Beaker wants to know....What is with the school bells?

Bells...

Why do we have them in schools?



Angel wing ceremonies?

Is this a good reason?

Well...to me...school bells feel more like this!



Perhaps we can think of other ways to gather children...

If we can herd cats without bells...we can certainly herd children....



Anyone know of some great alternatives? Gathering songs? Anything....

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

When Animals Lie...You Need Billy Joel More Than Ever!!!

The Lit Maven has been recovering after a snow storm blanketed the city.

 It was ugly....

But what was  truly ugly...the bunny...

The bunny lied!

Lit Maven...bunnies don't lie..

Well...this one did!

Tuesday it had a full coat of brown fur...

I thought....Yay...Maybe the snow will stay away...Bunnies know nature...

or so I thought...

Bunny lied...it snowed Wednesday!

Damn sneaky mustache...

Bunnies do not celebrate Movember...

they celebrate...

NO-Vember....

Turns out...
Bunny was actually tanned...
not brown..
and on its way to Hawaii...

How can I trust again?

Sing it Billy!



Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

When I Think of Halloween...I Think Of Huey Lewis

Also...I think of being too tall at the age of 12....that's what I think of.

"How old are you lady?" (circa 1989)

Me thinking...."Lady? But I am just Lil - Lit Maven" 

(I was not actually the Lit Maven then...but seriously...can anyone remember when I wasn't?)

Yes...back in the old days, Halloween was for young short people. Like this guy....



But I have matured and I am no longer bitter that I was 5 foot 7 at the age of 12.

Ah Lit Maven...you sound bitter...

Ok...I have some residule bitterness...but hey!... enough about me....

Here is one of MY favorite Halloween moments in film... ...not educational...entertainment only...note I switched in Jen A. for Mike J.



and a song that has nothing to do with Halloween but is filmed to reflect a halloweenish nature....

Halloween-ish ....Lit Maven?

Whatever....tall people hear words differently than short people...

Take it away Hugh!

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

LiveBinders...Gilda Radner Says Yes!

So...where to begin...

It is nice to know that my last post is somehow still current...

Thanks Lindsay and Amanda!

Since the last week of August, I have put "running like Van Halen" on hold  and replaced it with

HOT YOGA!!!





Yikes! Lit Maven!

I know...

I don't even want to know what rock band I resemble in my poses...

it's probably not even appropriate to say anyway.

But I am down one size!

YAY!

However the compliments I get are usually about my presentations...

Last time I was Amy Farrah-Fowler....

The newest one....

Gilda Radner....

Who Lit Maven?



Oh...Lit Maven..that's interesting...and weird too!!!

I know right...I think it was a compliment....

Lit Maven...some connection ...please...

Yes...a LiveBinder...

Check out this link, Making Your Own Newspaper Clipping...I found it in Fun Educational Stuff.... and I made this...

How cool is that?!!!

You are such a NERD Lit Maven!!!!

Thanks!

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

LiveBinders... Travis Says...When in a Byne...What Do You Have to Lohan?

What is going on this summer, Randy T, Lindsay L. and Amanda B?

Clearly you are having some problems getting focused on your talents.

Newsflash!!!!

Y'all aren't drivers...nope...you are not like:

my pal Jason

my pal Ryan

or even my pals Vin and Paul.....

As for you Randy, Lindsay and Amanda

You need to start working on your art...

Start here....

To get you back on track....

I found the coolest LiveBinder...

YouTube for Artsy Kids...

Check out one of the links, Fresh Guacamole...amazing.



Hopefully....this will provide some inspiration to get back on track...note NOT the racetrack.....

Enjoy!  Here they are in better times...







Until Next Time,

Lit Maven Out!

LiveBinders...Taylor Lautner Says Yes!

I'm embarrassed...

The running Lit Maven?

Well...yah....I am a silly looking runner...but...it's worse!!

How could it be? Lit Maven?

I confess...

I watched a Taylor Lautner movie......GASP!

                                  ("At least you weren't in one with him" -Ms. Swift)

By choice....EVEN GASPIER!!!

(How rude?! - Michelle T)

 

In surround sound.... GASP-OP-OLIS!!!

Oh Lit Maven...where is this going?

Well...sometimes you need to watch something REALLY bad to move on and do something REALLY creative...

OR ....save yourself the pain....and check out this LiveBinder on creativity 
Tech Tools to Support Creativity in the Classroom

So....you have two choices!

