52 in 52 - Book 8: "Still Alice" by Lisa Genova

There was so much hype surrounding this book that I HAD to read it.  I didn’t want to.  I am knocking on 50’s door and did not want to be depressed by a story about a contemporary losing her mind and memories.  While that was the gist of the story, that wasn’t all.

Still Alice grabbed my attention from the very beginning. Again, maybe it was my  similarity in age to Alice or my morbid fascination at being inside her head as she began to develop symptoms of early onset Alzheimer’s. Either way, I finished it in two days.

Alice Howland is a  cognitive psychology professor at Harvard renowned linguistics expert. She is rightfully proud of her accomplishments and travels the world speaking at conferences and giving keynotes.   She is married to John, also a well respected professor at Harvard.  They have three grown children.  Their lives are complete, fulfilling and fast-tracked.   

Alice begins to develop some “tip of the tongue” moments during her lectures; times when she knows what she wants to say, but a specific word is just out of reach.  We’ve all experienced that.  One day she was out for a run and found herself confused about what turn to take to get  home.  This left her upset, but she continued to deny her symptoms for a while longer.  Finally she saw a plethora of doctors and received her diagnosis.  

Of course, as all of her indicators start to rear their ugly heads, I couldn’t help but think about the times I can’t find my car after being in the mall or grocery store.  That freaked me out.  Each time I’d walk into a room and couldn’t remember why I’d gone in it I’d think to myself, “yep, I have Alzheimer's”.  Please understand that I am not making light of this disease.  It really did have me in a state of hypochondriactic paranoia.  (Hypochondriactic...I think I just made that word up.)  In addition, I’d been watching Celebrity Apprentice where Leeza Gibbons’ charity was Leeza’s Care Connection and she told the story of her mom’s diagnosis with the disease.  It.  Was.  Everywhere.  Ahhh!  Back to the book...

The novel centers around Alice coming to terms with her diagnosis, while her family struggles to admit that they are losing the version of their mom/wife they had always known.  It strategically points out that nobody has a plan for something like this.  That becomes apparent as Alice tries to put makeshift safety nets in place just to go for a run.  It invites the somewhat reluctant reader to a seat at the table of this terrible disease.  We see Alice’s frenzied need to read everything before she can no longer do so.  We see her struggle with the fact that she may never “know” her grandchildren, see her son fall in love or be able to comprehend the success her actress daughter achieves. We see her forced to give up the career she loves as her reputation begins to unravel.   We see a side of life that people all over the world are living every day.  It’s both enlightening and frightening.  

Relationships are at the heart of Still Alice.  The change in them begins gradually but the manifestation of the disease happens so quickly that those relationships become tested.  Readers watch while John begins to pull away because he is unable to help his wife. They see her children vacillate between worry and self-pity, as this disease is hereditary.  

The novel was thought-provoking and emotionally difficult to read.  It makes the reader take a look at what happens to the family dynamic when one goes from family member to  caregiver.  It forces the reader to see that this story is not about Alice, per say, but about all of us.  How would we handle this situation if it happened to someone we loved?  What’s more, how would we react if it began happening to us?  

52 in 52 Books 5 - 7: Shatter Me, Unravel Me, Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Things have been crazed in the Reilly abode, but trust me, reading is never pushed aside.  Next up in my quest for 52 books in 52 weeks is a series by Tahereh Mafi.  This series was picked out by my daughter whose voracious reading has been hampered by college, but still rears its head every time she has a break.  

The Shatter Me series is perfect for fans who crave action-packed young adult novels with tantalizing romance like Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Legend by Marie Lu.  If you're interested in a well told dystopian story, it’s for you.  The main character is Juliette, a seventeen year old who hasn't spoken to or touched anyone in 264 days. Why?  When her skin touches people, it kills them.  Bizarre, right? However, the concept is pretty interesting.  

At first, I was a tad put off by Mafi’s writing style. Juliette is in such a terrible place mentally that the author has her think in short, incomplete sentences and then crosses those sentences out as Juliette rewrites reality.  It was strange, yet gave me a better insight into who this character was and the things she was dealing with.  In addition, she her descriptions were somewhat weird at times “I want to cry into his eyes…”.  WTH does that mean, anyway?  If you can acknowledge flowery language every once in a while as a bit odd and move on, you’ll have no problem.  

