June 5, 2017 MY GENERATION

Had two great runs over the weekend. On Saturday I ran with my comrades. I'll have to say--it's getting QUITE competitive-- as my injured friend has recovered and feeling her oats again. It was all I could do to stay ahead of her.  FUN--TO HAVE HER BACK AND FEELING STRONG AGAIN. Ran alone on Sunday. Reflection time. I thought about the day ahead. Believe it or not--I was going to attend a book signing for one of my FORMER students. I can still remember having her in fifth grade. She loved to READ AND WRITE--A dream come true for any teacher. She was and still is a high achiever--graduating from college in May  and already  publishing  her first book. WOW--YOU GO GIRL! Very proud of her accomplishments. It makes me feel good too--as a teacher. Teaching is a tough business and it's gratifying to see a former student succeed--and become a certified English teacher to boot. I just love literature and it makes me so happy to know that someone who appreciates the written word as much as I do-- will be carrying the torch--to foster a  new generation of booklovers. To all my former students--I am in awe of all you accomplish. Thanks for inspiring me. You help me remember that teaching is an honorable profession that gets more rewarding with each passing  year.

There are all different types of teacher in the world--math, language, gym, health, history--but there is only one piano teacher. The Piano Teacher written by Janice Y. K. Lee is a beautifully written love story set in Hong Kong. In 1942 Will Truesdale, an Englishman, has a love affair with Trudy Liang, a socialite of  both Portuguese and Chinese descent. This poorly timed romance sadly ends as the Japanese invade Hong Kong during World War II. Will is thrown into an internment camp and Trudy, in order to save her loved ones, becomes the mistress of the new ruler of Hong Kong--General Otsubo. Ten years later, Will is now working as a driver for a wealthy family in Hong Kong known as the Chens. The Chen family includes Victor, Melody and their ten year old daughter, Locket. Claire Pendleton, a married woman and newcomer to Hong Kong, is hired by the Chen family to provide piano lessons to their daughter. Will and Claire meet and soon fall into a passionate affair. As their affair deepens, Claire learns about Will's devastating past. She also learns the secrets that the Chen family would rather keep hidden.  Find out for yourself what happens to Will, Claire, Trudy and the Chen family when you read this page turner for yourself. It is about 320 pages-- a 4 mile run--that will have you sprinting for the finish!