Claire Posts

French Tutor for Language-Deprived Youth

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My 17-year-old daughter, Rachel, a junior at East who is fluent in French — she spent much of last summer in France and is currently enrolled in an upper-level French literature course at UMD through the PSEO program — would like to help Duluth’s language-deprived youth by tutoring preK through high school students (ages 4-18). No prior knowledge of the French language is required and her introductory rates are very reasonable. (For those who don’t know, French is not taught in Duluth’s public schools, which is quite inconvenient, but that is a discussion for another day.) Rachel is kind and patient and has references available from her own previous tutors, as she started studying French in middle school. If anyone would like more information, please call or text me. My cell number is 218-310-1867. Merci beaucoup!

Claire

World Book Night 2014 in Duluth

Every year since 2012, on April 23, which is William Shakespeare’s birthday, volunteers across the country spread out and give away special editions of books to unsuspecting citizens. It’s a campaign to promote literacy and the importance of people having access to books, no matter their circumstances.

This year, I gave away copies of Peter Geye’s The Lighthouse Road, which is a novel set in early 20th-century Duluth and on the North Shore. I figured it would resonate with anyone who lives here or would like to live here. As I’ve done since this initiative was launched, I blogged about my experiences for Publishers Weekly magazine. Did anyone else give out books on World Book Night this year? If so, I’d love to hear your stories!

Help the East High Key Club

Hey PDDers, the East High School Key Club is organizing a plant sale to help out the First Witness Child Advocacy Center. The Plant Sale is Saturday, May 25, starting at 8 a.m. And they need some donations of plants ASAP! Got any extra perennials? Hand them over! You can either email funds4roots @ gmail.com or you can drop off any donations of plants tomorrow morning from 6:30 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. at the Leif Erickson Rose Garden parking lot. Every penny raised will go to First Witness’ Roots of Hope emergency fund. Thanks and sorry for the last-minute plea.

The Key Club plant sale is part of the Duluth Flower and Garden Society’s 2013 plant sale at the Rose Garden.

World Book Night is April 23

The second annual U.S./World Book Night is taking place on, appropriately enough, William Shakespeare’s birthday. On World Book Night, volunteers across the country give out free copies of a book they’ve selected from a list to complete strangers. It’s all part of an effort to promote literacy and book lust.

I participated in WBN last year, and gave away free copies of A Reliable Wife (set in northern Wisconsin) by Robert Goolrick to strangers imbibing at Thirsty Pagan Brewing and at the Anchor Bar. It was a lot of fun, and I urge anyone who loves books and loves to talk about books to apply.

The books are supplied by the participating publishers and if you are selected as a book giver, the books will be shipped to a local pick-up point for you to pick up that day. Each giver gets 20 books. Last year’s local pick-up point was Fitger’s Bookstore.

The list of books for this year’s World Book Night is on worldbooknight.org, as is the application form. The deadline to apply to be a book giver is Jan. 23. UPDATE: The deadline to apply to be a book giver is January 25, 2013.

I’m giving away copies of Population:485 by Michael Perry this year, and intend to, once again, hit bars in Supetown to give away Perry’s memoir about living and working in a small Wisconsin town.

Don’t you want locally laid?

Do you like eggs? I do too. I eat a soft-boiled egg every day, and I buy them from the Whole Foods Co-op because I don’t know what shit they put into mass produced eggs and I want organic food in my body. But I hear pasture-raised eggs are even better than organic! Less fat, healthier, etc. So … two friends of mine have launched an egg production farm, called Locally Laid Eggs, where they are tending hens that are laying eggs! And they are selling those eggs! Yum.

New Asian fusion restaurant alert: Pak’s Green Corner in West Duluth

There’s a new restaurant in the Denfeld area at 4131 Grand Avenue that I can only describe as Thai fusion. It’s called Pak’s Green Corner and it’s got a lot of traditional Thai dishes, but also it’s got dishes like Poutine and a Phad Thai burrito on its takeout menu. The sit-down menu had even more unconventional takes on traditional Thai dishes that truly made my mouth water.

World Book Night is coming up

World Book Night USA will be celebrated on Monday, April 23, which is also William Shakespeare’s birthday. On World Book Night, thousands of people all across the USA will give away free copies of one of 30 titles. That’s right, free books. It’s all part of an international effort to promote print books and literacy and reading.

Duluth: Say Ix-nay to the March 3 Rally

I’m reposting here an open letter written to the Duluth community by Joel Kilgour, a local peace activist, and Sara Thomsen, a local musician. Basically, Duluthians are urged to stay away from the March 3 rally planned by a white supremacist group right here in the Zenith City.

Tim Riley and the Marriage Amendment

An interesting article in today’s Duluth News Tribune about the at-large city council race race. This Tim Riley is a piece of work. He’s apparently a one-issue candidate.

“Riley said he was motivated to run by a desire to make the Duluth City Council more approachable and welcoming to concerned citizens.

He also has strong views on social issues.

“Some people don’t much want to talk about it, but I support the marriage amendment, and that’s an important issue which is sure to be addressed between now and the 2012 election,” he said. “Our very existence depends on preserving the relationship between man and woman and the institution of marriage.”

How welcoming.

Minnesota Republican legislator rips on author Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman (l.) w/ M.T. Anderson at Midwest Booksellers Association trade show in 2009

Republicans now targeting a hard-working author for being too successful at what he does.

Star Tribune: GOP targets Legacy funds for MPR, arts

Neil Gaiman’s Journal: The Opinions of a Pencil-necked Weasel Thief…

Goin’ Mad at the Rad

DAI FUNDRAISER APRIL 2

Tim Pawlenty: President of the United States of Apocalypse

Duluth Snowshoe-buying Advice

I’ve become a true Minnesotan — I went snowshoeing for the first time this past weekend. We checked out Lester Park and Park Point. I enjoyed snowshoeing so much I’ve decided to buy a pair with some gift money my generous in-laws gave me. Does anyone have any recommendations on where to buy snowshoes in Duluth? Any recommendations regarding brands also?

Breaking News from American Library Association

Heart of a Samurai (Amulet) by Margi Preus, a Duluth resident, has been named a Newbery Honor Book at the ALA’s midwinter meeting in San Diego. Dark Emperor (Houghton Mifflin) by Joyce Sidman of Minneapolis, illustrated by Rick Allen of Duluth’s Kenspeckle LetterPress, has also been named a Newbery Honor Book. They are two of four Newbery Honor Books — basically they were the four runners-up to the book, Moon Over Manifest, that won the Newbery Medal this year.

The Newbery Medal is given each year to the author of that year’s most distinguished contribution to American children’s literature.

This is a very big deal, congratulations to Margi and to Rick!

Opera in Duluth! Amahl and the Night Visitors, Dec. 17-19

News release:

Lyric Opera of the North cordially invites you to a new production of Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti.

December 17 & 18 at 7:30 p.m., and December 19 at 2 pm
Scottish Rite Masonic Temple, 4 W. Second St., Duluth.