The Thinker or Akhenaten sitting down??

Today in class we made a sculpture out of packing tape. It was awesome. The kids did a great job and we had fun even if it did take a while. He ended up being a little hippy but no big deal--I tried to hide it when we taped his parts together. He is loosely based on The Thinker but I think he is a little more like Akhenaten because of his hips.

Dear Walmart

Dear Walmart, or more correctly dear walmart cashier,

If your company says they will price check, that should be always, not just when it is convenient to you. I understand I was buying a bunch of rather inexpensive school supplies far less than your store, but if Office Depot will let me do it for an extended limit because I am a teacher, so should you. I have purchased the same thing earlier this week, at your store, for the same price, there is no reason why you should treat me like a criminal. Really do you think that me buying a bunch of folders is just for fun, or for my own personal use. I showed you my teacher ID, really what do you think they are for? I bought them out of my own pocket, and because of that I am trying to get the best possible price for them. I am sorry they are for a penny, but do you think I would want to pay 15 cents if I could get them for a penny? I have overlooked some of your shady practices in the past Walmart because you were convenient, open at all times, are everywhere and your low prices. I like how you offer price matching, but please instruct your cashier to be nicer about it and to not treat me like a shady character. My teacher badge means something to me and should to you as well. I do not like to be treated poorly. Thank you manager for making it happen even when your cashier was rude.

On the other hand...
Dear Walmart Greeter at the Midvale Walmart,

You are my favorite! I would love to keep you around. I love how you bring a smile to my face every time I go into the store. You do your job well and people can hear you. I missed you when you were gone. I hope you are feeling better now that you are back. I will keep you and never go into Miss Cashier's line again, and if for some reason I am forced to do it, and I find out her name, I will complain to the manager about poor customer service--you never have been very nice to me, and yes I have I used your line before...Walmart please work on your customer service with your cashiers. THANK YOU!

Upset Customer,
Rachel

Political Rant...

Despite many around me I have not yet decided who to vote for for President next fall. I think this is a true indicator of how I am a true moderate in my political beliefs. I also am referring to people who have chosen our current President Obama and not just Candidate Mitt Romney.

A few things I do not like about this election: People assume I need to vote for Mitt Romney because he is Mormon, and or Republican. For my Mormon friends, never has it been said that we need to vote for a republican in church and never will. The Republican party of Abraham Lincoln was more like the Democrats of today. Democrats have also changed. Parties change over time. Mormons outside of the United States tend to like the Democrats of the United States.

In my world I have seen benefits of both candidates. I voted for Obama in the past and do not regret it. I had a hard time in that election too. I do not think Obama is perfect, but I also do not think Romney is either as is evidence by the rest of this rant.

Mitt Romney made some major mistakes in his political tour. Many will not think these are major, but let it be known they are and can possibly lead to some major terrorist actions.

Mitt Romney declared Jerusalem to be the capitol of the Jewish state. For many this is true, but the US embassy is in Tel Aviv where they recognize as the capitol because of the situation where Palestinians (who have an Olympic team) refer to Jerusalem as their capitol. He went on and talked about how the culture of the Israelis is better than that of the Palestinians. Really??? Are you kidding me??? That is a super racist comment. I know that the US is the best ally to Israel, but should we be? In the United States we only here of those Palestinian terrorists, but do we hear of all the horrible things Israel is doing to occupied Palestinians? They take over their given territory and build settlements and expect Palestinians to be ok and even happy about it. That is not a peace settlement move. How would you feel if in 1948 you have to give up land for a Jewish state? I do not disagree it should exist, it should, but not at the downfall of the Palestinians. Many are still in refugee camps. Yes refugees since 1948. It is many generational problem. Their "culture" may be less according to Romney because their businesses may be small, and many have little money, but they cannot help that.

