Amber Blair

#WhyITeach

Friends, I have the best job (for me) in the world. I absolutely LOVE teaching kids, and it brings me greater fulfillment than almost anything else I’ve done in my life. Interestingly enough, a substantial amount of people feel the need to tell me how they could NEVER teach Elementary school, and how brave they think I am. My response? Lol. I get up excited every morning!

But in response to people who don’t understand why a person would ever want to be a teacher, I bring you The Starfish Story, which was introduced to me by my principal in 2nd grade.

That is why I teach. And why I wear starfish earrings sometimes.

#Always

I know this is super belated, but I want to take this time to honor Alan Rickman, recently departed living embodiment of Severus Snape.

About 5 years ago, I joined a Facebook group called “We Demand an Oscar to Alan Rickman for His Role as Severus Snape” along with 32,319 other devoted fans. I still feel that he deserved a major award for portraying the character that J.K. Rowling created, rather than trying to divine who Snape might be on his own. HE READ THE BOOKS. THAT’S why he was soooo incredibly Snape-like: He actually knew Snape!

Before I move to a Colonel Brandon tribute (#literalIdealMan), I’ve chosen to take this time to expose my true feelings for book Snape.

As much as I love how beautifully true to the book Alan Rickman was, I have to be honest and confess that I really dislike Snape himself. I know he was technically “good”, like on the good side, but I still don’t like him. I appreciate the great sacrifices he had to make, and I guess it’s presh that Harry and Ginny named one of their kids after him, and I grant that he is incredibly brave… But I still don’t feel comfortable saying he was a “good” guy. I hesitate as a type this, but I come back to the fact that he was a hard-core bully. He was Neville’s boggart! That’s a big deal. If I were the boggart of one of my students, I’d know I’d failed as a teacher. He was also in love with a married woman. That’s kind of messed up. And tragic, I know. James was better for her.

Now quick Colonol Brandon shoutout:

There is nothing not to adore about this man. He is perfect in every way, and TBH I don’t know that MaryAnne deserved him.

Another January Book: El Deafo

El Deafo is a super presh book I just finished about a little girl named Cece. She gets meningitis when she’s about 4 years old, and ends up becoming deaf as a result. This book follows Cece through her journey of discovering who she is and how she can live a happy life.

#thirdgradequotes

It’s time for another episode of #thirdgradequotes! Other funny quotes are included.

Primary kid: Carbonated water is water with carbs in it.

Me: What’s your favorite color?
5 y.o.: Plaid
Me: What’s your favorite song?
5 y.o.: “Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift.
Me: Tell me about your grandma.
5 y.o.: I’m not telling you anything about her![pause] Okay. She gives me $20 every year.
Me: What’s your favorite Disney movie?
5 y.o.: I’m so over those little kid Disney movies.

Me: How big do you think the sun is?
3rd grade boy: No se, Senora.
Me: Senorita. No soy casada.
3rd grade girl: Aww pobrecita.
Me:…..

3rd grade girl: The cheetah-print bathrobe is my mom’s. Don’t judge her.

3rd grade boy: I hate it when children aren’t responsible!

3rd grade boy: [upon seeing me reading a book during recess] Wait, grownups actually read?
Me: Absolutely! Reading is one of my all-time favorite things to do!
3rd grade boy: Oh. I’ve never seen one read before. #certaindeathofhighsociety

3rd grade girl: In case you don’t know, a crazy cat lady is a lady who has tons of cats and lives by herself and never gets married because she loves her cats too much.

Me: Okay, so the rest of this will be your homework.
Primary kid: Yeah!!! This class is the best! We get homework!!

January Book: Love That Dog

Sophie gave me this book for Christmas, and I just finished it. Absolutely adorable. It’s a collection of poems by a little boy who’s grieving over the loss of his dog. The poems are sweet, simple, heartfelt, and really beautiful. TBH one made me cry.

This book is a quick read, but it leaves a lasting impression. There was a period of my life when I hated poetry, but I can now say it’s one of my favorite genres. This book got me stoked to do a poetry unit with my kids.

Relaxation to the Max

Tragically this wonderful break has drawn to a close. 🙁 This has possibly been the most relaxing break of my life, and I guess that’s kind of ironic, considering I spent the last 5 years living in two major vacation destinations.

My dear friend Seeley and I gave each other those new adult coloring books that seem to be all the rage. Then I went and got myself a kidney stone (sorry if that’s TMI) a few days after Christmas, so I was mostly bed-ridden for a few days. I decided to color and listen to HP 6 and 7 on the couch. #joy #childhood #bestmedicine

Two thoughts:
1. There’s a reason these coloring books are so popular– they’re super cathartic.
2. Jim Dale is the MAN. Seriously, he’s amazing.

Here are some of the pictures I made:

Joy

I’ve recently been thinking about what joy is. I listened to a pod cast the other day about what kinds of things make us happy, and it’s been on my mind since. I asked a friend who has left the Church what brings him joy, and he told me he didn’t believe in joy. I honestly had no response for that. A life without joy?! So I’ve decided to bring you a collection of what brings me joy.

1. Really good, long, meaningful conversations.
2. High quality food.
3. Being in the depths of nature, specifically Rock Canyon or Hukilau Beach.
4. Doing a puzzle while listening to HP.
5. Playing duets with Lug.
6. When people agree with me. #Leen
7. Beautiful music.
8. Helping people understand stuff I’m passionate about. (i.e. the Gospel, grammar, etc.)
9. Effective scripture study. (This is a continual struggle for me.)
10. Puns.

I for one believe in joy. I believe our purpose here is to have joy, and I also believe joy is impossible without deep sorrow and suffering. The most joyful experiences of my mission came out of the most difficult trials. The deepest joy I had with my students last semester came from struggles they had. Joy is possible for all of us because of the Savior.

