Thursday, May 31, 2012

I'm Thankful for Fifth Grade Field Trips: Greenfield Village

I spent my day at Greenfield Village with a bunch of fifth graders. It was a beautiful day for an outdoor field trip - not too warm, not too cool; not too sunny, not too cloudy. Just right. I am thankful that I was able to go with Bethany as a chaperone. The fifth graders are all going roller skating on the last day of school next week, but this was her last "real" field trip of elementary school. After three years at this school, I know many of the kids and the parents, and it was nice walking around with other moms who I have come to consider my friends, and watch our kids run around and have fun together.

If you're from the Metro Detroit area, you almost definitely know about Greenfield Village. It is a huge tourist attraction around here, and for good reason. There is an indoor museum, The Henry Ford Museum, and then there is the outdoor historical museum, Greenfield Village. Greenfield Village is massive. Employees walk around in full costume, doing demonstrations on stuff like glass blowing, candle making, typesetting, and weaving. So you can go in, for example, an old print shop, and an employee will show you how they use to make newspapers in the days before computers. Or you can go in an old house, and a costumed employee might be in the kitchen cooking real food, and pause to tell you a little about what life was like during whichever historical period that house happens to be from. There is also a farm with real working animals, and there are a few different rides, including a train, Model T cars, and a carousel. Once a year Thomas the Train makes an appearance, which Connor and Lucy enjoyed when they each went through their Thomas stage.

Today I am thankful for
  • good field trips
  • being able to chaperone 
  • helpful grandmas who are willing to babysit
  • Greenfield Village, which I have been visiting since I was a little girl
  • beautiful spring days
  • Bethany's friends
  • mom friends
  • getting back to school early, and signing all of my kids out 45 minutes before the bell
What are you thankful for today?

onions cooking on the cast iron stove
Train rounder from the outside...
...and from the inside









Summer Can't Get Here Quick Enough

This post was published last year. I accomplished a lot on my list, but not everything. I haven't made a complete Summer Bucket List this year yet...what's on yours?



May sure is busy this year. This weekend we will be celebrating our sweet and sassy Mathilda's 2nd birthday, and next week Lucy will be graduating from preschool. Bethany & Connor have only 16 days left of 4th and 2nd grade, respectively. And then summer break, the time I look forward to all year, will be upon us at last! 

I can't wait to sleep in. I can't wait to go to the beach. I can't wait to hang out at the park. I can't wait to go swimming...outdoors! I can't wait for day trips and long, lazy play dates and trips up north. I can't wait for freeeeeeedom! Blissful freedom to choose what I want to do with my kids everyday for 3 whole months!

Every summer, it seems, I have grand plans and a long, ambitious list of things I want to do, and I never ever get through the whole list. This year will be no different, I'm sure. Here's this year's agenda, off the top of my head and totally incomplete:

  • Spend a week in Port Austin (booked!)
  • Go to Roger's City (la hotel de Aunt Donna always has an opening for us, right Aunt Donna?)
  • Take the kids to Tahquamenon Falls in the U.P., a place I visited when I was a kid which maybe marks the beginning of my love affair with waterfalls. Also, Chris's grandparents went there for their honeymoon about 70 years ago, how cool is that?!
  • Visit family in Grand Rapids, and take the kids to Meijer Gardens while we're there. My mom and I took Bethany & Connor there when they were very little, and it was so much fun - I want Lucy & Mathilda to get to experience it too.
  • Make my kids take an entire month off of the television, including video games. I've already been talking this up. I think it's going to be July. I hope they don't cry about it too much, but guess what? They'll get over it!
  • Visit family in Midland
  • Go back to Chris's dad's cabin
  • Go camping
  • Go to the Detroit RiverFront and let the kids splash around in the fountains like we did last summer. Preferably, do this more than once.
  • Go to Belle Isle, an annual tradition. 
  • Go to Mexican Village and eat outside.
  • Visit the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, something I have yet to do.
  • Visit the DIA (Detroit Institute of Arts), something I haven't done in a couple years.
  • Go to Greenfield Village
  • Go to the Toledo Zoo
  • Read Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl with Bethany and then take her to the Holocaust Memorial Center where we can meet actual survivors of the Holocaust
  • and...well I could go on, but see what I mean about long and ambitious? I wonder how many of these items I'll get to cross off my list...
I seriously might be more excited than the kids. Truly. My only slight hang up is that I've been leery and ahem, maybe just a bit lazy, about working out since my health scares in November and then again in February. Since I need to be able to keep up with my kids, I really need to get on a walking regime. Starting...well how about tomorrow? Tomorrow is always a good place to start.

