Don't deny it, you are as curious as I am!

Come on, you know you do it! I do it! I just may be one of the few bolder ones that admits I do it. You'll be driving along and see something lying on the side of the road, mangled and bloodier than anything you've ever seen before. Yeah, you know what I'm talking about! The animal that met its unfortunate fate when a pair of headlights glared into its eyes and before the  poor thing realizes it, smash, the car hits it head on! You may be thinking, she's off her rocker, she's weirder than I thought, but I am going somewhere with all of this. Just remember, I'm luckier than most because my kinder and gentler side is the one that is totally devoted to loving all kinds of animals!!! However, I just can't help myself , as I'm driving along, when almost like a knee-jerk reaction, that crueler voice inside my head forces my head to turn and look at the lifeless lump. It's not as if I am miraculously going to be able to restore the animal back to life. Wouldn't that be a wonderful thought, as my sweeter side resurfaces once again. It's what I refer to as morbid curiousity. Yeah, I am sure you've heard of it before, but never considered yourself  to possess such an unflattering, crueler than cruel quality. It's not like I even like the sight of blood. That's why I'm studying to be a teacher, not a nurse. Now here's where it gets even better.... I am and have been, as far as I can remember, a daily reader of the obituaries. I guess it's just another one of those gene pool traits (remember I mentioned that in my last blog) that I inherited from my Dad. Just so you know, the whole death thing is scarier than anything I could possibly imagine! Here is where you may just well be thinking that I truly am freakier and zanier than you imagined-cemeteries hold a special kind of intrigue for me. Yup, when I travel with Jesse and the kids, I always enjoy making a point of going to a cemetery to read the headstones. The older and creepier looking it is the better! I know, I can hardly believe I find pleasure in doing this, but I do. I'll even admit that I read the "obits", as I kindly refer to them, which holds an even more bizarre intrigue for me. Believe it or not, I have stumbled upon old neighbors, school teachers, principals and others. How weird is that? I like to read the obituaries with one eye open and the other closed in hope that I don't find a name I know. I just hate when that happens, but am always certain that there will be someone to share this sad news with. I may never know what driving force inspires me to possess this thing we call morbid curiousity, yet I oftentimes brush it off and consider it to be the work of my alter ego. After all, how could I, who may very well be classier than some, sweeter than others, and goofier than most, possess a darker side reserved for only those who sleep in coffins and enjoy drinking blood cocktails as an afternoon apertif. I apologize if this blog has been heavier than my others, but rest assured I continue to remain one of the cheerier classmates you have come to know. Sorry, but I think I'll end here as I'm off to read the latest obituary.

Vocabulary
1. mangled (verb)- to damage something badly by crushing or twisting it
2. morbid (adjective)- having a strong interest in unpleasant subjects
3. quality (noun)- the degree to which something is good or bad
4. intrigue (verb)- to interest someone a lot, especially when something is strange or mysterious
5. bizarre (adjective)- very unusual and strange
6. apertif (noun)- a small alcoholic drink served before a meal


Exercise

1.  The man's behavior was very ______________.
2.  Being kind-hearted is an extemely good ___________________ to possess.
3.  Mystery books hold great _________________ for its readers.
4.  Movies about bloody vampires, death, and scarey things are so _______________.
5.  The torn and tattered doll was so badly ___________________.
6.  The English gentlemen's favorite ___________________ was Bailey's Irish Creme.

Grammar Point: Comparatives are a form of an adjective or adverb that shows an increase in quality, quantity, degree, etc. For example, better is the comparative of good and cheerier is the comparative of cheery. Identify at least 8 comparatives in the paragraph above. Bring in a picture book to read to the class about things that gross kids out. Let's see how many comparatives we can identify as a class!

I love using songs to teach kids new concepts....here's a catchy jingle for learning what comparatives are!
Fun Tunes for Easier Understanding of Comparatives