Slice of Life: My Top Three Reasons for Attending NCTE!

I promise to share more about my NCTE conference 

experience once Thanksgiving isn't lurking around the bend.

For now it's a sharing of pics and

my top three reasons for attending:

#3. Meeting authors, book signings and free books!

  #2. Stellar sessions with rock star educators and authors!
(just a few of the sessions that I attended
& took pics of the presenters).

 

 

 

#1. My community of fellow educators & bloggers! 

It's larger than the folks pictured here,

but these are the folks I pestered

to pose for a pic with me.

Carol Varsalona and I finally managed 

to meet in person. Her seasonal galleries

of images and poetry are her gift to our world.

 

I met Kim Doele at the Newcomer's Breakfast four years ago

at my first (and only until now) NCTE conference. 

She saw my Twitter post and reached out 

hoping we could connect again. 

 

Leigh Anne Eck, blogger and friend, whose

slice I remember  EVERY time I buy milk. 

 

Ruth Ayres, my virtual friend (until I attended my first

All Write conference in Indiana), is a nurturer

and encourager of my writing and spiritual life.

  

Irene Latham presented at the middle school where

I used to teach, spoke with the members of 

my after school book club, and spent time with me

before heading to Poetry Camp at Western University.  

The world needs more huggers (and poets)
like Amy Ludwig VanDerwater! Aren't we
lucky to have her in the world?

Poetry Friday on Saturday: Homework from Mary Lee

  Linda Baie at Teacher Dance

is hosting this week's round-up of poetic goodness. 

I'm reporting in a day late with a completed assignment.

I'm at NCTE and attended the Writing Poetry in the Wild session yesterday. Mary Lee Hahn kicked off the session with introductions and a creative, "wild" musical clip for each of our presenters.

(pictured left to right) 

Heidi Mordhorst, Laura Purdie Salas, Margaret Simon,

 Irene Latham, and Mary Lee Hahn
Such a wonderful gathering of Poetry Friday friends!  

I wish I had time to tell you about their presentations, but I'm reporting in a day late (sorry, Linda) for Poetry Friday with a completed assignment. Mary Lee gave each of us a sticky note at the end of the session with a homework assignment to complete before we go home. We were supposed to write a small poem on the sticky note. I wrote mine last night as a note to my friend who had plans for Saturday morning. I'm staying at her house and had planned to attend an 8:00 am session this morning. As the time drifted past midnight, I changed my mind and left this haiku on my door.

Catching zzz's won out

for this west coast, weary gal

I'll catch an Uber. 

Homework completed, Mary Lee!

I'm happy to report that after a few hours of sleep, I woke up invigorated and ready to make my planned early session, The Power of Poetry with Georgia Heard, Barry Hoonan, . Maybe I can check in next week with some snippets from NCTE. 

Here I am getting a copy of Irene's book, Love, Agnes:  Postcards from an Octopus, for my young friend Rose who loves octopuses.

Slice of Life: What to Pack in a Bag Marked NCTE!

I join my fellow bloggers in "serving up a slice"

to the Tuesday Slice of Life (SOL) community.

Thanks to Stacey, Betsy, Beth, Kathleen,
Deb, Melanie, Lanny, and Kelsey

 for hosting this meeting place each Tuesday

and nurturing our writing lives.

Anticipation
Walking shoes
A book for the flight

A sweater
A book in need of an autograph
Pumpkin chocolate chip bread (for those who can gather after G10)

My new notebook
Several favorite pens
Protein bars & fruit

An empty backpack and a tote bag or two (for stashing book finds)
Energy for the long days
Delight for this magnificent gathering!