Willkommen

This is my good friend Carolyn's son, just returned from a two-year LDS mission in Germany. We went to see him this afternoon, but sadly he didn't model his lederhosen for us. I stole this picture from his mother's facebook page. Welcome home, Erik!

Contingency

Every once in a while, we'll buy something from the produce section at the grocery store purely to satisfy Jack's curiosity. Interesting looking gourds, hot chili peppers, the leaf pad of a prickly pear cactus.

Today Roger brought home a coconut.

It's smart to know your way around a coconut. Just in case you ever find yourself stranded on a desert isle.

Inspired by the Best

We had a lovely family date tonight listening to visiting artist Caroline Hartig play the clarinet at BYU. She was amazing! Click here to listen to some of her audio samples.

After her performance we had a chance to thank her, and she was so gracious when Jack asked to have his picture taken with her.


Jack has really taken to the clarinet in the past few months. His band teacher at school has been very encouraging and even talked with him the other day about taking up the saxophone next year, then joining the jazz band in ninth grade. I am a proud mama.

(Don't) Say Cheese

This story happened yesterday, but I was too tired to put it into words. I'm feeling better today. Must have been the donuts! Also, this post will make a bunch more sense if you actually know Jack. Though even then it might not make any sense. Depends on the Jack you know.

Working at the jail is educating me about all sorts of things, not the least of which is the drug culture. (By the way, you might be surprised at how often the discussions I have in class with inmates who have been caught up in dealing turn into discussions about specific transferable skills that can be real assets in more legitimate pursuits).

Anyway, yesterday I learned about a new iteration of heroin that might be headed our way. It's cut with Tylenol PM and ends up a brownish, orange-ish powder. It's called cheese. Law enforcement has been instructed to watch for the word cheese, along with variations on the term, in text messages, online posts, etc.

As Jack and I drove home from school, I thought we'd better have a chat about it.

"I know, Mom. Don't do drugs."

"Oh, yeah. That, too. Definitely. But what I'm actually warning you about is using the word "cheese" when you post online or text your friends. You might want to drop the 'I like cheese' bit."

"Noooooooooooooooo! People always ruin the good things!"

Wish it wasn't so, Jack. But you can still like pie. At least for now.

Must. Write. Post.

I've been a bit under the weather today. Ended up asking Roger to take my place at UVU this evening. He collected the papers that were due today and gave my students an assignment to work on in lieu of listening to my scratchy voice and watching me sink to the floor in an exhausted puddle.

Feeling a bit sorry for myself. Thanks, Roger, for feeling sorry for me, too. And for picking up donuts on the way home.

The Last Stretch

I'm a month and a half away from finishing my 2011 goal of blogging every day about experiencing something new or out of the ordinary! My original plan was to seek local adventure in lieu of the far flung adventure I long for but don't have much access to at this stage in my life.

The project has turned out differently than I expected--partly because I realized early on that I don't need additional excuses to eat out or spend money (boring topics after the first few anyway) and partly because I started a new job and it's taken up a good deal of time and emotional energy. No question, though, that I have had some very unique experiences, learned a whole bunch of things I didn't expect to learn, and met a crazy wide range of people over the past year.

Today we got a complimentary issue of Utah Valley Magazine in the mail. I've been perusing it, looking for some local adventure to round out my year. I'm making note of five new things to do or places to visit by the end of December.

My picks are a secret until I blog about them. But I can reveal that I'll be passing on the Princess Academy classes.

Sparkling

Got Jack dropped off at school by 8:00 a.m. and was off and running all day to meetings, work, classes until 9:00 p.m. I did spend a couple of hours at home after picking Jack up at school, but was mostly focused on getting papers graded.

I didn't even get the dishes done.

Then just before I ran off to teach my classes, I grabbed something from the fridge to drink in the car and realized that we'd need to replenish our milk supply before morning.

As I drove home from campus, I thought back on my day. Busy, but nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing blog worthy.

Then when I got home I got a wonderful surprise! We were picked up and vacuumed and swept. The dishes were done. The counter was scrubbed. The overflowing recycling bin was empty. And there was a fresh gallon of milk in the fridge.

I think I even heard birds singing.

A Random-Stuff-Aphone

Jack recently saved up some money and ordered a mouthpiece so he can try out his friend's baritone. He and Roger cooked this up to use in the meantime.



Jack is calling it his random-stuff-aphone. After I shot the video, they added a blue funnel to the end to pump up the volume. Does that make it a more-random-stuff-aphone?

Home Again

Dad should be home sleeping in his own bed tonight. The MRI revealed a small blood clot in the part of his brain that controls speech.

