Reflections

Where in the world?

2012-01-22T15:58:00.001-08:00

Peaceful

2011-11-30T22:18:00.000-08:00

Pleading the Fifth

2011-10-04T09:21:00.004-07:00

Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen, was assassinated by the Obama Administration in Yemen on 30 September 2011. Mr. al-Awlaki was suspected of inciting terrorism but had never been put on trial or convicted of a crime. He was innocent until proven guilty. The U.S. government's willingness to assassinate one of its own citizens is indefensible. The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution guarantees every accused criminal the right to due process of law. The Fifth Amendment is part of the Bill of Rights—inalienable rights, not privileges or legal niceties—due to every citizen of this country, regardless of what crimes he or she supposedly committed. Due process includes the right to a fair trial; it is also your right not to incriminate yourself under oath. We hold those rights so sacred that police officers are required by law to remind you of them before they arrest you. How ironic, then, that in this case the Fifth Amendment was violated so casually by the U.S. government, and without public protest. The Obama Administration has apparently determined that it can dispense with a citizen’s right to due process if he’s supposedly a bad man. It has made itself judge, jury, and executioner. What the government seems to have forgotten is that neither the President, nor anyone else, can determine which Constitutional rights citizens enjoy or which must be honored. The President is duty-bound to uphold them all. In the United States, citizens do not live at the mercy of their government; we are the government.

So why aren’t your elected representatives fuming about the Executive Branch’s violation of Mr. al-Awlaki’s (and, by extension, your) right to due process? Or why isn’t Congress moving to censure the Obama Administration for overreaching its Constitutionally limited powers? Probably because you and I don’t elect them to care about such things and won’t hold them responsible for not pursuing it. Why doesn’t the Supreme Court hold the Obama Administration accountable for violating Mr. al-Awlaki’s Fifth Amendment rights? No one has brought the case to them. Where are the conservatives on the Right who claim to love and uphold the Constitution? Their silence belies their rhetoric. And where are the defenders of civil liberties on the Left who claim to speak truth to power? Their silence also belies their rhetoric. Why isn’t there public outrage over the assassination of Mr. al-Awlaki? Perhaps because he was a Muslim with an Arabic name? American law does not discriminate on the basis of religion or ethnic heritage. Are we unmoved because Mr. al-Awlaki was a suspected terrorist? In the United States, you are innocent until proven guilty and even criminals have Constitutional rights. Is it because he was assassinated in faraway Yemen? It is not acceptable for the U.S. government to deny one of its citizens due process on American soil or anywhere else. More shockingly, maybe you and I are unfazed by the assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki because we didn’t even know that it happened. Ignorance is a scary prospect because the government can easily misinterpret silence as tacit permission. An even more frightening prospect is that if no one holds the U.S. government accountable for violating Mr. al-Awlaki’s Constitutional rights, no one is likely to hold the U.S. government accountable when it violates yours.

I still believe that in the United States of America you are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law by a jury of your peers. Apparently, in the case of Mr. al-Awlaki, the Obama Administration does not. Do you?

take your parents to work day

2011-06-19T10:23:00.004-07:00

In honor of Father's Day, my family had a Thursday par-tay which we deemed "Take Your Parents to Work Day." It was also Career Day at Los Prietos so I put them to work.

Dad told 85 incarcerated youth about his job. What I have learned about work from Dad:
1. Show up.
2. Have a good attitude.
Recently, he added:
3. Have good knees, but that is for his employees.

Mom was in charge of crane driving and general harassment of firefighters.
She found out that we had our car appraised and it was found to be worth $500. She was pretty serious that she would pay me $500 if the firefighters would let her use the Jaws of Life on the car as a "demonstration for the kids," of course.

After my event was done, we went to visit Dan at work and had lunch and the grand tour. What a great day!

I am so glad that my parents are MY parents. We are perfect for each other.

Some highlights from the past year with my dad:
1. Buying me kleenex and Ben & Jerry's when they came to visit last time and I got really sick.
2. Making a headboard with me, and finishing it when I ran out of time.
3. Encouraging me to take the leap and apply for my new/old job.
4. Working in my garden, after he came up and helped me make extra beds last year.
5. Weekly (short) phone calls. I guess I got my lack of love for phones from you.

So, this is in honor of you, The Best Dad I Got. (You should be happy, because all Mom got for Mother's Day was my cold.)

Love you!

blogworthy

2011-06-10T12:15:00.002-07:00

Andrew passed his Ph.D. exams with flying colors. He now has three years to write a dissertation.

I got a promotion at work. I am now a manager, officially.

We have time off next week. Like time off at the same time. :)

We hope life is as peachy for you.

kindle

2011-03-19T18:05:00.002-07:00

I got one for my birthday. I love it. Thanks mom and dad. I have been reading nonstop.

to do list

2011-02-21T17:12:00.002-08:00

Getting better from the epic cold. And epic week.

Career Day, not really check but over.
Julina & Enrique's wedding, beautiful check.
Taxes, check.
This year's seeds started: check.
Getting to see the newest Jeppesen: UNcheck.

Go away, cold. I have new friends to meet.

apparently the night is not over yet...

2011-02-03T21:39:00.004-08:00

Because shortly after he left, I decided to exercise for real and changed into my exercise clothes, cranked up Britney AGAIN and then the missionaries stopped by.
Double Awkward. With ties. And tight pants. Respectively.

my evening

2011-02-03T19:02:00.005-08:00

I have to work -11 hours tomorrow to make 40 for this long week. Just got home, found Andrew's note that he was at a lecture. Cranked up the most random guilty pleasure- Britney Spears- and was completely and utterly rocking out. Knock on door... father-in-law stops by unannounced.
Awkward.

look mom, no hoods

2011-01-17T18:29:00.002-08:00

hey, i got some new shoes on

2011-01-11T18:19:00.002-08:00

I love Zappos. Free shipping both ways, so I never have to enter a store. I decided about eight months ago that I wear the same three pairs of shoes all the time, so the next time I buy shoes I am not doing Payless... I am going to buy a pair of actual shoes that are comfortable after 10 hours in them. So I bought a pair of heels that feel like little buttery clouds every time I wear them, no matter how long I wear them. Bliss.

Then I started wearing them like every day, or at least four days a week. So, they are well-loved and I am in need of a second pair to rotate. Back to Zappos, where I make my best guess on four pairs, intending to pick one. They arrive a day later. (See "I love Zappos", above.) I try each pair on after dinner for a few nights just to make sure they are what I want.

Tonight, I am explaining the virtues of Zappos to an ever-attentive Andrew. I tell him how one pair is too big, and one too pointy that it squishes my toes, and how one pair makes me 6'2" (not that there is anything wrong with being 6'2" Rebecca but they were too TALL for me to walk) and how the last pair was kind of a risk in that they have a peep toe which I normally don't care for. As you can imagine, Andrew is enthralled... aka reading news about the Middle East while making supportive sounds when I pause... I am wearing the last pair, black patent leather peep toe, worrying that perhaps they are too shiny and gosh when you wear open-toed shoes, your toes always have to look nice.

Andrew (hearing a chance to earn husband points): "You always have nice toes."
Michelle: (Turning around to give him a weird look as he has consistently said for years he hopes our children get all of my attributes except for my toes.)
Andrew: "Well... maybe not. They ARE really weird."

