I am still trying to get through the book The Hobbit. I think that the main reason that I am struggling so hard with this book is because I have absolutely NO interest in this book at all. I do not usually read books that rely so much on my imagination. This book is entirely too fairy tale like for me to be fully engaged. Not to mention that the book is constantly introducing a new character each chapter. So it seems like at this point that I am suppose to know who each of the 30 or so characters are and how they are going to be useful to the plot of the story. It is hard enough for me to keep the different wizards straight, let alone any other character that seems to be part of the main plot. Again I think that it comes down to the fact that this book is primarily fantasy and I am not too keen on fantasy type books.
The rest of my reading lately consists of reading for my classes. I can not wait for the chance to be able to read something purely for pleasure and not for anything else. I used to read all the time and now I have gotten to the point where I only read for my classes. I have been pushed to the point where reading is no longer fun for me because it only consists of information that I need for my classes. This summer is going to be filled with all of the books that I have piled up throughout the year that I am longing to read. I want reading to be FUN again and not just a chore that needs to get done.

BEFORE I READ:
This past week, all I did was made sure that I had some free time and checked to see how many pages that I had to read. I made sure to have all of my homework written down with importance first. Again, I made sure that I had some water near by and I turned on some background noise and I went to business.
WHILE I READ:
I was paying attention to details in some of my readings, so that I could remeber key points. In the other things that I read this week, I just read them to read them and didn't make any effort to pay attention to the details. In the reading that I had to read, I had to take notes just to be able to remember the key points. On the entertainment reading that I did, I had no problem remembering any details. The details in the materials that I wanted to read were extremely easy to remember.
AFTER I READ:
On the material for school, I just waited to be able to discuss the material in class. The material that I read for pleasure I talked about with friends and family. Throughout the week I was able to make connections with other readings with the reading that I had done for pleasure.

What do I do to "get" what I read:
Before I read:
Lately, I have made sure that I have nothing else to do so that I can sit down and not be interrupted while doing the reading. Today, while I was reading, I was trying hard not to get distracted and to ignore the fact that I am completely exhausted.
While I read:
I was concentrating hard on knowing exactly what was happening in my book. I am reading The Hobbitt right now and at times it can be a little bit hard to follow. So I was making a point to understand exactly what was going on at each moment. This definitely is not a book that I am reading for fun, right now.
After I read:
I took a moment to collect my own thoughts and then I replied to the young girl that is reading this book with me.
When I had to read something boring:
I took notes and highlighted a lot in order to keep myself focused and awake.
The way that I prepare a reading environment:
This week my preparation for my reading environment was practically non existant. What it came down to, is that I had some extra time to be able to sit down and read a book. I used every bit of free quiet time that I could.

Week of February 3, 2003


Pre-Reading Entry:
By just looking at the book cover I was able to make the assumption that I would not like this book too much. On the front of the novel the comment is, "Part Woody Allen…", I have yet to see anything by Woody Allen that I have either understood or liked. So needless to say I was not entirely interested in reading this novel. The back of the book explains how the novel is based on a young mans journey through adolescents. So when reading this I was excited over the fact that at least a little bit of this semesters reading assignments would be easy to get through. I can't wait to see how easy it is.

Log #1:
What I seem to notice so far is that Mrs. Mole seems to spend an awful lot of time over at Mr. Lucas's house. I kind of wonder if there is a little more to the story than what is already being revealed. I tend to wonder how the two of them can keep their constant visits such a secret from Mr. Mole and Mrs. Lucas. I truly think that Mrs. Lucas knows what is going on and doesn't seem to really care.
Adrian is quite clever in wanting to increase his intellect and it is hilarious to read his journal entries about his best friend Nigels deception over Pandora. It also brings back memories of what it used to be like as a teenager and having the biggest crush on someone and then finding out that they are dating your good friend. The way he dealt with those feelings was definitely entertaining.
Adrian's tone seems to me to be quite sarcastic and a little bit depressing. The depressed tone only seems to show when discussing his parents relationship. I think it is funny too that he is so completely concerned with being mistreated and malnutritured. He whole heartedly believes that he is lacking the kind of care and attention that his parents are suppose to be giving to him.

