you saw that coming right?) and then start spilling about how much I love love loved the book "The Last Invisible Boy" and then how important this OTHER book was by an author who should be a poet, then I gush about this NEW book I'm reading on 33 strategies of war and how to apply them to life.

Two minutes later I've convinced us both that the reading isn't my problem.  (Denial!)

It's the writing that drives me nuts.

 I want to write what I want to write when I want to write it, then I feel guilty for not writing up stories about really good books and also funny things, and that guilt to write (which, I would describe as the EXACTLY OPPOSITE of writer's block) makes me cranky.

 Our conversation drifts.

Two hours later, in my new (old-new) office, a student shakes her head and says maybe I should stop reading now, maybe I've done enough.

I disagree and then suggest a book for her to read.

An hour later another student admits she and her mom both think I'm "fucking nuts" for reading this much.  I thank her for her concern, and soon enough we are in class and I'm looking forward to reading another book before dark.

Book #123: Girls from da hood 2

I asked my students to assign me a great book that I wouldn't find on my own, and this book definitely fills that requirement.

Girls from da hood 2 (Nikki Turner/ Kashamba Williams / Joy) is a series of short stories about girls in horrible conditions who find other girls and stand up together. The first short story opens with a letter (filled with f****) to a teenager from her mom, angry at her for sleeping with her stepfather and telling her she is on her own for the rest of her life.

Awesome.

 These stories of rape, desire, betrayal and frustration aren't something I would have found -- or looked for --- on my own. And that's all I have to say about this book!

Book #122: Blue Like Jazz

Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality is an delightful book, written by a man who finds delight in the smallest of things.

I carried this book with me and read a chapter here and there, holding them close, inspired by the author's perspective.  You are going to read this book (you should!) so I'm not giving you an outline. Here are the most important points I took from the book.

Community is everywhere, including where you find it.
Love is everywhere, and it is inexhaustible.
Everything belongs to God, and God is amazing.

Service Project Option 1: North Florida Homeless Veterans Stand Down

As discussed in class, we are choosing to direct our efforts to help the larger community of Veterans at the North Florida Homeless Veterans Stand Down April 24-26 at the Fairgrounds. http://www.floridaveteransfoundation.org/north-florida-homeless-veterans-stand-down/

Students may choose to serve by creating Victory Bags or by volunteering for a shift at the event. 

 If you choose to serve at the actual event, please discuss this with me and plan on attending an open meeting hosted by TCC Student Veterans at 3pm on Wednesday April 8 (more info coming Monday). 

If you are in my 12:20 MWF class you know who to talk to about this event and why it is so important.

If you can't make the meeting,  let me know and I will connect you with the right people.

The rest of the information below is for students choosing to make a Victory Bag for a Veteran.

Due: April 16 by 2pm. Please bring them to class or to my office hours.

Make sure to follow all the directions, including taking/printing pictures*

1)   All the supplies must be delivered in a duffel bag, gym bag, backpack, overnight bag (something dignified and useful, are you getting my drift?) or a reusable plastic storage container.

A student in class asked if she could just hand me the stuff in a bag, and the answer is yes, if you want to just donate but not make a complete Victory Bag, please feel free to give how you are called to give. However, students who wish to complete this service project for credit must complete every step.

2)   Include clothes and toiletries and comfort items for the gender and size you sign up for and add the tag outside. Also, make sure to include a letter/card from you.

·      What to pack:

o   Shoes/Slippers/Socks

o   Pants/ shorts / shirts

o   Underwear (new, please) (undies for both the top and bottom please)

o   Other: sunglasses - reading glasses

o   Large towel

o   Toiletries kit

o    Cards, board game, magazine, books, DVDs music

o   Card/letter from you  full of gratitude and encouragement. 

·      And then?

o   Take a picture of the contents of the bag.  

o   Take a picture of the card/letter before you pack it.

o   Print these out and bring them to me on April 15 or April 16 in class.

·      Tag it.

o   Yellow: Women’s Small

o   Red: Women’s Medium

o   Pink: Women’s Large

o   Orange: Women’s Plus

o   Grey: Men’s Medium

o   Black: Men’s Large

o   White: Men’s X-Large

Question: How many bags can I make?

Answer: Students can make as many bags as they want, however the most you can earn is $50 (or, for the webclass, 50 points) for this project.

Question: But I did Part 4 of the Treasure Hunt!