Final Exam Fun

2010-12-13T12:06:00.003-08:00

So I'm slowly grading a stack of final exams from my Middle East history class and just came across this gem. I had to share.

Q: Who was Mehmet Ali? (The 19th-century military governor of Egypt who forcibly modernized the economy)

A: He was a peaceful man who was always kind and generous to others. He was Islamic and found great pleasure and satisfaction by reaching out to others.

This same student answered an essay question about culture in the Ottoman Empire from the 15th-17th centuries using two examples: 1) women's rights in the Qur'an and 2) a term first coined in Iran in 1979. Her essay about socialism in the Middle East from 1950s-1970s was based on a film about current Syrian-Israeli border conflicts. Her overall grade on the exam for this combined effort: 12/100. Ouch.

play that funky music

2010-12-03T21:14:00.001-08:00

Today, my coworker told me I was a good dancer "in a funky white girl kinda way". Compliment accepted.

feminism

2010-11-15T21:37:00.003-08:00

Have had a rough two weeks of womanhood. Does anyone else go through rabid feminist waves while most of the time feeling... content/understood/equal? I feel like there are always key incidents that set me off, and then... well, then I go to extremes and find injustice everywhere. Andrew is a saint and listens to all of it.

I feel like it shouldn't be too much to ask to have your thoughts treated with respect, even if they aren't agreed with... and even if you are a woman.

Ironic after the gleaming shower post, I know. I accept I am a happy bundle of contradiction.

free shower?

2010-11-07T20:22:00.001-08:00

Would someone please come use our shower? I spent a great deal of time making it gleam yesterday. It is one of those things that makes Andrew and me very happy... but sometimes I wish someone else could enjoy it as well.

Afraid for my life

2010-09-09T08:28:00.010-07:00

"Rights Groups Sue U.S. on Effort to Kill Cleric"

A few months ago something extraordinary happened: the U.S. government authorized the execution of an American citizen without putting him on trial. It seems that the government forgot that in the United States of America suspected criminals have Constitutional rights--the right to an attorney, a speedy trial, a jury of peers, habeus corpus, etc. These rights distinguish our justice system (imperfect as it is) from those of tin-horn dictators in Third World countries where justice is a joke and the government does whatever it wants with whomever it deems a criminal. What makes the American justice system different is that in theory the U.S. government cannot suspend these rights, ever. Inalienable rights--even for suspected criminals--are meant to ensure that the government never oversteps its bounds and begins arbitrarily arresting, imprisoning and executing its own citizens. Even if those citizens are accused of terrorism.

Which is why I am so disturbed by the U.S. government's recent authorization to execute a suspected terrorist, Anwar al-Maliki. Al-Maliki is U.S. citizen hiding in Yemen. The CIA believes that he is assisting those who are plotting attacks against the United States and so has authorized his assassination. Here is my problem with all of this: the U.S. government does not have the right to call one of its citizens a terrorist and then summarily execute him. Al-Maliki has the Constitutional right to a trial to determine if in fact he is facilitating acts of terrorism. A jury should decide that. If the CIA has sufficient evidence, then al-Maliki should be arrested, tried in a civilian court and, if he is found guilty of a capital offense, then he can be executed. That is the proper way to administer justice to American citizens. This Constitutionally-mandated legal process is the only thing that distinguishes legitimate state-sponsored execution from state-sponsored terrorism.

I realize that Mr. al-Maliki is hiding in Yemen and capturing him may be difficult. That is the reason that the U.S. government is more likely to kill him. But there is no need for that. We have friendly relations with the Yemeni government. Ironically, our government is currently pouring millions of dollars into training the Yemeni police and armed forces. Surely it would not be difficult to arrange al-Maliki's arrest and extradition to the United States.

So, perhaps for the first time in my life, I find myself on the same side of a legal issue as the ACLU (see the attached NYT article). Like them, I want to know the standards the CIA uses to determine whether an American citizen is worthy of assassination without trial. I would also like to know why the U.S. Treasury Department has the authority to classify someone a terrorist(!) and thereby deny him legal representation. Both clearly violate the letter and intent of the Constitution. It seems to me that we, as American citizens, are allowing our government to set a dangerous precedent with the al-Maliki case. What happens if the U.S. government suspects that Americans who study Islam in Yemen (as I nearly did) have terrorist ties and can be assassinated? Or what if the FBI determines that Mormons represent a clear and present danger to the United States? Can their right to trial be revoked? The U.S. government once suspended Japanese-Americans' Constitutional rights during a time of war so this is a threat to ethnic as well as religious groups.

American citizens have the right to a trial in this country for a reason. It prevents the U.S. government from arbitrarily executing its own citizens. This is a right that should not be suspended for anyone, ever.

what i did at work today

2010-08-27T15:27:00.002-07:00

We said goodbye to Gloria, one of our favorites. In her honor, and to mock our boss, who is always trying to explain our mission of "community building", we developed this number. Enjoy.

sometimes I get this song stuck in my head

2010-08-12T18:52:00.002-07:00

As a person who is often responsible for wrangling youth of this age, I just imagine what coordinating this music video must have been like. I also like to imagine Dayne, Devon, Christian, Scott, Abe, John, Chandler, and Sam dancing with Fiona.

work week

2010-08-06T16:04:00.002-07:00

Monday = 12 hours
Tuesday = 11 hours
Wednesday = 12 hours
Thursday = 13 hours
All in preparation for Friday:
4 hour board event + 25 min speech + 15 minute interview = leaving work early and watching 3 episodes of Bones while eating fruit and cookies and contemplating a 4 pm nap.

And I thought I wasn't good at math.

riddle me this...

2010-07-21T17:31:00.003-07:00

Wanted: scenarios in which I would receive 16 mosquito bites on my upper thighs (only) while fully clothed. I do not want to duplicate this itch-tastic feat.

Roman Stuff for Seth

2010-07-18T14:59:00.003-07:00

I spent this past weekend in Fez and stopped along the way at the ancient Roman city of Volubilis. Its name in Arabic is Waleelee, which I think is way more fun to say. Here are some sample pictures. The final one is a mosaic representing Hercules' Twelve Tasks, about which Seth recently gave an awesome lecture. Fez is the leather capital of Morocco and I almost purchased a hand-made pair of pointy leisure shoes for Taylor but decided against it considering the activities that such things inspire. I have yet to find any marvels of Moroccan engineering for Garrett, although I did drive past a pretty devastating car crash on the way home that he might have been interested in.

See you guys soon!

even?

2010-07-08T18:49:00.003-07:00

Success.

Failure.

I'll take it, I guess that leaves me about even, right? Well, even and with tasty vegetables.

team edward?

2010-06-29T22:06:00.003-07:00

Normally, Andrew's tastes lean more towards a particular Edward, but apparently his travels have brought him in contact with this little gem...

In his words, "well, I already know a lot of the storyline, so it is good practice for language." In my words, "I am totally selling you out to Taylor."

Take that, State Department. Didn't think you'd be paying to get grad students well-versed in teen lit, now did you? You should have let wives come. 'Cuz I guarantee I wouldn't be reading any Twilight. Ana le uhib hatha kitaab hawla vampires. See?

long awaited day

2010-06-25T19:17:00.002-07:00

Red tomato!

honey dear

2010-06-20T15:52:00.004-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about family. Well, my dad, of course. And my mom's dad, Norm, who passed away 12 years ago yesterday. And my grandma's father as we try to solve a little family mystery. I was going through family things today trying to find answers when I found the letter above, from my great-grandfather Neal to his wife. At least I get to call.