Lucy at Belle Isle

Lucy at the beach in Lexington, MI

Connor, Lucy, and Bethany at the beach in Port Austin, MI

Mathilda sleeping at the Port Austin beach

Ocqueoc Falls

The beach in Rogers City

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Gift Guide for a 3-Year Old

Mattie turned 3 last week, and she got several gifts for her birthday that were definite hits. I thought I'd share some of them here, because sometimes it's hard to figure out what to buy for a 3-year old, whether you have one of your own or not. As you'll notice, most of her gifts are suitable for boys and girls.

Little Tikes 'Lil Wagon



My kids love rides in our big red wagon, so when I saw this little version, I knew Mattie would love it. I was so right. She loves pulling dolls, stuffed animals, and toys around the house and around our court in her little mini wagon. It comes in pink too, and at first I wanted to get that one, but then I figured it would be cute if the little one matched our big one.


Melissa & Doug Sandwich Set



Melissa & Doug sets are so cute. I love them because they are well made and they foster creativity. My kids love pretend play. This set comes with over 30 felt pieces, so kids can get as crazy as they want with their sandwich creations. Lucy has been having fun with this too.


Melissa & Doug Birthday Party Cake


Another fun Melissa & Doug set! This one is made of wood. All the pieces have velcro so they stick together. There are candles, toppings, a cake platter, and a server included in the set. Lucy's been enjoying this as much as Mattie.


Melissa & Doug Playful Pets Puzzle (12 pieces)



Mattie loves puzzles, and I am a particular fan of Melissa & Doug puzzles because they are high quality and the pictures are great. This one is a wooden puzzle. She likes the pictures of the animals, and it's a good size for her.


Ty Beanie Ballz



Mattie got the large panda, and it is really pretty big. It's cute and soft, and you can toss it around like a ball. They come in different sizes and several different animals. I'm usually not the biggest fan of stuffed animals, but this one is kind of a stuffie with a twist. And Mattie loves it.


Dora's Big Birthday Adventure DVD



Mattie is a huge Dora fan. She got a few DVDs for Christmas, and we knew she would love to get this one for her birthday. I gave it to her as soon as she woke up on her birthday so she could watch it while I was taking the kids to school. It's had several viewings since then.


She also got an adorable little Minnie Mouse wheeled backpack, but I couldn't find a picture of it. So cute, and just her size. In it was a Minnie Mouse doll, which of course has been added to the massive collection of dolls on her bed. Plus she got cash, which we love because it goes straight into her bank account, and a Toys R Us gift card, which she loves because she can pick out her own stuff.

What birthday gift have you bought for a 3-year old (or that someone bought for your 3-year old) that ended up being a huge success? Or that totally bombed?

So What! Wednesday

Once again, I'm linking up for So What! Wednesday.





This week I'm saying So What! if...

The runner in our hallway is so dirty because Cleo (our dog) always lays on it, but instead of cleaning it, I think I'm just going to throw it away? Garbage pick-up is tomorrow...

I just painted Mattie's tiny little toe nails, and I think they're about the cutest thing ever?

I get a particular sense of satisfaction when I see Mattie wearing something that both Lucy and Bethany wore? Keeping clothes for that long is not easy for me, I want it goooooone!

Even though I don't like to keep outgrown clothes around for long, sometimes I remember something that one of my kids used to wear, and I wish I had kept it? Right now Mattie is going through a dress stage, she only wants skirts and dresses, and so I keep thinking of all these cute dresses Bethany used to have that I got rid of years ago.

I don't like to be chained to material possessions? That's why I take van loads of stuff to Salvation Army several times a year. Chris still accuses me of being a hoarder, but the truth is he has WAY more stuff than me.

I'm not exactly Merry Sunshine in the morning? Maybe if I got a little more sleep...

Mathilda ruins like every marker in the house because she doesn't put the tops back on? Someone seriously needs to invent a marker that doesn't dry up. Or one with a flip top so it can't roll under the entertainment center or get lost in the couch cushions.