Answer: OK, fine. You can do two, then.

Question: Can we put other things we want to in there?

Answer: Yes, I trust you to follow your inspiration when it comes.  I'm sure all the bags will be different shades of awesomeness.

Book #121: Theories of Relativity

 The boy on the cover of this sparse short book is Dylan, an Einstein-loving teen whose erratic and irrational mom kicked him out of the house on his 16th birthday. 

Usually a good story shows how a character changes over time, but this story is shines by doing the opposite, chronicling Dylan's fight to stay whole and keep his dignity.

If you want to learn about (or better yet, teach someone about) the issues of homelessness, this realistic and heavily detailed novel is a good gateway to the topic.

Before you go out and buy the book, be advised it most definitely is from the Young Adult section, and it was almost too easy and simple a read.


Theories of Relativity by Barbara Hawarth-Attard

More Q&A on the 100 Point Project

Q: When are we getting our lucky rocks?
A: Not yet.

Q: Can I interview a Veteran for this project? 
A: Yes.

Q: What if the Veteran tells me things I can't write about?
A:  Ask them nicely to tell you a story you can write about because you need this for history class.

Q: What if the things I want to write about are classified?
A: Double intriguing! I bet you can change a few names and make it work. Talk to me about this!

Q:  I want to write a cookbook.
A: That's an interesting angle! Here's an idea - perhaps you could use family recipes passed down over generations and tie them to history. Let's talk.

Q: Can I research my family tree for this project?
A: Yes! Yes! But don't get lost. The assignment is not to tell me your family history, that would be pretty tedious to recount. Look for a single good story and place it in the context of your family tree.

Q: What inspires you to write?
A: Love.

Q: What if we skip the project?
A: You would have a 0 for 100 points of the class, and you missed an opportunity to do something you'll be proud of for a very long time. 

Q: Where can I get help with my writing?
A: The Learning Commons. Please go, they are awesome.

Q: When is the Spring Dinner again?
A: Again? I haven't announced it. I'm glad you're excited. We will discuss it this week. Meanwhile, keep in mind that students who completed Treasure Hunt Part 4 and/or complete their 100 point project will have the first shot at signing up for the Service Project.

Book #120: Fearless

Most of the books for this 100-ish book project have come from my college students. 

This book arrived in the mail, assigned to me by a sorority sister from Loyola University who was following my 100-ish book marathon online.

A purple sticky note attached to the front page in very very familiar handwriting requested that I didn't peek at the book or google it until March 17.

 I generally do as I'm told, unless you ask me via email in which case I might say yes and forget and you have to forgive me because because that's why.

So I didn't read the book.

Instead I read 5 other books, put in long days at work and waited until March 17 to open this book. 

Oh. Oh no. This book begins with the ending. It's a circle. Adam Brown is going to die on March 17, but before that, Adam LIVES. He is bold, and fearless and a leader among his peers for his compassion and bravery.

After several military-related books I had to admit I was a little burned out when I opened this book, but right away it was different. 

It was tender. It was intimate and honest. 

Adam faced challenges. Adam faced addiction and homelessness. 

Adam found God.  Adam found Love.

I refuse to summarize this book for you -- but I did take copious notes in case you want to discuss it. 

Be forewarned.  At the end of the book (the chronicle of a death foretold) I was crying so hard I couldn't breathe. 

I put the book down and got ready to write.

Then I read the next pages and my heart was shattered into a million pieces.

 The author's journey on this book to capture Adam Brown's story ultimately becomes the story also of Adam's teammates who would perish in the worst loss of life in Navel Special Warfare History. 

I am thankful for this book, and equally exhausted from grief. I will definitely recommend this book to my friends and students. 

  And for the record, here are the notes I made while reading this book.

Book #119: Inside Seal Team Six

This was an interesting book about Seal Team Six by a member who went on many missions, some of which can only be expressed on pages that are blacked out by military censors.  I didn't love this book, maybe because so much of it is about athletic competitions. You might like it more than I did, especially if you enjoy training details. 

Book #118: Service

This book is so good, so important, that three students in three different classes assigned it to me.
Read it.

Book #117: Pacific Glory

The student who assigned me this book found me in the hallway and asked for it back. I said NO, I haven't read it yet! I have to read these books in order!

He understood. Kinda. And I read this book exactly in the right order, after Unbroken, on my streak of military history books.

First things first. I didn't know a man could write such a heart wrenching novel.