Watching Juliette’s character develop over the three books was wonderful (another reason I’m a series junkie).  The antagonists are hateable and the protagonists are divine.  The twists and turns of the plot were a plus as well.  Usually when reading books like these or watching Criminal Minds, I can guess what’s going to happen next and am usually right.  Not so, here.  

Track Changes in Google Docs

For those who spend any time creating documents online, track changes is a must-have!  For collaborative projects, peer edits and more, track changes lets you see the edits that others make to your document. Then, it lets you decide if you want to accept/reject/continue editing them.  

While Google added this feature last year, they DID NOT call it "track changes" like their MS Word competitors.  Instead, it's called "suggesting".  

Here's how to activate it in Google Docs:

Click on EDITING in the toolbar.  Choose SUGGESTING.  
Be sure to ask those with whom you're collaborating to do the same thing.

When you’ve done this, any changes that are made on the document are recorded out to the right.  Click the check to accept, the x to delete and the horizontal dots for more revision.  

Another great tool available in Google Docs is the SEE REVISION HISTORY tool.  Find it by clicking on FILE and choosing it from the menu.  This feature allows owners of the document to not only track changes, but the ability to restore a previous version.   

This feature is also priceless for teachers who have students working in collaborative groups.  It allows teachers to see who has been working on the document, which in turn helps with accountability.

Padlet: An Oldie But A Goodie

Technology has given students the ability to share information globally.  Collaboration opportunities are everywhere, and Padlet is just one way to communicate, express ideas and share information with peers.

Padlet, a user-friendly website is a "wall" where students can post content, thoughts, videos and pictures.  It is accessible from any device with an internet connection, so creating or adding to a Padlet can be done any time, anywhere.

Padlets can be shared, embedded, and downloaded into PDFs, Excel sheets and jpegs. And of course, as a huge fan of all things Google, I was thrilled when I found the Padlet Chrome extension, which allows users to share content directly with a wall they have created.   That. Is. Awesome! But wait, there's more!  With Padlet, you have infinite space.  Keep double clicking and the screen will adjust.

Nervous about everyone adhering to proper netiquette which using Padlet?  Visibility of the walls you create are completely customizable.  In addition, as the administrator of your wall, you can moderate comments and posts.

There are SO many ways to use this tool in the classroom. Below you'll see a Padlet that gives ideas to get you started.  Feel free to add!

Created with Padlet

Cool, EASY Online Movie Making Site

There are a myriad of options when students want to make movies in the classroom.  An easy, FREE option is by using the website Zimmer Twins.  It's a free website (for a regular account) where students can create quick, 60 second movies.  Appropriate for 1st grade and above, students will be engaged and will enjoy being able to make a finished product so quickly.  By clicking here, you will find lesson plan ideas and more information for teachers.  

Common Sense Media's take on Zimmer Twins:

This imaginative movie-making site lets users create animated short films using predetermined characters, expressions, actions, and backgrounds. Users can fill movie frames with still drawings, speech bubbles, and transitional words (such as “Meanwhile…”), then string them together to create their very own custom animated movie. It’s simple to make a movie from scratch or complete pre-designed starter films.

Here's an overview on account setup and use:

These technology standards are  met with this project:

ISTE National Education Technology Standards:

1.   Creativity and Innovation- Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
2.     Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making- Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.
3.     Technology Operations and Concepts- Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.

Want to see an example of a Zimmer Twin learning about the Cotton Gin?  Click here.

I Heart You

So it's Valentine season again.  Men are rushing to local supermarkets in search of a card that says that "something special", even though they've waited until the last minute.  Women are posting pics of flowers on social media, and getting into a restaurant tomorrow night will be next to impossible unless it's fast food.  I am celebrating "Gal"entine's Day with my daughter.  Love that kid.

My mind  has been on another heart issue this week.  Many, many years ago I was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse.  What that means is my valves close in a different way, allowing more blood to flow to my heart than "regular people".  This was the way it was described to me...I'm very visual, so it helped... put your hands in a teepee position.  That's what normal valves look like when closed.  Now curve your fingers in and down so they look like the top of a heart shape, keeping your fingertips touching.  That's what mine does.