He's okay for now and speaking clearly. Hopefully his doctors will keep this from happening again. Dad's got a lot of things to do, a lot of people to serve, and a lot of mountains to climb.

I'd Just as Soon Take a Pass

Except for a few outpatient procedures and a trip to the emergency room with a dislocated shoulder from a skiing accident a few years ago, I don't believe my 74-year-old father has ever been in the hospital.

And now he's spending his first night in one. My iron-man father, who at 74 can still heft an aluminum canoe up on his shoulders and carry it all by himself.

It's possible he's experienced a minor stroke, but we won't know for sure until he gets the test results. I talked with him a little while ago and he sounds upbeat, his speech only slightly slurred.

Please keep him in your prayers.

A Brush with Fam(ous Hair)

This has been a crazy week so far and today was no exception! Here is a sampling of five unusual things that happened since I woke up this morning:

• After teaching a class, I spent time researching how people can get copies of their criminal records here in Utah and how and when they can have charges and convictions expunged.
• While we were out running errands, we stopped at SOS Drugs to get Jack some ice cream. A boy I hadn't seen before dished it up for him. I'm quite sure it was Justin Beiber. At least it was Justin Beiber's hair.
• I met with the city administrator to discuss our not-yet-okayed-but-hopefully-it's-just-a-matter-of-time project to turn the old city building/library into a temporary art exhibition next spring before it's torn down.
• We locked each cat in the bathroom individually with the litter box to collect "samples" to take to the vet this afternoon. It took several tries, but we achieved success just in time!
• Jack fell asleep before Roger and I even got in our pajamas! Usually we are so tired and have to beg him to settle in so we can all sleep. (Though I confess that once I'm tucked in, I often stay up too late reading . . .)

Homeostatic Imbalance

A go, go, go, go, go kind of day. Decided on the way to my classes at UVU tonight that I would stop and buy some Lifesavers for my students to help them get through a most exciting discussion about citing sources in a research paper. Saw a package of Swedish Fish and bought that as well. Ate them on the 20-minute drive to campus. Ate more on the 20-minute drive home. Totally out of character to eat so much sugar. Especially sugar that is not sweetening something chocolate. Seriously, a Swedish Fish binge? If I end up in a coma, you'll know why.

My Turn

I've been lucky. We've had our cats for two years, and every time one of them has an--ahem--accident, Roger is the one who has found the evidence and cleaned it up.

Today was my first turn. I will spare the details, but I do believe this was the culprit:

In the Student's Chair

I spent four hours this morning sitting in the Adult Probation & Parole conference room in the basement of the state government building auditing a seminar for ex-offenders designed to help them find and keep jobs.

The good news is that the course I put together to teach inmates at the jail is consistent with what AP&P is teaching. The bad news is that I didn't learn any additional inside scoop on how help people with criminal records convince employers to take a chance on them.

A couple of hours later, I was sitting across the table from a man (a boy, really, only 18) who said he needed to get a job the day he gets out of jail. He says he has two weeks to come up with $350 to pay his rent so he doesn't lose his apartment. We talked about having realistic expectations and how he'd be smart to come up with a plan B. We brainstormed some plan B options.

A magic wand would sure be helpful. Or at least some inside scoop.

Too Early

I woke up an hour earlier than I wanted to this morning. Why? Why?!

I don't like this part of getting older. I hope that delicious extra hour of sleep I've always loved when we go off daylight savings time isn't a thing of the past for me.

We've Come a Long Way, Sister

My friend Jenny asked if I was interested in attending the Mormon Women Project's Salon 2011 entitled "Crafting a Deliberate Life: Making Choices That Are Purposeful, Personal and Powerful" in Salt Lake tonight.

Because we rarely plan ahead in our family, I was happy to be free and spontaneous. (No irony there. Spontaneity is an important part of my deliberately crafted life. Well, okay. If my life was deliberately crafted it would be.)

The Mormon Women Project is creating a valuable space for us to explore ideas about how to use our individual gifts in the world, whether they are connected to motherhood or not.

Raging feminism, in the best sense of the word, on the ninth floor of the Joseph Smith Building, sponsored in part by the LDS church.

This is a new day.

No Going Back

We have crossed a line.

Jack has discovered both texting and video chatting with friends in the same week. I'm guessing that it all became so pronounced so quickly because one of his good buddies, who moved away when she was six, may have been grounded this week.

And yes. She. But I don't think we have crossed that line. Yet.

(P.S.: If you're reading this, Jack, I promise that when we--and by we, I mean you--do cross that line, it won't be my story to tell on my blog :)

The Toast

Meet our new toaster.

I no longer have to toast our bread on one side, then flip it around and toast it on the other.

Cheers!

