i'm going to say this, and only this about the matter.

Team Jacob.

some more stuff for you guys. and an extra addition.

Sometimes I feel like blogging alot. So yeah, post two in one day. Are you judging me? Would you like a space for that? ____________________ There. There is some judging space.


Anyway, I survived today. I did not kill anyone, even a student. Although I did send hateful thoughts to the teacher who shares a room with me and leaves me snarky notes on where I put the computer cords. Not very Thanksgivingish, of me, no, but still no one died.

I like to have low standards, sometimes. No one died. Mission Accomplished. (Plus, I can say things like "Mission Accomplished," and not look like an idiot a trillion dollars and a bunch of dead people later.)

I am saddened about my 3B class that hates "Our Town." 2B liked it, but not 3B.


I am super excited for Thanksgiving, and our tradition of watching Pieces of April the night before with my family. You should all go rent that movie. Pre-Tom Katie Holmes is in it, back when she might have had talent. Don't judge the movie for having Katie Holmes. Unless you really want to. In that case, here is a space for that as well.________________


My students are sad I am leaving soon. Apparently, it is because I am "loud" and their real teacher is "too quiet." I am taking that as a compliment, because I take what I can freaking get, and the other option (worrying about my teaching skills) is depressing.


I haven't sewn anything since moving, even though I technically have an entire room for sewing, and also for grading papers. But I have not sewn, and I still grade in bed. Someone send me ideas of something awesome, and easy to sew, so that I break my self-imposed sewing fast. Sewing Ramadan.


I have cable now, and I really like watching "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."


Addition: My Dad sent Dan and I letters today, in the mail. We see him nearly everyday, but he still sends us letters. On his fancy-office stationary. Typed up by his secretary, because my Dad won't use computers. He dictates all his letters, memos, and emails on a little tape recorder, and a very nice lady types them up. For some reason, this whole process, the tapes, the mailing, and receiving of letters from a person I see regularly strikes me as very funny and very sweet.

You won't read this unless I print it out for you, but Thanks, Dad.




Happy Thanksgiving! Eat pie!

it is 6:00 am

If I make it to 12:39 pm, today, without killing anyone, (potential victims include hyper-pre-long-weekend teens,) it will be a miracle.


And make the upcoming Holidays so much simpler.


Pray for me.


Or stick some voodoo dolls, I don't care.

really? the beckster? did he sign your copy? or just cry on it.

Displaying a Glenn Beck book (in your home or as a sticker on your blog) with any degree of pride makes you look like a moron.


At least pick a smart Republican.

























I'm sure you can find one...somewhere....

what i'm doing over here

I planted tulips! In my garden! I felt very...something. It was nice.

I also planted a tulip in the middle of my yard, because my Dad always does that, and it seemed like the right thing to do. We all need a random tulip in the middle of the lawn, right?

Also, if you are a person with some mild OCD tendencies, I highly recommend planting tulips. Repetitive motions? Check? The option to line things up in a perfect little row? Check. Dig. Plant. Cover. Move 6 inches. Dig. Plant. Cover. Move 6 inches.

Like I said, it was nice.

Also, I'm freaking eating vegetables right now. What the hell? Who am I?



Anyway, have a nice weekend. Now that you know my every move.

get a life, child bride

I had to step foot on Westminster's campus today, and it was not pretty.

This is what happens when I visit the University of Utah, in case you were wondering.

When I visit Westminster, I feel annoyed. I remember all the hours spent in classes with no point other than to convince me I was secretly racist, and that the only way to cure myself was to use a graphic organizer. Sure, I had a couple of awesome professors/classes, but the jury is still out on whether I would consider my graduate program to be a

a: Complete yet necessary waste of time.

b: Completely unnecessary waste of time.

Anyway, despite all my misgivings about Westminster, I still found myself having a funny internal dialogue while walking across campus.

Me :(in my head, not out loud, because I am silently crazy, not out-loud crazy.) "I wonder if Professor X is on campus. Maybe I should say "Hi." I could tell her that I am did a simulation activity last week, and it went really well. And she would probably ask me to reflect on what I could do better, and I would tell her that I had ALREADY REFLECTED the crap out of my simulation, and come to the conclusion that the concept of the activity was great, but my students needed a little more scaffolding along the way. "

"Then I would tell her that I developed an awesome Funds of Knowledge* activity for Our Town, and she would beam happily about my multiculturalness."

And then I did the same thing you've been wanting to do through your computer screen for the last five minutes. I mentally slapped myself in the face and said (again, mentally) "SNAP OUT OF IT FREAK. YOU GRADUATED ALREADY."

Looks like I've discovered something about myself. I'm a positive feedback addict. That's why I kicked so much academic ass in college. Because nothing makes me happier than an teacher/authority figure telling me "Good job! Gold Star! You are so talented!"

Needy much?

I've also discovered that this need for positive reinforcement has spread into my teaching life.** Sometimes I will be in the middle of teaching, and I will realize that I am all alone in a classroom of 15 year olds. I could do whatever I want. Best -worst-case scenario, I could be doing nothing, or putting National Treasure into the DVD player everyday. Worst-worst- case scenario, I could be... well, you've seen the news lately, I bet you can imagine some worst-worst case scenarios.

Anyway, I've often found myself hoping for someone, ANYONE to step in, see me teaching, and tell me I'm doing a good job.

And then, once again, I mentally slap myself in the face, and move on. I know the real solution is to develop more confidence in my teaching abilities, and focus my addictive personality on my caffeine committment instead of my need for positive reinforcement.


But somehow, scheming up ways to get an A++ in teaching seems much more fun.***







*FOK. FOK. FOK. LOL. Any Westminster alums out there? Anyone remember FOK? Anyone want to bludgeon themselves?


**Surprisingly, my "needs" are all academically or professionally based. I wish I could transfer it into needing positive reinforcement for doing the laundry or learning to cook, or learning to be less grumpy, but alas, no, we cannot pick our trials.

*** And by "fun," I mean "dysFUNctional." Hahaha! I'm such a punster.

guys! the universe smiles upon us!

Guess what the universe decided to gift us with this week?!?! (Besides two posts in one day on MCB).


A FREE JACK WEYLAND BOOK FROM DESERET BOOK!


CLICK HERE


The book is called Saving Kristen, and, well, SPOILER ALERT, here is a description of our leading lady: (pg. 9).

"You're the best looking girl here tonight. Look at you-blonde hair, blue eyes, a great dancer, good smile. A guy can't do any better than that."



Well. I've said it before, and I will say it again. Blonde is the hair color of the righteous!


If any of you actually read this, please email me if the following events occur in Saving Kristen

-Kristen strays off the path to eternal salvation, either via promiscuity or substance abuse.
-A man "saves" Kristen, and helps her return to the path of righteousness.
-Kristen is led astray by a slutty brunette.
-A man makes a vaguely misogynistic comment about women- I mean, what COULD be better than a blonde haired blue eyed dancer with a great smile? NOTHING.


Anyway. Thanks Jack! And thanks anyone who reads this an emails me details! And thanks Gurr for the informative email!








ps, on most computers, links show up as purple. But sometimes they don't. So if you think there should be a link somewhere, there probably is. Maybe just try clicking on random words? Like a treasure hunt?


But just in case, here is an extra, easy- to -see link to my previous musings on Jack Weyland.

HERE.