Therefore, I’d like to conclude by saying He was born so I can have joy. Not all the time, but on occasion.

December book: The Book of Mormon

Okay, so I didn’t read the whole book in December. I actually started this particular copy of the BOM on my mission, and I’ve been slowing working through it for about 6 months. Obviously this isn’t my first time to read it, but this time was unique, because I read it in a different way than ever before.

On my mission, I read a talk by Elder Bednar that suggested that each time we read the BOM, we start with a new copy, and read it with a specific question in mind. One specific suggestion he gave was to ask how to be more Christlike, and then mark each Christlike attribute with a different color.

I did it, and it was one of the most valuable scripture experiences I’ve ever had! I noticed that different attributes stuck out to me in different ways, based on whatever I was going through in my life as I read.

As with every time I read this wonderful book, I felt the confirming witness of the Spirit tell me that THIS BOOK IS TRUE. It’s not just a good book– it’s an actual, real, true book! I learned more about becoming like Christ this time than I ever have, and that to me is one of the greatest blessings of the Book of Mormon: we can learn more about our Savior, and how we can become like Him. I love this book!

An Ode to Spam

Last week was monumental in that I ate roughly 12 spam musubis over the course of the week. All I can say is YES. Every bite was a joy, and I’ve come to the realization that almost any food item can be improved by adding Spam. For example, I made pasta, but I didn’t have any cheese, so I put sauce and hot sauce and Spam, and it was as good as ever. Better, even.

So for your reading pleasure, I bring you AN ODE TO SPAM:

As my time in Hawaii comes to an end
I think of a new, yet consistent friend
that I made when I very first came to this land
And could only afford foods that are canned.

At Foodland, where nothing comes cheaper than 10
I stopped buying fruit and salad and THEN
I purchased some Spam, since locals professed
it made even simple meals some of the best.

I sliced it and fried it and added some rice
Spam musubis are really quite nice
to eat when you add nori in sheets
and Separated Parts of Assorted Meats.

I will sorely miss thee, oh dear Spam musubi.

#collegelife Reflections

My #collegelife AND #HiLife will soon be over. In 11 days, to be precise. So in honor of this momentous end, I’ve decided to write about the joys of being a college student, and maybe some conventional wisdom I’ve attained. In list form, for your convenience.

1. A few really good friends are better than a thousand acquaintances.
Maybe this comes from growing up with two BEST friends, but I’ve learned the importance of close friendships– people who legitimately care about me as a person, and people who I feel for equally.

2. Sleep is literally a need.
I had the “sleep is an unnecessary luxury” mindset my first two years of college. Since then, I’ve learned that I’m a million times more effective if I have enough sleep. I feel so much more alive when I’m well-rested! And let’s be honest, nothing good goes down after 11:00pm anyway.

3. Pandora One is worth it. Netflix is not.
Some of my favorite college memories consist of my besties and me sitting on my bed, watching our show. The only show I’ve made it all the way through is Chuck, which I watched my Sophomore year. All the other shows (The Office, Psych, Once, and Gilmore Girls) met an untimely demise, and I’ve never gotten around to finishing them. As delightful as relaxing with friends and being entertained by your hilarious on-screen friends, I’ve learned that there are better ways to spend God’s time. By deleting my Netflix account (side note– the Netflix free trial is what got me watching shows to begin with! #brilliant) I suddenly had time for things like exercise and Conference talks and pleasure reading. Pandora One, on the other hand, is a complete joy.

4. It always works out when you put God first.
There’s not a lot I need to say about this. Keeping the Sabbath is one of my favorite commandments, because it has brought me so many blessings. Making weekly temple service and daily scripture study priorities opened the doors for all kinds of blessings. He ALWAYS keeps His promises.

5. Being single is not the worst fate to befall a person.
Not by a long shot. I admit, I would’ve liked to be married by the time I graduated. But I’m happy to announce that because of my extremely single status, I am footloose and fancy free. I can go wherever I please. Being single all through college allowed me to reach out in ways that I absolutely wouldn’t have been able to under other circumstances. It gave me relationships I wouldn’t have been able to develop otherwise. It gave me empathy and patience. It saved me heartache. It was great.

6. The Oxford Comma will ALWAYS be appropriate.
Nothing more needs to be said.

7. Thank you notes are never a bad idea.
I’ve had the fun experience on multiple occasions to see a note I wrote posted in a professor’s office or on a friend’s mirror, and it just makes me smile. Nobody doesn’t want to be appreciated, and I’ve learned that written appreciation goes a loooong way.

8. Expensive granola bars, man.
I hate spending money. Hate it. Besides rent and tuition, the only thing I really spend money on is food, and I’ve developed some weird spending habits when it comes to grocery shopping. A word to the wise: at the end of the day, the expensive granola bars are the best, and are legitimately worth their outrageous price. As for the expensive cereal, give me a break.

9. Setting goals and making plans is vital.
Daily and weekly planning are things I would NEVER do before my mission, but I’m happy to say I’m a changed girl in that aspect. Daily and weekly planning keep me organized in goals and plans, and keep me progressing. After all, if you aren’t progressing, you’re digressing.

10. Grades don’t matter.
It’s all about an education, which is absolutely not measured by your Grade Point Average. I was super externally motivated my grades throughout most of my college career, and I’ve come to realize that it just really doesn’t matter. Turns out grad schools don’t even really care about your GPA. #theSystem

11. Everyone has a story.
Judging a book by its cover limits you from a plethora of fantastic books that no one else is reading. When you take time to open the book and READ it, the results are stunning.

That’s it. Cheers.