1) Check out my new venture and let me know what you think or how I can make it better....at  www.brandijclark.com or as I call it Vanilla Armpits.

or

2)  Watch Taylor Lautner fall....



Enjoy! Either way!

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!



LiveBinders...Freaks and Geeks Say Yes

You know what haunts me...yearbooks!  If I ever become well known, they will publish my school photo. Really this is the number one reason that I stay on the down-low....

Really...Lit Maven...

Uh huh....

Anyway...here are some "interesting" pictures I found...

Note...I will NOT share mine...until I am forced to by US Magazine...

(oh...those teased bangs!)

(nothing screams cool like Pez dispensors!)

(How can you play music when Luke Skywalker and his "father" are right behind you?)

I was lucky to stumble upon a LiveBinder

My School Library Digital Toolbox

... this can only mean that really bad pictures used to be limited to yearbooks...   but now...   this poor generation of kids   .... has to worry that their bad pictures will go viral...immediately!



See...not so bad being Generation X...nope...not bad at all...

Now...Freaks and Geeks...a very cool tribute to a time when it was actually bad to be a freak or geek....can you imagine?

(note all the famous celebs in this one!)

Enjoy!



Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

LiveBinders...Foo Fighters Say Yes!

This summer has been all about my health. I have been jogging and trying to get a restful sleep.

The jogging has been going well. While I am not speedy. I do have good form.



Well...yah.... the last guy in the clip is the most accurate reflection of my abilities but I should be able to clear a fence in a month or two.

Speaking of personal and professional  development, I found a LiveBinder called P2LN which is all about creating your own professional development plan.

Foo Fighters...Lit Maven?

Oh...ok...so I have misheard or mis-meaning (made this word up) song lyric issues....

While reflecting on the Foo Fighters...Best of You...I thought...

Yah...we should really giving the best of ourselves to others in relationships at home or at work.  (Note the link to professional development)

Of course...the song...really means that someone is bring you down or getting you offtrack...as in "someone is getting the best of, the best of you".

As the Lit Maven, I choose to prefer the first meaning...it's happier...more healthy...

Anyway, here's the video...you think what you want!

Enjoy!



Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

LiveBinders...The Nelsons Say, After the Rain...For Sure!

Apparently, Brad has a body double...

And, as you have noticed...it's just body...not face, charisma, etc... (as far as I know)

It would be sad to be a body double....sort of like being the unattractive twin. 

Unless of course you were another highly paid actor...like Benicio...

Which begs the question?

When did Brad go from this...

To this....

Then even more odd...

Pitt's real brother Doug, looks like Zach Braff

Only in Holywood...right?



Anyway...I was so out of answers that I turned to the only place I find answers....

Yes!  A LiveBinder about Twins...

The Nelsons??  Lit Maven???

Oh...I found a great list of real life celebrity twins...

But how can I post without mentioning the Nelsons!!!! 

Just when the Wilson Philips were rocking...Hold On...

the Nelsons...were saying...HEY!  We're not just sibs....we're twins too!

Enjoy!



Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

LiveBinders... Brandon and Andrea Say Yes!

Lately I have been thinking about school...I know...right. 

But it's difficult not too...

All the ads for Back to School....

Great if  you have kids...

Not so great if you Teach...(or Consult ...as the Lit Maven does...)

But awesome if you watched the original Beverly Hills 90210.... Check out the cool cameos by Jason Priestly and Gabrielle Carteris!



Even better than a 10 dollar pair of jeans is a really cool LiveBinder...

Writing At the Elementary Level....cause at this point in the summer, that's as good as my skills are anyway....

But hey...Lit Maven...kind of a loose connection..

Really....Really.... (Think Kermit the frog waving his arms around like crazy!!!)

Brandon and Andrea worked on the school newspaper....a newspaper that contains many subject areas...oh yah!!!


Here they are circa 1990's..... goodtimes...blazers rocked! (note: Jennie Garth's wearing one right here....oh David Silver...wut up with the vest???....)

Without further adieu...

Brandon lets Andrea down gently...

Enjoy!

Until Next Time,

Lit Maven Out!

LiveBinders...Wil Ferrell Says Yes While In the Meantime a Cameo Appearance

Wil Ferrell is a man after my own heart.  He is a word creator and a passionate one at that!

Recent events....with K-Stew and R-Patz have got him fired up!

So fired up....he created a new word...

