Almost Done!

So this week’s blog is another week where we can write about anything we want, so I am going to talk about my weekend and why I will not be in class with all of you on Friday. I also am going to talk about summer plans! Since finals are so close and everything is crammed at the end of this semester, I was not planning on going home this weekend and instead just locking myself in and finishing all my work! However, this weekend my younger brother, Kyle, is making his confirmation and since I am his sponsor it is important for me to be home this weekend. This event could not have came at better time though considering all the stress of school and finals, which I am sure everyone is feeling, but also the much added stress I have recently added due to other things going on with family and friends back home. I am hoping this break from ISU will be the perfect amount for me to relax and set my mind free from classes, as well as hopefully figure out things back home!

After Friday, I will have a total of 11 days left, including weekend and finals, and I will finally be home for summer at last! Although this summer is most likely going to be just as hectic and the school year at least I will be at home with all my family, boyfriend, and best friends! I am taking two summer classes while also working at Potbelly and keeping my nanny job that I have discussed in earlier blogs. On top of those three commitments, I will also have graduation parties, anniversary party for my grandparents, a concert and country thunder to be completed, as well as working out and spending time with friends and family on a regular basis! This summer is definitely going to be hectic but in the end it should all be fun and I’ll get some credits done for school and make some money! 

(Word Count: 337)

Countryy :)

So this week is a week where we can right about anything we want and I had no idea what to write about until I was listening to music. I was listening to my iTunes library with all my country songs and that is when I decided to write about country music. My dad has always been a HUGE country fan as I was growing up, but I was never very fond of it until a couple years ago when I really started listening to the different songs and words. Now I LOVE country and I could listen to it all-day and everyday! I think the reason I like it so much is because I am able to understand what the artists are saying, unlike rap, and most of the songs are all relatable since country singers tend to sing about real life events, especially relationships. Also, country always puts me in the perfect mood and just lets my mind escape when I am in a bad or sad mood.

I am so excited for this summer because I am going to country thunder all four days!! And I also bought my best friend tickets for the Brad Paisley concert at Wrigley Field for her birthday this summer as well! Not only will we get to see Brad Paisley, but also on his tour opening for him will be; Miranda Lambert, Chris Young, Band Perry and Jerrod Niemann! It is going to be an amazing country filled summer and I cannot wait! Many people I know make fun of country and don’t enjoy it like I do, but I don’t care because I love it and country will always be playing in my car especially when my best friend and I are driving together. If you hear country blasting from a car… it’s us! 


(Word Count: 304)

Research and Writing

            This week’s reading reflection is based on the topics of researching and writing strategies. While reading Susana Rodriguez’s, Researching, or How I Fell In Love With Post-It Notes, I was able to make a lot of connections to the thoughts and strategies Susana discussed. For example right from the beginning Susana states, “I don’t remember ever learning how to research in school… I don’t remember ever even being taught how.” I knew exactly what she was saying with this quote because I feel the same way, and I always have with the fact that teachers always expect us to write excellent research papers, but we never learned how to execute that “excellent” research. Of course over the years of having to perform this task we eventually learn on our own, but it takes quite some time. I still do not like the research process and always feel so overwhelmed when it comes time to research.

            The first thing I have to do is set aside a huge chunk of time that I can sit down and plan my paper and start the process of researching. I need to be in a quiet space and know I have a lot of time by myself to sit and think. Like Susana, I cannot pick up the pieces here and there, I need to start the process and finish the process all together or my thoughts are going to run wild and I will not be able to pick up where I left off. This method of researching has been the best one I have found for me so far. I also like to go over the material I find very slowly and make sure to critically read and pick out the most important information that will help me write my paper. Usually once I find all my sources and information I am able to put together my paper quite easily and efficiently; it is the research that is the biggest strain on my mind! 


(Word Count: 332)

Close Reading

This week’s blog is supposed to be written on the topic of close reading. I never really knew what close reading exactly was until we learned about it this week. I understand that close reading is a way to better understand the text being read and find the deeper meaning in the story. Although this seems like a simple task, I do not think it is. I attempted this close reading on all four of the short stories we read in class this week and I never seemed to get what everyone else did from the text. After listening to everyone’s thoughts on the texts I was able to finally make connections and make sense of the story. Before listening to the class’s thoughts though, I was very lost and had no idea what to think of these texts. My “close readings” consisted of questioning everything in the story and I had a very difficult time being able to put things together in order for the story to make sense.

After working with the idea of close readings this week, I have a much better understanding of what it is and what I need to do in order to complete this task. I do think though, after learning this task I will be prone to “close reading” with all future texts I read. It is a really good habit to have and use with all readings. It not only uses your brain more, but also makes you connect with the text and find the deeper meaning in what you are reading, which is always a good thing to do. Except, now that I know how to close read, I think it is going to get annoying to always read like this since it will take longer to think about and process the ideas of the text. 