Al Rescate

I received a request in Spanish from one of the inmates at the jail on immigration hold. What to do with what amounts to first-year Spanish under my belt?

Google Translate to the rescue!

I just typed in his message to figure out what he was asking, then typed in my reply, and Google translated it into Spanish for me.

Lo siento. Yo no soy la persona a preguntar.

Google Translate was very helpful. Me? Not so much.

Sitting by the Phone

I spent the evening waiting for a call that never came from a company I've been tangling with for months. I've been trying to sort out where my brother's house is in the foreclosure process so that I can help facilitate a short sale. I'd love to help there be one less empty, deteriorating house in the world. Seems like it would be in everyone's best interest. It's crazy how difficult it's been.

Anyway, I needed to learn how to do a conference call on my phone so I could bring the buyer into the conversation. I practiced ahead of time and figured it out.

What shall I do with my new power?

Mystery Guest

Halloween is pretty routine in our neighborhood, so we were all surprised to see the headless horseman ride through! One of my neighbors got this shot of him sneaking up behind her daughter. Watch out, Gracie!

On the Bandwagon?

I checked out Pinterest for the first time today because so many of my friends love it. I pinned my first item to my board (a picture of a beautiful beach with palm trees), but I'm not sure about the whole thing. Do I want or need another diversion? We'll see.

Ooh, I already have one follower!

And so it begins . . .

A Chair with a View

Greetings from the chair by the window at the new Springville City library, which is now open!

I'm enjoying a lovely view of the creekside and the mountains while I hang out working on my laptop using the library's wifi.

Hundreds and hundreds of people have already come to the grand opening today to check out the new building (and to check out armfuls and armfuls of books).

This is a good day for Springville!

Green Around the Gills

Jack got Dad's permission to carve some of our pumpkins on his own while we were out. This was a first, but Mom decided she could be okay with it after he promised to use the special non-lethal pumpkin carving knife.

This is what we came home to. Poor thing!

The Hit

Heading to the Junior High Halloween dance in his new fedora. My little mobster is growing up.

The Bribe

I keep trying to figure out ways to make grading papers more palatable. You know, so I will just sit down and focus and get it done.

Today I went the Art City Trolley, got a table for one in the corner of the trolley car, and ordered their fabulous Chef's Choice salad (a salad I have never had before). My goal was to hang out nursing that salad while I graded at least a dozen papers.

It didn't work out as well as I hoped. The salad was so big and complicated and distracting that it took me an hour just to comment on three papers.

But it sure was delicious!

Human Mics

Once again I relied on Jack to provide a new experience for me. Tonight was the first time he conducted a scout court of honor, and he did an excellent job. He handles a crowd pretty well, that boy!

My favorite part of the program (besides Jack being awarded his merit badges and First Class rank) was when one of the leaders led us in a rousing rendition of "I'm Being Eaten by a Boa Constrictor" in which he said a line and we repeated it. We were just like the Occupy Wall Street human mics, complete with hand motions!

Right to Know

A friend posted the link to this database of public salaries in Utah on facebook today. Not totally up to date, but very interesting.

Nom Nom Nom

I picked up some key lime pie flavored yogurt at the grocery store yesterday to break my typical rut of peach or cherry yogurt.

Had some for a snack today. I'd buy it again.

It would be even tastier in a nice flaky pie crust. But I suppose that would defeat the "light" part.

Delayed and Gratifying

Actually I saved this post from last Saturday, when Roger and I enjoyed our first visit to Red Butte Garden, the botanical garden at the University of Utah. We've been meaning to go for years and years. What a lovely treasure!

On a Lighter "Note"

I realize that my posts took a bit of a negative turn this week, but we've had lots of happy times as well. For example, we took the plunge today and ordered Roger a new iPhone 4S, taking us into smart phone territory for the first time, and adding a third line to our account for our almost teenager.

Jack took this picture with his new phone. He's been working on creating a Lego symphony orchestra. So far he's figured out how to make clarinets, flutes, French horns, baritones, saxophones, bassoons, and cellos.

I think his decision to sign up for band this year in school was brilliant. Hopefully our decision to sign him up for the phone is too.

Too Young

One of my high school classmates passed away this week. She was diagnosed with advanced cancer only a few weeks ago. It was so swift and harsh. We're only in our 40s.

Some dear friends lost a family member without any warning earlier this month. She was only in her 20s.

Today I worked for the first time with a couple of inmates who are housed in a less secure facility at the jail known as the annex. They are among the select few who are able to work under supervision at local companies or at jobs on the grounds of the county complex.

While I was waiting to meet with them, I noticed a bulletin board near the entrance covered with photocopied obituaries of young men. I assume they had all passed through the jail at one time. It was overwhelming to see tragedy concentrated like that.

