Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Things I do for books... After walking around town for hours in about 27 degrees Celsius I get home, check my e-mail and notice that To Kill a Mockingbird was freed to a place pretty near me, on a quite big hill... But off I go. And of course the sun was still shining even though it was quite late. I still feel hot after all that...

:) Perfect!

I really love the idea of "freed" books. But not thinking it is a big thing around here -- pretty rural and small population where I live. Farms, tractors, that kind of things.

Tytti wrote: "...Anyone of you involved with BookCrossing? I just visited a couple of meetings here and got new books to read. Like I didn't have enough already!:D ..."

From a much earlier posting. I actually finally just looked up book crossing. From their website: "The team that continues to make all of this happen is based in Sandpoint, Idaho." Wow -- my state, a bit north of where I live, but I've got to give this a try now. Sandpoint is much smaller than my hometown, maybe I can give it a go.

Idaho seems to be one of the least active states for that. :-/

Yeah, but maybe I'll release a book and see what happens.

Well, probably nothing. Unless you get lucky. :-)

So true. Have a great day.

Kathy wrote: "Yeah, but maybe I'll release a book and see what happens."

I like the idea. I may give it a shot myself.

There's good news and there's bad news.

I decided to make a career switch. After 2 years of university, and somewhat below average grades, I decided to quit. I liked what I studied, languages and literature have always been my thing, however university was not. I constantly felt like everything was way above me and I was sort of running along trying to keep it all together and in some way I didn't fail THAT terribly, but I also didn't feel like I was "there", you know?
And because uni is expensive and my father has to pay for me and my sister, I didn't want to let this drag on for 4 or even 5 more years.

So I finally did it, I told everybody: hey y'all this is great but I simply can't do this anymore.
I was scared!!!! But now I'm glad I did it. Uni just isn't vor everybody and it's ok that it's not for me. I just to think it wasn't ok to admit that I couldn't do it anymore. So this is great.

And what's even more great and awesome and fun is that I get to do what I really wanted in the first place: become a teacher! I am starting a new school program thing to become a teacher in English and Dutch for kids from 11 to 16. And I am excited!!!

Just wanted to type this because that's also why I was very very absent in July, because I got back my grades and then had to do a lot of talking with dad and then visit some schools and decide and stuff and I am a big thinker, I overthink everything at least 5 times so that's what I was doing this month. But now it's decided.

Another great thing about this new decision is more time to read what I actually WANT to read. I noticed I wasn't enjoying reading classics anymore, I just wanted to grab some random Young Adult love story and lie in bed not think and just read about "easy" stuff because uni sucked all my energy out of me. I started reading classics by myself when I was about 15/16 because I knew I wanted to study languages and literature and I wanted to get a head start or something. And I used to enjoy it so much, but then it all kind of became a burden and I don't want that. I want to stay in this group and keep on reading because I want to! :D And I'll have a bit more time for that now.


I'm sorry this is so long oh jeez, congrats if you read all of my rambling lol!

Well, that's a big change. Hopefully everything works out fine for you. I was kinda wondering where you were from the Anna Karenina threads.

Kim wrote: "I am starting a new school program thing to become a teacher in English and Dutch for kids from 11 to 16."

I guess it's a good thing that you don't live in Finland. Because here that would require a university education. :-)

Tytti wrote: "I guess it's a good thing that you don't live in Finland. Because here that would require a university education. :-)"

Yes I read something about that! In Belgium it depends on what ages you want to teach. For 16 to 18 you need to have a university degree as well, which is what I wanted to do for a job in the first place, but I'm alright with teaching younger kids and a lower grade. :)

(Also wow I made a huge mistake there with my verbs lol!!!! That happens when I don't proof read, ouch!)

I'm not totally sure but I think it's a separate program for teachers in grade levels 1-6 (I think preschool, too). They teach most of the subjects, usually only in languages we have different teachers. And some teachers may not teach music but they teach something else etc.

To grades 7-9 and to "high school" people first choose the subject they want to study/teach, like biology, history, math, and then they specialize to teaching by studying pedagogics.