Now to my Mormon friends who say things in regards to how this is fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant. You are right, Jews living in Israel is part of that. But...did you ever consider that Abraham is one of the Muslim prophets too? They descendants from him too. Shouldn't they be considered for that as well? Palestinians can be Muslim or Christian. Both we should respect and be good world citizens with.

Okay last part of my rant...Many of the middle eastern problems we have had are due to this conflict and US relations with Israel. It may not be the only factor, but Middle eastern people will stick with their brothers and sisters in Palestine above the US every time. It is not a good idea to treat them poorly.

I may still not have made a definite decision for this fall, but this recent event is a point in the Obama camp in my book.

Boyfriends Through Time...

As you know I went on an AMAZING trip to Boston and Philadelphia with some of my favorite people in the whole world: JHAT teachers. JHAT=Jordan History Academy of Teachers this group was specifically 4th and 5th grade teachers. Here is a link to amazing teaching ideas and movies staring us using the strategies we learned. JHAT. I had many boyfriends on this trip and it was a delightful experience.



On the trip it became kind of a joke that as one of the single ladies, I could find a boyfriend. It all started in Plimouth on the Mayfower II. John Alden was on the ship. The Mayflower II is set in 1620 shortly after the Pilgrims arrive and lucky for me John Alden is still single. So of course I took a picture of him with me. So he was my first boyfriend. True Tammy and I share him, and he did get a little embarrassed, but he is an amazing boyfriend.





On our bike ride from Lexington to Concord I luckily found another boyfriend...sadly I do not know his name. I do however know he was a good soldier at the dawn of the Revolution.





Later that day we got to see Mr. Thoreau. It is true that perhaps he was not looking for a wife and that he wanted to live his days deliberately in the woods near Walden Pond in a simple way, but how could I resist such a man as Henry David Thoreau.





As we continued on our trip I acquired more boyfriends. On the Freedom Trail I found Robert Newman. He was the one who put the lantern in the Old North Church for Mr. Paul Revere. William Dawes also made that midnight ride lest we forget... Mr. Newman was not so keen on sharing me with my other boyfriends so I did have to say he was my one true boyfriend.





Also on the Freedom Trail and now onto the war or 1812 I found another boyfriend. Perhaps one of my favorite experiences from the trip was to go onto the USS Constitution. That is where I found my FAVORITE boyfriend of the trip. The USS Constitution is the longest running commissioned naval ship still afloat in the world. There the people running the ship are Naval Officers in our current Navy. Some are dressed in naval uniforms of today where as others such as my boyfriend are dressed as if they were in 1812. I still am a little giddy thinking of him, true story ...the saddest part about it is that I do not know his name.




Valley Forge and an awful winter brought me to my next boyfriend. He perhaps is a little old for me, but he will do the job through that hard winter. "Welcome to winter at Valley Forge."





I also acquired a Ranger boyfriend. He was stationed at Valley Forge near George Washington's Headquarters. Ranger Rick at the Adams National Historic Park was not nice, but this fellow was and so he became my boyfriend ...He is quite adorable if I should say so myself.





John Dunlap was a boyfriend that got everyone involved even Reid. I knew this adventure was a success then. John Dunlap may drink a little too much and spend his time in the City Tavern where we met, but he had an important job to do with the Declaration. He was the printer to the Declaration of Independence. I do enjoy him.




My last boyfriend was a tour guide of sorts in Philadelphia. He was flustered by all the Utah teachers. I do have a funny look on my face, but He was a good end to my week of boyfriends. Alas, too bad this wasn't real life.






One more boyfriend who will always mean a lot to me is my Movie Star boyfriend Matt Damon. He grew up in Boston and went to Harvard for a time. I did not see this, but Pam S'ua texted me this as she took the Harvard tour from Harvard students. He lived in this apartment. I only went to the campus, on a self guided tour so I did not see this, but still worthy to add to this boyfriend post.

School's Out For Summer?

School ended Friday. "No more teachers, no more books, no more teacher's dirty looks." In the last few weeks I have been having some sort of dream or perhaps a nightmare of sorts about school almost every night. Why at the end of the year and even after school is done am I having these dreams? They are typical teacher dreams of forgetting what you are going to say, or where your room is, or moving rooms...no wait that is what I am doing and have to finish tomorrow. Often they include teacher's from my school.

It is the first day of school. I am in my classroom. There is something different however. I have 30 students but I also have a team teacher. We each have our own teacher desk. The other teacher won't let me do anything and acts like I am incompetent. Well it might be true since I came to the first day of school dressed in a hospital gown. So I had to be very careful not to bend over and keep the back of the gown shut.

This is the closest thing I have ever come to a dream where I am naked, or in my underwear. I understand that for many people they are quite common, but for me I don't remember having them. I often dream that I am falling or loosing my teeth. Yikes.

Here is the one from last night. Still makes me a little skittish.

My school was like the one from Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar. It was tall with one room stacked one on top of each other. The difference was that there were two sky scrapper schools next to each other. What they were trying to do was connect them with a play area on the 77th floor...where I was. We had to strap the kids in harnesses to play on a black top area with no railings or anything to keep them on this area connecting the two buildings. I also had to be strapped into one of these, but my strap did not latch very well and I thought I was going to fall. If you know me, you know I am not afraid of heights per se, but I am afraid of falling.

Let's see if this trend continues tonight...I hope not.

31

31 things I did in my 31st year...
1-JHAT CLASS-learned a lot about History and teaching.
2-Learned my Love of Dr. Who-Who doesn't love time travel in a telephone booth?
3-New Bookshelf-I have way too many books.
4-ESL Endorsement--ok its done tomorrow, but close enough.
5-JPAS--totally got an awesome score.
6-California 4 times-all in So. Cal and all for different reasons.
7-Disneyland Universal Studios-had fun and would love to go again sometime.
8-RS President and Released-learned a lot.
9-Family Ward-left the singles ward early
10-IPAD-bought one and love it!
11-Fell in love with song REWIND by Goldspot-Listened to it many, many times on my ipod.
12-SUU master's classes started-took 2 and got As in both!
13-One new Sister-in-Law and one more on the way.
14-Moved classrooms for the 3rd year in a row--and probably will not be my last move in the school.
15-Zion NP, ST. George Temple, Shakespeare Festival-had a mini vacation loved both!
16-Class won contest of food drive
17-Started Laser Hair removal on my legs.
18-Scar on leg from Ropes course and overcame fears-falling from heights, not heights is a fear of mine.
19-Apline Coaster-Staycation during fall break.
20-Copper Mine-Biggest open pit copper mine on my doorstep and this was my first time there.
21-Survived one of the hardest classes of my career-love them and want the best for them, but is ok to say adios!
22-Went through 2 frequent shopper snow cone cards-I love snow cones!
23-Flood from upstairs neighbors,and their smoke--oh wait they said they were cooking...so glad they moved.
24-New oven-one burner from my old oven did not work so I had to buy a new one. It is so nice!
25-Watched every episode of "How I met your Mother"-I think its pretty funny.
26-Real game-first time back at a REAL game and first time at their stadium
27-pass of all passes-purchased the pass and have used it several times for Laser Tag.
28-Portable-my classroom this year was a portable. Don't really want to do that again.
29-neice in my class-She is adorable and I loved having her.
30-only one within dating age at new years without a date--yucky pda
31-Army Men left on my doorstep-Some great friends left some army men at my door as a joke. It made my day!

On a side note I went to Baskin Robins for my Birthday to celebrate turning 31!

Table 9

As the day of my brother's wedding is approaching--as in 3 more days--I am kinda feeling like I am sitting on table 9. I am happy for him and all, but being the single person I am--I belong on Table 9. He and Donnie are going to be very happy and have a good life. It will be a nice wedding after many hours in the car and many hours back. My brother is fantastic and I love him and want him to be happy. For the rest of us...Enjoy!