Life doesn't make a lot of sense some days. Time to go give Roger and Jack some hugs and kisses.

Shame

I crossed a line today I promised myself I wouldn't. I didn't finish grading the last batch of student papers before collecting a new batch. Sigh.

Technically the papers they turned in are just drafts that I'm reviewing before they turn in their final papers. So I'm not actually grading them. But still. Sigh.

Long Odds

So, wow. Had my first conversation with a guy who talked openly about how easy it was for him to make a boatload of money dealing drugs.

I think he was really talking about how hard it's going to be for him to not deal drugs, especially when it's likely going to take him weeks and weeks and weeks to land a legitimate job that will earn him the tiniest fraction of a boatload.

He says he wants to do it right this time. I sure hope he makes it. But, boy, it's not going to be easy.

Vicarious

Most of my new adventures today were work related. Yawn. So today I'm going to post about someone else's new adventures for a change.

Uncle John got to meet my cousin Tracey's new puppies for the first time today. Lucky guy! And it looks like the pups are lucky, too!

Surreptitious

Roger could not resist using his phone to snap this shot of Jack giving his first talk in front of the entire congregation at church this morning.

Jack did a fabulous job. He may have talked really fast, but several people said they could understand him anyway because he articulated so well. They did laugh at the one part they were meant to. A very good experience for our boy!

Occupying SLC

So, okay, Roger and I were actually a couple of blocks away from Pioneer Park and Occupy Salt Lake City in very cushy accommodations at the Sheraton.

But we did spend some time at the park this morning, taking in the farmer's market (my favorite line I overheard: "We've got to get moving! You're spending too much time with the goat cheese!") and chatting it up with the occupiers, who had been asked to consolidate their tents on the tennis court the night before to make room for the booths.

The occupiers were quite happy, by the way, to support this kind of free market, where people sell real things they've worked hard to produce and customers can be clear about what they are buying.

Exit Interviews

This week I started meeting one-on-one with inmates at the jail who are about to be released. We talk about their immediate plans--who's picking them up (if anyone), whether they have a place to live, how to get their birth certificate, where they can go to get help finding employment, or bus tokens, or food, or a haircut.

Their stories are all different and all the same.

I'm going to have to figure out how to do this job without crying (or carb loading) when I come home for lunch.

One-Upsmanship

So I was planning to write about how we used priceline.com for the very first time today and got a good deal on a four-star hotel for an upcoming getaway. I know! What took us so long?!

But then I went to our first library board meeting AT OUR NEW LIBRARY! (Yes, I'm shouting, but I'm just so darn excited!)

Saturday, October 29, from 9:30 to 4:00--THE BIG GRAND OPENING! Ribbon cutting! Puppet shows! Magic Shows! Orchestras! Face painting! Balloon animals! Storybook characters! Halloween candy! And Brandon Mull!

Sorry, priceline.com. You come in second.

The Flying Dutchman

Yesterday, I ran into Akwasi Frimpong, an old student of mine, and he told me he was speaking today on campus as part of UVU's "Outcasts Speak" Week.

Jack and I headed up this afternoon to go to his presentation, which included a showing of an hour-long documentary (in Dutch with English subtitles) about his struggle to develop as an elite runner while living as an undocumented immigrant in the Netherlands for 13 years.

Akwasi was finally granted Dutch citizenship a few years ago, and hopes to represent the Netherlands at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. We'll be watching for him!

I Could Only Manage One Bite of Chocolate Cake Afterward

Mom took us out to dinner for her last night here. Roger has been wanting to try the gnocchi at Gloria's Little Italy in downtown Provo so that's where we went.

Oh, my.

I had tortellini with rosata sauce (their classic pomarola sauce--vine-ripened fresh tomatoes and other fresh ingredients cooked together for 5-6 hours--blended with a touch of, mmmm, cream).

What we didn't know is that if you print out this page from their website and show it to them, you can get 20% off a meal for party of 4 or more.

Next time. Maybe tomorrow?

Lifetime Pass

I finally remembered to get my new Utah Valley University parking tag to replace the one that expired at the end of September. I went to the brand spankin' new campus parking office to get it.

I am pleased to report that I now have UVU parking privileges through the end of the world (if those Mayans were actually on to something that is).

Escalation

My mother is a pusher. She introduced me today to Killer Sudoku.

Must. Resist. Addiction.

Guess Who Came to Dinner

This afternoon I drove up to Salt Lake City to meet my mom, who flew in yesterday for her annual meeting of the Fellows of the American Society of Genealogists. (Just to brag about my mom for a minute: the Fellows are an elite group of 50 who are selected based on their published genealogical scholarship. They are appointed for life, and the group only has an opening when one of them passes away.)

