'Tis the Season

I mentioned in my last post that I would post again when I found my camera cord. Well, instead of finding the cord I bought a new camera. Thanks to a great Black Friday deal I have a pretty great new camera. I am enjoying testing it out. It doesn't do some things I liked with my last one, but I'm still adapting. I feel like a nerd when I'm reading my owner's guide to choose the appropriate setting for the light I'm in. :) I have never really Black Friday shopped before and I don't know that I'll do it again, but can I just say, I will be having a very Merry Christmas because I was pretty selfish on that day. Anyway, that seems like old news. In fact, it was nearly a month ago. Who knows where time goes?
In recent memory, life has been awesome. I went to Salt Lake last weekend for a pre-Christmas getaway with my family to the north. I shopped a little with my mom, saw "Tangled" with Cody, Kim and my nephews. Super cute flick by the way. I also visited with my dad and grandma, went to Temple Square to look at lights and watch our high school girl's choir sing in the Assembly Hall, and I even got in stand-by to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and David Archuleta concert. It was phenomenal; in fact it moved me to tears at least once. We stood in the rain for more than an hour, but it was a fun way to spend the Sabbath morning. That evening I enjoyed seeing my cousins and aunts and uncles at the Olsen Christmas Party. As always we had good food and good company. My niece was even awake long enough to smile at me (she's kind of a sleepy little one). In all, a great weekend. I didn't even grade one essay (which I paid for with lost sleep later).
This week so far has been awesome. I mean, Monday felt like a Monday of a short school week with students begging me to be the teacher that shows a movie, but I didn't cave. We took quizzes instead, mwhahaha (maniacal laugh here). Tuesday was a great day. For the second time since I started teaching, we had a snow day. A joyous occasion. After finding out about the cancellation of school, I went back to bed, only to wake up to more than 14 inches of snow in 24 hours. I spent several hours shoveling the driveway the hard way (is there an easy way?). My arms still ache. But I spent the day doing exactly what I wanted. I assembled my Christmas cards, wrapped presents, cooked. . . It was nice. Though because I didn't grade anything I was up half the night doing that, so I need to work on my priorities.
Today I am off officially. No school (except I have to chaperone a dance this evening). I'm heading south for the holiday, spending it with my brothers Holland and Bret and Lori and Faye. The next week I plan on skiing at least once. Holler if you are interested in joining me. If I don't see you between now and Saturday, I wish you a warm and happy Christmas. =>>>*

I'm 26!

I had a birthday! I turned 26 last week and now I feel sort of ancient. It's okay. I consider myself lucky to be young and single. It's fun.
I had a great birthday. On Friday my yearbook staff threw me a surprise birthday party. I was actually surprised and it was really nice of them. They gave me a "PMS Mobile" sticker for my car (My license plate letters are PMS, not by choice but coincidence. It's funny). Yeah, I can't tell if they like me or just like to make fun of me. Oh well, the gesture was sweet none the less.
My mom came down for the weekend with some of her girlfriends. We shopped at Mistletoe Mall here in Gunnison. I got a cute hat again this year. I'll put up pictures, but I can't find my camera cord anywhere. I loved the girl time and I even stayed in budget.
I drove up that evening to go to my niece's baby blessing, but in the middle of the night got really, really ill. I couldn't go to the blessing in my condition so I drove home. I took Monday off of school. Throwing up in front of my students isn't my idea of fun.
Otherwise, things are good. I've started going to a Zumba class and it is about the funnest thing I do all week. I really love it. Also, for all you Potter nerds. You better believe I bought my midnight showing tickets already. Long live the nerds. I'll post again when I can find that dang cord. :)