Log #2:
Adrian seems to be noticing things about his body that he has never taken notice of before. Like how big is "thing" is getting and how it seems to shrink back as fast as it seems to grow. He also seems to be so completely occupied with having sex. His school work seems to be going down the drain and you can tell that he hates getting lower grades than his "new girlfriend", Pandora. Adrian also seems to want the acceptance of others and in fact strives to be someone that everyone would like. He also seems to have found that he is an intellectual, and truly enjoys reading novels about everything.
Adrian believes that he lives in a house of trash and cannot understand why his father can't make more money and why his father can't spend the money that he does make more wisely. He is constantly trying to get out of games by making a bigger deal out of every ache and pain he has. His parents just want him to toughen up and take what he is dealt with. He thinks that everyone is against him in this respect.
Adrian also seems to be a bit of a loner, in that when he goes to visit his mother he refuses to spend any time with her and her new boyfriend. He also only seems to have one friend, Nigel, and an old man that he visits. He seems to be extremely fickle in his likes and dislikes. One day he likes someone and then the next day he hates that person. I guess in the end that is what is was like to be a teenager. I guess I just forgot.

Log #3:
His grades and school work seems to be getting worse and worse. He has noticed that the worse off health wise he is, the more attention he gets. His health fails a little bit and his depression seems to worsen. It almost seems that he has taken on the role of the parent in his family situation or at least this is what he seems to think. Adrian believes that he knows all there is to know.
I have noticed a continuing theme of lost and found. His dog is lost and than found. His love is lost and than found. His best friend is Nigel and than he is not. His mother is lost and than found. His extra money is lost to Barry Kent and than it is found by his grandmother. This first book is definitely an up and down battle through adolescents.

Final Entry:
I have to admit that I wasn't quite prepared for how this first book ended. Although it did still keep up with the humor side of being an adolescent. I kind of expected for Adrian and Pandora to have sexual relations. So needless to say I was completely surprised with the fact that Adrian let his intentions wander to someone new and than just as fast as his love wanders he is back again with his devotion to Pandora. I was also surprised to see that his parents were still together. I predict that before the end of the next book that the Mole's will be a broken home once again. I don't entirely trust Mrs. Moles intentions. I believe that she will once again run to the bed of Mr. Lucas.
As to whether I think this book would be a good piece of work to teach in a secondary classroom, I am not entirely sure. I love the fact that it relates to the issues that children go through daily in an adolescent life, however I think that a few things that are discussed are a bit too mature for a junior high kid to be reading. Perhaps this is because I have a very strict upbringing or perhaps it is because I tend to feel that talking about sex and drugs at such an early age is such a touchy subject. I personally have enjoyed this book, but I am an adult and can look back at my adolescence and laugh at all the things that we put each other through. Would it be good in a high school classroom, I guess my answer would be "yes".

What I do to "get" what I read:
Before I read:
I make sure that I have a glass of water and if what I am reading is for school, I make sure that I have a highlighter ready to be used. I then turn on the t.v. to a low volume and make myself comfortable.
While I read:
I generally am taping my fingers or my foot or I twirl my hair. I have a hard time sitting still while I am reading. I also tend to hear a voice in my head that is reading the text, so if I come across a word that I am having a difficult time with, then I cannot move on until I figure out what the word is.
After I read:
I run through what I just read in my mind and kind of mull over it. This is the time that I am absorbing what exactly it was that I read.
If I have to read something that I think will be boring or difficult:
I tend to immediately size up how many pages that I have to read. While I am reading it, I tend to flip to the end of the reading to see how much further I have to go. I also tend to find something else that needs to be done instead of doing the reading; like cleaning the house, washing clothes, watching t.v., talking to my mom on the phone. Pretty much anything to get out of the task at hand.
The way I take notes or keep track of information:
I usually highlight the information that I feel is important and sometimes I will take notes on the side of the keywords. I make stars next to the extremely important things; the things that I would like to remember.
The way I prepare a reading environment:
Like I said earlier, I get a glass of water and then I turn on the television on a low volume and I make myself comfortable and that is when the reading begins. Sometimes I read in my car and in that case, I make sure that I have a parking spot and then I turn the car and radio off and try to make myself as comfortable as possible.