In other cool things, check out my g-pa with Jim Lovell. He's the one on the far right with the now-back-in-style skinny tie.

NASA Photo ID: S65-57481 File Name: 10074125.jpg Film Type: 35mm Date Taken: 11/01/65 . Title: Astronaut James Lovell undergoes weight and balance tests. Description: Astronaut James A. Lovell Jr., pilot of the Gemini 7 space flight, undergoes weight and balance tests in the Pyrotechnic installation Building, Merritt Island. Talking with Lovell are (left to right) Charlie Beaty, McDonnell Aircraft Corporation; Karl Stoien, McDonnell Aircraft; NASA suit technician Al Rochford; and Norm Batterson, Weber Aircraft Corporation.

mo-rockin'

2010-06-19T16:22:00.003-07:00

I was able to speak on the phone with Andrew today. The line was not awesome, and also perhaps this was going on in the background...

I'm glad that both the Soviet Union and the Chicago Bulls got representation there at the end, since the beginning was so, you know, female-centric.

did you know...

2010-06-17T20:55:00.000-07:00

...the Supreme Court legally classified the tomato as a vegetable? They acknowledged that botanically it might be a fruit, but in common parlance it is certainly a vegetable. Nix v. Hedden, 1893. Ba-bam. I know being certificated to teach government was going to come in handy one day, and not just trying to teach a bunch of seniors the concept of NIMBY. They always thought NIMBY was a friend of Gumby.

(Just for the record I stole this Gumby picture from a blog that was debating

"Who is sexier, Gumby or Mr. Bill?")

biting the hand that feeds me... or used to feed me

2010-06-16T18:39:00.002-07:00

In the interest of full journalistic disclosure, for the past three years, Andrew has received a small scholarship from BP through the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara. (Why, you ask? First, he's an awesome student, and second, massive oil company interested in kids who speak Arabic? Not really a shocker if you ask me.) This year, a new donor stepped in, so maybe that reduces my conflict of interest.

Anyway, you may have heard that BP execs met with President Obama today and settled on a deal where the company will set aside a $20 billion claims fund to satisfy legitimate claims or damages from clean up entities or individuals. Sounds like a lot of money until you average the total net income for BP's last four years... basically, BP makes $20 billion a year. That's income, not revenue.

I haven't figured out how I feel about this just yet. I do believe in companies taking responsibility for damages. I'm not too sure how I feel about a government commission administering it... sounds like more bureaucracy but heaven knows the MMS can't really be trusted to do it. Also, am I ok with a company just having to do cleanup costs, basically losing a year of income, or should they have to cover additional costs, like the loss of livelihood for a region and longer term issues? I have the sneaking suspicion that fancy lawyers will get most of that and not the actual people who need it.

All my laissez-faire pipe dreams are exploding. Pun intended.

In other, less contentious news, I have TWO baby squash in my garden.

let's say thanks

2010-06-13T12:44:00.002-07:00

I like to visit this site from time to time to say thank you. It's a quick way to keep those serving our country in your heart.

congratulations

2010-06-12T08:44:00.001-07:00

When I first met Ang, she was 11. When did she grow up... and get freaking gorgeous?!?!

elections

2010-06-07T20:07:00.006-07:00

In case you have not studied your official voter information guide as closely as I have, I would like to share with you the highlight. Specifically, Republican gubernatorial candidate Douglas R. Hughes on page 43:

"As your governor, I will ensure all pedophiles will leave the State or volunteer to live confined to Santa Rosa Island, at no cost to Californians, as they will have their own self-supporting village, away from children."

Though I am not a pedophile-phile, I think this plan is less than ideal. Thoughts that come to mind:
1. How can I find more ways to use gubernatorial?
2. How does one get others to volunteer to join a self-sustaining village?
3. Does the tri-fenced border that features later on in his candidate statement come into play?
4. How does he guarantee the pedophiles will not procreate, thus creating children in the self-supporting village?

According to the Office of the Attorney General, law enforcement tracks approximately 85,000 registered sex offenders. Santa Rosa Island has approximately 84 square miles. To simplify the math, let's say 84 miles divided by 84,000 offenders... .001 mile. Which, google tells me, is 5.28 feet per offender.

I don't think even the famous island fox can run a productive self-sustaining village with just 5.28 feet per individual.

parental visit

2010-06-04T19:28:00.005-07:00

My dad recently got this present at work. For those of you not engineers, it is an AC-10 autoclave and it is now the largest and hottest on the west coast.

His arrived with a crane, a large hole cut in a wall, many trucks, large rollerskates, and a lot of stress.

Mine arrived with double stuff oreos, lemonade, and designed to relieve stress.

Come visit anytime. :)

did you know...

2010-06-01T20:48:00.002-07:00

... the Amish don't pay into Social Security? How do I get on that plan?

closure

2010-05-28T16:11:00.003-07:00

To complete this post...
1. Mail crisis averted. We are not a dorm and we will get mail. I am thrilled.
2. My most recent television appearance. And my mother's most recent copyright infringement by videocamera-ing off our tv.

the final blow

2010-05-24T20:11:00.006-07:00

So, grad student friends, you know how sometimes you wish you could be a real adult? Like you look around and other people who are 28 have houses, spouses with real jobs, children*, retirement plans, more than one car, washers/dryers**, furniture not salvaged from a dumpster, a backyard... You know, those things.

I had come to terms with (almost) all of the above. Until last night when I came home and received a notice that the USPS decided we no longer qualify for mail service. Ouch. Totally sub-citizens.

I have this song in my head, but I am not going to sleep until this war is over. I have already written my representatives and postmaster and attended a (rather subdued) radical meeting. I plan to Facebook all my politician friends and use the fear of an election year to get a critical mass behind me continuing to get my steady stream of airline-mile-supplied free magazines.

* I recognize you can have children and still not be a real adult.
** Um, check back with me on Friday 'bout that.

BTSA

2010-05-13T15:20:00.004-07:00

There is something terrible about taking a "day off" to sit in your house and type teacher paperwork for the state. State of California, do you really want to "induct" me as a teacher (5 years too late)? Send me to get a massage. Buy me dinner. Or, give me credit for the induction program I ALREADY did in Utah. It will help me be a better professional, give me the capacity to care more about my students, and save you cash.

sexiplicate

2010-04-26T19:20:00.003-07:00

Not a post about what you thought, I'm sure. Edit: unless you are Krissie Cook.

Today, I found a form at work that requires six copies to be distributed to various different parties. My brain almost exploded. Instead, it made this unflattering face.

see you thursday

2010-04-19T18:16:00.004-07:00

Two days of 8 hour career fairs in a row seems like a cruel joke. Must make a mental note for next year.

Lebanon... aka take that, Berkeley.

2010-04-12T19:30:00.004-07:00

Andrew's students won the model Arab League competition this weekend in San Francisco, after 3 days of intense debate as Lebanon. I was the official driver, photographer, and Rice Krispie treat supplier.

what have we been up to?

