A couple of questions have come up that I want to clarify:

1. I will post the discussion topic on Friday. You have until the following Friday to respond. (Remember you can miss up to 5).

2. The idea is that you should be DISCUSSING the topic. So please don’t post and then never come back. I guess I should have made it mandatory for each person to make a post and respond to one other person (live and learn). I am hoping that “you” will take it upon yourself to do so. Notice that the theme I have chosen allows you to reply to a specific person’s comment.

Remember the bottom line is this is for YOUR benefit. Please take advantage of it!

Have a happy and safe 4th.

Remember this discussion is mandatory and part of being in the class. I will “forgive” 5 missed posts (I think that is overly fair and generous), however remember these discussions are for your benefit and I hope that you take advantage of the process.

Count of Monte Cristo blog

If you have problems or questions let me know. Remember I will only be answering e-mails and posting in the discussions on Fridays.

Also, everyone who is in Advanced Comp in the fall you are now in “period one” so be sure and check that tab (up top) for your calender, etc.

Don’t worry if you are confused, I’ll walk you through things. Contrary to what I said in an earlier post, I will check my e-mail this week so that we can get things up and running. From then on I will only check on Fridays.

This has been a rough year for me. Professionally, personally, health wise, and emotion wise. My mental health and stability seemed to be challenged on a daily basis. I was not the best teacher I could be. Despite everything I dealt with I did my very best to keep afloat and make this a positive and productive year for all of my students. Luckily in a few cases I was successful. And for those that feel I was not, I am sorry for that.

What I would like to say to all of my students is thank you! You honestly gave me a reason to get up each day, even when I was in terrible physical pain. It’s because of all of you that I made it through, relatively sane. LOL. I truly have the best group of kids any teacher could ask for!

Because I was not able to spread myself around in my normal fashion I felt it most important to focus on “teaching” rather than “grading”. I’m not sure if that was the most perfect decision, but it’s what I believed would be best for all of you. Hopefully some of you agree. I thank each of you for being so very patient with that decision. I know that grades and feedback are of utmost importance to you all and your patience in that area has been well appreciated. Really and truly!

Seniors…I’ll miss you all, but most especially those of you whom I’ve known and watched grow these last two years. I wish you all the success. And if any of you are ever rich and famous, well, don’t forget little ole me. LOL.

Juniors…I’ll be seeing many of you in the same seats come September and for that I’m excited. You will truly see and experience the great teacher you deserve. For those of you who will not be returning to room 503, don’t forget I am your teacher for life and you are always welcome.

One final note of “business”…because I need the summer to rest and recoup I’ll only be checking my e-mail once per week on Fridays (when I will also check in on the Count forum discussion). If for some reason you need to contact me and it cannot wait until the following Friday, scroll to the bottom of this page and leave me a voicemail.

Be good, be safe, I love you all.

Final Blog Post

Next week instead of your normal bi-weekly reader I would like you to write a final reflection.

Reflect upon your year (or two) in room 503. Some things to consider:

What kind of reader were you when you entered this class? What kind of reader are you now? Have you changed? How have you changed? What conditions are responsible for the changes in your reading?

What kind of writer were you when you entered this class? What kind of writer are you now? Have you changed? How have you changed? What conditions are responsible for the changes in your writing?

What have been some of your favorite (or least favorite) learning units this year (or two)? Describe your favorite assignments/books/etc. What did you like, and why?

As you prepare to leave, what kind of student do you perceive yourself to be? What kind of person do you perceive yourself to be? How have you grown and what have you learned about yourself as a result of taking being in this class?

I would also appreciate your including your experience with the blogs and the online community.

What advice would you give next year’s students who will be taking an English class in room 503?

Remember, critiquing is okay, but make sure it is constructive and not destructive.

My surgery was successful and there were no complications. I’m in a great deal of pain tonight, but that was expected.

FYI, the doctor wants me to stay home for two weeks. Obviously that isn’t realistic. My plan is to return on Monday, however I may be forced to take a couple of extra days.

Thank you for being such good students for the sub., she’s already told me how great you all are.

Keep checking for homework updates, I am adding them as I feel up to it. See you next week.

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce .

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present .

A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes..

10) I did not object to the object.

11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row .

13) They were too close to the door to close it.

14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.

15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Let’s face it — English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren’t invented in England or French fries in France . Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don’t fing, grocers don’t groce and hammers don’t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn’t the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn’t it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn’t preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

PS. — Why doesn’t ‘Buick’ rhyme with ‘quick’ ?