I much prefer texting to talking on the phone? Have you seen that funny little quip floating around Facebook: I should change my voice mail to "hang up and text me"? Yeah, that's me.

I'm trying to convince Lucy to get her hair cut for the summer? She is totally not having it, but I'm still working on her! It's just so hard to style!

I tried and tried to convince Bethany NOT to get her hair cut, but she did anyway and now she wishes she hadn't? Now I know I should have been telling her to cut it, then it would still be long!

What are you saying So What! to this week?

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Homemade Waffles Made With Coconut Oil

Tonight was one of those nights when there's really nothing much to eat around here (didn't help that the dog ate the left over barbeque from last night, before we had a chance to put it away!). Often that means breakfast for dinner. I decided to break out the waffle maker and made chocolate chip waffles for dinner. I know, real healthy, right? But a favorite around here, nonetheless. Usually I make them for breakfast, but I just didn't feel like grilling burgers this evening - which was about my only other option.


Since I've been on a coconut oil kick, I thought I'd try tweaking the waffle recipe from the back of the Krusteaz buttermilk pancake mix. Sometimes I make waffles from scratch, but I do love Krusteaz mixes.

Basically, I just used 2 tablespoons of coconut oil for the oil, and added 1 teaspoon of vanilla and about a third of a bag of chocolate chips.

Let me digress here for a moment to say a word about chocolate chips. I never really thought too much about chocolate chips and pretty much bought whichever ones were on sale. And then my friend pointed out to me that she compared the labels of cheap chocolate chips versus premium chocolate chips (ie: Ghirardelli), and found that the premium chocolate chips have a lot fewer ingredients. One of my goals in my label-reading endeavors is to buy foods with the fewest ingredients possible, because then there is a lot less of the artificial crap that no one can pronounce. Right now I happen to have Private Selection Semi-Sweet chocolate chips, and they have 6 ingredients. And I'm telling you, they test better than the cheapies. A lot better. So I would suggest that they're worth the splurge, at lease once in awhile. They were on sale when I bought them.

I like to mix my waffle batter in my big, 4 cup Pyrex measuring cup. Then I can easily pour it onto the waffle iron. But before pouring in the batter for the first waffle, I spray the waffle iron with some no-stick spray. One time should do it, no need to re-spray between waffles. When the waffles are ready, I use tongs to remove them. Since I like my waffles nice and crispy, I keep them on the iron for a minute or so longer than it takes for the steaming to stop. Of course, all waffle irons are different, so you really have to experiment with your own.

Making the waffles with coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, like I would normally use, did make a difference in the taste and texture of the waffles. There was a slight coconut flavor, not strong at all, but definitely undeniable. The waffles also had more of a delicate, light crunch, and a moist, springy texture inside that reminded me a little of a popover. They were really good, and the kids approved too.

Have you substituted coconut oil for other oils in any recipes? How did it turn out? So far, I've had pretty good luck!

Interested in trying coconut oil for yourself? Be sure to enter my giveaway for a chance to win a 32 ounce jar of Tropical Traditions coconut oil! Just click HERE and fill in the Rafflecopter form! Ends 6/10/12

9 Days and Counting 'Til Summer Break

Including today, we have nine more school days to get through before summer break. I'm worse than my kids because I'm about done with school already. It's hot here. It feels like summer. We've been letting the kids stay up later than normal because it's so nice out and nobody wants to come inside. 

The last couple weeks  of school are busy with fun stuff like field trips, field day, and award ceremonies. Can't we just cut the crap and be done with it? Maybe if I promise to take them on field trips, plan a mini field day in my backyard, and print out some awards to hand out? Please?

Oh fine. I guess I can be patient for a little while longer. And besides, these are also the last nine days of Bethany's elementary school career, and I'm not terribly anxious for that to end. It boggles my mind that I've been a parent long enough to have a middle schooler. I can't believe my first little baby is old enough for this either. Switching classes. Sixth grade camp. Band. Middle school drama.

But this summer is going to be awesome. I am not even considering anything less than spectacularly awesome as a possibility for this summer.