Project 3

My idea for my paper is exploring the characteristics of Asperger’s and the way they are used in modern texts today. I will be specifically looking at Jodi Picoult’s, House Rules. A teenage boy with Asperger’s is the main character in this novel and the plot revolves around his disability and the struggle not only he, but also the rest of his family faces as well. I think this novel was written very well with the use of Asperger’s as the main idea and I am interested to see how other texts use this same topic and if they display the true characteristics of Asperger’s. I chose to research and write about this topic because I find it very interesting and I love learning new things that I didn’t know about Autism and Asperger’s already. Since I am majoring in Special Education, this topic is very important and interesting to me. I luckily did not have a difficult time thinking of a research topic for this novel, since Asperger’s was they key concept and something I can find a lot of research on. The part of this project that I am worried about though, is tying in the sources of research I find into my paper. I tend to have difficulties when researching and finding the right information for my paper in order to stay on topic. So far, the sources I found are from the database, Project Muse. The sources consist of journals about other books that have used the topic of Autism in them as well. I hope by using these sources I can make a connection with the way Jodi Picoult used this topic and be able to write an excellent research paper. Overall, I am very worried about this project but hopefully I can succeed with this idea. 


Word count: 302

Jodi Picoult’s, House Rules, Takes You Into A Whole New World

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to view the world through the eyes of a individual with Asperger’s? Can you imagine how difficult it is for the mother of a child with Asperger’s to see their child suffer, constantly being misunderstood by society? All of these thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and questions are displayed, and can be lived through the book, House Rules, by Jodi Picoult.

Picoult writes yet another outstanding novel. Like all her other novels, the basis of this one is based on controversial issues and different challenges that are faced everyday by millions of individuals. House Rules not only takes on the challenges of being a child with Asperger’s, or being the family with the child, but also takes on forensic science, crime scenes, and the law. Forensic science is an obsession held by the main character Jacob, who is a teen with Asperger’s syndrome. When his obsession of forensic science and creating crime scenes gets out of control, could it be true that he committed the murder or his tutor, Jess Ogilvey?

This story is not only relatable for the individuals that have a child with Asperger’s in their family, or someone who knows an individual like Jacob; but it also throws in a twist of crime and solving a mystery. Unlike some individuals who read this novel, I was not able to solve the crime before it was revealed. I was drawn into the story the entire time and could not put the book down because I wanted to know the ending. One thing I did not like about this novel is the way the ending leaves you with questions to still be answered. The crime is finally solved, but I was angry to find out I don’t know what happened to the individuals involved.

Being a special education major, I know a lot about individuals with disabilities, and have worked with children with Asperger’s and Autism first hand. While reading this novel I was able to relate to all the things I know and have seen. I know that everything described in the novel are all typical behaviors and characteristics displayed by individuals with Asperger’s. Picoult did an excellent job in her research for this novel and you can tell the research was very detailed and important to her before writing this novel.

Although this novel is something that a lot of women and mothers would be interested in reading and able to relate to, it is not limited to this one group of individuals. I am not a mother, nor close to being one, and I absolutely loved this novel. Many teen girls that I know also love Jodi Picoult’s books as well. The whole plot and setting was put together very well making this my new favorite book. Many other individuals that I have discussed this novel with all say that out of all the Jodi Picoult books they have read, House Rules is their favorite. I, one hundred percent, recommend this book to anyone looking for a new novel to read. I caution though, you are going to lose sleep, due to the action of holding the book in your hands and not wanting to put it down.


http://www.barnesandnoble.com/reviews/House-Rules%2FJodi-Picoult/1100259946?sort=3

The name I used on this site is the same as mine on the blog: cllavan.

Spring Break

Spring break is FINALLY here! I am not going on a cool vacation anywhere for spring break, but I am just as excited to go home, as anyone else would be to go to Florida or wherever he or she may be going. I haven’t been home since winter break, which has been a reallyyy long stretch for me. I am a huge family person so I cannot wait to see my parents and brother and all my other extended family.

Over break I plan to spend all the time I can with my family and of course visit with my friends and boyfriend. My boyfriend and I already planned to go to Buffalo Wild Wings, which I am so excited for because I haven’t been there since I have been at ISU. My grandma on my mom’s side is having a dinner for St. Patrick’s day on Sunday, and the next Saturday I am going to dinner to celebrate my grandparents, on my dad’s side, 50^th anniversary. I am also going to be babysitting over the week, continuing with my nanny job of helping out with a little girl with cerebral palsy. I am also going to visit my old high school to visit some old teachers I had and to take out some friends to lunch that still attend there.

One thing that I wish was different about spring break, was that schools made all the spring breaks the same week. I will not be able to see a lot of my friends over spring break because their spring breaks are all different than mine. That is the only part that stinks about spring break, otherwise it is going to be very fun and I cannot wait until I am leaving at noon on Friday! Also, it is very nice to think that when we get back from spring break we only have 6 weeks of school, finals, and then done for the summer!

Word Count: 326