Collett Learns to Read

<h2>Collett Learns to Read and Write</h2> <img src="http://collett-lee.com/uploads/3/4/6/5/34658055/1458534166.png" style="width:500px;height250 px;"> This is the story of how and when Collett learned to love two specific literacy practices. That's Collett on the far left at the age it all began. NO LAUGHING ALLOWED! It was the 1970s afterall and she was VERY PROUD of her Sylvester and Tweety-Bird dress. Once you're finished admiring her cuteness, click the link below to get started. [[This is the story of a girl...]]

Too late...she screams anyway! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Sorry about that. [[Now I'm deaf.]] [[Does she have another talent?]]

It's a good thing you said yes, because she'd scream anyway. Usually, she wouldn't even wait for your answer because she assumes everyone is impressed by her incredible talent. One day a Mormon missionary came to her door and he enthusiastically had a screaming match with Collett. She was thoroughly impressed when he out-screamed her. Her mom invited them to dinner and Collett was excited to spend more time with her new favorite person, the screaming missionary. During the course of the evening, she learned that he also read palms for fun. Collett's fortune said she would have 7 children and be a great reader and writer one day. Imagine you're one of the dinner guests. What are your thoughts? [[He's full of it]] [[What a genius]]

Uh oh, you insulted her favorite human being so Collett kicked you in the shins. If you've never been kicked in the shins before, take it from me, it's extremely painful. You might never have walked again if it wasn't for the screaming missionary. As it turned out, he was quite the healer too. He rubbed his hands together and massaged your shin until it quit hurting. To settle Collett down and redirect her over exhuberant energy, the missionary asked her to bring him a book to read. [[What a genius]] [[What a brat]]

He was a genius. That was the start of a life-long literacy journey for Collett. As she grew up, she read all the Dick and Jane books, all the Nancy Drew books, Dr. Suess, Shel Silverstein and many, many more. She penned her first poem at age 12 and joined all the writing contests in high school. She even won some prizes along the way. She dreamt of becoming a journalist and writing for National Geographic Magazine. [[She is the master of her fate]] [[She is the captain of her soul]]

She sees that you're unimpressed with the first scream so she excitedly asks you again. "Do you want to hear me scream again?" Since you know it's futile to say no, you reluctantly agree. [[Sure, why not]]

Be patient, we're getting to that! For now, take it from me, the next time she asks you if you want to hear her scream, just say yes and quickly plug your ears. It's the only way to get her to stop. [[Sure, why not]]

Because her favorite screaming missionary told her she would be a great reader and writer, she went on to study poets and authors as she grew up. She tried imitating the masters, like Keats, Byron, Shelley, Wordsworth, Whitman, Poe and Dickinson. She also read many of the classic literature from McCollough, Steinbeck, Austen, Hugo, Hawthorne and the Bronte sisters. She did become a journalist for a while, though not for National Geographic. She wrote human interest stories for a small hometown paper. Still to this day she loves to read books and poetry of all kinds. Thankfully for everyone's eardrum, she no longer loves to scream. [[Favorite Poem]] [[Favorite Book]]

Collett is 45 years old now and still dreams of writing for National Geographic. One day she hopes to be able to fulfill that dream and even though it hasn't come to fruition yet, she already considers herself a successful writer. She has an extensive portfolio of all types of writing. Her favorite things to write are poems and human interest stories, like what she wrote for her local newspaper, The Tooele Transcript Bulletin. She is currently working on a novel and has a children's chapter book finished and is working on getting it published. She still loves to read and write after all these years. So the screaming missionary was right (partly), she did grow up to become a great reader and writer, but she only had 3 children, not 7. And to everyone's great pleasure, she has retired the talent of screaming. [[Favorite Poem]] [[Favorite Book]]

You realize that Collett is one stubborn little child, but still pretty smart for a kid her age. Maybe you should just play along and try not to make her mad. She not only has a swift kick, but she has a strong right hook as well. She's quite the tomboy and doesn't take crap from anyone. [[She is the master of her fate]] [[She is the captain of her soul]]

Invictus BY WILLIAM ERNEST HENLEY Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds and shall find me unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul. [[Sample of Collett's Poetry]] [[Sample of Collett's Writing]]

“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.” ― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice [[Sample of Collett's Poetry]] [[Sample of Collett's Writing]]

For the Love Who knows how long he stood huddled in the corner of the doorframe, crushed against the cold brown wood trying to retain body heat, avoiding the icy blasts of air in the chilled gray morning, with nothing more than a tattered red robe, black cotton socks, and the steam of his breath protecting him from the elements. Finally! The dog lifted his leg and peed on the tree. Collett Lee November 5, 2014 [[Collett's Website]]

First two paragraphs of a novel in the works... She had a break-down moment right there in the bathtub, stark naked and dripping wet. The Josh Groban song playing on the IPhone that lay on the back of the toilet had caused it, barely into the first verse of the song “AWAKE”. The words poured into her broken heart like warm honey. “A beautiful and blinding morning The world outside begins to breathe See clouds arriving without warning I need you here to shelter me And I know that only time will tell us how To carry on without each other” She had played that song hundreds of times before because it had become one of her favorites since the first time she heard it, not only his voice, but the lyrics of the song. This time though, they hit her with deafening force, knocking the breath out of her. Then the sobs began and she did not try to stop them. Uncontrolled, they racked her frame. It was about time she let herself give in to the emotions of this deployment. She did not want to learn how to carry on without her husband. She definitely needed him here to shelter her, but that would not happen, not this year anyway. He was somewhere in Afghanistan fighting the war on terror. [[Collett's Website]]

For more about Collett and her current literacy practices, check out her website. Then connect with her on social media. <a href="http://collett-lee.com/">Collett's Website</a> Or return to the start of the story to take the roads less traveled. [[Collett Learns to Read and Write]]

Collett was a young rebellious girl of 5. Some would call her precocious. Her mom just called her Brat. Her best talent, or skill, if you will, was the ability to scream louder than anybody else. Whenever a visitor knocked on the door, Collett was the first to greet the unsuspecting victim, errr...I mean, guest. To welcome them, she asked one simple question..."Would you like to hear me scream?" Imagine you were the visitor, what would your answer be? [[Sure, why not]] [[No Thank You!!]]