2010-03-30T19:42:00.005-07:00

This is a collage commemorating Andrew's quarter. Please note: the hair (which is actually two weeks bigger as he became ill and never got it cut), the books that took over my home, and the things that look like children's art (because it is, but Andrew wrote rough drafts over the top of it and then spent EXTRA time deciphering over the butterflies).

And me. My census came. I am thrilled. I have waited so long to participate in this genealogical dream and civic duty... And the lip craziness you can see in the photo healed after being given topical steroids.

Good times!

sometimes I get this song stuck in my head

2010-03-18T17:37:00.004-07:00

This post is dedicated to my husband, who at 4:45 p.m. finally completed all his papers and chapters and who is sporting not only a sexy 'stache, but also crazy hair and a wild beard.

(For those of you who think that video is the strangest thing you've ever seen, it is Divine Comedy from BYU, which Andrew and I used to go see, doing a parody of Justin Timberlake's Sexy/Back.)

Ethnic Holidays

2010-03-17T17:40:00.003-07:00

I am tired of ethnic holidays that have an entirely different meaning in the "home country" being hijacked.

St. Patrick's Day. In Ireland, a religious holiday. Took an interesting turn with the mass immigration to the United States, lots of green, die a river, talk like a leprechaun, ok, whatever. Never mind that the color St. Patrick was originally associated with was blue. Don't get me wrong- it has been a feast day for a long time, and that always involves alcohol. Now: excuse to wear green lingerie, go downtown, get drunk.

Cinco de Mayo. Although everyone thinks of this as some kind of liberation day for all of Mexico from Spain, it is really only a big deal for the state of Puebla and it was actually from the French. Not even a federal holiday for the rest of Mexico. Mexico has an actual Independence Day, which is September 16. In finding 'evidence' to support a work argument, I even happened upon one of my favorite sentences on Wikipedia ever: "Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day, which actually is September 16, the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico, nor is it The Day of the Dead, which occurs on November the 1st and 2nd." In other words, don't combine all Mexican holidays into Cinco de Mayo, drunken frat boys. Spread out your opportunities to get wasted throughout the whole year AND appear more culturally sensitive. I wonder if a candy calavera can hold beer?

Look out Chinese New Year. You may be next.

how to defeat your own clone

2010-03-06T15:43:00.004-08:00

Michelle Church is visiting!

Michelle Church is kind of like my own clone. In fact, Andrew once inadvertently asked HER on a date because two Michelles lived in the same house...

Ironic then that she would introduce me to her cousin Kyle, who has the ultimate solution to our Michelle #1 Michelle #2 problem:

happy birthday

2010-02-27T16:03:00.002-08:00

Many of you have asked about me posting so frequently... Maybe you have not met my mother. She likes to celebrate "birthday month" as in we celebrate all of February. (We consider ourselves fortunate that she was born in the shortest month.)

So I knew my mom likes nothing more than knowing what's going on with her "chillens" AND I knew I would be very busy the whole month. So, I made it my goal to write as close to every day that I could so that she could have birthday month for real, even though we were apart.

Happy Birthday Mom! I'm having fun visiting you this weekend. :)

Stats

2010-02-24T18:03:00.004-08:00

Victory is mine. 222 speakers, at least 1 per room, for 4 sessions, educating 2400 students. 0 Magnusson heart attacks.

But my favorite speaker of all? Garrett. I wish I could have sat and seen the whole thing.

When I walked into the room, he was demonstrating to students how to measure how much a car's roof gets crushed in. For example, it could get crushed in 10 inches. Not bad, unless your head was in that 10 inches.

Thanks, friend.

job readiness

2010-02-22T19:36:00.002-08:00

What are the most important things you look for/would look for in an employee?
What do you think high school students need to know most in preparation for the world of work?
What do you wish you had learned before you began work?

Your answers will assist me in handcrafting curriculum before our interns begin. Thanks.

family history

2010-02-21T14:18:00.003-08:00

Bet I made my mom nervous with that title... like I was going to reveal family secrets.

Nope, just wanted to say how much fun I've been having getting back into genealogy research. I had taken a LONG break from it all but it has been really relaxing and entertaining to continue to solve little mysteries. I've really turned up some neat stuff on dead end's on my dad's side in England. I am finding even more distant cousins also researching. When I was younger, we could only write or email- so interesting to connect in a Facebook world now. Also interesting the vast amount of information available online and free-I can really see an explosion of interest around the world. Pretty cool to be a part of that.

It's also been fun to get together little pieces about me growing up that my mom diligently recorded for her child development class... my two favorites:

1. When I was almost three, every time we left the house I would ask my parents "Do you have my toothbrush?" "Do you have my q-tips?" Still no cavities and impeccably clean ears...

2. I went through a two week phase where I was afraid to go to sleep because I would have nightmares. About what? Robots or the vacuum cleaner. And this was before the Roomba, mind you.

Totally unrelated p.s.
Brenda did an amazing job singing today! I am in awe every time.

next project

2010-02-20T17:10:00.002-08:00

I have decided to handle the aftermath of this stressful situation the same way I did the last time I had to handle a stressful situation (delivering my master's degree to a panel). Following that happy July 11, I shut myself in my room and made a quilt. Not really sure why. I still remember the glorious feeling of sitting, alone, quietly, creating something.

In my spare Sunday afternoons, I have been slowly crafting the quilt in my head. Three weeks ago I ordered the fabric online. I have calculated all the hard stuff so come free time, I can just sit and make. I am looking forward to it.

how to get out of a meeting 101

2010-02-19T20:17:00.002-08:00

My boss tried to tack on a second meeting in Santa Maria on Monday morning (the last real day to schedule speakers) on a day I had already:
* talked someone (good) down from quitting
* arranged for legal assistance for said good person
* been rejected ten times by veterinarians because they are so busy with National Pet Dental Health Month that they can't come to Career Day (Really?! It was like they had orchestrated it.)
* hosted a 7:30 a.m. meeting
* wrangled 100 (incoming) and 30 (outgoing) phone calls
* returned 15 messages
* answered 110 emails
* generated 68 emails confirming speaker groups
* already accrued three hours of overtime and it was 2 p.m.

What was my mature, well-adjusted adult response?

I totally just started crying, involuntarily, and to the shock of all present.

Got me out of my meeting. Convinced him to hire part-time help. All of this without words. I can see why people do this to get out of tickets.

p.s.
Super not regretting the giant crate of jellybeans and the epsom salt I made my husband drive me to get from Kmart in the rain on the week of his giant book chapter's completion goal.

righteous indignation

2010-02-18T18:48:00.004-08:00

Today I attended an all day conference. 'What?' you ask... 'less than a week before Career Day?' Yes. I guarantee it was not my choice. That probably explains why I feel so crazy. Conferences are supposed to rejuvenate you, let you meet with your peers, and then feel like you can tackle the big problems for a little longer before burning out.

Perhaps it is the added Career Day stress, but I did not feel that way this time.

The central theme focused on education, which would normally be appealing to me for obvious reasons. It was tricky, though, one of those speakers that defined success = college which I am personally opposed to. I define success as being able to care for oneself without assistance, support a family, and feel satisfied with the work one does.

Standing ovation to wanting to save all children. Wanting to help them all feel valued and special and able to succeed (read: go to college). Wanting to help them know they can rise above. I guess it must feel good to applaud that, like your two hands hitting together must save some child somewhere.