What's all that mean?  Well, my heart races periodically, but not because I see Mr. Right across a crowded room.  There is also some dizziness that accompanies the rapid heart rate.  No biggie. For the past few weeks, I've been feeling things more than normal, so in I went for a check up.  I had:

• an EKG in my primary care physician's office.
• an Echocardiogram in a cardiologist's office (think sonogram of the heart.  This was pretty cool and the tech was a nice kid who talked to me about what I was seeing.)
• a heart monitor.  This one is irritating a little because I can't shower for two days.  I wear it and it records my heart's activity.  

Why the glimpse into my personal life?  I figure if this has happened to you and you  come across this post, it will set your mind at ease a bit.  (stress makes MVP worse :-)).   And really, there is nothing to worry about because there is nothing that can be done.  These types of things have a chance of becoming worse as one ages, ultimately resulting in heart surgery to replace the valve.  If that ever happens, I figure I will deal with it until then.  And who knows what cardiology will look like in the future.  With advancements in medicine happening exponentially all the time, it could be a quick simple fix, if and when I need it.  

Now, the request that I give up caffeine and chocolate...um....not too sure about that one.  I might need a 12 step program for that.  Lol.  

Losing Grandma

Proverbs 31:26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

This quote describes a wonderful lady we lost on January 29th, 2015.  Ethel Siecgrist, my grandma, went to be with the Lord.  She was 96 years old.  

The funeral was both beautiful and, of course, sad.  I know Grandma is in a better place.  She’s rejoicing with God, she’s pain-free, and she’s with her husband and her daughter.  The sadness is for the ones she left behind.  

Grandma was quite an example.  She was quiet, but her actions were loud.  She was the first to lend a helping hand and the last to gossip or criticize.  She was the glue for our giant family.  Everyone ended up at Grandma’s at some point on Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Those who live close could always be found at her house on Wednesday nights after church, indulging in the goodies she continued to make until her last days.   

My aunt, Carolyn, wrote a wonderful remembrance that I read at Grandma’s funeral:

Ethel Siecgrist was born October 16, 1918 on the family farm in Elk township to Chris Edward and Freda Josephine Swanson Peterson. After Ethel graduated 8th grade, the family moved to Michigan Valley.  She attended her first three years of high school there, but was disappointed that the small school did not offer secretarial classes.  She knew if she wanted to get a job in an office, she would need those skills.  The only solution she saw was to move to Topeka and attend Topeka High her senior year.

During the summer before her senior year, her sister Millie, who lived in Topeka, watched the classified ads in the newspaper and found something she thought would be perfect for mom.  A couple wanted someone 18 or older to live in their home to do light housekeeping and cook.  The problem was, mom was 16.  Her sister encouraged her to lie about her age and ask about the job.  She got up enough nerve to apply, telling them she was 18, as her sister said to do.  The couple, Charles and Nellie Spangler, liked mom and hired her to work for them.

It was going to be a long walk for mom to attend Topeka High, so Nellie – a school teacher- asked the principal at Topeka Catholic School if mom could attend her senior year there.  She agreed.

Mom’s 17th birthday came along during the time she was living with the Spanglers.   They invited mom’s sister Millie over to the house to celebrate with cake and ice cream.  Charles asked mom, “How does it feel to be 19 years old?”  Millie spoke up right away saying, “She’s not 19 – she’s 17!”  Mom’s face turned red and she reminded Millie later that she was the one who told her to lie about her age in the first place.  The Spanglers like Mom and did not fire her.   She graduated in 1935 and continued to live with them until marrying dad.

After high school graduation, mom attended Strickler Business School.  Due to the Depression, a good job was hard to find, but mom found various jobs including one at WIBW radio station.   

She met dad,  Frank Siecgrist,  at a dance.  Dad took to her right away.  He was afraid mom would not date him because he was nine years older than she.  So he lied about his age.  Seems like it runs in the family!  She found out a few months later, but didn’t care because by then they were in love. Their dates consisted of meeting friends and family at Kresge’s 5 & 10 in downtown Topeka.   When asked how she knew that dad was “the one”, she said she missed him when he didn’t show up.  The married June 22, 1940 at First United Methodist Church in Topeka.  This union brought three children:  Carolyn Lee, Shirley Jean and Jerry Lynn.

The family lived in Topeka until 1947 when they moved to Carbondale.  In 1953, the family moved to the Swanson farm, the house mom’s grandparents built in 1878.  They moved back to Carbondale in 1955 where they lived until 1973 when they built a new house north of there.

