Tomorrow's mini conference

Our stake is having a stake-wide Women's conference, and I plan on attending. After I finish attending, I'll write about things that I thought were interesting. Although, it's sad that they have 8 classes and we can only attend 3. =/ I wish I could go to all of them. Oh well. I'm looking forward to it!

And when I talk about it, I'll bring up my week and all the stuff that's going on in my life..... wait, that's pretty much nothing. But whatever. I'll come up with something.

The Whistle... instructions necessary?

Alright, so that's kind of what the whistle looks like.

At our investiture into the elementary education program, each of us students were given a lovely whistle that says "Arizona State University Police" on a sheriff's star looking thing. And with each whistle there were a set of instructions. It was put together by the American Whistle corporation. It's called a "Personal Safety Whistle."

Anyways, here are the instructions..... (with comments in parentheses)


How to use your American Defender (TM) Personal Safety Whistle:


If you are accosted on the street:
1. Blow the whistle.
2. Call the police as soon as possible.

If you fear trouble on the street:
1. Run toward the middle of the street. (Umm.... Right..... "Hey! I need hel...." *car drives by, hitting person)
2. Blow your whistle. (And that will help.... how?)
3. Call the police. (Shouldn't that be number one?)

If you see trouble on the street:
1. Blow the whistle. (Again, what is the point?)
2. Keep a safe distance. (NOW we're getting somewhere.)
3. Call the police. (Again, should be number 1.)

If you see trouble from your home:
1. Call the police. (YAY!! They got it right!) State the address and nature of trouble.
2. Open a window and blow the whistle. (WHY?)
3. As other whistles blow, go outside, and - keeping a safe distance - continue blowing. (Umm.... So, everyone is supposed to have a whistle?...... Right....)

If you hear a whistle:
1. Call police. Report location and nature of trouble.
2. Blow your whistle.
3. Move carefully toward the first whistle, and - keeping a safe distance - continue blowing. (Still not sure about the everyone having a whistle part.)

Do NOT play policeman. (NO DUH!)
You could easily get hurt. (Ya think?) Police officers are highly trained to do their jobs. Let's help them however we can, while staying out of the way.

Tell kids about your whistle (Because I'm sure they'll listen. Not!)
and about it's application. A whistle, from a child's perspective is a great toy. But its usefulness will be diminished if children blow the whistle at play. (Because whistles are so amazing at keeping us safe?)

Your AMERICAN DEFENDER (TM) Whistle
helps you aid police in deterring or preventing crime in your neighbourhood, (Because everyone has one) and call for help if you're lost (actually helpful for that), sick (um... okay?), or injured (maybe). It's safe, non-violent, and when carried on a keychain, cannot be used as a weapon against you. (Are people hitting other people with their safety whistles? :O Oh dear! That must leave a horrible bruise. [end sarcasm])
The Defender (TM) is shrill (yes), loud (yes), and of very high quality. (It's a whistle! How high quality can it get?) In fact, it's exactly the same whistle we make for the National Fraternal Order of Police. (And we, as school teachers, are going to care?)
The American Defender (TM) can signal your need for help, frighten away someone who means you harm or alert neighbors to call police. (Because I'm SURE everyone knows that that is what a whistle is for. ¬.¬)



Anyways, that's "The Whistle" as I like to call it. I found it amusing that they actually had instructions for a whistle. haha Oh well. I hope you get a few laughs from it as well.

Week 2

Alright, I figure, maybe I can keep up with weekly posts.

This week was a lot better than week 1, I think, although I'm tired and hormonal. But I'm not near as overwhelmed.

Monday: I had Institute (D&C part 2 and choir) and then I worked, so nothing too exciting.

Tuesday: I met with my intern teacher.... or the teacher I'll be interning with.... or something. haha Anyways, she seems really pretty cool. :D I can't wait to start helping in her classroom! (Which starts this Tuesday!) Then I went to class and got my pen pals for my actual class on Tuesdays. So that was all good. I ended the day with Institute (Gospel and the Productive Life) which I absolutely LOVE having with the Chesleys. They are an amazing couple. And if I learn anything really awesome, I'll probably share. XD

Wednesday: Institute (D&C/Choir) and then I had class at Eisenhower. It was alright. Not as interesting as my Tuesday class, though.