Rose bush I have no idea how to tame
We have been working like crazy to get our yard really cleaned up and nice for the summer. This will be our fourth summer here and the first time we have done a total yard clean-up. That sounds really bad, I know. But let me explain that there is a lot growing in our yard. An overwhelming amount of greenery. And neither Chris nor I have green thumbs. We don't know what to do with this stuff. Plus our neighbor's totally overgrown yard has been overgrowing into our yard (so much so that I didn't even realize that all this stuff was coming from his yard until a couple weeks ago when he and Chris started clearing it out). We have a lot to do, but I'm feeling really good about the progress that has been made. Last summer we got an obscene deal on a swing set, and our friends gave us their trampoline before they moved. We're talking about expanding our patio. We have this really great yard, and this is the year we start bringing it toward its full potential. Last summer, our neighbors behind us told us that there used to be in-ground pool in our yard, but that previous owners had it filled in. That hurt, because we would love nothing more than to have an in-ground pool in our yard. Maybe some day.

When we're not hanging out in our soon to be fabulous backyard, we have lots of other fun stuff planned. We will be spending a week in Lexington, Michigan (our Port Austin vacation fell through due to the owners selling the cottage at the last minute) with my mother-in-law. We've been to Lexington many times for day trips, but never stayed there for vacation. Actually, I used to stay there often when I was a kid and my grandparents had a place there. And Bethany spent this Memorial Day weekend there with a friend. But for all of us together, this will be a new thing.

And then we have our big road trip to Idaho and Washington to look forward to. I've been planning away, and I still have a lot to do. I've never taken the kids on a trip of such huge proportions before, and there is a whole lot to think about. I have started a notebook with my various lists. Things to do to get the van ready. Stops along the way. Things to pack for the kids. Things I need to buy. I have an entire notebook. I predict it's going to get pretty full.

Bethany's birthday is in August, and like usual, she has been talking about her party for a couple months already. She has big plans. And since we'll be gone a lot this summer, I think I'm going to have to cave and start planning it early with her.

There are other things I want to do too. Lots of other things. For example:
  • Belle Isle
  • Historic Fort Wayne
  • Detroit Riverfront
  • Storybook Gardens in London, Ontario
I'm going to stop there, because I don't want to get too ambitious quite just yet.

What do you have planned for this summer?

Monday, May 28, 2012

StyleUnited

 SheSpeaksbutton

Thanks to SheSpeaks, I'm one of the first to try out the new interactive fashion and beauty website put together by P&G, StyleUnited. It lets users take several quizzes, on topics such as skin, makeup, hair, and fashion. Then the answers from all the quizzes is put together to create a personal Style File.

I found out, for example, that in the fashion category I'm "flirty romantic." There are then several clothing items shown as examples of things that might fit my personal style, with links to buy them right there on the website. For makeup, I'm "fresh", and StyleUnited provides me with various examples of cosmetics that are right for me (based on my answers in the Style360 questionnaires. In the skin and hair categories, (I'm "combination" and "wavy", by the way), users are told specific products to use that will fit their particular needs. Users can also ask style questions, or consult one-on-one with a beauty expert. Additionally, there's beauty and fashion news, tips, trends, and special offers. You can even invite friends to join StyleUnited and be in your "inner circle", so that you can compare notes.

Join StyleUnited now and enter to win the New View, New You giveaway, with a grand prize of a $500 shopping spree at Macy's or Nordstrom. Now I could have some fun with that! Click here for more information about the giveaway, and then be sure to leave a comment on that page, letting SheSpeaks know that you joined StyleUnited. The contest ends June 8, 2012.

In exchange for this blog post, I will be receiving a small gift from SheSpeaks.

Can't Let a Little Rain Bring Us Down: Port Huron

Sunday we spent the day in Port Huron, and had great intentions for doing fun stuff. Not surprisingly, the Michigan weather had other plans for us. Every time we tried to venture anywhere, the sky would appear ominous, storm clouds would start advancing rapidly, the wind would pick up, and the thunder and rain would follow. But we didn't let the wonky weather prevent us from having a good time while visiting my dad and his family.