But this event was held at the Biltmore downtown. Fancy place, like one waiter to every four people or something. All day, people not really caring for their own waste or even acknowledging the presence of the silent army that stood by to cater to one's every need. I have gone to this conference for three years in a row- I even started to recognize some of the staff. When I was teaching on the Eastside, many of my students' parents worked there, or one of the other beachside hotels.

I wonder if this conference, and others like it, are some of the most depressing for them. To listen to people talk about change and community building and social justice and saving the children of poor workers and standing ovations... and then be completely ignored as you provide service to another. I wonder if they feel the irony of it all.

Whose children do all the applauders think they trying to save? Can you really teach all children they have value while simultaneously ignoring and devaluing current adult members of society?

a major life goal, check

2010-02-16T20:17:00.003-08:00

I have finally purchased the big jar of Jelly Bellys from Costco. I went for it. Call me crazy, but this is the week I could use a sugar-induced frenetic pace. We have already had a lot of fun guessing the flavors.

garden

2010-02-15T16:50:00.002-08:00

A lovely, sunny day off to garden. I have filled 2 of the 4 beds with soil and surrounded them with poultry wire. I also planted four quick peppers and started all the rest of the summer things to seed in pots.

Our winter crop is still plugging along. Beets have been prolific so far- getting almost ready to eat.

What should I plant for summer?

they will hate this picture, but...

2010-02-14T13:39:00.003-08:00

David O. McKay loved the quote: “The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” (and vice versa, of course) I feel lucky that I had a great and loving relationship modeled to me that can form a basis for my own family. Thanks mom and dad!

attic rats

2010-02-13T21:48:00.002-08:00

My favorite part of today? Andrew's sister Julina and her friend Ryan came by to have dinner and play games. Near the end of the evening, Ryan politely asked "Do you have kids?" I told him no. He had a confused look on his face. Then I said, "Well, none that we let downstairs." He then looked concerned. Apparently our upstairs hall window had been open the whole time, letting in the sound of a lot of children from the nearby playground that sounded like they were upstairs. He thought we had locked them in their rooms all night.

I have stored that one away as a future parenting strategy.

self portraits

2010-02-12T14:36:00.010-08:00

I have a picture story for you today. My office works closely with adjudicated youth working to change their lives. I try and find community support for them as they overcome some pretty amazing barriers. I wanted to you meet them, on their own terms.

You may imagine the young men who are court ordered to Camp might all be tough guys. That is true for some, and some are not yet ready to change.

Others are very scared, and very sad that they have disappointed their mothers.

Some feel like no one cares about them, no one wants them to succeed, and that no one looks them in the eyes and values them.

Some of them feel defined by people's expectations of their potential- especially when they feel like everyone else expects them to fail. Under this picture of himself in camp uniform, this young man had a perfect, smiling likeness of himself. He painted over it in gray and left this.

With budget cuts countywide, there is serious consideration for reducing camp size or even closing it to save money. Without the support these gentleman receive at camp, I believe we will be paying a heavier price in the future. I plan to write in support of the camp.

(All self portraits are copyright by TYS and may not be reused.)

speech, speech

2010-02-11T22:06:00.002-08:00

I do not think my witty repartee will suffice for two speeches (45 minutes, 20 minutes) I have been asked to give tomorrow and Saturday.

I am taking suggestions. Child development, career education, 'gang prevention', community involvement. Discuss.

enter stress

2010-02-10T17:57:00.004-08:00

Stress alternately comes into my life as a shrieking sound that builds in the back of my brain OR as a plethora of knots in my neck. Ask Andrew, he knows about the knots... and the shrieking because sometimes I just make the 'stress' noise.

How do you manifest stress?

p.s. Amanda Calder Ball:
1. Is that a correct use of plethora?
2. Do you remember the time we accidentally ran over a snake after we ran out of gas?

help

2010-02-09T17:34:00.004-08:00

(not sure why there is a dinosaur in this)

Hi.

If you are a(n):
actor
archeologist
anthropologist
architect
astronomer
attorney
coach
counselor
dentist
event planner
firefighter
fitness trainer
graphic artist
hotel/restaurant manager
landscaper
marine biologist
marine diver
multimedia wizard
paramedic
photographer
physicist
software designer
veterinarian

...and will be in Goleta, California on the morning of February 24, I need you as a new recruit. The students of Dos Pueblos High School thank you.

alive

2010-02-08T19:21:00.002-08:00

I got in two healthy 'debates' today about social issues. Nothing makes me feel more alive than a good discussion with lots of evidence and comparisons. Mmmm...

And I convinced someone to try and have more integrity. What a great day!

dried gerbil

2010-02-06T16:39:00.003-08:00

My parents are kind enough to repaint my former room in an effort to update the space and to accommodate a queen size bed for visits.

Presently, as a family, we are all leaning towards this green color...

(Picture shamelessly stolen from this poor person's blog.)

The color is known as "dried chervil", which we have promptly renamed "dried gerbil". Dried gerbils should taste great with the "butter cookie" of the living room and nearby office.

12 hour day...

2010-02-05T18:58:00.002-08:00

... sorting out 2400 students into Career Day sessions. I had so many ambitious plans for tonight, like playing with new fabric I ordered. You know I am just going to lie in bed and catch up on Chuck episodes.

And, rain, please go away. I have four beautiful new garden beds waiting for me to play.

scanner

2010-02-04T19:57:00.000-08:00

I am considering getting a new scanner or printer/scanner combo. Anyone have one they like?

girl scouts

2010-02-03T17:23:00.006-08:00

As previously mentioned, I am fortunate enough to maintain our social media for work. At the beginning of the process, I only had Egypt pictures on my computer, so this

is the only photo I had to use for a profile picture. Since it is so small, I figured it didn't matter that much, right?

Earlier this week I ran into someone who I had only corresponded via email and Facebook on several different projects. I greeted him by name, and he looked confused. So, I introduced myself and he said "Oh, I didn't recognize you." I mumbled something about my hair being down and usually it's up, blah blah blah... and he said, "No, well, it's because your Facebook photo makes you look like a Girl Scout."

In my mind, I pictured the green shirt and thought, ok, Girl Scouts, I can see it. Then I got back to the office to find a new profile picture and saw the thumbnail image again. All I need to do is sew some merit badges onto my camera case strap and I would be good to go. Maybe the badge for rabbit raising...

week full of Sparks...

2010-02-02T19:05:00.006-08:00

I am excited that the far-flung Bostonian Sparks have made an appearance in my life. First, I received a lovely mp3 of the latest Taylor special, which is the only music I have on my work computer and entertains me once everyone else leaves for home. And every mention of Scott Brown makes me think of how happy Taylor must be as he bends all of Massachusetts to his political will. Secondly, I ran into someone today who misses Jodi as much as we do. (Melisa from Girls Inc.) I hope Harvard is treating you well.

We're very excited...

2010-02-01T21:31:00.001-08:00

... to go to the Banff Mountain Film Festival!

Someone is going to stay up past their bedtime the day before Career Day #1... this could be bad news.

famous

2010-01-23T13:37:00.000-08:00

Noozhawk.com - Schools, Businesses, Community Working Together as Partners in Education - School Zone - Santa Barbara News and Information

one more...

2010-01-19T17:53:00.000-08:00

Number of people jazzed to go to dinner at Los Agaves: 2.
Thanks!

vital stats

2010-01-16T21:05:00.003-08:00

... in honor of Vivian, who uses this style so well.

Our Friendship in Numbers:
Years since we met: 10
Investigator records on which Vivian is listed as "friend": 1 (in possession of author)
Enrichment meetings attended solely because of Vivian: 8
Musicfests attended: 60 (est)
Instances where I wish I lived on Ellwood and not in Garden Court: 730
Epic bean bag misses: 1
Husbands acquired: 2
Fleece spoils of raffle forfeited to Jerry in my presence: 1
Times I have used the "pick me, pick me" strategy in hopes of winning a raffle: 11
Friends or relatives who have stayed in hotel Magnusson: 3 (that I know of)
Masterful Vivian Young Women's lessons watched: 25
"When we have kids, I hope they are like Levi" discussions: 17
Seasons of Arrested Development re-discovered and purchased after Halloween: 3
Times the YW keys were turned in because "I'm moving to New Mexico": 2
Pity parties Rebecca and I threw for ourselves once you really were moving: 5
Time I was referred to as the "New Vivian of the Singles Ward": Priceless

Number of times I have researched universities in New Mexico since Vivian moved: 6... and counting.

We miss you.

Obama slapped

2010-01-05T16:08:00.002-08:00

Umm, I think I just got Obama slapped. I was standing in line at Costco, minding my own business, when an older black lady starts reading my shirt. It says "LOL"--the name of a comedy troupe at BYU that my buddy belonged to.

Her: What does LOL mean?
Me: Laugh Out Loud, its the name of a comedy troupe....
Her: Oh.
Me (bewildered): Does it mean something else?
Her: I've seen it on a bumper sticker. The "O" stands for Obama.
Me: (still bewildered): What does it mean?
Her: It's making fun of him. (Pause) Have you followed what he's been doing since he got elected?
Me: (still bewildered but keeping my unorthodox political views to myself): Yeah, I keep up with the news.
Her: I hope you're happy. You put him in office.

--Really awkward silence--

Her: (snidely) Maybe one day you'll see the error of your ways.

The funny thing is, I didn't even vote for Obama.

Update. Nothing good, though, so don't get your hopes up.

2009-12-05T20:15:00.003-08:00

Curiosity got the best of me, wondering if I really would ruin Brian Kendrick's life by recounting embarrassing third grade stories.
Well, he has bigger problems when it comes to google searches- apparently a WWE wrestler has the same name. Though that may be handy, because then you could blame anything shady in your past on a mix up.

If you can't tell, there is sickness in our house and we are pretty bored. More accurately, Andrew is typing three finals and I am bored trying to stay quiet.

p.s. The bar fundraiser turned out very uneventful as a rival group staged another (gasp) event down the street. Who knew there was such a market for underage Monday night events at bars?

You should hire Brian Kendrick - He's very observant!

2009-11-15T16:45:00.005-08:00

Once, when I was in the third grade, we were all sitting on the rug in front of Mrs. Logan as she was teaching us. This one kid named Brian Kendrick (I REALLY hope this blog post comes up the next time a potential employer googles his name...) was sitting there in front of her. He then blurted out, "Mrs. Logan THAT (points) looks like the birthmark on that Soviet's head." Indeed, the purple nailpolish that she had spilled on her nylons uncannily resembled Mikhail Gorbachev's purplish birthmark.

Last night, I had my own Brian Kendrick moment as my husband bent over to kiss me. Perhaps it is all his study of Islam, but the combination on his forehead of scar and blemish perfectly constructed the star and crescent.

I asked his permission before posting acne on the internet, FYI. If you'd like an embarrassing aspect of my present life, ask about how I inadvertently ok'd a fundraiser for foster children to be held at a bar...

I can't get it out of my head...

2009-11-10T19:20:00.002-08:00

Despite not having heard this song since approximately 1997, it has been in my head for the last week.

WARNING: There is a lot of 90s awesomeness, including two types of overalls on tough guys. And no, I don't understand the ladies dancing in front of cars or the strange ventriloquist dummy, either. If you have a low tolerance for music with excess soul, please start 50 seconds in.

the band's visit

2009-10-26T21:03:00.003-07:00

Andrew and I recently watched a film I had been wanting to see for some time. I really enjoyed The Band's Visit. It is hard to describe how cool it is to actually understand the spoken Arabic.

Lest you be intimidated, the film has Egyptians and Israelis communicating, which is done mostly in English. Unfortunately, the trailer doesn't really catch the spirit of the film, but you can take a look anyway.

I'm missing Egypt...

2009-09-12T10:30:00.005-07:00

...which may also be compounded by the fact that work and church responsibilities are back in full swing!

p.s. No, I did not always cover my hair. We are about to enter a mosque. And no, I did not wear a burqa, burtka, or boobka while I was there. (All actual pronunciations... I feel like I should join the mythbusters.)

Work Facebook

2009-09-04T17:34:00.003-07:00

My employment has necessitated that I start a Facebook page for the nonprofit organization that I call home, which requires a personal profile. Not wanting to use my own, I had to start a work account.

I know several of you are thinking, "You're gone for two months and you come back to work and play on Facebook in this economy?" It's true. In fact, it is recommended.

It is weird 'friending' someone as my work self. They need to develop a new term. Thus, my aspirations of world domination via Facebook and our newly launched website are progressing quite slowly. (Perhaps the rest of the world is not as impressed that you can now request a volunteer OR sign up as a volunteer online.)

So, if you care about kids and education, I recommend you become a fan, supporting efforts to reconnect and revitalize the community through a coordinated campaign of volunteers and guest speakers.

I've been spending the last few weeks convincing my boss that Egypt should be a write-off since now I can be a guest speaker on the topic, thereby increasing our organization's capacity.

old alexandrian stuff for our friend seth

2009-07-15T04:38:00.005-07:00

This is me in front of "Pompey's Pillar" which is really a misnomer as it was built for Diocletian. I have actually heard of him so therefore he is probably important. It is about 100 feet high. I touched it for you, Seth.

We also went to the Catacombs of Kom el-Shuqafa which was amazing. And the place that most tempted me to break the no cameras rule... Basically, it was a series of tombs that combined both Greek and Egyptian traditions and styles. (Which I see as symbolic of Seth and Andrew's relationship.) It was amazing to duck through all kinds of tunnels and see thinks carved in the first century. Pretty awesome. One of the coolest (literally and figuratively) things I've seen so far.

proof

2009-07-08T05:42:00.002-07:00

A proud day

2009-07-04T09:33:00.002-07:00

This week I proved for the first time that studying Arabic will one day feed my family. Michelle and I have a brand new oven in our Cairo apartment but we hadn’t used it because we didn’t have any cookware. We tried to light it, unsuccessfully, right after we moved in but I burned myself with a lighter in the process so I gave up. I know when all else fails to follow instructions but the instruction manual was entirely in Arabic and I couldn’t seem to find the section that had to do with lighting the oven, at least not on first sight. When we bought disposable baking pans and were desperate to eat meat we decided to try again. After skimming the instructions for a long time I realized that my knowledge of classical Arabic didn’t prepare me for the technical terms used in an instruction manual so I would have to translate my way through it or starve. I pulled out my trusty dictionary and made my best guess as to which section of the instructions had to do with lighting the oven. I translated the title and found out I was right. After skimming that section I still had no idea what it said so I set out for a word-by-word translation. Twenty minutes later, with my translation in hand, we successfully lit the oven. It was moment of triumph. It turns out that I just had to do the same thing I tried when we first arrived (I knew that lighting an oven ought to be intuitive) only I needed to burn myself a little bit longer with the lighter in order for the oven to catch. Celebrating small victories? That’s how I’ve survived four years of studying Arabic. And now I’ve proved once and for all that my translation skills can feed my family. Literally.

We are going to...

2009-07-02T00:42:00.000-07:00

the Pyramids on Saturday! Can't wait. :)

We love Egypt because…

2009-06-29T05:24:00.003-07:00

… museums and historical monuments feel no need to string those protective rope barriers or block off all the cool things you actually want to see. And, in some cases, touch.

Basically, this means Andrew is in seventh heaven. (An odd expression once you type it.) He can touch ancient things. He can look into things and out of things at will. He can climb old minarets to the top and no one will stop him.

It is quite liberating for me as well, as I do not have to be nervous about him being thrown in a foreign prison. And, I get to touch and climb myself.

Photography has proven a bit challenging. One, I have a pesky lint spot somewhere inside and no matter how many parts I clean I can’t seem to eradicate it. Two, I am having a hard time deciding what to take pictures of. Here is my plan:
1. Pictures of anything Andrew spends extra time looking at. Because he will inevitably turn around and say “Did you get a picture of… (old Islamic thing)?” (That makes me sound uneducated. In reality, I am also taking an Islamic art and architecture class and I have a pretty good idea of what is important.)
2. Things that help me remember feelings I have. Like, wow, there are a billion satellite dishes here.
And, hmmm… those are sheep walking down the street.
It is really hot and we are tired.

3. Old things. This is where I run into trouble. Old things: pyramids, check. Lots of ancient mosques, check. Turkish houses from the 1700s? Cool, but not old. (When in doubt, take pictures anyway.) Things that seem terribly modern here are often from the Middle Ages. “New” renovations to mosques were often completed in the 13th century. It takes a paradigm shift.

4. Juxtaposition. I love irony, contradictions, and general studies of extremes in any form. There are lots in Egypt.

(This is the door of a small mosque that is being restored. The threshold step is taken from ancient Egypt. You can see the name of Ramses II in hieroglyphics if you turn it upside down. It has been reused in a newer, but still terribly old building. Next to modern trash.)

ana uhib maadi

2009-06-24T11:52:00.001-07:00

The internet has been a bit spotty, sorry. Perhaps it too is affected by the 45 degree heat… It is so hot.

It is hard to think of what to share about Egypt. I like it very much. It took a few days for our bodies to get used to the time change, the heat, the water, the food. I ate my first fruits and vegetables last night and I am still feeling well.

I would hate to be judged by any of America’s airports, so I will refrain from doing so about Cairo International. However, there is something mildly unnerving about having your body heat-scanned (there is a great deal of worry about swine flu) before entering that puts you a little on edge. They have been quarantining the students at the American University of Cairo (AUC). And then they loose the taxi drivers on you…

Driver’s Ed: One honk means “Hello, I am here”. Or, “American tourist I would like to give you a ride.” Two honks: “I am coming,” “I am about to run you over,” or “I am going to cut you off now.” Three honks is reserved for the most serious of offenses. Like the taxi that scuffed up a brand new bright yellow VW. Everyone stopped and watched that epic verbal sparring. Mostly, the cars just touch and go on. The best way to accurately describe the sight, smell, sound, and motion of all cars is the Autopia or bumper cars. We have ridden in a taxi once, to a bookstore the driver was not familiar with. He spent most of the trip out the window asking the passerby for directions.

I really like Maadi, the suburb where we live. It is certainly a very tame part. Originally it was home to mostly foreigners, but they have mostly moved to the newer areas and now it is a very nice (as shady as you get) suburb with middle-class Egyptian families. Most people live in apartment buildings though there are also some very nice villas.

The best time of the day starts about 5 p.m. That is when everything comes to life. We like to walk at this time. Stores reopen a little before this and remain open until midnight or so. People come out into the street and play soccer and cards and generally sit in the open park areas in the middle of the squares.

A few nights ago, we went walking out along Corniche Al-Nil, which is a walk along the Nile River. I won’t lie- I was so desperate for a form of semi-safe protein that we hunted down an American restaurant (TGIFridays) and indulged in a chicken burger with beef bacon. Until that point we had been advised by our instructors to be very careful about what we ate and I think we had eaten every form of cheap carbohydrate possible. We shop about every other day at the Metro (market) not to be confused with the Metro (train system).

I have been greeted with lots of fun English phrases. “Hello” and “blease” are most common. There is no “p” in Arabic script. People will also greet me warmly with “How are you doing?” and “What is the time?” or any other English words they know. I am sure I sound even worse. Fortunately there are about a thousand ways to say hello in Arabic, so I am just cycling through them all with our doorman.

One random story for Flem:
On Friday, we went to church for the first time. It was a little strange to walk in off an Egyptian street into a little villa they had converted into a church building. (Everyone in the branch is affiliated with the AUC or the government/embassies.) I felt a bit out of place dressed in traveling clothes until we sat down behind these little heads that looked a lot like the little Flemlings… There was a Casey with his arms crossed at the end, a mischievous looking Bridget (same haircut!) in the middle, and then a little Gillian and Meg trading off for Dad’s lap the entire meeting. Brought a little of the GV to Maadi for me. I was even more pleased to learn that over the summer they drop to the two-block schedule because so many of the families leave for the States.

I have lots of homework! Did you know you actually have to learn two almost separate languages to be able to do much? And, there are three different “h” sounds, two of which I am terrible at. I am having a blast in my classes. I am a super nerd, by the way. I am trying out all the vocabulary I am learning on my teachers. Yesterday I told one instructor that “It is hot. I love this fan.” (In case you need it: Il dunya har. Ana uhib hathihi marwaha.) That is practically a paragraph of speech. He laughed pretty hard.

BTW, all teachers of EL students should really be stuck somewhere where they know very little of the language. I am watching myself adopt all the random coping methods my students did. I am also identifying all the methods I used to convey meaning to students with little vocabulary as well.

So… what’s new with you? I could really use some English.

inappropriate content

2009-06-22T05:31:00.002-07:00

So, I may or may not have just flagged my own blog "inappropriate" as I was unable to discern which button said "flag as inappropriate" and which one said "log in" in Arabic. Oddly, not the first words I've been learning in class. Did you know Blogger kindly converts to Arabic script for you? Ilhamdu lillah.

Travels

2009-06-01T20:40:00.004-07:00

In exactly two weeks I will begin dwelling in Egypt for nearly two months. I have never been much of a clothes person, but lately I have been freaking out over clothing. What does one wear in an extremely hot and conservative country?

None of these outfits look particularly cool...

What are your best travel tips?

BFF

2009-05-31T10:43:00.001-07:00

Jeppesens, you're never allowed to move.

Vaya Con Dios, Sparks

2009-05-16T18:51:00.001-07:00

leave approved today

2009-04-21T16:31:00.000-07:00

commission aka come visit

2009-04-07T21:08:00.004-07:00

I know the vast majority of my posts are about organizational tools. I find order soothing. Today, I received a great compliment. "Michelle, you should teach classes about how to be a real life adult." Little did she know I'm still taking the course...