Mom’s secretarial skills proved to be valuable.  After staying home to raise the family and doing odd jobs, mom started working at Blue Cross Blue Shield in 1968.  She continued working there until retiring in June of 1985.  What’s funny is, she could have retired a year earlier but got mixed up as to how old she was.  She lost dad that fall on October 24th.  Mom remained in the home that she and dad built until the time of her death.

Mom was a go-getter helping us with a myriad of projects including canning from the garden, putting up corn in her basement, patching endless pairs of jeans, sewing clothes and turning collars.  She also pitched in at church helping with cleaning, special events, and in the kitchen.  One of her biggest concerns in the last few years was that she was a burden to her family.  She never wanted to put people out, mowing her own lawn until she was 90, picking up sticks in the yard, and doing her own laundry to name a few.  She was an example to us all.

Her sisters, Pearl Wegner and Millie Schutter, Her husband, Frank and her daughter, Shirley Jean, preceded mom in death.  She leaves behind her daughter Carolyn and husband John, and her son Jerry and his wife Linda, son-in-law Earl Clark, 8 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren.  

In an interview mom gave her granddaughter Michelle last year she said a successful life was one where you have enough money to meet your needs, don’t complain, accept what life brings you, don’t expect handouts, be happy and enjoy life as much as you can.

The hardest part of the funeral, for me, was watching my parent bury his parent.  At the end of the service my mom and dad, and aunt and uncle walked up to the casket to say a final goodbye to Grandma.  A daughter and son grieving for their mom - I couldn’t help but flash forward a generation and imagine Kyle, Michelle and I in the same position.  A whisper in my mind kept saying “I don’t want to lose my mom and dad” over and over.  I’m not ready. I never will be.

52 in 52 Book 4: "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed

“I knew that if I allowed fear to overtake me, my journey was doomed. Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves, and so I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told. I decided I was safe. I was strong. I was brave. Nothing could vanquish me.”

― Cheryl Strayed, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

During Christmas break, I saw the movie version of the book Wild by Cheryl Strayed.  Reece Witherspoon portrayed Strayed in a heart-wrenching, gritty autobiographical look at her life.  It was a movie that I couldn't quit thinking about, so I decided to read the book.  I’m glad I did.

While the movie was incredible, I found the descriptions and passages in the book drawing me in even more.  The theme of the book is personal confrontation, as Strayed honestly tells about her life and all the mistakes that led to her to make the decision to hike the PCT.  

Don’t forgo this read if you think it’s all about hiking.  Strayed admittedly made huge mistakes when hiking; wearing shoes too small and carrying a pack that was more than half her weight.  Obviously this is not a “how to” for hikers.  

What this novel is about, however, is a journey of self-discovery and exorcising personal demons she’d let take over her life.  Her physical perseverance is something to behold.  When she talks about her bloody feet and all the sores on her body from her pack, I cringed.  Each time she encountered another person on the trail, my heart was in my throat wondering what kind of psycho she was about the meet. I mean, it took guts and determination to do something like this alone. But it was the grief  that she described that resonated with me.  She was thoroughly  undone when her mom died of cancer, and she spiraled out of control while trying to come to terms with that.

“I didn't get to grow up and pull away from her and bitch about her with my friends and confront her about the things I'd wished she'd done differently and then get older and understand that she had done the best she could and realize that what she had done was pretty damn good and take her fully back into my arms again. Her death had obliterated that. It had obliterated me. It had cut me short at the very height of my youthful arrogance. It had forced me to instantly grow up and forgive her every motherly fault at the same time that it kept me forever a child, my life both ended and begun in that premature place where we'd left off. She was my mother, but I was motherless. I was trapped by her, but utterly alone. She would always be the empty bowl that no one could full. I'd have to fill it myself again and again and again.”

― Cheryl Strayed, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

The PCT hike is an effort to get control of her life back and to get back on the road to being the person her mom knew she could be.  She leaves all her material possessions behind and gets back to nature where she reflects on her life, her choices and what she now knows is important.  Her grief is gut-wrenching.  Her writing is incredible.  The nuggets of truth that can be gleaned from this book are many.  Read it. You won't be sorry.

“I’m a free spirit who never had the balls to be free.”

― Cheryl Strayed, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail