Movies: Rowling's Fantastic Beasts to Be a Trilogy

Movies: Rowling's Fantastic Beasts to Be a Trilogy



People, what do you think of this nonsense?? :)

Punctuation Matters

We've been spending time making sure our punctuation enhances our work. Take the extra time to revise and edit so you don't look like a psycho!

Stories are around us, everywhere

Everytime you hear a great story on the news, try asking yourself what makes it so good? It is the qualities of a good story, or just good storytelling? Is it a character or theme which resonates with us? I just read this story and and was profoundly moved. It's beautiful. I hope it will inspire your storywriting this weekend.

Finding Theme

We've been talking a lot recently about finding themes in the books we're reading. I came across this one which seems like a great one. Have you found this theme in any of your book club books? :)

Do you agree?

What Will Your Verse Be?

We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering – these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love – these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, “O me, O life of the questions of these recurring. Of the endless trains of the faithless. Of cities filled with the foolish. What good amid these, O me, O life? Answer: that you are here. That life exists and identity. That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.” “That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.” What will your verse be? (Thanks to Prakrit for sharing this Apple ad inspired by a scene from Dead Poet's Society)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Welcome back everyone! Hope you are all rested and re-energized from three weeks away from school. I know I am. What did you read over the break? I devoured Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the end of the Lane, a creepy supernatural book like Coraline but for a slightly older reader. The main character is 7 years old. Actually, he's a middle aged man reflecting back on something that happened when he was 7. I liked it, but that's not surprising since I like most of what Neil Gaiman writes. So, confess. Did you think of your teachers even ONCE during the break? Did you miss us? Can you imagine anything as frightening as seeing one of your teachers while on vacation somewhere remote and unlikely. Well, pity poor Sophia Lesser, one of only a handful of tourists in the picturesque Chateau Gruyere, Switzerland, on the last afternoon of 2013. In truth, Sophia was very good natured about the whole incident, and didn't seem to be disturbed in the least to see her RLA teacher in a small Swiss village named after a very smelly cheese. I know that I was very pleased to see her! Here's the photo as proof. Please note how exceptionally fabulous we look in our cold-weather clothing. :)

Did you see anyone you knew during the holidays? Did you read any great books? Please share your news with us in the comments below: