Torture

Correcting is not fun.  Grading writing is hard. Giving feedback is time consuming.  Grading 85 student's research notes and references is torture.  I can do one class a night and it takes about 4 hours.  I give these assignments because they need the experience.  We're only halfway there.  Over Christmas break I'll be reading 85, five page research papers on Canada or Latin American countries.  There are always good ones, and entertaining ones, but in the end, it's grueling.

Brent's Moving Up

Brent hasn't ever really liked living in SLC, and he's lonely.  His new job has given him the okay to work remotely, so why not work from Boise?  It was a fast decision, but there's no turning back now.  Terr and Bry will go down this weekend to help move him up to the room above the garage.  I think it will be good for all.

BSU TCU

Well this is a hard post to write.  We lost.  At home.  It ended a 35 game win streak on the blue turf.  It came down to one second, and Ty's friend missing a field goal.  I felt like all the air was sucked out of me.  Stunned.  People at the stadium felt the same way.  They said it was silent, and everyone just sat there for about 10 minutes.  Kellen Moore has lost 3 games in the past four years - one in overtime with a missed field goal, and two to TCU by one point. 

We had made plans to go to dinner with Mike and Stace after the game.  I really didn't want to talk about it, but we did.  Dinner was at Mickey Rays.  The place was packed, and everyone there was in blue and orange.  It was a quiet crowd.  I will say the food was good.  I should have ordered mac and cheese.  I needed comfort food.

Birds on a Wire

On the way home from school today I saw hundreds of birds fluttering around in a crowd.  They came to rest on the power lines overhead.  When they did, I saw that there were already hundreds of birds lining the wires - thousands!  It was a crazy site. 

Since I watched the Alfred Hitchcock film The Birds, I've never really liked birds up close.  I'd never have one for a pet, but I love watching them.  I love birds from a distance.  Someday, when I have more time, I'm going to be an official bird watcher.

Wrong Reading

Next Tuesday we're getting together for book club, and I'm leading the discussion.  For the past two months I've been previewing the book at our meetings, and telling everyone how much they'll enjoy it.  Yesterday my friend returned the book to me, and as we talking about it, I realized that I have never read the book!  I read the second book in the series.  I told everyone that I wanted to have breakfast with the badgers....and there aren't any badgers in the first book.  Now I have a week to read the book, and some explaining to do that night.

Sunday Services

Terry's new calling in church kept him busy today.  He started with meetings at 9:00, and ended with home teaching at 7:00.  The only time I saw him all day was at church.  I had a very quiet day.  It was nice.

Now that everyone has logged on to new.familysearch.com, and set up their accounts, we are starting real classes on family history during Sunday School.  Everything is making sense so far.  My friend Lyn taught the lesson and she's amazing.  She's been doing this since the 1970s.  I'm sure she'll help me once I dive in.   I need to go online and watch a couple tutorials.  I think I might do indexing right now.  It's easy, they need the help, and I'll get use to reading old documents.  Come summer I'll get together with Fredee and try to figure out my ancestors. 

BSU vs. UNLV

The game last night didn't start until after 8:00.  We were a little worried about being able to stay up until midnight, but Terry and I still have a bit of spunk in us.  We didn't even have to take a nap that afternoon.  The late start gave us a chance to go to The Green Chile and enjoy a meal with Rich and Karren beforehand.  We had a Groupon that expired that night.  Then we headed over to the big screen in the basement with our caramel corn and pumpkin fudge to watch our Broncos win.  Yeah!

Too Early For Santa

I went to the mall this morning to look for something to wear to my nephew's wedding.  I couldn't find a parking place!  It was packed!  I went in Penny's because they were having a sale, and I had a $10 coupon.  I also went in Macy's because I had a birthday gift card.  There were lines outside every dressing room and every check-out area.  People were everywhere.  It's only November 5th!  I'm not going back until next year.  My holiday shopping will have to be on line.  (I did find a skirt and sweater.)

PTC

In the old days, moms came to Parent Teacher Conferences during the day on a Thursday or Friday.  Now, moms, and dads, and step parents, and grandparents, come mostly in the evenings.  Wednesday is brutal.  You might have a couple conferences before school, starting at 7:30, then teach all day, then start conferencing as soon as you can get the kids out the door.  You're usually there until after 8:00, with a 15 minute dinner break.  You can't even think straight at the end, and you start saying the same thing at every conference. 

Thursday morning usually fills up with stay-at-home moms, and there's always one or two parents that you have to schedule during their lunch break.  This year I didn't have any conferences from 1:20 til 4:20.  I tried to catch up some things on the computer and put up a bulletin board.  From 4:20 til 8:00 it was non-stop conferencing again. 

I like meeting and talking to parents.  I learn a lot and we figure out things together.  The parents at my school are very supportive and fun to get to know.  But the whole thing usually gives me a sore throat, and sometimes makes me sick.  Since we work Wednesday and Thursday night, we have Friday off.  We need it to recuperate.  I usually lay around all day.

Honoring Our Veterans

The music teacher at school is experienced and wise.  She always plans the 5th and 6th grade music program early in the year.  The later in the year you wait, the harder it is to get cooperation from the very cool 6th graders.  I'm sure it's always great to get that program out of the way too.  The smartest thing she does is organize a Veteran's Day program, complete with invitations to veterans from the Veteran's Home.  The students sings some beautiful songs, dance to "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", and recite the Preamble and the Gettysburg Address from memory.  When they sing the songs from each branch of the military, those in the audience who have served, stand for their song and receive applause. 

Smokey and Cheetah do their part.

Those from the Veteran's Home arrived about 5 minutes late for our final performance.  The boys who were dressed in scout uniforms for the flag ceremony helped all the men in wheelchairs in.  As each entered the gym, they received a standing ovation.  It was hard to stay composed during the military songs.  A couple of the men on the front row had tears rolling down their faces.  Even the self-centered 5th and 6th graders clue in to the dedication of our service men and women.  After the performance, the 6th graders hand out cards that they have written to the veterans.  Many stay and visit.  Our music teacher not only gets the program over with, she gets a beautiful sincere performance from the students, and they look outside of themselves and learn a few serious things.