Author: admin

New Life Plan

Well, it’s been quite a while since I’ve had a post of any substance whatsoever. This was initially a courtesy to Lucy, who came out of the closet over the summer about her tendencies to not read my blog due to the high levels of difficulty presented by words on a computer screen. But I’m afraid that’s over, at least for a little while. Sorry Lug.

I was going to post on Thanksgiving, because I have made the most wonderful slideshow of things I’m grateful for, but I can’t figure out how to export it onto my blog. Still in progress, because I think it will be a pretty big hit.

Today’s topic is my new life plan, and this is it:

1. Mission January 2013-July 2014
2. Graduate with BFA and Elementary teaching certificate (I’m feeling pretty good about being a music major) December 2014
3. [Insert marriage where applicable. Time subject to change.]
4. Teach elementary school in Provo, preferably 4th or 5th grade.
5. [Insert family where applicable. Include at least 5 children.]
6. Get into Sped Masters program at BYU; take night classes while teaching during the day.
7. Conduct research concerning the effects of music on children with special needs, specifically and especially neurotrauma.
8. Take my findings to a third-world country to help and teach children with those same problems, who are without the incredible technology and assets we have here in the United States. [Hopefully bring my family with me. Do other work to help these people.]
9. Write a book about my research and experiences. Maybe several books.
10. Continue to do work for Exceptional children and their families; hopefully assist in better communication from the children, possibly due to musical expression as replacement for potential lack of verbal expression. [I know what it feels like to not be able to communicate or make people understand what I’m trying to say, because that’s how it is when I first come out of a seizure. It is extremely frustrating, and if someone were to be in a state of comprehension, without the ability to convey it, an alternate form of expression would be literally life-changing.]
11. Serve at least 3 missions with my husband.
12. Have lots of grandkids. [Yes, I know I have lots of control over that.]
13.Continue to travel and help children and others for the rest of my life.

So that’s the plan. I’m open to changes, but this is the rough outline of what I hope will happen.

Last year at this time…



My Best Week So Far

This is the link to what I blogged this week a year ago. The week of November 19th, 2010 was honestly my best week up to that point in my young life. If someone where to say to him- or herself, “Man! I want to have my best week so far, but I just can’t imagine what could happen to make it wonderful!” then this would be the week to examine. Seriously, read my chronicle and be inspired to create a week just like the amazing one I had.

Harry Potter vs. Twilight

That quote about Harry Potter and Twilight got me thinking, and I’ve decided one thing for sure: neither my children nor my students will ever have Twilight read to them by me, nor will it be tolerated/ allowed in my home or classroom. (The decision to read Harry Potter to my class every year, and to my children almost as often, was made a long time ago.)

I will admit that I haven’t read any of the Twilight books or watched the movies, so one could potentially argue that I’m in no position to judge. But I’m gonna go ahead and trust the observations I’ve made and the opinions and details I’ve heard, and stay well away from this apparently low-quality, low-substance, seemingly inappropriate, somewhat absurd, excessively celebrated teenage romance novel. I get the feeling I won’t be missing out on much.

The Harry Potter series, on the other hand, is one I have read several times, and will continue to read (aloud and on my own) for many many years to come. And by that, I of course mean my whole life. I never get sick of them! The rich character development, the epic and clever plot, the very fine writing, the completely new and believable world, the humor, and the excellent lessons taught are all reasons why I think every kid (and adult) should read these books.

Oh, and speaking of characters, let’s talk about that for just a moment.

To tell you the truth, I relate very little to vampires and werewolves, but maybe it’s only me. I’m kind of into a slew of awesome people of all ages and stages, who have depth and character.

“I prefer Harry Potter because the idea is magic or wizard, and it’s kind of everybody could have fun. But Twilight it kind of love story, you know, Edward, he’s so good and he’s so handsome. I heard that most guys are like “Ew Yuck! Stop it!” Harry Potter is everybody have fun. In other words, we can have a fun conversations with anybody, like parents or guy friends or younger friends. Twilight we just have fun during girl time. I think it’s kind of awkward to talk with parents, like “Did you see Twilight? Yes…” The movie, the Twilight movie is kind of like more… you know. I just think, especially Harry Potter series one, is more light. Getting darker with Voldermort later on, but everyone can have more fun. Twilight is like Harry Potter 7 or 6 because it’s really like, like Bella, Bella, Bella.” -the very beautiful and intelligent Kyoko Hasegawa

Fantastic


“Harry Potter is about confronting fears, finding inner strength and doing what is right in the face of adversity… Twilight is about how important it is to have a boyfriend.”

His name is Love

Giving ALL

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a
hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who
was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only
chance of recovery appeared to be a blood
transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had
miraculously survived the same disease and had
developed the antibodies needed to combat the
illness. The doctor explained the situation to her
little brother, and asked the little boy if he would
be willing to give his blood to his sister.
I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a
deep breath and saying, “Yes I’ll do it if it will save
her.” As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed
next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing
the color returning to her cheek. Then his face
grew pale and his smile faded.
He looked up at the doctor and asked with a
trembling voice, “Will I die right away, or how soon?”
The boy had misunderstood the doctor;
he thought he would have to give his sister
all of his blood in order to save her.