there's always a beginning ...

Knowing where to start with a blog is difficult. So, I'll start with what has been going on in my life over the past four days. I flew to San Antonio last Thursday (at the break of dawn) for a conference for Language Arts teachers. The conference was great – so much information and so many interesting and excited teachers to learn from. However, after four days of complete "teacher talk" I am a bit worn out and overwhelmed. However lame it may be, one of my main goals for this trip was to finish reading Breaking Dawn – thus finishing the entire Twilight series. Unfortunately, I finished the book in record time and was left book-less for the majority of the trip (and our flight back to Raleigh).
It has been quite a while since I read a piece of fiction for pleasure. During college I was constantly reading. However, not only was I reading "the classics" but I wasn't choosing the literature I was interested in. I love the classics and there is something so fulfilling about reading them and being able to walk through a bookstore having read (and written papers on) a majority of the books. But reading Twilight made me realize just how much I enjoy reading. The idea of reading being a relaxing experience has been somewhat buried in my memories since I chose English as a major.
Having finished Twilight, I feel a bit lost. Surprise, surprise – I hate change! But I am trying to transition (quickly and easily) to something new. There are quite a few books floating around in my mind – anything by Sara Dessen, Walk Two Moons (Sharon Creech), Wuthering Heights (there I go with the classics again). But I think I have finally decided to give in and read Harry Potter. I'm hoping the Harry Potter books will read just as quickly as the Twilight series -- and I don't think I've heard a single negative comment on the series. Wish me luck ....