Mom invited me to join them for dinner, and we sat next to Alvy Ray Smith, one of the founders of . . . drumroll . . . Pixar. Yes, the Pixar. I think his eyes lit up a little when I told him that we are the kind of fans who stay through the closing credits to make sure we don't miss a thing.

He was very kind when I shook his hand and then immediately asked if I could shake his hand again.

He told me stories about the early days, about George Lucas coming along and then Steve Jobs. I asked him where the name came from, and he told me that he grew up in New Mexico speaking a bit of Spanish and he wanted to come up with a name that was reminiscent of making pictures and sounded like a Spanish verb. He wanted an action word.

Sigh.

Homecoming and Going

My alma mater's homecoming is this weekend. I'm not attending any of the official events, but I got to enjoy an unofficial one. One of my favorite friends from college decided on a whim to drive down from Idaho with her two daughters for the weekend, and we all had a long, lovely lunch together today.

Rebecca is the kind of friend that I can pick up with right where we left off no matter how many years pass between visits. It is a blessing to have friends like that.

Her oldest daughter Megan is a senior in high school, and she's thinking very seriously about going to college in Boston. As you can imagine, I think that is a fine idea. After spending some time talking with her today, I'm ready to write her a letter of recommendation. She's a sharp one!

I got to hold Megan the very day she was born. If she does go to Boston, I'd like to think it's a result of my early influence on her.

October 6th?

Yes, October 6th. Our backyard. The Celestial Cauldron in the foreground looks sadly diminished. My longing for winter solstice begins.

Apple to Apple, Dust to Dust

Like so many others, I learned about the death of Steve Jobs on my Apple device. A MacBook Pro in my case. The news was all over my facebook feed. Apple to Apple.

Thank you for turning your vision into reality, Mr. Jobs! Thank you for your revolutionary ideas about form and function. The world is a better place because you were here.

Roger decided yesterday that he might take the plunge and get the new iPhone (the camera sold him on it). Now we'll do it in your memory.

Fandom

I was poking around doing some online research today for a project I'm working on and came across the upcoming fiscal year budget for the city we live in.

I'm a big fan of citizen awareness and government transparency, but I often fail to pay as much attention as I think I should. Even when I can find information like this so easily on the interwebs.

By the way, I'm generally happy with the way Springville City is managing our collective affairs. I've only just skimmed the budget report at this point, but I appreciate the straightforward, pragmatic tone.

I'm a big fan of pragmatism. And cinnamon toast.

Home

For a day jam packed from beginning to end, I'm amazed I didn't really do anything out of the ordinary. I suppose there were little things, like getting my laptop set up so I can access the internet at work or experimenting with a new way to have my students peer review one another's papers. But I've been accessing the internet and having students do peer reviews for a long, long time.

What was out of the ordinary was hearing a new (to me) song on the car radio, from an artist I haven't really paid any attention to, and being totally caught up in it. It's unusual to have my spot hit like that. So I thought I'd share.

Hospitality

Last night I arrived too late to meet the nun who was visiting my friend Ronda and giving a presentation about a school she works with in India. All of the guests were gone, but I did get to have a very nice visit with my friend.

And she sent me home with a delicious homemade loaf of chocolate banana bread, which we sure enjoyed today. I don't think I've ever had chocolate banana bread before. It was extra moist, just like my mom's fabulous zucchini chocolate cake. We're going to have to add it to our repertoire.

Mind, soul, and body fed. Thanks, Ronda!

While the Boys Were Away

Roger took Jack to his very first priesthood session of the semi-annual LDS general conference tonight, and I headed out to spend the evening with the girls. Four generations of women (and one adorable grand nephew) gathered at my mother-in-law's house for a pleasant visit over a tasty dessert.

It was a very comforting way to ease into this new phase of our lives. Frankly, ever since Jack turned twelve it feels like he's been on a fast track to becoming a man. I think I'm going to need a lot of easing over the next few years.

As Good Luck Would Have It

Roger and I drove down to Cedar City, home of the internationally renowned Utah Shakespeare Festival, for some Utah Library Association meetings today.

As good luck would have it, we had the chance to hear Fred Adams, founder of the festival, speak during lunch. He was utterly engaging as he shared all sorts of tidbits about Shakespeare, including many words and phrases coined by Shakespeare. Like "as good luck would have it" (The Merry Wives of Windsor, 1600).

After lunch, we visited special collections at the university library and feasted our eyes on their first edition folio of Shakespeare's work, printed at the request of Shakespeare himself when he discovered people were printing up (very badly) transcribed copies of his plays.