There were historical reenactments going on in town, in honor of the holiday, but being that it was so wet and gross outside, we decided that wouldn't be the best idea.
Michigan weather 1 - George family 0

After lunch, it was warming up outside and clearing up so we decided to head to the Fort Gratiot lighthouse. The lighthouse was closed due to excessively damp conditions - even though it wasn't raining at this point, the lighthouse was too wet from earlier. 
Michigan weather 2 - George family 0

We decided to walk over to the beach and let the kids run around for a few and maybe dip their toes in the frigidly cold Lake Huron. Scary looking storm clouds started moving in quickly from several directions. The wind started viciously whipping the sand against our bare legs. The temperatures dropped. We made a run for the car.
Michigan weather 3 - George family 0

When we left the lighthouse and beach, the sky suddenly didn't look quite so ominous anymore. We stopped at a playground. We did get to play for a little while, until it started drizzling.
Michigan weather 3 - George family 1

Later on, the weather once again seemed to have cleared up. Go-Karts sounded fun, so several of our party left for the Go-Kart track. Before long, thunder rattled the sky and the rain fell. But, they made it around the track once before it was closed down due to weather; I'll call that a small victory.
Michigan weather 3 - George family 2

Once again, the sun peeked out. The kids ditched their jackets and ran around outside until it was time to go home.
Michigan weather 3 - George family 3

Despite the crazy weather, we had a great day. When you live somewhere like Michigan, with ever-changing weather, you just have to learn to roll with it. And we did.

Storm clouds rolling across Lake Huron
Fort Gratiot Lighthouse

Realizing he shouldn't have left his jacket in the van...
Although Mathilda did NOT want to leave the beach, nor did she appreciate sand on her new pink sparkly shoes.
Old building on lighthouse property
Glamorous Lucy
Brave Mattie climbing the monkey bars with her scrummy little legs.

Review of Ubisoft's Facebook Game "Horse Haven"

I'm always receiving requests from Facebook friends to join them in playing some game or other. Or sometimes the requests are for help. Cindy needs 10 nails to complete her barn. I never really knew what these requests were about until I was given the opportunity to try out Ubisoft's Facebook game, Horse Haven.

My messy ranch and my first foal.
In Horse Haven, the player (ie: me) has been bequeathed a decrepit old horse ranch and given the opportunity to bring it back to its former glory. The game involves buying, breeding, and caring for horses. The player is also assigned with all tasks associated with upkeep of the ranch, growing food for the horses, and training the horses. Points and game cash are rewarded for completing specific tasks. It soon becomes addictive  - pulling weeds and clearing debris, growing carrots, taking the horses through their cycles of care (which include giving them food and water, letting them sleep, etc.) so that they can go to work to earn money for the ranch.

Completing jobs requires lots of energy.
There's a good tutorial at the beginning of the game, and since it's pretty informative I don't recommend skipping it. Then again, I'm a beginner when it comes to this type of game, so if you're already a Facebook gaming pro, you might not find the tutorial to be necessary.

The list of tasks, which is located on the left side, are designed to help you progress through the game and earn more achievements. Eventually you can take your horses to other locations so they can compete and win prizes.

Rewards for leveling up
In the beginning levels of the game, the energy needed to complete various jobs around the ranch is depleted very quickly. However, as you progress you increase your capacity for energy. Plus you can buy energy packs if you get really desperate.

As you move up to higher levels of the game, you unlock merchandise for the store and you earn rewards. I love free stuff, even if it's virtual, pretend free stuff, so I especially appreciate the rewards.

Your Horse Haven world expands little by little as well.  As you can see, on my map, since I'm still a beginner, there are lots of grey buildings on my map. Those are locations that have yet to be unlocked.
My map is not very comprehensive yet
But eventually, as they become unlocked, I'll be able to travel around and do different things. Also, players can visit their friends' ranches and earn game money by helping out.
My achievements leave something to be desired as well!

Ribbons, or achievements, can be earned throughout the game for completing a certain number of particular tasks. For example, earn a ribbon for breeding five horses.

Horse Haven is a fun diversion, and it can be made even more entertaining and interactive by inviting Facebook friends to play along with you. Then you can visit their ranches and you can help each other out by sending gifts needed to complete tasks.

Have you ever played Horse Haven? Or are there other Facebook games you're hooked on?

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own. #UbiChamps

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Summer Guest Posts Wanted!

I'm going to be gone quite a bit this summer, and I'm not sure how much I'll be able to post while I'm away. With everything I'll have going on, I'm guessing there is not much chance I'll get around to scheduling posts for over 3 weeks. So I'm hoping some of you can help me out by writing a guest post for me!

