Pics from NYC Wednesday, Nov 21 2007

Here are the pics from NYC…

The only view I got of the Empire State Building…

Both dark due to their strikes…

Times Square

And… the authors 😀

Me and Jerry Spinelli, the king of YA lit!  I got his newest book– not yet out 😀  Yay me!

Ishmael Beah, his memoir still sits with me almost a year later.

My friend Jess and Katherine Paterson… she told her about reading Bridge to Terabithia five times in 5th grade and leaving a pool of tears at her desk… and then she cried.

I HEART James Howe!! He asked me for a hug when I told him that I introduce Totally Joe to my 4th graders. Wow! When I sat down later and read his inscriptions in my books, I cried.

Definitely the best session of the whole conference… Authors’ Readers’ Theater.

Avi, Katherine Paterson, Sarah Weeks, and Brian Selznick…. ahhhh…

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I’m back…. Tuesday, Nov 20 2007

Back from my trip to NYC, that is. It was super busy and I didn’t get to go to any of the fabulous places that Steven recommended. We didn’t get to our hotel until 2am thanks to delays in our flights. The rest of the trip was fully taken up by the conference, but I was so happy by that. I met and got to speak to some of my all time favorite children’s authors; Jerry Spinelli, James Howe, Linda Sue Park, Walter Dean Myers, Katherine Paterson, Laurie Halse Anderson, Avi, Sarah Weeks… Wow! what an amazing time it was. James Howe asked ME if he could give me a hug! Not the other way around!! So, all I really saw of NYC was the walk back and forth from the Convention Center to our hotel, but I saw Times Square, 7th Avenue, and Broadway. I guess that will do for now 😀 Plus, I got to eat some amazing Brownie Cheesecake at Lindy’s.

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New York City, here I come! Tuesday, Sep 25 2007

I am so excited.  I never travel… ever.  The last real vacation I had was my honeymoon (and I’m about to celebrate my 13th anniversary!) and those Ivan and Katrina evacuations had hotel stays with pools… so I guess you can count those if you want.  So, my only form of travel ever comes in the way of conferences.  Now– most people would groan at the thought of going out of town for a conference and sitting in meetings all day.  But, you’re looking at a bonafide geek here.  C’mon, I have 117 graduate hours for what… it sure doesn’t increase my pay.  So, I’m ecstatic that I got selected to represent the Greater New Orleans Chapter of the National Writing Project at the National Council of Teachers of English Conference in NYC.  Woot!

Just a small list of the authors and presenters that I will get to hear…. Johnathon Kozol, Jerry Spinelli, Allen Say, Dave Barry, Lucy Calkins, and Ishmael Beah.  Wow, I am such a lucky lady.  It’s the Wednesday through Sunday before Thanksgiving, so as a bonus I get an extended holiday break! 🙂

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Yeah, like that’s gonna happen… Wednesday, Jul 11 2007

I popped in on Donna over at The Ice Box and she had this little quiz which said she should be vacationing at the beach, so I decided to check out where my ideal vacation spot is. Well, being that I haven’t had a vacation since my honeymoon 12.5 years ago (aside from trips to conventions for work and the occasional evacuation or two *thanks Katrina and Ivan*) I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere anytime soon, but here are my results.

You Should Spend Your Summer in the Mountains

You’re quiet, introspective, and a great thinker. You need a summer vacation that gets you away from the crowds and the heat. So retreat to the mountains, where you can clear your head.

Where Should You Spend Your Summer?

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You know you’re envious… and no I don’t have room Monday, Jun 25 2007

They announced the lineup for the Voodoo Music Experience this weekend. I haven’t been in probably five or six years, but let me tell you, I KNOW where I will be on October 26, 27, & 28!!! If you can make it into NOLA, this is the time to do it. Tickets for all three days (WITH in and out privileges) are going on sale this weekend for $100. Now, where today can you see a lineup like this for a mere $33.33 a day??

Visit the lineup here and salivate along with me…

Stumble It!

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Thursday Thirteen #9- Why Being At a Conference Isn’t So Great… Wednesday, Nov 29 2006

1. Not sleeping in your own bed, with your own pillow, with your own kitty curled up in the crook of your arms.
2. Being alone at a Tech conference, does that just spell out L-O-S-E-R???
3. It’s in downtown Baton Rouge, can you say HIP and HAPPENING?
4. My toilet got clogged as soon as I got here and the button to call the front desk and housekeeping didn’t work.
5. The conference runs from 7-5, that’s my normal work hours, isn’t it supposed to be shorter?
6. I don’t get to kiss my kids goodnight or even yell at them for being too loud.
7. I don’t get to kiss my husband or shove him when he snores.
8. I don’t get to get a wet nose kiss from the dog or shush him when he barks at 6am.
9. I don’t get to play with the kitten.
10. (and a few good points) I’ll finally learn how to podcast with my students.
11. I’ll get info on gaggle.net so my kids can safely email and blog.
12. My hotel is right on the river and next to the beautiful Old Capital Building. (of course I didn’t bring my camera)
13. I only have to “walk” to work… minus the 2 hour drive here today and 2 hour drive back home on Friday.

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