Days like today remind me that I really do live "a charmed life" (Macbeth, 1605). Not that I have a problem with "too much of a good thing" (As You Like It, 1600).

Hitting the Gym

Wish I could say I've been diligent about working out lately, but no. Roger and I spent the afternoon standing in various lines to meet with Jack's teachers for our first round of parent teacher conferences in the junior high gymnasium. We entertained ourselves while we waited by talking with friends and neighbors, all of whom have to stand in a lot more lines than we do each term.

One small upside of parenting an only child.

Cat Race

Today was a bit of a rat race, scrambling to keep up with everything. The best part? When I came home from book club night at the art museum to this:

Closure

No deep reflection, though I have been thinking about my brother for a variety of reasons lately, and I realize that I'll be seeking closure for some time. He would have been 51 yesterday. It's an odd feeling to think that he'll stay 50 in my mind for the rest of my life.

No, this is a post about how we had to park a block away to accommodate street resurfacing today. It was fun to see more neighbors out and about as we walked back and forth to our cars!

Shot

I got my very first flu shot ever today. Free shots for all sheriff department employees. I figured I'd take advantage since I work with a lot of people in a lot of different situations every day.

So far so good.

In Which My Crush Deepens

I started reading Louisa May Alcott's Hospital Sketches for the first time this afternoon in preparation for a book discussion at the Springville Museum of Art on Wednesday (7 p.m., everyone is welcome!).

The experiences of Alcott's fictional Miss Periwinkle, who works as a nurse in a Washington, DC, hospital during the Civil War are based on her own. I'm about a third of the way in and love Alcott's humor and spirit, which shine through everything Miss Periwinkle faces along the way.

Here's one nugget, when at one point Miss Periwinkle second guesses her decision to volunteer for service (Tom is her brother, who suggested it when she said she wanted something to do):

"I never can do it," thought I. "Tom will hoot at you if you if you don't," whispered the inconvenient little voice that is always goading people to the performance of disagreeable duties, and always appeals to the most effective agent to produce the proper result.

And another after she boards a boat on her travels to DC:

Trying to look as if the greater portion of my life had been passed on board boats, but painfully conscious that I don't know the first thing; so sit bolt upright, and stare about me till I hear one lady say to another--"We must secure our berths at once;" whereupon I dart at one, and, while leisurely taking off my cloak, wait to discover what the second move may be.

And this as she recalls what she thought when she saw pictures of the Capitol growing up:

I was sure that Cinderella went to housekeeping in just such a place, after she married the inflammable Prince; though, even at that early period, I had my doubts as to the wisdom of a match whose foundation was of glass.

I suppose I'm not really saying anything new or unexpected when I say that I would have dearly loved knowing that Louisa May Alcott in person. We'd have done a good deal of laughing together, I'm sure!

Breakfast Club

One of my book clubs met for breakfast this morning instead of our usual Thursday night meeting. Great food, great friends, great weather for a long backyard conversation! And I confess, I only felt a tiny twinge of guilt as I left Roger and Jack working on the yard to revel in it all.

Rebirth, Part Two

I know that I've already written about the death of our quirky town newspaper and the advent of a new town newspaper that has filled the void this year. But it's happened again!

When I was a student at BYU in the 1980s, a few adventurous souls started up an independent student newspaper called the Student Review. I ate up every issue. I loved that it existed! Students kept it going for at least a dozen years--surviving quite a bit of turbulence--before it folded.

Today, I sat down and browsed the very first issue of a new era of the Student Review. This, from the first letter from the editors, makes me smile:

"We at the Student Review believe that a true education can only occur through the interaction of different ideas and viewpoints, an interaction we have hoped to facilitate in the pages you are currently holding. We hope it will spur you to new thoughts, increased conversation both at home and in the classroom and if nothing else, a lot of laughter."

Amen and amen.

Open publication - Free publishing - More byu

Tour Guide

After I dropped Jack off at school in plenty of time for the 8:00 a.m. bell, I headed over to the Springville Museum of Art to meet with the AP art history class from the high school. I was invited to give them a bit of an introduction to Louisa May Alcott and the exhibition.

What a nice way to start my day!

Irony

Another short and sweet. Totally exhausted. I think I might have run a marathon today.

While I waited for my class to show up in the classroom at the jail, I worked on grading papers for my UVU students. They'd written personal narratives about significant events in their lives. I opened up my folder and started reading the first paper in the stack. A student had written about spending time in jail, likely the very jail I was sitting in at that very moment.

One of the topics we're talking about in my class at the jail is how to go about getting more education, and UVU is a really good option. When the inmates arrived, I told them about the paper. "Here is a story about a woman who was once exactly where you are and is now one of my university students."

That's the kind of coincidence that doesn't totally feel like a coincidence.

