Blowing off the Dust

I don't really have much time to pursue my delights this year. My blog sits neglected and the excellent books I want to read (including about 16 titles from Net Galley) pile up. But I desire so much to get back into the habit of writing, of blogging, of reading for fun. *nervously eyes the mountain of correcting and lesson plans looming over head, threatening to topple at the slightest breeze* So I make a valiant attempt to reclaim some creativity in my life.

Behold, a slice of literary life:

This morning one of my freshmen girls came in and told me she had stayed up until midnight the night before reading Erin Dionne's Notes from and Accidental Bank Geek. She loved the book so much that she became totally lost in it, and it wasn't until she finished that she realized it was midnight and her entire family had gone to bed!

One of my freshman boys came to me this morning and passed me a copy of Dante's Inferno (duel translation). "Can I read this for my next independent reading book?"
"Sure."
"I'm going to read it in English and in Latin." (I think he meant Italian)
"Good luck with that."
Later in the day he explained to me why he chose Dante's Inferno, "My mother told me I couldn't make any more references to the 7th level of hell until I'd read Inferno. It might take me a little while, but I'm going to do it."

Despite the fact that BH (hope Laurie Halse Anderson doesn't mind me using the designation Beloved Husband for my hubby, it's such a great nick name!) is now working 10 hour days that require him to be at work at 6 am (yes, I'm still getting used to that one), for the second night in a row he was stayed awake past 9 pm reading Habibi, Craig Thompson's new graphic novel. He says it's amazing. I hope I get to read it.