Thursday and Friday: I worked. Not very exciting. haha Friday night, I went to horse lessons and rode bareback. I even loped! (On accident, but I was very happy that I did it for longer than a few steps, and I didn't fall off! :D) And then I went to a bday part for Alana's friend Paige. So all-in-all, a pretty good Friday.

Saturday: I finished my Saturday class! (YAY!!!!!!!) I'm very excited about that. haha It was starting to get boring. But I survived, even though I've been exhausted for the past few days.


So that was a quick summary of my week. Nothing too exciting, but oh well. And tomorrow, I think I'll do the post about the whistle and instructions that I got at the investiture. ;) So stay tuned.

Left Behind

This is going to be an open and honest blog. Well, most of mine are anyways, but usually I try to keep it upbeat. This is not one of those times.


First: I'm not sure if teaching is for me. I started another blog about it, but I didn't post it because it was in the moment, and I was overwhelmed. But I'm still thinking about whether or not it's for me. I'm not quite as overwhelmed, and I can tell I'm going to LOVE my Intern teacher. She is amazing. :D I've also decided that maybe I want to broaden my horizons before I just decide to stick to Franklin. Jordan Elementary school seems like a cool place to teach and be. But still.... it's been on the edge of my mind.

Secondly: This one relates to the title. I feel so left behind. I don't go out with friends.... or at all for that matter. I don't date. I don't talk on the phone. I don't do just about anything. I work, I go to school, and I go home and get on my computer, and I just feel like I'm missing something. And I know that's my own fault, and I need to figure out what I need to change. (Although I have an idea.) But I also feel like all my friends are leaving me. And maybe it's because I'm pulling myself away. Maybe I am the one that's withdrawing. But I always hit this point. Anytime I think I'm starting to make friends, something happens and I end up being alone again. That's what I don't know how to change. I'm sure I'll figure it out, but it just always seems to happen.

Anyways, I'm going to end this before I get totally depressed. Week 2 is almost over. I just need to take things one day at a time.

Week 1

Alright, so I decided to write about my first week in the program.

In short: I am overwhelmed.

From the beginning of the week:
Monday I had off due to MLK/Civil Rights' day or w/e it was. So I was happy to relax before my hectic school schedule started.

Tuesday, I had one academic class that got out way early. It was really cool, and I'm way excited to be working with that teacher some more! Institute was AMAZING!!! Of course, it always is, but Elder and Sister Chesley are seriously some of my favorite people! So I ended the night well. :D

Wednesday, I had Institute (Doctrine and Covenants 77 - 138 and Choir) and they were both amazing! Choir was HUGE! I've never seen the room that full before. And it will be nice to get to know a new teacher (Bro. Lewis for D&C). Then I had my academic class at Eisenhower Elementary, where I learned a little bit about what I'm going to do... AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!! That's where I first started to get a bit overwhelmed. Lets see..... every week I need 6 hours of interning, 30 - 60 minutes of tutoring a student, and a whole bunch of projects. So... AAAAAHHHHH!!!!! Those are my major worries about the semester.

Thursday and Friday: Basically on these days I just worked. I did a few things at the clinic/for my supervisor, and the rest of the time I spent in storage (which isn't as cold anymore. Thank heavens!) having a party while I purged files. XD Then Friday night I had an investiture, where we got a little bit of information about the program, and it was kinda interesting. XD I happened to like it in a weird sort of way. (Especially since the principal of Jordan Elementary looked like he was having a blast reading the whistle directions.... which I will save for my next post. ;D)

Saturday: I spent AAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL DAY in one class. .... Alright, it was only 9 - 3 ish, but it felt like all day. And i missed a work get together thing, and was very sad. :'( But the class is interesting.... well, some parts. Other parts are just like "TMI TMI TMI!!!" I really wish I didn't know what kinds of legal issues there are with teachers/students/random stuff. Teachers really have to watch their back.

So, that was pretty much my first week of school. And I'm sure as I get things done I won't be quite as overwhelmed, but it's still a little unnerving for me. But just like for every other year so far, I'll make it through! Even if I get way stressed. And in the end, I hope it will all be worth it.

Weekend

This weekend has been one amazingly spiritual weekend. Two days in a row I was privileged to hear from Elder David A. Bednar, Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And he said not to blog about what he says, so instead, I'm going to blog a bit about what I learned. (It's not the same thing, right? Because we hear what we want to hear, or need to hear.)

Anyways....

There were some things that really struck me. First off, Elder Bednar has a great sense of humour! He's hilarious!