I bought a shelf similar to the one above. Except prettier, and one hundred dollars cheaper. I have put the vast majority of my belongings on it, freeing up approximately 20 square feet. It has taken the place of the filing cabinet, and then some. This means I now have room for house guests, so bring it on.

How did I finally get the filing cabinet open? I took a hammer and physically pried open one of the drawers. I then covered every moving surface (and many of my files) with WD-40 (I am my father's daughter). I then invited Andrew to pull them all out. He felt exceedingly manly about being able to conquer the beast until I mentioned the WD-40...

Just wait- the next blog just may be about the beautiful new pants hangers that I diligently researched and requested for my birthday. And don't pretend you don't care. I know for a fact two of you actually enjoy the same shelf love I do.

come, listen

2009-03-29T17:58:00.003-07:00

My favorites from last General Conference:
- Joseph B. Wirthlin talking about his daughter's blind date and how his family's sense of good humor was an important tool in raising his children (that is/was also true in my family).
- Dieter F. Uchtdorf's message about hope (one can always use a good message about hope).

How do you and your family prepare?

It's that time of year... (a rebuttal)

2009-03-22T09:33:00.003-07:00

...when I'm grading stacks and stacks of papers and final exams about world history and not missing teaching because I'm endlessly reading the dumb stuff that college-age kids, who ought to know better, are saying. Below are a few of my favorite comments--all from one stellar paper--but let me preface them with an apology to every Canadian ever:

"From my knowledge I do not know if Canada has done anything that had a great impact in the world, in which its history should be recognized."

"Even for me, someone who knows nothing about Canada and does not know the different provinces except Toronto...."

"Me as a U.S. citizen would go;"

"By studying environmental history we can predict the future."

It's that time of year...

2009-03-14T10:55:00.002-07:00

... where I (simultaneously) miss teaching all the time and wish I could be back in the classroom AND really don't miss that long stretch of March where the kiddos are absolutely nuts and there are few holidays in sight. Maybe that's just three career days talking!

Apparently my friends are also feeling a little introspective about the profession:
Flemsta
Ms. Houston

I am going to clean my house and craft additional entries to their lists.

Follow the Prophet...or else?

2009-03-01T11:25:00.004-08:00

I read a lot of random stuff in graduate school. Studying the Middle East pretty much ensures that but I'm convinced that most grad students are forced to absorb bizarre, useless information regardless of their field of study. This week I stumbled upon what is perhaps my all-time favorite tidbit of random knowledge.

I am studying Spanish history right now, especially the roughly 700 years (711-1492 A.D.) when Muslims ruled portions of Iberia. My professor wanted me to read about the treatment of Muslim heretics.

This is what I learned:

"In case of necessity, some jurists allowed the killing of religious deviants and rebels and eating them."

Eating them? In case of necessity? When it is ever NECESSARY to eat a heretic? If you're the Donner Party, lost and dying of starvation in the wilderness, far be it from me to judge you for cannibalism, but eating heretics? In Spain? For real?

Here's the full reference so you know I'm not making this stuff up: Maribel Fierro, "Religious Dissension in al-Andalus," Al-Qantara 22 (2001): 475.

The lesson here: follow the Prophet.

kosher

2009-02-25T21:58:00.002-08:00

I worked until 10 p.m. on Monday night and Andrew was very busy all day. As we settled into bed for the evening, we finally had a chance to talk. We checked in on each others' day and then there was that silence right before you fall asleep.

What did my husband break the silence with?

"I love you," "Goodnight," or "Sweet dreams"?

No.

"I want a pickle."

one cane + Chinese grandpa =

2009-02-17T16:03:00.001-08:00

One sweet leap across a lagoon-flooded path. I wish I had a real picture, because there was serious air involved in this maneuver.

i may look like an idiot

2009-02-11T22:01:00.002-08:00

But, I did check... no locking mechanism on this cabinet. That was my first guess. I thought the metal rod had slid down and blocked everything- it hasn't. I even read on the internet on how to drill out the lock. In case you are curious, there are A LOT of places on the internet that teach you how to break into things!

thrifty gone wrong

2009-02-10T21:19:00.003-08:00

I have been foiled by an inanimate object. It is not a pleasant feeling.

You may remember a previous post about the filing cabinet I secured from nearby the dumpster of treasures and the joy that I felt in being able to organize facets of my life.

No more.

Last week, after much enjoyment and organized living, all five drawers of the giant steel filing cabinet ceased to open. After about a week of looking at it in consternation I took more drastic measures. On my sick day, I managed to use a hammer to pry open and pop out an entire drawer.

The other four will not move. Suggestions welcome.

the first official lecture

2009-02-08T17:08:00.002-08:00

So Andrew has been a T.A. for ever now and teaches sections all the time. However, he recently gave his first lecture in front of a packed hall of almost 400 students. It was pretty exciting to see the return on my investment. He was awesome. This is a picture of him, his professor, and my brother (who works technical support at UCSB and came out to make sure everything went o.k.) in front of Andrew's power point projected on the big screen. I won't lie, it was pretty neat to see him up there, doing his thing. Students near me actually gasped as he rattled off long Arabic names with no trouble at all. Feel free to post encouraging remarks about Andrew being successful and getting a job one day so I can direct him to this post during the next "what am I doing with my life?!?!" end of the quarter breakdown. :)

why i should wear glasses more

2009-02-07T17:36:00.004-08:00

My infallibility has recently been called into question, what with the never-ending sickness. And the LONG (not small or new mind you) gray hairs that are ALL OVER MY HEAD. That is a post for another time. Anyways, I am finding two or three reasons a day why I should wear my glasses more often.

Exhibit A:
On our January trip to Utah I crashed a snowmobile not because I can't drive, but because it had gotten so dark I couldn't see the road turn. (Never fear those of you that live near me--- I always wear them while driving.)

For other pictures of our trip, see Jenae and Jodi.

sick day

2009-02-05T13:25:00.004-08:00

I'm not minding taking a sick day on this rainy afternoon. I feel fully justified in watching random internet television. Today: Little Mosque on the Prairie.

I feel somewhat justified watching it on youtube because it is only available in Canada. The show is in its third season. The first one is not amazing as far as acting goes, but I like how they explore stereotypes and issues of fitting in a dominant culture as the "other". The second and third seasons actually have better character development and plot. Plus, if you are interested in some of the issues facing contemporary Muslims it is a fun watch.

Also, this clip about the show kind of made me laugh. Who looks like the extremist here?

2008-11-30T20:32:00.000-08:00

I love my mom because we rappelled out of a tree this Thanksgiving and she liked it. And did it again. :)

i won!

2008-11-29T20:21:00.004-08:00

I am very excited to report that I won! So, true confession here, I love to hop around the internet looking at sewing and craft blogs and websites. It's especially fun to find all these young LDS mothers working hard to raise their kids yet still being successful businesswomen using all their talents. I've been admiring one, Toni from Australia, for some time now. She puts up fun patterns online that I've always wanted to try, but can't find them for sale outside of Australia. Long story short, I entered one of her online giveaways, and I WON!

You can look for this finished project on me soon. I will even stand in front of the beach to model it. I'm pretty excited. I hope Toni will mail to America... :)

UPDATE: Toni is mailing the pattern to me! And, should you care to see more of her patterns, they are available for sale in the U.S.