Three Books

June 3, 2024 | aeporterfield

List three books that have had an impact on you. Why?

“Print media is dead,” she whispered to herself as she realized that most of the books that had an impact on her were made obsolete by the internet…

The first book on my list is this one, from the Survival Series for Kids, What To Do When Your Mom or Dad Says, “Clean Your Room”

I checked this book out of my school library in 3rd or 4th grade based solely on the title. Nine year old me was like, “awwww yeeeeeah… we’re about to stick it to the man!”

In reality this book was full of very helpful, practical tips on how to clean and organize your room. I still remember and use the information I learned from this book. From making the bed, to folding and hanging clothes, to vacuuming and dusting. This book was great and I still use what I learned from it 40 years later.

The second book on my list is this one- The Practical Guide to Practically Everything

This book was invaluable to me in my twenties. Like many young people, I graduated from school severely lacking in actual life skills. I remember a conversation I had with my roommate at the time that went something like this, “Please help me, I don’t know how to do this very basic thing.” And she responded with, “You need a Practical Guide to Practically Everything!”

She lent me her dad’s copy and I wore it out. This was in the mid-nineties. Now anything you could ever want to know can be searched up on your phone. These truly are amazing times we are living in, but this book will always have a special place in my heart.

My third and final book is this one, A Complaint Free World by Will Bowen

I read this book in my thirties when I saw it recommended on a friend’s blog. It’s exactly what the cover says, stop complaining and start living. But it’s presented as a 21 day challenge, which gives you an immediate, practical application of the principles presented in the book. No complaining, gossiping, or criticizing anything for 21 days. And the accountability piece is a bracelet you wear on your wrist, and you move it from one wrist to the other whenever you catch yourself complaining, gossiping, or criticizing anything. I never made it 21 days, but just the awareness of how often I was being negative with my words, or even my internal monologue, gave me the opportunity to turn it around. So over time I became much less whiny and much more solution oriented. I still revisit this book. It’s given me a much more positive outlook on life.

So, there you have it. My three impactful books. Down to earth, straightforward, PRACTICAL advice for living in 3-D.

Can’t wait to read others’ responses!

My Autobiography

March 5, 2024 | aeporterfield

You’re writing your autobiography. What’s your opening sentence?

“I don’t know whose idea it was to drop me – a naked, screaming BABY- into this world, and then give me a LIFE and RESPONSIBILITIES… good grief. I have been inconvenienced. I feel I am entitled to some sort of compensation and I’d like to speak to the manager.”

I know it’s more than one sentence. But honestly, I have this life and I don’t know what to do with it. I feel like… you know how when you were in school and the teacher was giving directions but you didn’t hear because you were drawing or looking out the window and then you look around and everyone is hard at work but you don’t know what the heck is going on and you can’t ask, because you were supposed to be listening. And you don’t want to look stupid, so you just watch what everyone else is doing and try to do that, but you don’t know what THAT is, so you end up looking stupid anyway. And then the teacher is disappointed in you.

I feel like at the end of my life, when I’m facing my final judgement, God will heave an exasperated sigh and say, “What have you been DOING????”

I don’t know. I just really don’t know.

DIY? Me? That’s maybe not such a good idea.

February 27, 2024 | aeporterfield

Describe the most ambitious DIY project you’ve ever taken on.

I’m not particularly handy, but I have the best of intentions. So with YouTube and the proper tools I’m… only marginally more skilled than a child. I tried to have a garden once. Growing vegetables counts as DIY, right? You can read all about it here :

https://playinginthedappledsunshine.com/2016/09/05/project-summer-2016-the-garden/

The word banning bandit banned it…

February 25, 2024 | aeporterfield

If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?

If I could ban any word from general usage, it would be any word with more than one /k/ sound as I find that sound particularly unpleasant. Words like cupcake, kooky, cookie, car key, cuckold, and kick. As well as khaki, caulk, and Kierkegaard.