Healing the People

I'm tempted to say nothing new today as I am swamped in a stack of papers that I need to have graded by tomorrow. That is nothing new, especially the procrastination that has led me to this point.

But I've got to write about something new. That is the whole point of my blog this year. So here goes. Short and sweet.

I learned today that the Indian Walk-In Center in Salt Lake City hosts a Thanksgiving dinner for the community each year. I think that speaks volumes about the organization's stated mission of "healing the people."

Something to Chew On

Every day that I work at the jail involves new and unexpected experiences. I don't feel like I can share very much because most of the stories are not mine to tell. I suppose, though, that I can share tidbits like learning that you can make hair gel (which is against the rules) out of Jolly Rancher candies and toothpaste.

At first I thought you'd have to chew up the candies and spit them out, but apparently you can just crush them and add a bit of water.

Today I learned a new paradigm. A woman I'd invited to discuss the services her non-profit offers talked about personal boundaries. Not in terms of how they protect us, but in terms of how they define us. And that we actually need to protect them.

Our emotions, our values, the standards we set for ourselves, etc. are all boundaries that we should be aware of as we develop relationships with people. If we allow people to ignore or trample our boundaries--for example, by dismissing something that is important to us or telling us we shouldn't feel a certain way--we're giving them power to define who we are. And that might not be so healthy.

Since I won't need to chew the Jolly Ranchers, I am going to chew on that.

Ace

Jack wrenched his ankle yesterday and it's still bugging him. We broke out our brand new ACE bandage and wrapped it up, hoping it feels better by morning. Such an improvement over our ancient ACE bandage that had stretched to more than 12 feet long! Not very helpful when it's that stretched out.

I also learned from the packaging that ACE is meant to be in all caps. Who knew?

Continuing Ed

I spent a lovely Saturday morning holed up indoors at my first adjunct faculty conference at UVU. But it was well worth my time!

The main session I attended was on engaging students in ways that acknowledge multiple intelligences. I came away with at least three new specific ideas that I'm going to implement in classes this coming week, both at UVU and at the jail. Keeping it fresh!

A (Mormon) Open Bar

We hosted a fun party for tonight for Roger's boss, all of her direct reports and their families. In addition to a cookout--which got "rained in" so hotdogs and marshmallows had to be roasted over the gas stove--everyone brought the most unusual soft drinks they could find, many from far flung places like Peru and Australia and Flathead Lake. We broke out a box of 3 oz. Dixie bathroom cups and had a tasting.

I feel a (carb) hangover coming on.

The Scoop

Jack worked on a photo essay for his photography merit badge today. Roger gets extra dad points for playing the starring role and for splurging on a new hobby for Jack. Here's the story as seen through the lens of our ace journalist.

Getting Oriented

I finally got a key to the bathroom at work. Now I've just got to figure out where the bathroom is in case I need to use it. That place is a maze.

The Long View

I thought Roger and I had a perfect plan today, but we were thwarted by the crowds. I should have realized that it would be impossible to get a seat in the UVU ballroom to hear the Bill Nye speak without showing up very, very early when so many of my students were crazy happy that he was coming to campus. One of them even changed his work schedule so he could attend.

This is the the crowd milling around outside the entrance to the ballroom, which was absolutely packed.

This is a picture of the man himself taken with my amazing zoom. At least we got to see that bow tie in person.

Despite straining, we could barely hear a word. Sadly, we left. We took a detour on the way back to the car through the library, which was built just a few years ago. I don't think I'd ever been above the second floor. Looking out across the valley and Utah Lake to the west from the fifth floor was spectacular!

Drip, Drip

I launched part of my transitional skills program at the jail with a visit from a local non-profit that offers resources for personal and career development. We held five classes and met with more than 100 inmates. Life changing? No. A step in the right direction? For a handful of them, possibly a small one.

What encourages me is how engaged most of them were in the activities and discussions and how readily they asked questions. It helps me believe that if we put enough drops in the bucket, we will gather enough to quench their thirst when they choose to take a swig.

The Opposite of Evil

Roger and Jack woke up extra early to help the scouts put up flags in all of the yards around the neighborhood, which they do about a half dozen times a year on civic holidays and important days of remembrance like today. Yet another new responsibility now that Jack is 12.

I remember waking up to flags in the neighborhood on the morning of September 12, 2001, and taking great comfort in the sense of community they represented. We were there for one another. The horrifying acts that resulted from the worst of human nature were bringing out the best in us. Over and over we heard stories of people putting others ahead of themselves, of doing good, even when it meant great sacrifice.

Late this afternoon, just after the boys got home from taking down flags, it started thundering and raining. I curled up under a blanket and watched the Frontline episode called Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero.