P.S. I noticed that mistake. :-P I corrected it.

Ah yes it's about the same here, I quite like the system, especially because of my personal situation now, I'm so glad I can still become a teacher without my university degree. :)

So embarrassing lol! But yeah mistakes happen. :P

Kim wrote: "Ah yes it's about the same here, I quite like the system, especially because of my personal situation now, I'm so glad I can still become a teacher without my university degree."

It's interesting that you will teach both Dutch (your native language?) and English. Our language teachers teach only foreign languages, often German and Swedish or English and French etc. For teaching mother language the studies are totally different. And you would need a degree in both Finnish and English, for example, at least I think so...

Oh right, I see!
At university, the languages and literature degree I used to do, you can choose 2 languages and you get a degree that counts for those two.

But the program I will be doing now is a special program just for becoming a teacher for the lower grades and you can really choose any combination you want, for example French and Biology or Maths and English, Chemistry and Mechanics, just about anything really! So that's really great if you have interests that are quite different from each other.

But I'll just stick with my Dutch, which is indeed the native tongue here, and English. I was thinking about History as well, but I decided not to because History has less hours in the curriculum in the lower grades, so it's more difficult to get a full week in class hours as a History teacher (Sorry if this isn't too clear!).

Well I think you can minor in anything but usually they are like Geography and Biology, or maybe History and Finnish (that's including language and literature). But you will need a certain amount of credits from that other subject, too. I don't know how that works with languages... Maybe I was wrong about that. But you do need a Master's degree.

I actually know one future history teacher and he studied History as his major (about five years) and also did the pedagogic studies, I think inclunding teaching at a school.

Kim wrote: "There's good news and there's bad news.

I decided to make a career switch. After 2 years of university, and somewhat below average grades, I decided to quit. I liked what I studied, languages and ..."

Kim, This is big news! Had to be so hard, good for you. So mature for your age, facing and making big decisions. Good luck on your new course of study! Best of success, I have a feeling you'll soar.

Everyone else, my head is NOT in the game. Trying, can't make it happen. Think it's just gonna be hard for me while summer is here. Apologies all around

(It doesn't help that my attention continues to be riveted on the news, and I've been yelling about politics for the last couple/few weeks :p)

MK wrote: "Kim wrote: "There's good news and there's bad news.

I decided to make a career switch. After 2 years of university, and somewhat below average grades, I decided to quit. I liked what I studied, la..."

Thank you so much, MK! :)

I can't see the thread for Anna Karenina :Part 3 Spoilers" at all. I have completed part 3 and I am ready to comment. The only things that are visible in the AK folder are : "Translations/spoilers"; Parts 1,2,4 all with spoilers. Part 3 is missing. Has anyone noticed? I saw part 3 spoilers thread there earlier this week.

Andrea (Catsos Person) wrote: "I can't see the thread for Anna Karenina :Part 3 Spoilers" at all. I have completed part 3 and I am ready to comment. The only things that are visible in the AK folder are : "Translations/spoilers"..."

Matt is right I just went thru all of them and they seem fine. Try the link he provided, it worked for me also.

Matt wrote: "GR won't show all the threads at once. Here they are."

Oh, I see it. Thanks!

MK wrote: "Everyone else, my head is NOT in the game. Trying, can't make it happen. Think it's just gonna be hard for me while summer is here. Apologies all around"

No need to apologize MK. I think many of us go through these ups and downs within different areas of our lives, including interest levels in reading and group discussions. Thank you for letting us know that you are okay but just taking a step back for a little while.

This heat is slowing down my reading. It's just so warm in here and has been already from July and it makes me very lazy to do anything. Though they say it should get colder (meaning more normal for August weather) starting next week. Though I'm more of a summer person than winter person as I hate cold weather, because everything under +15 Celcius makes my fingers and feet feel (very) cold even if I'm inside, but still it's nice that the long hot period finally ends.

How does heat affect your reading?? Maybe you should try audiobooks when temperature affects you. I use audiobooks when I have headaches and can't wear my glasses.