I would however like to hear more words with -rgle, like gargle, burgle, and hamburglar. I also like words with /s/, /w/, and digraph /sh/, like in the word swashbuckler, which is nearly perfect, even though it does have /k/ in it, it only appears once and perfectly accents the other swishy sounds.

Meditation on Teaching

July 3, 2023July 4, 2023 | aeporterfield

What makes a teacher great?

In this era of standardization and scripted curricula, why aren’t all teachers great? What does ‘great’ even mean in this context? Does great mean good test scores? Today that is the only measure that really matters, but if you ask any individual person about their favorite teacher or what teacher made the most difference in their life, their answers will not have anything to do with tools, or pedagogy, and everything to do with connection. Connection to students, connection to content, ability to connect students to the content. And the secret sauce to connection is love. This is not my video but it is one of my favorite videos of Fred Rogers, the greatest hero of my life. Enjoy ❤️

What I’m reading

September 25, 2022September 25, 2022 | aeporterfield

What I’m Reading. Or actually, some of what I’ve read this year. I had set a goal to read two books a month, and while I’m falling very short of that goal, I’m not doing terrible. I’m much better at reading than I am writing about what I’m reading. But here’s some of that anyway. Enjoy!

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev

Dawnie Walton

Why I read it: This book was recommended in one of my Facebook Book Clubs. I always want to read along with others but I can never keep a schedule.

Synopsis: The Final Revival of Opal & Nev chronicles the lives of fictional band mates Opal Jewel and Nev Charles from their origin in the early 70’s to their final performance in 2016.

Reaction: This was one of the most immersive novels I’ve ever read. It’s a whole experience. The story is told through an interview, with commentary included from recognizable musicians from the 70’s through today, which gives authenticity to the music duo. I actually googled them to see if they were real because I wanted to hear their music. This book challenged me and made me ask myself uncomfortable questions. I love it when a book holds up a mirror and shows you an ugly truth about yourself. Am I truly willing to walk the talk of an ally? I have a lot of work to do.

The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music

Dave Grohl

Why I read it: I’m a Foo Fighters fan from way back. Not a superfan, I mean, I’ve never seen them live, but I do enjoy their music and what I’ve seen of Dave Grohl in the media, he just seems like a genuine great guy. That, and I had some credits on Audible so I got it for free.

Synopsis: Stories from the life of Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl.

Reaction: Dave Grohl’s life is infinitely more interesting than my own. But to hear him tell his own story is like listening to one of your guy friends telling you about some incredible dream he is having. Like he can’t believe it either, and the whole time you’re both just like, “What? No way! You’re kidding! This really happened??” Such a fun listen. The part that stuck with me the most, I think, is how he knew who he was from the time he was a child, and his mother loved him enough to let him go and it made all the difference in the world to him. I was more interested in the parts about his mother than any of the rock and roll stories. I would love to read a book by Dave Grohl’s mother. Does she have a book? The Nirvana days were interesting as they were part of my high school soundtrack, and of course I remember where I was when I heard that Curt Cobain had died. And during the time I was listening to this book, Taylor Hawkins sadly and unexpectedly passed away, which added a deeper layer of heartbreak to the story. Overall, the thoughts I had throughout were, “Wow. What a life. What an amazing life.” I loved this book.

The School For Good Mothers

Jessamine Chan

Why I read it: ScaryMommy book club recommendation.

Synopsis: Frida Liu is a mother who had a “very bad” parenting day, leaving her toddler home alone for two hours, which results in calls to the police and CPS, and eventually lands Frida in a mothering reform school.

Reaction: This book was dark and infuriating. At first I found it difficult to sympathize with Frida, because she did something very bad. But as the story developed I was surprised that she hadn’t flown into a murderous rage or jumped off a bridge. It really brought home the burdens women are asked to carry and how quick we are to punish women rather than support them. As I was reading the stories of the mothers in the reform school I was reminded of the times I left my kid in the car while I went in to pay for gas and hoped no one called the police on me. Or how I let my kids play outside unsupervised and I hope no one calls the police on me. Or I let my kid ride his bike to the store and I hope no one calls the police on me. Good grief, this world we live in.