As the show grappled with the question of how the men who hijacked the planes could have done what they did, one line in particular rang true: "Maybe evil is when you lose your sense that a human being is a human being."

So how do we combat evil? We do the opposite. We see one another. We love one another. We pray for one another. Even, and perhaps most importantly, for our enemies.

Rising Moon, Rising Star

I am especially excited to report that Roger and I had a completely out of the ordinary evening. We headed to the Castle Amphitheater on the grounds of the Utah State Hospital in Provo to see a new play written by our niece's husband, Mahonri Stewart called The Opposing Wheel.

I have lived in the Provo area for almost all of the last 30 years and have never been to the amphitheater. I'd heard of it, but had no idea it was so cool!

We got there just before the play started and it was getting dark, so it was tough to get any pictures of the place, which was built as a WPA project in the 1930s. Here's a shot of our view, with the lights in the valley below.

I wish I could have gotten a shot of the nearly full moon peeking out of the clouds behind us as it rose above the mountain top. It was magical, just like Mahonri's play. Literally. Magical spells and all. What a thought provoking, crazy mix of characters from Camelot, minions of the devil, a lovely pagan trapped in a tower, and a Mormon (who, in what may be an homage to the Book of Mormon musical on Broadway, went on his church mission to Ghana).

From the director: "I'm going to be honest--the first time I read the script I thought 'What was Mahonri thinking?' . . . But nothing turns out the way you expect. It's pretty difficult to figure out who the real heroes are because everyone has goodness and everyone has flaws. It's a whole new reality that isn't so hard to believe if you allow yourself to consider the possibilities. And even if you don't, it's still an amusing, touching, modern fairy tale." With a nice feminist twist, I might add.

Keep your eyes on this Mahonri Stewart, people. He's got a fabulous start on a big, big life!

Constructive Avoidance Behavior

When I was in college, my bathroom was never cleaner than it was during finals week.

Today I graded every single one of the quizzes and essays my students turned in on Wednesday. A full three days before classes meet again! I'm not sure I have ever been this on top of grading.

Of course, I still haven't done the work I put off while getting the grading done . . .

Anticipation

The new Springville library will hold its grand opening on Saturday, October 29th. Good times all day long, including a visit from author Brandon Mull! Mark your calendars, library lovers!

Ahead of Schedule

I found out yesterday that the museum was hoping to have all of the shows opening on Saturday up and ready to go by this evening for a special event. So we shifted into high gear and got it done. I still have a few details to attend to, but it looks good. (My thumb, however, doesn't look so good after I smacked it with a hammer.)

During class tonight, I decided to offer my UVU students a bit of extra credit if they visit the exhibition and write an essay about the experience. It made me a little sad that most of them had never really heard of Louisa May Alcott. I hope some of them take me up on it. She's worth hearing of!

Fed Body and Soul

I met my friend Ann in Salt Lake City for lunch today. She made three restaurant suggestions, and even though they all sounded fabulous, it was an easy choice. I picked the one I'd never been to before. You know, so I'd have something new to blog about today.

We met at the Oasis Cafe. Ann recommended the salmon lox crustini. Another easy choice. I didn't even bother to look at the rest of the menu, and I wasn't disappointed.

My favorite part of the meal, though? The conversation. Ann is interesting and wise and funny. At one point we talked about how to balance getting after our kids and giving them room to be responsible for themselves. Ann's clue that she might have been nagging her sons a bit too much? When their pet parrot started saying things like, "Brush your teeth. Brush your teeth."

Oh, Ann, thanks for the good food and the great laugh!

Input and Output

First, I have just uploaded this photo by sticking my camera's memory card directly into my new computer. I no longer need to track down the cable!

Second, the photo is of the large-format printer at the BYU library. Roger and I are using it to print the signage for the Alcott show. Very professional are we.

The Lesson

Today I was the substitute teacher for Jack's class at church. We talked about Jesus' resurrection.

At one point, I asked the kids to tell me words that could describe how his disciples must have felt when Jesus died. As the request came out of my mouth, I wondered what one of Jack's classmates would think. She lost her mom in a car accident last winter.

"Sad," said one boy. "Hopeless," said someone else. I wrote the words on the chalkboard.

"Devastated," she said.

We read 1 Corinthians 15:22 and talked about what Jesus' resurrection means. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. And then we came up with a list of words to describe how his disciples must have felt when they realized Jesus was with them again.

Happy. Hopeful. Restored.

I am a disciple like Thomas. It's hard for me to believe things I haven't seen for myself. But today what I did see was this girl's eyes shining brightly as we talked. Happy. Hopeful. And they reminded me why I choose faith.