Here's what I'm looking for:

  • Thankful Thursday posts. Can having anything to do with gratitude, giving thanks, something specific you're thankful for, or, well, you have the idea. I post these every week, and sometimes they're more of a list, like THIS, and sometimes they're about something more specific, like THIS.
  • Summer related posts. I'm pretty open here, but some ideas include: recipes, summer party ideas, seasonal craft projects, summer activities for kids and families, or pretty much whatever else you can come up with. 
  • Travel posts. This could be about your own summer vacation plans, being a tourist in your own town, or family travel tips.
Guest posts would go live sometime during the following date ranges:
  • July 6 - July 13
  • July 22 - August 8
Ideally, I would love to have the posts by July 1st, so that I'll have plenty of time to look them over and schedule them. If this is a problem for you, talk to me and we'll try to work something out. Pictures are welcome, as well as links back to your blog and a short bio at the end of the post. I am definitely open to other ideas for post topics, besides what I have listed above. I'd prefer to receive the posts in HTML format so that I can just easily copy and paste. I like to keep the blog's content at a PG rating, so no profanity please.

If being a guest writer on MichiGal is something you might be interested in, please contact me so we can work out the details. You can reach me via comments on this post, Twitter, Facebook, or email -  see the links in the top right sidebar. Thank you!

Review of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, With Book Club Discussion Questions

Hardcover, $7.98

Kindle edition, Free
The last novel my book club finished was Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. I won't lie, it was a tougher read than our previous selections. Several of our members opted out of this one. It was, after all, first published in 1818. So the language is a bit  more difficult, and the dictionary function on my Kindle got a lot of use. I enjoy the challenge of classic literature, but it's not for everyone. Our group decided that in the future, we'll stick with more modern book selections. However, if Frankenstein is something you are truly interested in reading, please note that the first three or four chapters are kind of hard to get through, but the book gets much more interesting after that - and in effect, easier and more compelling to read. The hard work of struggling to understand the language is definitely worth it.

The concept of the character Frankenstein is so confusing. Most people think of him as a green, scary monster who was created in a lab and has very few truly human qualities. The truth is that Frankenstein is the doctor who created the "monster," who remains unnamed throughout the entire book. I put "monster" in quotes because one might argue that Dr. Victor Frankenstein is actually the monster, while his creation struggles to be a good person. The "monster" seems to have more of a moral backbone than his creator. Various movie versions of Frankenstein have repeatedly been marketed as horror films, but the book is not frightening in the scary movie kind of way. It is, however, terrifying in the god complex kind of way.

 
I would recommend this book, but with caution. It had been on my "to-read" list for quite awhile, so I was thrilled when my friend suggested it as a book club choice. I never considered giving up on it, partly because there is just something in me that has to see a book through to the end once I start it. But the beginning did drag. Just keep that in mind, remember that it gets better, and don't be intimidated by the language. The dictionary is your friend.

Here are some questions you might want to consider for discussion. There might be a few spoilers amongst them, so it's probably best to finish the book before you continue reading.

  1. What do you think Victor's original intention was for creating the "monster"? Was it just to prove to himself that he could do it, or was there something more that compelled him to complete this experiment?
  2. Do you think Victor accurately portrays himself as the ideal son, brother, and friend in his life before he became obsessed with creating life? Or do you think it's possible that he was actually a very different person than he made himself out to be?
  3. Why does Victor get so sick every time anything bad happens in his life?
  4. Shelley's full title of the book was Frankenstein: or, the Modern Prometheus. Prometheus was a character in Greek mythology, charged with the job of creating mankind. He was a kind and sympathetic creator, who gave man gifts important to survival. That said, do you think "modern Prometheus" is an accurate description of Victor?
  5. How would the monster's life had been different if Victor had shown him the slightest kindness or act of friendship? 
  6. Even when events get terribly out of control, Victor can never seem to take responsibility for his actions, or admit that it was wrong to abandon his creation. Why do you think that is?
  7. Do you think it is possible that Victor suffers from mental illness?
  8. Is society's rejection of the monster inevitable and justified? Why or why not? How does this reflect upon mankind as a whole?
If you've read Frankenstein, I'd love to hear your take. Do you have any other suggestions for discussion questions?