Two Hour Delay....

Two hour delays are awesome for me because of my drive. I imagine they are also awesome for you. What will you do with your two hours? Will  you go back to bed or stay in bed? Will you play a video game World War.....whatever. Will you connect with friends on Facebook or text, text, text? Perhaps you will eat a different kind of  breakfast because you have more time. Maybe you will do one thing differently in your day because you've been given those two extra hours to do whatever you want to do with them.. What a gift you got today! Two hour delay might be my three favorite words today!

Breezy HIll on Sunday Morning....

This is my view today...cold...on Breezy Hill, but that is what winter in Vermont is all about!

My Metaphor:

Breezy Hill is an  iced oasis in the middle of a world full of confusions, complications, expectations, political discord, and an economic trillion dollar debt clock.....

My Alliteration:

Balsam Barky Breezy Hill holds heaven high on top.

My Fact/Opinion:

Fact: My home is 1007 feet above sea level.
Opinion: I love where I live on Breezy Hill

Conflict In A Three Dog Life-Richard's Conflict

      The internal conflict in my novel, A Three Dog Life, shows up as all of the internal changes Richard experienced from the external conflict of a horrible accident. Richard's life changed in an instant. His brain forever changed by that one moment in time; the car, the rainy night, the leash breaking, and the dog darting across a busy New York City street. Richard's instinctive reaction to run after the dog; a dog he never wanted; his wife's dog, results in his own slow demise. He was hit by a car, and suffered Traumatic Brain Injury, also known as TBI. Richard changed from a wonderful middle aged man who loved the simplicity of life, to a man who didn't seem to be able to hold onto a single thought. The external conflict of the leash breaking and Richard's dash for his wife's dog, caused him to be hit by the car. Richard's internal conflict; his brain's bizarre connections, would remain his internal conflict as Abigail struggles with her own internal and external conflicts. What do you do when life hands you a plate on which your life is not what you ordered? This is the struggle and the basis of this memoir, A Three Dog Life. 

Who is the Antagonist?

         In my novel, A Three Dog Life, the antagonist is the accident Richard experiences and the brain damage that he suffers. Once hit by the car on the busy New York City Street,  Richard survives the trauma of the accident but will never again be the same man. As his stay in the hospital comes to an end, Abigail is told about Richard's diagnosis and realizes that he can not come home to live. Instead, he is transported to a  rehabilitation facility. Richard's rehab does help him regain some of his motor movements, however the brain injury leaves him confused and disjointed. Abigail's  struggle is to come to terms with the reality that their life together as husband and wife is forever changed. The antagonist plays a cruel joke on this couple as Richard appears to be fine, however his confusion, anger, depression, fear, and anxiety will forever define and  determine his future. That single leash snapping in half, can be seen as the hand of the antagonist,playing out  Richard and Abigail's destiny.  

Who is the Protagonist?????

In the novel, A Three Dog Life, the protagonist is Abagail. The focus of the story, the plot events and the drama that happens surrounds her. She is Richard's wife, and the key character in this "memoir" genre, telling a true story of  a life dramatically and tragically forever changed after one rainy night. Abagail, shows strength and weaknesses throughout this novel as her life unfolds around her. Richard will never be the same and their life together is gone in one New York minute.

Amazing story of children, an animal shelter, philanthropy and cats

Here is a great feel good story about a young boy,  his  allowance, an animal shelter, some cats, and how all were connected by a  willingness to help, donations, and blogs.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/05/evan-10-year-old-philadel_n_2411806.html?utm_hp_ref=good-news

Very Funny Audio Version of Run Hopey Run....

I downloaded this free app-and  took that awesome video that most of  you know as Run Hopey Run, and set it to music....and here it...is....

Run Hopey Run...

Run Hopey Run-The Original Youtube sensation video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RaFUOpjTzI&sns=em

Here is a Tagxedo I created using the word I posted on my blog-237 LMS. This was so easy to do and a really neat alternative way to show your words and your blog ideas. Today, you will go to www.tagxedo.com and create your own word Tagxedo  for your blog.You will save the image and post it in your blog -using the blog title:  Words From My Blog- posting.

http://www.tagxedo.com/artful/607e38cf63f341b3

Setting -Blog Post For Your Novel

In this "setting-blog post for your novel" post you will identify and describe one setting from your novel. You will write 5-7 sentences identifying the setting and how that setting impacted on the character, the events in the story, or the conflict/resolution that might have occurred.

My example post for "A Three Dog Life"-My sample novel that I will use as my example model:

In my novel, A Three Dog Life, the setting and the eventual events changed the lives of the characters. When Richard went out to take his wife's beagle for a walk one rainy night, no one knew that his life would cease to exist as he once lived it. The setting, a busy New York City street with lots of traffic and the event of a leash breaking, would forever change both Richard and Abigail's life when Richard would be hit by a car leaving him with a broken brain and changing who he once was, his life, and even his marriage. The busy New York City Street was the 'place' setting and the 'night' was the time period setting. 

Most of You Have Your Blogs Up and Running!

 It was so neat for me to see how many of you embraced creating your blog. Many of you personalized it in some spectacular ways! The greatest thing for me was to learn things about you that I hadn't previously known before! I learned about some sports you do and sports you watch. This of  course includes the  teams you follow. I learned some favorite colors you have and your dog and cat's breeds and names. I learned about some of the many things you love to do in your spare time-Karate, Motorcycle riding, Skateboarding, hanging with family members, hunting, snowmobiling....and even more!

This blog will be a great addition to our class. Please feel free to post  pictures and even video if you like as long  as it's  appropriate. I will assign specific things to do but you can always add anything you like as long as it is school appropriate,please! Great job to  the ones who have already completed setting up their blog and creating their first post. To the students who are about to begin their blog, feel free to post pictures of  you on the field, or your  pets or your family. A blog can be a compilation of writing, images, and video!

You will receive specific assignments to complete which will be connections to the novel you are reading, literary concepts like writing metaphors, similes, cause/effect...etc....You will connect to a character in your novel. You will take a stand on an important issue in the news. There are so many things that we will be doing with your new blog!

Below is a picture of my Faithycat. She loves to wake me up all night long by walking  laps around the bed.