Wednesday, May 1, 2019

May #IWSG: The End (of the school year) is Near

First Wed of Every Month










OPTIONAL IWSG Day Question: 
What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
Co-Hosts:
The awesome co-hosts for the May 1 posting of the IWSG are Lee Lowery, Juneta Key, Yvonne Ventresca, and T. Powell Coltrin! 



The first time I realized that language had power was after reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in the fifth grade. I never knew I could get lost in a book. Before this, I read well and often for school but not for pleasure. It changed me. Then I discovered mysteries.The rest of my life has become an unending quest to read and write my favorite genre. 






My family and I just returned from a three-day trip to Chicago, enjoying all the sights and sounds of the windy city. And, yes, it was seriously windy!! Navy Pier, the Bean (aka Cloud Gate), Giordanno's were some of the highlights. We moved away from my favorite city about ten years ago. Venturing out into this urban setting made me want to dive back into writing! Ideas are swirling around my head. Just a few more weeks until SUMMER. The end of the school year is near!



I enjoyed taking a few candid shots of my oldest son photographing the city. He has an excellent artistic eye. Not to mention my kid is an amazing techie nerd, majoring in computer science. 

Anyone else looking forward to more writing time? Ready for summer? Taking any trips? Anyone else enjoy the Windy City? I'll make my way around the blogs and answer comments after school.









43 comments:

  1. Sounds like a fun and inspiring trip! And I can't believe it's almost summer. Although, the last couple of days hit 90 degrees here so it kind of already FEELS like summer.....

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    1. 90?? Sheesh. I'm loving the steady 50-60 degree temps right now. When my pool opens, then I'll welcome 90!

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  2. I remember the first time I read that book.
    Glad you got a trip to Chicago and are all sorts of inspired now.

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    1. It's been a few years, so it was time! Actually, we always pass through Chicago for many road trips. It was nice to stay and play!

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  3. I am so looking forward to summer. The homework load for my kids had been brutal this year, especially for my ninth grader.

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    1. Teachers don't realize homework is for parents too! Ugh.

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  4. I'd love to visit Chicago someday.

    Summer is when I will have more time to write.

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    1. It's the best! There's so much to do and all within walking distance.

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  5. I want to visit Chicago some day.

    Yes, some books have the power to transport us to a different world.

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  6. I love The Chronicles of Narnia! Each book, and I don't know how many times I have watched the films.
    Glad to hear you visited Chicago and liked it. I have very dear German friends who lived there for three years because of his job and they loved it.

    Shalom aleichem,
    Pat G @ EverythingMustChange

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    1. Chicago is such a great city and the people are amazing.

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  7. Ah, but the end of the school year means no paychecks for the summer. So, while summer is great, there is a bit of a not-looking-forward to it.

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    1. Bummer!! I get my salary spread out over 12 months. Hope you get something fun to do over the summer.

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  8. Glad you had a great trip to Chicago!
    No kids and no school so summer is pretty much the same as the rest of the year for me. I do have some vacations coming up, though, so hopefully they'll be filled with writing!

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  9. I never read that book but I love the movie Narnia. My kids do too. Chicago sounds so fun! I am glad you all had a great time. I have fridays off in summers so I hope to get tons more writing and research done. Happy IWSG day :)

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  10. Yes, learning to read really got me into books and the power of words.

    Chicago is such a fun city. Glad you had a good time.

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  11. I never read that book as a kid. Not sure why. It just didn't cross my radar, but that is odd since I loved fantasy books. I read it last year for the IWSG Book Club, though. :D

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  12. I love that the Chronicles of Narnia impacted so many of our lives in such a great way.

    I love Chicago - try to get there several times a year (I'm within a 3 hour train ride). There's always something new to do or see.

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    1. Sweet! I'm about 4 hours away. We debated to take the train, but our hotel (downtown!!) offered valet parking, so we drove. Also, Spothero is a great app for finding cheap parking in Chitown.

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    1. Thanks! As my son gets older, I find we have so much more in common. Urban exploration, photography, discovering good restaurants.

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  14. I love the Chronicles of Narnia! And I love those photos - those are definitely food for the imagination.

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    1. Thanks! I just got a new phone. I made sure to get one right before our trip.

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  15. Great photos indeed. Time away sure can get the juices flowing.

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  16. Reading for school was boring as, until a teacher introduced me to the Hobbit. I went on to read the The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe series as well and any other fantasy or adventure I could get my hands on.

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    1. Yes, it was! Until we discovered the world of fiction on our own.

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  17. There is a difference between reading for information and for pleasure. When it becomes pleasure, that is such an amazing experience.

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    1. Agreed! I'm still reading for pleasure EVERY SINGLE DAY.

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  18. Unfortunately, my husband isn't fond of travel and our schedules don't change come summer. But those are some great shots, and I do hope to visit someday!

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    1. I enjoy my own house and my own bed too. But sometimes you gotta get out there! Thanks!!!

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  19. I too am at the end of my school year. :) Yay. I love summertime writing.

    Thanks for visiting me.

    Teresa

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    1. Yeah!! I hope to get lots of writing time in this summer.

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  20. I am definitely looking forward to the sun staying up longer as school years no longer have a direct impact on my life. Enjoyed your story. I live The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe too.

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  21. Wow! That bubble thing in Chicago looks amazing.

    I enjoy mysteries too but what I read depends on my mood.

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    1. Haha! It's called the Bean. Technically, it's named Cloud Gate and I think it's the most fascinating thing in Chicago! It reflects the sky and the skyline of this amazing city. A sight to behold:)

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  22. Narnia definitely had a big impact on me when I first read it, too. Glad your trip to the city was inspiring!

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February #IWSG: Just Do It

                  Come join Alex J. Cavanaugh and the Insecure Writer's Support Group. We discuss our fears, insecurities, ups and downs...