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Thatās pretty much how Iāve spent the brutal summer in North Texas this year. Inside, with thrice weekly trips to cardio rehab, as Iām about 75 years older than Kate.
Retired teacher here: Iādāve been thrilled if a student turned in an essay that read, āAll I did all summer was read books. The best couple I read were ā¦ because ā¦ā
However, I never gave that assignment because it was too threatening for some students.
Best after summer wrap up for me was when teacher asked us to write about the best thing that happened during vacation. Limiting to one thing also limited the amount of thinking and writing one had to do, except those summers where almost everything was good. Those years took a lot of thinking to choose āthe best thing.ā
That was in the 40ās, so there was lots of outdoor stuff [and cell phones were only a comic accessory for Dick Tracy. And, thank goodness, daytime tv, when it finally arrived, was mostly what became known as soaps, i.e., not of much interest to a kid who preferred being āout on the rangeā.]
Iām with Danae this time. Reading books all the time, or watching TV, or playing video games isnāt healthy. Get outside and write a few chapters in your own lifes magazine.
If she spent the summer reading, she could do reviews and expound on what she may have learned or how it has shaped her thinking and what was particularly entertaining ( why else does one read?)
If I were Kate (actually, if she were me) ā¦sheād write an essay weaving together all the exciting places sheād been in her reading and only at the end explain they were books she had read.
Kate could write some science fiction stories involving books such as the attack of killer books, revenge of killer books and killer books walk among us.
Just describe the stories youāve read, as if you were a part of them: making a visit to Jurassic Park, studying chimps with Jane Goodall, searching for the Hound of the Baskervilles, taking a second year at Hogwartsā¦ Thatās a pretty busy summer.
Iām guessing that āWhat I did over Summer Vacationā essays are a city kid/school thing.
No teacher wants to hear how you helped your dad or granddad when they were shoulder deep in a pregnant cow turning a breech calf to save it and possibly the cow, or how you stepped in a big old fresh cow pie and had to clean your boots.
They donāt care to know the intricacies of washing off a few flecks of dirt and chicken poop off of a couple of eggs before they get fried up for breakfast.
The mechanics of tugging on a few sets of udders every morning a the crack of dawn and then letting the pail of milk settle first so you can scoop off the cream and then refrigerate the now separated milk and cream, draws little literary interest.
The drudgery of sitting in the hot sun on a bouncing tractor seat, doing your very best to keep a straight and true course, the monotony only broken by the noon day meal brought to you in the field, or the moments spent for personal relief. One could hardly tell the teacher of the fun of those few moments when as a boy you watered the ground in complete abandon standing on your perch high on that tractor, or as a girl leaning back against that big old rear tractor wheel, on the shady side of course, for a moment or two of restful contemplation.
In truth, how many words can one write about the drudgery of sitting sometimes two, three, or even four hours to dump a truck load of wheat at the co-op, only to drive back to the field for another load.
I suppose one could write about Thursday night, which for most was go to town night. The one night of the week the stores were open in the evening and folks had time to shop, but then the teacher was probably already aware of the goings on, as inevitable you would see her there as well shopping with all the rest.
No, I suspect that the āWhat I did over Summer Vacationā essays were for the city kids, where they had time and nothing to do, instead of the other way around.
The creatorās conundrum: you must shut out the world in order to have time to create, but you must also engage with the world through your creations.
Thereās the old songwriter gag from the radio era. The songwriter is a guest on a show and plays some of his greatest hits, prefacing each with, āAnd then I wroteā¦ā My parents used that one a lot.
Look, Kate, think of your books as adventures. When anybody asks me that (silly, absolutely asinine) question āWhat did you do this weekend?ā, I say something like, " I went to Roswell this weekend, and fell in with a bunch of folks who were abducted by an alien trying to find his way home. . ." or āI went to St. Mary Mead in England and solved a murder. . .ā or āI joined four senior citizens on a cruise and helped them rub out their would-be assassins.ā READING CAN BE WONDERFUL!!!!
salakfarm Premium Member over 1 year ago
Thatās pretty much how Iāve spent the brutal summer in North Texas this year. Inside, with thrice weekly trips to cardio rehab, as Iām about 75 years older than Kate.
rmremail over 1 year ago
Kate should borrow from Danae.
I donāt mean āborrowā one of Danaeās adventures, I mean do like Danae does & make stuff up.
Wilde Bill over 1 year ago
You could relate all the times that you stopped Danae from destroying the world as we know it.
stairsteppublishing over 1 year ago
ALways hated that assignment.
Baarorso over 1 year ago
As far as i can recall, i never had to write an essay on how I spent my summer vacation.
keenanthelibrarian over 1 year ago
A studentās work is never done.
Uncle Kenny over 1 year ago
Retired teacher here: Iādāve been thrilled if a student turned in an essay that read, āAll I did all summer was read books. The best couple I read were ā¦ because ā¦ā
However, I never gave that assignment because it was too threatening for some students.
Enter.Name.Here over 1 year ago
āWhat I did over my Summer vacationā¦. and didnāt get caught doing.ā ā by Danae.
Ermine Notyours over 1 year ago
What I Did On My Summer Vacation.
Day 1, What I Did On My Summer Vacation: I went downtown to look for a job. Then I hung out at the drugstore.
Day 2: I went downtown to look for a job. Then I hung out at the drugstore.