Vent via Blog

I'm not one to be super vocal. I mean I stand up for what I believe in, but I rather take a back seat in order to avoid confrontation. I didn't use to be that way. In fact, I used to be a brat sometimes, sharing my opinion even when unwanted. I grew out of it and thought it was maturity taking place, but really it was me conforming to become a non-pot stirrer. I think it's a sad thing, but not that uncommon. Somewhere in my education I was taught to keep my opinions to myself and then I'd likable. After four years of teaching, I'm learning that being likable isn't the only thing that matters. Giving a damn does.
Each day I walk into a class full of students who couldn't care less. They'd rather be texting or facebooking, or blogging . . . or gaming, or watching some form of media (most of those verbs didn't even exist when I was a teenager and I'm young). They don't care about government or education or human rights. Granted, they're teenagers, but I remember knowing things in high school. Maybe I was above average, but I don't think so. I remember watching the news and knowing that CNN is a news channel and not an abbreviation for Cartoon Network. I knew why my parents chose to be affiliated with the political parties they chose. I remember having discussions with my brother Bret about a million things in preparation for my own debates. I remember seeing the world through a critical eye.
I was at a speech meet this weekend and one of my extemporaneous speakers asked me what a Democrat is. I can't tell you how shocked I looked, but I could tell you that she was shocked I was shocked. In what arena of life would she have ever been expected to know what a Democrat stands for or believes in? Who expects her to care or know? The only eye my teenage students are looking at the world through is a lowercase i. If they can get it through an app on their iPhone or iTouch, they know it. But what kind of filter is that?
An entitled one. My facebook status today is "why does this generation of teens (or is it everyone?) feel so entitled to everything? 'What's in it for me?' 'If it exists it should be mine.' 'Do this for me because then it will be correct and the way you want it.' Shut up and work for something! Then maybe life will have meaning . . . That I can't do for you." Harsh, maybe. But lately, all I feel is drained when I get home from school. I used to teach and work in a place with imagination and creativity. Now sometimes I feel like the only one with an imagination left (hyperbole, not actuality). Where did we lose it? I feel like blaming teachers, parents, Hollywood, the media, and whoever else could be culpable of taking away the life force of the growing generation. But really, that's the problem isn't it? I want to blame everyone but the kids. At some point this is their fault. If they don't care about doing homework, guess what? That isn't my fault as a teacher. If they are under some illusion that the world will give them everything they ever want just because they feel it's their right, then good luck. Learn that lesson the hard way. (though I know some of them won't. We are making it easier to get something for nothing.) And maybe it isn't just teenagers. Maybe we are all social loafers looking for the easy way. If that is the case then I say to you world: Shut up and work for something. Then maybe life will have meaning. And more importantly, maybe our kids will learn to give a damn if we do.

Happy Halloween

Wow time flies. A lot has happened, and I can't ever seem to find the time to update my blog. It's been a tough month. My friend Kassie left for a mission to Costa Rica a week and a half ago. She's in the MTC until December. I've been adjusting to living in her house all alone, but haven't noticed much since I'm hardly ever home. Though I say that, I am missing her like crazy. She has been my best friend here in Gunnison and my confidant. Hopefully my independent nature will get me through all the silent meals and quite evenings home.
The end of first quarter is here and I'm inundated with papers and grading. I think I'll take a mental health day this week to get caught up with my life outside of school. I'm in serious need of a day to do my laundry, sleep in (my eye has been twitching and I dedicate that to lack of sleep), and clean parts of the house that need it. Plus, I haven't really had a weekend to myself since school started. I need a day to rejuvenate and rehabilitate :) Maybe that will be my birthday present to myself.
For Halloween I got to take the GVHS speech team to a tournament at Snow College. I've also been busy coaching my debate students on a volunteer basis. My public forum (I know most of you have no idea what that is, but it is team debate) team took first place at a tournament with 14 schools most of them 3a-4a schools. I'm uberproud. They make me look good :)
I've seen some family in SLC recently. I posted pictures of a picnic evening with 'smores. Also, mom and I got to watch Faye while all the boys went to a football game so we headed to Gardner's Village for some fun. To our surprise it was the Witch Weekend or something. Hundreds of ladies were dressed as witches. We had so much fun watching all the activities and participating in some of it too. Faye and I danced to lots of the music and shared some cookies. I'm thinking about making it a tradition next year. So, so much fun.
My birthday is coming up this weekend. My mom is coming down to Gunnison for the Boutique shopping weekend at Mistletoe Mall. And then sunday is Laney Olsen's baby blessing. Should be fun.
I'll tell you how the mental health day goes. Happy Halloween