Second things second. This book is great history.

Book #116: Unbroken

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.

The student who assigned this book to me this semester kinda disappeared.
Then he reappeared in the hallway, asking if he should drop my class (what?) and could he have his book back (what?? not yet!).

I told him to come to class and let me finish the book.

He came back to class (to an ovation, for the record) and I finished this book.

You need to read it too.

Really, you do.

 If you don't  yet know that you care about WW2, read this book.

 If you think WW2 was only in Europe, read this.

If you want to fall into a book and be carried down a strong stream, battered against rocks, read this book.

Book #115: Politically Correct Bedtime Stories

Politically Correct Bedtime Stories by James Finn Garner (1994)


I loved this tiny brilliant little book. I loved every word, every sentence, every bit of it.  I savored every word, and took screenshots for you. Please please get this book, and please, please forgive me when you laugh out loud and your kids/friends/etc get mad at you. It's that good.

100 Point Project: Real Questions from Real Students.

Q: Can I buy out of this project?

A: Yes.

Q: Can I buy out of this project with $50?

A: Yes. You’d buy an F, though.

Q: I want to do the service project.

A: Awesomesauce.

Q: Can we make real actual money selling our books?

A: Yes. Yes you can. And once you know how to publish a book, you can publish books for other people. Think about it. You’re welcome.

Q: How many people do we need to interview for the Pretest option?

A: Ask 10 people the same 20 questions, or ask 20 people the same 10 questions.

Q: Is there a link on your blog?

A: There are a lot of links on my blog!

Q: Do we need to be in a group for the project?
A: Only if you choose the group project option.

Q: Where can I find sources for my project if I don’t know where to look?

A: TCC Library is awesome. No joke.

Q: How much can this project boost my grade?

A: Depends on which version you do, and what your grade is. If you are below the 50% mark now, I don’t see $100 bringing your grade up to a C in a course that has 1000 points. However taking the CUMULATIVE FINAL and doing very well on it can bring your grade up. No money can be used towards the cumulative final.

Q: What is a primary document? Where can I find primary documents?

http://tcc.fl.libguides.com/content.php?pid=190639&sid=1599135

http://tcc.fl.libguides.com/content.php?pid=190639&sid=1599126

http://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/history/resources/pubs/usingprimarysources

Q: What if I have no history?

A: Eek! See me.

Q: I honestly don’t know what to do. I need help.

A: I hear you. Come see me.

Q: What if there are no documents?

A: Oh, there are documents. There are ALWAYS documents, you just have to broaden the scope. I’ll show you. Come see me.

Q: How many pages?

A: That’s an awkward question.  Research should be driven by content not by length. I hope you are writing on something that is interesting and important to you. The shorter your project, the less learning you are demonstrating.

Q: Can I earn $200?

A: It's all about that cash, hmmm? The most you can earn for the $100 project is $100. The service project will be a separate discussion. 

Q: I need $100. Help.

A: The best advice I can give you is spend your time this week researching and writing. If you want to publish the book for $100 I’d like to review a draft of your work by April 13.

Q: Do the people we ask the questions to need to be in our same class?

A: No. Please no. Don’t ask any current students the questions. Go out into the world and ask questions about history. Have fun.

Q: Have you read Blue Like Jazz yet?

A: No, I promise I will before the end of the semester. I’m still traumatized from the last book I read. I though the book was over then there was a whole separate horrible tragic ending and I need a hug. A lot of hugs, actually.

Q: Why does it say 50 if it’s 100?

A: OK what what? I think you’re referring to the 50 point options. If you choose a 50 point option, then do TWO of them to earn 100 points. Cool?

Q: I have not started. I’m going to come see you.

A: Yes.

Q: Should I keep writing my story? I want to add a second story to it?

A: Delicious. Bring it to me ASAP and let’s talk.

Q: Is there a free site to get documents?

A: Start with the library.

 Q: How much money does it cost to publish a book?

A: None. http://www.melissalaughing.com/2014/11/how-to-publish-book-for-free.html

Q: Can I use your pretest questions?

A: Yes. And if you write your OWN questions, please pass them by me. Make sure to ask things you can answer. Avoid multiple choice questions*

http://www.melissalaughing.com/2015/03/1050-pre-post-test-rama.html

http://www.melissalaughing.com/2015/02/amh2020-pretest-today.html

1050 Pre-Post Test-a-rama

10: Agent Orange