TRAMPIRE.....

See his "explosiveness" here...

See....it's not just the Lit Maven that gets fired up....

Anyway..I found this lovely LiveBinder about Word Party Word Games so you too can make your own word magic.

Cameo appearance?  Lit Maven?

Oh you are in for a treat..

See if you can spot Geordi La Forge....

in a Word Up! by Cameo  (the stylist should be fired! IMO)

Enjoy!



Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

LiveBinders...Kristen Stewart Says Yes, Since Real Binders Are Difficult to Pack

I know the Olympics are in full swing but I think entertainment news is more interesting...

except for the recent ousting of 8 athletes trying hard... not to win...

Reminds me of this...



Incredible isn't it? To find out I had a chance at the Olympics afterall....

Lit Maven...you run like Van Halen....you mentioned this twice!

Whatever....

Anyway I found this LiveBinder on....Summer School Olympics

Lit Maven...Stewart????

Oh..ok...I found this interview...considering the current context...it is very interesting...if only hairstyles were the most she had to worry about ....and..check out the relationship talk...yikes!

Relationship Olympics...a new sport???

Enjoy!



Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

LiveBinders...Robert Pattinson Says...Sure! Why Not? Suddenly I Have Some Spare Time.

I saw a tube of this during my last jog....

And I thought...hmmm...poor R-Pattinson...

I mean really...it works for mosquitos so it probably helps with stings from Vampire Relationship Fall Out....

Anyway....

I found a LiveBinder all about Paranormal....well books about vampires and werewolves....There is some interesting stuff here...

And as a Tribute to all relationships in better times...

a list of songs..

or
perhaps "Bella's" playlist....

or her "momentary lapse in judgement" playlist...anyway...

Enjoy!

1.  This Kiss   by Faith Hill



2.   Kiss From a Rose by Seal



3.  Kiss  by Prince


Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out

LiveBinders...Dave Hester says YUUUP!!!

Okay....the Lit Maven has been trying NOT to watch Storage Wars or Storage Wars:Texas.

I just can't stop!

Why Lit Maven?

Maybe it's because Barry is so funny...with those skeleton gloves

 or there is another cool Brandi around (can never have too many of those)

or

Maybe it's just... that I can't help but wonder...

Why do people store so much crap!

This got me to thinking...

could there be Teacher Closet Storage Wars???



I think so!!!!  (Note: Uncle Buck is not a teacher but use your imagination.)

Until then...check out this LiveBinder...Getting Organized...

meaning don't have so much crap that you have to rent a locker to begin with!

Hey Lit Maven? ...Dave???

YUUP!  I didn't forget...

Enjoy!



Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

LiveBinders...Michael Caine Says Yes!

Saw the new Batman flick.  Loved it! 

The best line was from Alfred...

 (note this is what I remember)

 "Bruce, are you waiting or are you living?"

Exactly...right!

So I have decided to do more living.

This means expanding the Lit Maven empire. 

Whoa...Lit Maven...that's extreme....

Not that hardcore...more like this kind of empire.



Oh..Ok..Lit Maven...proceed then.

Thanks!

Anyway I am in the midst of figuring out how to  do the "website" thing...Domain names...hosting sites..etc...

I am making some strides. Not to sure what my focus will be but this blog will continue as you all know..."I can't quit you."

I found this nifty LiveBinder on Website Creation.

Michael Caine...Lit Maven?

Oh yes...

Apparently his voice is the most impersonated!!! Even he can do it!

Enjoy!



Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

LiveBinders...Molly Ringwald Says Yes Again!

So...the Lit Maven had a houseguest for 5 DAYS!!!!

Holy Crap!!!

I know...tell me about it.

Was it Encino Man!?!?

No....

What about Bob?

Nope! Actually it was a relative...through marriage...

ohhh.....Jane Fonda

Yes...very much like that...

but not "monster-y"...

just close quarters....

Speaking of close quarters...here is a LiveBinder dedicated to Little House and the Prairie...I seriously love this show!

In the old days, everyone shared a room...YIKES!  Can you imagine....

Come to think of it...the Ingalls were different...Ma and Pa were one of the few in Walnut Grove to have a Master's Suite...

Seriously!?

Uh huh....

...Lit Maven??...Molly Ringwald?

Oh...yes..

Talk about crazy houseguests!  In this film clip...2 sets of grandparents...1 strange exchange student and a forgotten birthday...

Enjoy!

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!