Zero to 60

A few weeks ago, my life shifted into seriously high gear. Not permanently, but all of a sudden I've got a lot of balls in the air at once.

For example, at the moment I'm writing this at the Springville High School library circulation desk, where I have been substituting for the last few days. Oops, hang on. I have to go help a student find books about ancient Roman baths.

I'm back!

Besides substituting at the high school several times this month, I've been busy at Jack's school helping out in the classroom, writing the PTA newsletter and creating door decorations for teacher appreciation week.

I've been busy at the Springville City Library as a newly appointed member of the library board, which will be a big adventure. The first hour of my first board meeting was pretty intense as we listened to a couple contest several books in the young adult section. First amendment issues right out of the gate!

I've been busy helping out with publicity for the 42nd Annual Art Ball, which is held every year at the Springville Museum of Art to help celebrate the opening of the Spring Salon exhibit, a juried show for contemporary Utah artists. The Art Ball will be held on May 3. Light buffet and big band dancing. Contact me if you want to buy tickets (I think I might have a quota to sell).

I've also been getting back to pulling together the art exhibit I'm working on as a guest curator for the museum--original illustrations from children's books. I met with the Statewide Art Partnership committee to talk about the exhibit and get their creative juices flowing with ideas about how to get schools involved. Their enthusiasm was very encouraging. The exhibit is scheduled from mid-September to the end of December.

I've also been at the museum nearly every day for the past two weeks working on transforming the store for the opening of the Wayne Thiebaud exhibit. I've been painting walls and creating fabric panels for the backs of shelves to bring in color, organizing and figuring out how to display inventory, designing new signage, etc. It's been a wacky, wacky ride. The exhibit opens on Saturday, so I need to have everything done by Friday afternoon.

And on top of all that, I finally got Jack on the ice with skating lessons and I finally got around to getting a mammogram (results ok!).

The Speaker of the House

And since I've been feeling patriotic lately, here's Jack practicing his part for the third grade patriotic program at school. He recited the first lines of the Gettysburg Address in front of the entire 700 member student body and did a bang up job!

Leap Year at the DMV

Jack and our red Jeep at the sand dunes, Fall 2003

I am thankful that February had an extra day this year. We missed the window for mailing in our registration renewal for our 1994 Wrangler so I had to do it in person. And of course I waited until the very last day of the month to do it!

I wasn't too worried. They've got a great system at the DMV in Provo. I had a nice conversation with the woman sitting next to me while I waited for them to call my number. It took less than 15 minutes even though the place was packed with people.

The DMV is a fabulous place to people watch--it draws in a cross section of the entire community. I heard at least three languages besides English.

Driving our Jeep in wide open spaces. Efficient government bureaucracy. Being surrounded by people from all over the world. This is the America I revel in.