He encouraged us to not take notes, because we miss teaching moments. I took notes anyways, because other wise I would be missing out on really paying attention. There's just something about having a pen in my hand that really makes me want to listen and learn. So, from my notes, I'm pulling out the things that struck me most.

Sis. Bednar answered the question of what quality we (girls) should look for in a partner. The quality she gave was that he honored his priesthood. And I would agree with that. When young men (or men in general) honour their priesthood, everything else they need to do happens, and they have a myriad of other qualities that are important.

I also learned that yes, these are hard times. And yes, we've got lessons to learn from this, but as we put our trust in the Lord, everything will work out okay. Sometimes we have to step out into the dark before the Lord's light will show us a little bit more. So while planning for the future may seem pointless, it's not. There's a reason for everything.

At the end of his question and answer session with the Young Single Adults from the Valley, he asked us what we have observed from the process that he used. There were many great responses, and if I had been in the same room, I would have offered my perspective. My perspective is this: The process we used is the same as the pattern of receiving revelation, and how Joseph Smith got most of his revelations, as found in the Doctrine and Covenants. First, we were to ask a question, and there were some questions that were better than others. Secondly, we waited for an answer, and when we got that answer, it wasn't necessarily just a yes or no answer. It was a principle given to us to help us better ourselves, and then we have a chance to act upon the principles given.


Today, Elder Bednar spoke at a stake conference for us. He said that the last time a general authority from the Quorum of the 12 had been in 1979!!! That's 30 years ago! :O

So he talked to us and repeated a lot of the same information from the YSA meeting, but he went more in-depth about how testimony and conversion have a relationship. From what I learned, Testimony is the beginning of conversion, and it's to have a knowledge. Conversion is when we are consistently true to what we know.

He also talked about the atonement. What really hit me is that although the atonement does provide cleansing from sin, I did not realize that it could also strengthen us once we are. Once we are clean, that doesn't mean we are alone on the straight and narrow path.

One final epiphany that I had was this: Through the son, we have the strength of the atonement to deal with things and trials we have, that teach us in a way that we would not have otherwise learned if it had been a different trial. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but basically, the trials that we have are teaching us in a way that no other situation could, and by applying the atonement, we can be strengthened so that we can do the Lord's will.



So those were just some of my feelings and thoughts about the time spent listening to Elder Bednar. He's an amazing man, and I'm glad he is an Apostle in this day and age.

In the Mood

Here's the mood I'm in right now. This song was originally performed by Bonnie Tyler in 1983, but I like it. (It's based on Wuthering Heights.) But I think it's cool. If you don't know it, youtube it. Or rather, here's the link to "Wuthering Heights two generations" or something.



I don't know why it's my mood currently, but it is. lol

ANYWAYS.... to the point of my post. haha

TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART (Bonnie Tyler )

Turnaround, every now and then I get a
little bit lonely and you're never coming around
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit terrified and then I see the look in your eyes
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and
then I fall apart
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and
then I fall apart

Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit restless and I dream of something wild
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit helpless and I'm lying like a child in your arms
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit angry and I know I've got to get out and cry
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit terrified but then I see the look in your eyes
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and
then I fall apart
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and
then I fall apart

And I need you now tonight
And I need you more than ever
And if you'll only hold me tight
We'll be holding on forever
And we'll only be making it right
Cause we'll never be wrong together
We can take it to the end of the line
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time
I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark
We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight

Once upon a time I was falling in love
But now I'm only falling apart
There's nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
Once upon a time there was light in my life
But now there's only love in the dark
Nothing I can say
A total eclipse of the heart

Turnaround bright eyes
Turnaround bright eyes
Turnaround, every now and then I know
you'll never be the boy you always wanted to be
Turnaround, every now and then I know
you'll always be the only boy who wanted me the way that I am
Turnaround, every now and then I know
there's no one in the universe as magical and wondrous as you
Turnaround, every now and then I know
there's nothing any better and there's nothing that I just wouldn't do
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and
then I fall apart
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and
then I fall apart

And I need you now tonight
And I need you more than ever
And if you'll only hold me tight
We'll be holding on forever
And we'll only be making it right
Cause we'll never be wrong together
We can take it to the end of the line
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time
I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark
We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight

Once upon a time I was falling in love
But now I'm only falling apart
There's nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
Once upon a time there was light in my life
But now there's only love in the dark
Nothing I can say
A total eclipse of the heart