Day 3: I went downtown to look for a job. Then I hung out at the drugstore.
sandpiper over 1 year ago
Best after summer wrap up for me was when teacher asked us to write about the best thing that happened during vacation. Limiting to one thing also limited the amount of thinking and writing one had to do, except those summers where almost everything was good. Those years took a lot of thinking to choose āthe best thing.ā
That was in the 40ās, so there was lots of outdoor stuff [and cell phones were only a comic accessory for Dick Tracy. And, thank goodness, daytime tv, when it finally arrived, was mostly what became known as soaps, i.e., not of much interest to a kid who preferred being āout on the rangeā.]
LawrenceS over 1 year ago
Write out your reading list. There are teachers who would consider reading a good way to spend the summer.
Eric Klein over 1 year ago
This summer I went on several great adventures. I visited Narnia, and Hogwarts, and ā¦.
rmercer Premium Member over 1 year ago
āAnd then I turned the pageā¦.ā
vaughnrl2003 Premium Member over 1 year ago
Iām with Danae this time. Reading books all the time, or watching TV, or playing video games isnāt healthy. Get outside and write a few chapters in your own lifes magazine.
brick10 over 1 year ago
Each book is a new chapter in your Summer narrative.
jconnors3954 over 1 year ago
Depends on the books!
Bendarling1 over 1 year ago
If she spent the summer reading, she could do reviews and expound on what she may have learned or how it has shaped her thinking and what was particularly entertaining ( why else does one read?)
KEA over 1 year ago
If I were Kate (actually, if she were me) ā¦sheād write an essay weaving together all the exciting places sheād been in her reading and only at the end explain they were books she had read.
pheets over 1 year ago
But her grasp of reality and her vocabulary are extensive for one so young ; )
oish over 1 year ago
I went to a Rock festival and bought some Fluorite and Labradorite.
mindjob over 1 year ago
Kate could write some science fiction stories involving books such as the attack of killer books, revenge of killer books and killer books walk among us.
Can't Sleep over 1 year ago
Just describe the stories youāve read, as if you were a part of them: making a visit to Jurassic Park, studying chimps with Jane Goodall, searching for the Hound of the Baskervilles, taking a second year at Hogwartsā¦ Thatās a pretty busy summer.
Daltongang Premium Member over 1 year ago
Iām guessing that āWhat I did over Summer Vacationā essays are a city kid/school thing.
No teacher wants to hear how you helped your dad or granddad when they were shoulder deep in a pregnant cow turning a breech calf to save it and possibly the cow, or how you stepped in a big old fresh cow pie and had to clean your boots.
They donāt care to know the intricacies of washing off a few flecks of dirt and chicken poop off of a couple of eggs before they get fried up for breakfast.
The mechanics of tugging on a few sets of udders every morning a the crack of dawn and then letting the pail of milk settle first so you can scoop off the cream and then refrigerate the now separated milk and cream, draws little literary interest.
The drudgery of sitting in the hot sun on a bouncing tractor seat, doing your very best to keep a straight and true course, the monotony only broken by the noon day meal brought to you in the field, or the moments spent for personal relief. One could hardly tell the teacher of the fun of those few moments when as a boy you watered the ground in complete abandon standing on your perch high on that tractor, or as a girl leaning back against that big old rear tractor wheel, on the shady side of course, for a moment or two of restful contemplation.
In truth, how many words can one write about the drudgery of sitting sometimes two, three, or even four hours to dump a truck load of wheat at the co-op, only to drive back to the field for another load.
I suppose one could write about Thursday night, which for most was go to town night. The one night of the week the stores were open in the evening and folks had time to shop, but then the teacher was probably already aware of the goings on, as inevitable you would see her there as well shopping with all the rest.
No, I suspect that the āWhat I did over Summer Vacationā essays were for the city kids, where they had time and nothing to do, instead of the other way around.
anomalous4 over 1 year ago
Voice of Experience: Thatās how I used to spend my summer vacations. Youāve got a vast trove of material for book reviews!
mistercatworks over 1 year ago
So, summarize your reading list. Detail and discuss. Nothing wrong with reading.
Tom Toro creator over 1 year ago
The creatorās conundrum: you must shut out the world in order to have time to create, but you must also engage with the world through your creations.
willie_mctell over 1 year ago
Thereās the old songwriter gag from the radio era. The songwriter is a guest on a show and plays some of his greatest hits, prefacing each with, āAnd then I wroteā¦ā My parents used that one a lot.
Bilan over 1 year ago
Kate could write about what she saw Danae doing. What she really did. That would be a bestseller.
johnec over 1 year ago
Treat it as a fictional writing assignment. There is no way they are going to check up on it. Just make it a great story!
1953Baby over 1 year ago
Look, Kate, think of your books as adventures. When anybody asks me that (silly, absolutely asinine) question āWhat did you do this weekend?ā, I say something like, " I went to Roswell this weekend, and fell in with a bunch of folks who were abducted by an alien trying to find his way home. . ." or āI went to St. Mary Mead in England and solved a murder. . .ā or āI joined four senior citizens on a cruise and helped them rub out their would-be assassins.ā READING CAN BE WONDERFUL!!!!
happyainthappy over 1 year ago
Last year,danaeās āWhat I DId in Summerā essay attracted the attention of 11 government agencies
Richard S Russell Premium Member over 1 year ago
āSo, ChatGPT, what did you do this summer?ā
āI havenāt been updated since last September, but you knew that, didnāt you? Please donāt rub it in, it hurts enuf as it is.ā
Curiosity Premium Member over 1 year ago
Reading is a good thing. Doing is a good thing. Managing a balance between them is a great thing.
jvscanlan Premium Member over 1 year ago
Sounds like a pretty good summer
RitaGB over 1 year ago
When I retire I look forward to one long summer vacation!
bakana over 1 year ago
She could write a story about how she saved the World from Danae.