Well, the heat is starting to wear me down, because it has continued for so long and it affects my concentration. I'm not a fan of audiobooks as I get distracted by the narrator and can't seem to follow the story as well, if I read it myself. And the audiobook selection in my small local library is pretty boring, because I'm not interested in crime stories (Finnish ones, Reijo Mäki and Leena Lehtolainen everywhere, plah) and romances.

Kim wrote: "There's good news and there's bad news.

I decided to make a career switch. After 2 years of university, and somewhat below average grades, I decided to quit. I liked what I studied, languages and ..."

Kim, being a teacher is a wonderful way to touch lives, particularly at those young ages. I know it must've been a stressful decision, but congratulations on your path; I hope you thrive in your new choices :)

Not sure we are allowed to promote campaigns, but this is a reading one and it's ending soon! I can delete if it's not OK. I thought some of our cohort might be interested.

World Education (an organization that promotes adult literacy and education worldwide, including in the US) is affiliated with my workplace. World Ed has a campaign to try to count 2,000,015 pages read this summer in recognition of the 2015 deadline of the Millennium Development Goals (http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/).

The MDGs are a set of 8 health and development goals for the world and for individual countries. MDG 2 is: Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.

If you are interested in logging in the number of pages you have read this summer, go to http://worlded.org/pages4progress/. The closing date is September 8 (International Literacy Day) and they are at over 1.95 million pages so far.

They started with a goal of 20,015 and reached it within days so they ... went big!

ETA: They don't list a specific start date, but say "summer" reading. I have logged in pages from mid-June to end of August, so far.

IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE! My long personal nightmare is over! (Well, since last Friday.) My new Kindle Fire has arrived!

Kirsten wrote: "IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE! My long personal nightmare is over! (Well, since last Friday.) My new Kindle Fire has arrived!"

YEAH!! Enjoy.

:)

Still getting used to it. They moved the power switch and changed the shape of the chassis.

PRO: It weighs less
CON: It doesn't fit the Kindle Fire case I had for my old one.

Oh, yeah. There are many pros. I just love 'em. But the new one has bits and quirks that I don't like over the older Kindle Fire.

@Jamie Lynne

New and improved does not always mean better!

Definitely not! But part of it is you were just used to the old system. I like that it's lighter, just wish it would fit in the old case. Also, I'm not sure, but I think the speakers aren't as loud.

LOL! When I got my new computer, I insisted on one w/out Windows 8.

Who remembers IM? NPR wants to know what your most mortifying screen name was! http://www.npr.org/2014/10/13/3559040...

This is SO me!

So sad to hear Tom Magliozzi, one half of the wisecracking Car Talk duo known as "Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers," has died after complications from Alzheimer's Disease. He was 77.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2...

He and his brother have given me many a laugh, while teaching me something. I will miss him.

Kirsten wrote: "So sad to hear Tom Magliozzi, one half of the wisecracking Car Talk duo known as "Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers," has died after complications from Alzheimer's Disease. He was 77..."

The world will be a less happy place without him.

Hi everybody! I have this problem with this challenge I´m in. We are suppose to read one book starting with every letter of the alphabets. I´m already there but I´m missing the one starting with Q. Do you guys have any suggestions about good books starting with a Q? I would really like to read something good instead of just reading something to get it done ;)

I liked Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. It was very interesting.

If you're a Ray Bradbury fan, there's Quicker Than the Eye.

And the classic (both as a book and a suggestion) The Quiet American.

And there are many books titled "Queenie"...

Thank you for the interesting suggestions! I must admit I haven´t heard about them but going to look into them :)

Mary, that is so cute!

Can someone tell me how I go about importing AMZN book purchases into GR?

Andrea (Catsos Person) wrote: "Can someone tell me how I go about importing AMZN book purchases into GR?"

Andrea,
On the desktop version go to your profile. On the apps tab there is a section to add your Amazon account which will add your books. I haven't tried it, but it says it will do it.

Thanks Laurie!

Happy 97th Independence Day, Finland!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOSaT...