tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34800307679323065722024-03-07T22:49:46.422-07:00Eclectic EmA little bit of everything MEEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-54024626245441369192015-09-16T13:43:00.000-06:002015-09-16T13:43:02.672-06:00Out of the Darkness WalkOn Saturday I am participating in the Out of the Darkness Walk in my area. It is hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. If you would like to help me reach my fund raising goal, please click on the following link to donate. I will match all the donations that I get. Thanks everyone.<br />
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<a href="http://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=836815">http://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=836815</a>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-57959693766822246392014-10-27T20:00:00.001-06:002014-10-27T20:00:51.363-06:00Best Candy EVER!What if I told you that two amazing things smashed into each other to become the best candy ever? You'd be curious about what those two things were, right? Well, it just so happens that Nestle decided to make girl scout candy bars. Say what? Yeah, a candy bar that tastes just like your favorite cookies. I got the caramel coconut (aka Samoa's) as a gift from the PTA. It was basically the best thing I have ever eaten. So, just as a hint to all my blog readers (yes, I'm talking directly to you mom, grandma, and husband) I will love you even more if I get more caramel and coconut girl scout Crunch bars for my birthday or Christmas. (Just fyi, I'm not as much of a fan of mint or peanut butter)<br />
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<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-89911035427421620292014-03-09T16:28:00.000-06:002014-03-09T16:28:21.979-06:00Springville Art Museum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Doug and I are choosing our own adventures every weekend. Our first adventure was to <a href="http://eclecticem.blogspot.com/2014/03/snow-goose-festival-and-topaz.html" target="_blank">the Snow Goose Festival and Topaz Internment ruins</a>. Our second "choose your own adventure" was to the Springville Art Museum. The state high school art competition was hosted on the entire first floor of the museum. The second floor featured Utah artists and Soviet Era art.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.ggpht.com/-msrvL1ubO4c/Uxza6i8OOTI/AAAAAAAAB1A/LbI-rZEVZok/s640/20140302_152202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-msrvL1ubO4c/Uxza6i8OOTI/AAAAAAAAB1A/LbI-rZEVZok/s640/20140302_152202.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite high school pots</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The medium for this piece was cut paper.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cPFAqyMAfUs/UxzadHp2ZGI/AAAAAAAAByo/X_oN7oo1lsQ/s1600/20140302_163125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A really cool sculpture of a deer.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nvzVj6w7DxE/UxzafdWjsjI/AAAAAAAABy4/AeQkhixwNV8/s640/20140302_162856.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A magical mixed media elephant.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nvzVj6w7DxE/UxzafdWjsjI/AAAAAAAABy4/AeQkhixwNV8/s1600/20140302_162856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-TQ_STsULKWE/Uxzagehw7PI/AAAAAAAABzA/xqJ_9i5sCZE/s640/20140302_162734.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td> </tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've seen quilling before but never this intricate or intense, or mounted on a crosscut log.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-TQ_STsULKWE/Uxzagehw7PI/AAAAAAAABzA/xqJ_9i5sCZE/s1600/20140302_162734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've always liked beetles.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-QuZdlwaDYIM/UxzahyMWm9I/AAAAAAAABzI/7muVGLKsy-4/s1600/20140302_162720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rBmLQx_7_H4/UxzazD8idcI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/jRT63_hFMgA/s1600/20140302_154656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rBmLQx_7_H4/UxzazD8idcI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/jRT63_hFMgA/s640/20140302_154656.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This whole jellyfish is ceramic.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1orr7TlT9f0/Uxza0b856dI/AAAAAAAAB0g/rCnbvWJWOok/s640/20140302_154649.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each of the tentacles was suspended by fishing line.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1orr7TlT9f0/Uxza0b856dI/AAAAAAAAB0g/rCnbvWJWOok/s1600/20140302_154649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yi9ikiTj9dM/Uxza2Adb5KI/AAAAAAAAB0o/j2SMwXCp05k/s640/20140302_154545.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The detail in this ink piece named "Rapunzel" were unbelievable.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yi9ikiTj9dM/Uxza2Adb5KI/AAAAAAAAB0o/j2SMwXCp05k/s1600/20140302_154545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If this were for sale I would have bought it for my musical bird loving grandparents.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://lh5.ggpht.com/-msrvL1ubO4c/Uxza6i8OOTI/AAAAAAAAB1A/LbI-rZEVZok/s640/20140302_152202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NsVM32cuO00/Uxza3iC7HHI/AAAAAAAAB0w/Pdlxqn7KPA4/s1600/20140302_154421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jEzd_0weP0o/Uxza5OSqDYI/AAAAAAAAB04/nQEmN2wtXxM/s640/20140302_152313.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was one of the coolest pieces of the entire show. It was made with ink splatters.</td></tr>
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When we were finished with the high school art show we wandered around to see some of the permanent pieces and other exhibits. I've always loved the sculptures in the atrium. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LvMn6fSDcb0/Uxzaw90K5II/AAAAAAAAB0I/dngNK7gr3Jg/s1600/20140302_155356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LvMn6fSDcb0/Uxzaw90K5II/AAAAAAAAB0I/dngNK7gr3Jg/s640/20140302_155356.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This sculpture moves water throughout it and also makes noises.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mwbWi1xpBT4/UxzamkY5NjI/AAAAAAAABzY/NMP9pCLuTow/s1600/20140302_161620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mwbWi1xpBT4/UxzamkY5NjI/AAAAAAAABzY/NMP9pCLuTow/s640/20140302_161620.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm glad airplanes don't actually look like this, but I do like the angles of this sculpture.</td></tr>
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The permanent collection had a few paintings and sculptures that I loved.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dNOdKmhemEY/UxzaldSXKRI/AAAAAAAABzQ/gS94CVo_1_U/s1600/20140302_161758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dNOdKmhemEY/UxzaldSXKRI/AAAAAAAABzQ/gS94CVo_1_U/s640/20140302_161758.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hollyhocks have always been a flower of interest for me.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gP9fZMBco1M/Uxzarxr9ZZI/AAAAAAAABzw/KQyaP7-CjNg/s1600/20140302_155815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gP9fZMBco1M/Uxzarxr9ZZI/AAAAAAAABzw/KQyaP7-CjNg/s640/20140302_155815.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The colors in this canyon were mesmerizing. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-MK1IurpnQq0/Uxzat6i30eI/AAAAAAAABz4/gtzU7K2m4IE/s1600/20140302_155755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-MK1IurpnQq0/Uxzat6i30eI/AAAAAAAABz4/gtzU7K2m4IE/s640/20140302_155755.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Lady Godiva.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-uLD4cKTZMVg/UxzavGuXhDI/AAAAAAAAB0A/eJv84eU8eVo/s1600/20140302_155626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-uLD4cKTZMVg/UxzavGuXhDI/AAAAAAAAB0A/eJv84eU8eVo/s640/20140302_155626.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful natural nursing mother.</td></tr>
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There were a lot of Soviet Era paintings on the second floor. They were all very similar in style and depicted every day life. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eqoqVwpDZco/Uxzaoej3x1I/AAAAAAAABzc/qN7HVCQjDfE/s1600/20140302_160731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eqoqVwpDZco/Uxzaoej3x1I/AAAAAAAABzc/qN7HVCQjDfE/s640/20140302_160731.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This painting must have been at least six feet tall and probably ten feet wide.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jgBgIvgAKQg/Uxzapk9mG-I/AAAAAAAABzo/AoOIcira31w/s1600/20140302_160619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jgBgIvgAKQg/Uxzapk9mG-I/AAAAAAAABzo/AoOIcira31w/s640/20140302_160619.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I liked these cows.</td></tr>
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If you'd like to plan your own visit to the museum, go to their website <a href="http://www.smofa.org/" target="_blank">www.smofa.org</a>. Their exhibits change all the time.
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Lately each weekend Doug and I have been doing activities that we call "choose your own adventure." The name is based on books that were around when we were kids where the reader chose what would happen next and turn to a specific page number to continue the chosen adventure. Our first adventure was to Delta to the Snow Goose Festival. During their migration from Southern California back to Northern Canada, the geese stop at the local reservoir for a much needed rest.</div>
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WqUyDocWMyU/UxzZ5JclP5I/AAAAAAAABwg/-0HeYSgY9sQ/s1600/20140222_132520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WqUyDocWMyU/UxzZ5JclP5I/AAAAAAAABwg/-0HeYSgY9sQ/s640/20140222_132520.jpg" /></a></div>
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After visiting the lake, we went to a Mexican restaurant which had beautiful murals on the walls.</div>
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Down the street was the Great Basin Museum where I got entranced by the ancient TV.</div>
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On the way back to the car we saw a map at the city park of how to get to the site of the historic Topaz Internment Camp. After about a twenty minute drive we arrived at a sage brush field with a sign posted at the corner. We wandered around and saw the ruins.</div>
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On the way back to town we saw some snow geese in a farmer's field.</div>
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I think we chose a pretty good adventure for the first time. It was a long day be we saw some really cool things. If you have any suggestions of adventures, let me know in the comments below or through email.</div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-62453942432485847942014-03-01T11:54:00.000-07:002014-03-01T11:54:48.115-07:00Cardstock Boxes<div style="text-align: center;">
My late great-aunt taught me how to make these boxes and I thought I'd share the fun. </div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4fsRzWLb4co/UxIHJGUJSUI/AAAAAAAABuc/QTyjZ5B6L50/s640/20140228_211649.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Although these are quite small because I started with a 6x6 piece of cardstock, you can start with a much bigger square for bigger boxes. If you want a bottom and top to your box, just cut a second piece of cardstock a little bit smaller than the first and slip the smaller one inside the bigger one once the boxes are complete.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You will need: </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a square piece of cardstock (paper is too flimsy for anything but practice)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a ruler</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a pencil</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
scissors</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
glue or double stick tape</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a hard surface for folding</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a hard instrument (like a bone folder) to make sharp creases</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3s6S7AzBPn0/UxID1EP7S9I/AAAAAAAABqs/7QXrVu1T-ug/s640/20140228_210001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Start with a square piece of cardstock.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RxLSBNTyY7k/UxID2s4dG5I/AAAAAAAABq0/q7NdsvIObd0/s640/20140228_210025.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turn it over. Then draw a line in the middle from one corner to the other.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--NrbiO2j7sA/UxID3SFmIrI/AAAAAAAABq8/gUYJL8dNFJM/s640/20140228_210037.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Draw one the other direction too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gPwyRaNWnOA/UxID4XWPGLI/AAAAAAAABrE/QfPSn46ugZ4/s640/20140228_210045.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You will end up with an "X" in the middle of you paper.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kHDdC3OqCjI/UxID5dsbgOI/AAAAAAAABrM/z1MwQ5ZV06g/s640/20140228_210120.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fold a corner to touch the center of the "X." Make very sharp creases; I used a bone folder.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-SkFHv_quldg/UxID6t_BIcI/AAAAAAAABrU/m6lYpDV9otU/s640/20140228_210201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Repeat on the opposite side.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-z2rHdeYUDjY/UxID8UoOunI/AAAAAAAABrY/2-WGEpLknRo/s640/20140228_210245.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then fold the third corner to the center.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-k7HYLfxGx74/UxID-TH1e4I/AAAAAAAABrk/RLzxwrO1Khc/s640/20140228_210328.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And repeat with the final corner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-m3-YF3pD0nA/UxID_cCExvI/AAAAAAAABrs/MxYtj2uGZAg/s640/20140228_210421.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fold the right side to the center.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CiQ1u5lwZOU/UxIEAWBdUDI/AAAAAAAABr0/0sZ1Uk5OQAs/s640/20140228_210605.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Repeat wit the left side.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kbjxB3Y2hbo/UxIEBkWw64I/AAAAAAAABr8/onjKZvNceeE/s640/20140228_210618.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unfold, then fold the top and bottom toward the center.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-D6hNb-F9c4Y/UxIECQt9B0I/AAAAAAAABsE/f9c4xQPJNgo/s640/20140228_210544.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After folding each side to the center your box should look something like this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cJMsQVNUHpo/UxIEDmepkuI/AAAAAAAABsM/-ozRGrykmDE/s640/20140228_210744.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unfold completely and cut along the sections I have marked with pencil.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qEF_84F3Vrg/UxIEEY7TRNI/AAAAAAAABsU/cJXuvTt5Zfo/s640/20140228_210840.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After you cut, your cardstock should look like this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WoBe1f-vuqE/UxIEFe-rP-I/AAAAAAAABsY/hCmK6xfH2VQ/s640/20140228_210911.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fold the two points that have more material toward the center.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ruFHIpcyw9s/UxIEGbxXw9I/AAAAAAAABsk/hiyWpgRJDGs/s640/20140228_210933.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You will end up with two pointy flaps on each side.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-bmUhcVU38-0/UxIEHSS9esI/AAAAAAAABss/CdpyyONmn2Q/s640/20140228_211015.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bring them together.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rKVmhRRI-fE/UxIEIfRdogI/AAAAAAAABs0/Tif6_dDFauM/s640/20140228_211025.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Press them toward the bottom of the box.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jnVfCzIQXqE/UxIEJeIjhFI/AAAAAAAABs8/UsLrea7BLKM/s640/20140228_211155.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bring the corner up and fold it over those pointy flaps.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-EExnCPS0pWw/UxIEKsUhTOI/AAAAAAAABtE/kyQl0js5QYo/s640/20140228_211207.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get everything snug inside this fold.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yWJWrVmki-s/UxIEMuK7xTI/AAAAAAAABtM/7MbfoBFiSvg/s640/20140228_211219.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Press the triangle into the center with some glue or double stick tape.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WcsUAkwYxwU/UxIENpOVRAI/AAAAAAAABtU/HJ40lO7Q0ps/s640/20140228_211239.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Repeat joining the pointy flaps on the other side.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bsOZu5UQ-GE/UxIEO-N4WkI/AAAAAAAABtc/-BhNEIftm3k/s640/20140228_211250.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fold over the corner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6SVAJiVJ36Q/UxIEQIqf5qI/AAAAAAAABtk/CjPFlFQ35pk/s640/20140228_211258.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make it all nice and tight.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6Wbgxf1dJOQ/UxIERO28pCI/AAAAAAAABts/q0uYxgABuoY/s640/20140228_211356.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuck it in, glue it, and Ta Da! your box is complete.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wlqyeKQ85bc/UxIHIDiFAZI/AAAAAAAABuU/yzSpBaFT-cU/s640/20140228_211731.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made three boxes with similar prints of cardstock.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This is my first in-depth step-by-step tutorial with pictures. Please let me know in the comments</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
if you try this, how it works, and what could have been more clear. Thanks!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4fsRzWLb4co/UxIHJGUJSUI/AAAAAAAABuc/QTyjZ5B6L50/s1600/20140228_211649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-87876874145217362062013-11-05T14:43:00.001-07:002013-11-05T14:43:54.438-07:00One Step CloserOn Saturday, October 19 at 3pm I took the Praxis test for English content knowledge. To be able to teach in my lovely state I had to get at least 162. When I left the testing center I was nervous. It was hard for me to tell how well I had done. Today I logged on to the official website to get my score. The test is 130 questions but the questions are weighted differently and they throw out some questions. It's a pretty crazy scoring system and there's basically no way to figure out if you passed based on raw scores. On the score report sheet it says "Possible Range Score" 100-200 and next to that my score: 197! I'm officially one step closer to being a certified English teacher.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-71925437042911014502013-10-02T18:02:00.001-06:002013-10-02T18:02:32.890-06:00Call Your RepresentativeI have lived in the United States for my entire life. I have voted in every election (excluding some primaries) since I turned 18. I take my civic responsibilities pretty seriously. However, in light of recent events, my elected officials in Washington do not. They were voted in to represent me as an American. Unfortunately they have failed me. Instead of ranting on and on about their incompetence on this blog, I called Senators Hatch and Lee and was reduced to emailing Representative Chaffetz because his voice-mail box was full. Whether or not you vote, you have someone representing you in Washington. I urge you to call their office or email them and let them know how the government shutdown makes you feel. If you do not know who your elected officials are you can find out at <a href="http://whoismyrepresentative.com/">http://whoismyrepresentative.com</a>.<br />
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"For in reason, all government without the consent of the governed is the very definition of slavery." Jonathan Swift</div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-6680567787457931532013-09-17T20:37:00.003-06:002013-09-17T20:38:16.108-06:00One (or eight) hot carsSo I haven't posted forever, which I am aware of, but I also don't care that much because I am working hard in school and focusing my efforts on things of higher priority on my list. My day consisted of leaving for school at 8:45, spending almost 6 hours in class, watching a car fire, then spending another hour and 15 minutes in class, then finally getting home at 7:15. What's that you say? You want to know more about said car fire? Well, here is a movie (I did not film it; it's too long but the best part is from minute 2 to 3ish so just skip around as necessary). Please ignore the ignorance of the commenters of this movie.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/fbFE4fS_NMI?rel=0" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
I saw the car smoking as I walked to class but it just looked like someone's radiator had overheated. Once in class I heard the firetruck siren and exclaimed, "Oh my heck, that car really was on fire!" More than half of my class proceeded to run out into the hallway to the window with the best view. I feel bad for saying it, but cars on fire were the coolest thing I've seen at school.<br />
<br />
Here are two links to the story on the<a href="http://www.uvureview.com/2013/09/17/car-fire-erupts-in-the-parking-lot-of-the-uvu-library/" target="_blank"> UVU Review website</a> and the <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56885389-78/taylor-car-fire-lot.html.csp" target="_blank">Salt Lake Tribune's website</a>.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-64885833660727204932013-06-30T22:14:00.002-06:002013-06-30T22:14:42.360-06:00The Road Home<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
<i>I read this poem in my contemporary British literature class on Friday. If you have any thoughts about it, I would love to hear them.</i></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
<b>The Road Home<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
By Gillian Allnut<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
It is the road to God<br />
that matters now, the ragged road, the wood.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
And if you will, drop pebbles
here and there<br />
like Hansel, Gretel, right where<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
they’ll shine<br />
in the wilful light of the moon.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
You won’t be going back to the
hut<br />
where father, mother plot<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
the <em>cul de sac</em> of the
world<br />
in a field<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
that’s permanently full<br />
of people<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
looking for a festival<br />
of literature, a fairy tale,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
a feathered<br />
nest of brothers, sisters. Would<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
that first world, bared now to
the word<br />
<em>God</em>, wade<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: 0.5in;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-right: .5in;">
with you, through wood, into the
weald and weather<br />
of the stars?<i style="line-height: 150%;"> </i></div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-64549160911467866892013-03-01T22:26:00.002-07:002013-03-01T22:33:54.818-07:00Season 3I just finished season 3 of Downton Abbey. I'm still sad about Lady Cybil. And the whole Thomas situation was completely unhistorical but I liked the way it turned out. Now it's only ten months and four days until season 4 airs. Hooray! It will be like Christmas morning.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-9251606107224559842013-02-27T17:11:00.000-07:002013-02-27T17:11:02.253-07:00The Short StoryThis is the story I referenced in my previous post. I am including the brief introduction of why I decided to write it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I, like
Nathaniel Hawthorne, have ancestors who have committed atrocities. I
don't know of any who directly killed a Native American, but they
were settlers in the area and time period of the Blackhawk war in
central Utah. The current conditions of tribes forced to live on
reservations breaks my heart. I have often avoided thinking or
learning about what has happened to these people as a result of my
ancestors because it is just too painful to me. The following story
was inspired by Hawthorne's stories dealing with his guilt over his
ancestors actions.</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Purchase</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My truck rolled
across the dusty two acres that were finally mine.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Twenty nine
years,” I said to myself thinking of the graveyard shift that I'd
worked at the steel mill for the better part of my life. I left the
reservation when I was eighteen. I had hopes of going to college, but
fell victim to the bottle instead. It was hard to be a dark in a town
where dark meant Mexican and lazy. When I turned things around the
steel mill was the only place that would hire a guy like me. I didn't
mind working nights. It was dark and gave me time to think.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Night work also
gave me time to sell beaded leather at craft fairs on weekends.
During my breaks in the middle of the ebony night each bead was
hand-sewn onto moccasins, bracelets, belts, purses, anything the rich
housewives could find a need for. I can't complain too much, all that
cash went to buy my land.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Not much,” I
muttered to myself after surveying each direction for the fence, “but
it's mine.” I stopped the old Ford suddenly to avoid a rock in the
middle of my path.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Well, she needs
work, but that's to be expected,” I said as I got out of the truck
to roll the rock to the side. As I bent down to move the stone, my
beaded belt unexpectedly popped loose and flew under a giant, gray
sagebrush.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Aw shucks,
that's never happened,” I murmured as I went to retrieve it.
Stooping down, a small sliver of bumpy crimson caught my eye. Right
next to my beaded belt, there were more beads.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I'll be,” I
whispered with spiritual awe as I stood up and dusted off the beads.
I held the token in my right hand and lifted it next to the belt in
my left. The leather was brittle and cracked. It was translucent
enough to be buckskin. But nobody used buckskin anymore. Turning it
round and round, I stared at the ancient beauty that I had
discovered. That's when it hit me. The crimson diamond pattern on the
medallion mimicked the sacred pattern of my tribe. No, it didn't
mimic the pattern, it was the original. This was my land all along.</div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-13522711236281012772013-02-27T17:06:00.000-07:002013-02-27T17:06:34.197-07:00I am me, and I am goodToday I had as sort of spiritual awakening. Since December, and the last time I posted, I have been in a slump. I got so depressed about the events in Newtown that I felt like anything I could write was trivial. Then there was Christmas, busy and fun, then school started again in January. I am taking six classes, 18 credit hours and it is intense. I had been busy before, but I had made time for the things I enjoyed. In the last few months something felt different. I didn't feel like I deserved anything for myself. I felt like I had to do all those things on the list, on my syllabuses, and if I fell behind I would be lost. But I wasn't putting "me" into the work. The things I said and did were generic and, ironically, I was lost.<br />
<br />
After not going to school last Thursday and a non-productive weekend, I decided I need to get it together. I reminded myself that I am in school and going to become an English teacher because it is what I love. English as a subject and the humanities in general are about helping people find out who they are and how they relate to the world. The last few days I have been putting so much more effort into everything I'm doing.<br />
<br />
Then today happened. I woke up and had to write a rushed paper for my American Literature class. We had just finished reading some short stories and <i>The Blithedale Romance</i> by Nathaniel Hawthorne and my response was due by 2:30. Luckily my teacher has this philosophy that "you are the writer" so we can basically write whatever we want as long as it doesn't suck. So I wrote my paper. And I put my heart into it. And I liked it. Until I got to school. Then I saw my teacher in the hallway and blurted out, "I wrote a really great short story in response to Hawthorne." And then she asked me to read it aloud in class. And I didn't think it was so great anymore. I started questioning everything I had written and got that dreadful knot of fear in the pit of my stomach. She said to think about it and we parted with an hour and a half before class.<br />
<br />
So I get to class, and she looks at me. And it's that look. That teacher look of "You need to read your paper." I really didn't want to and I told her my thoughts on the matter. She asked me to come into the hall with her. There she talked to me the most honestly any teacher ever has. She said that she has been waiting all semester for the moment we had in the hall earlier that day. For the moment when a student gets it; when they connects with the literature. She said that I would be the axe that broke the thin layer of ice that had been covering our class. And I still didn't want to. I was terrified of rejection. She asked me "What is the worst that could happen?" and I replied that "the Earth could open up and I would fall into that deep pit." We laughed, and then seriously I said "People wouldn't like it." Which is a really serious thing to me. For some reason I strive for acceptance. But, in the moment, I decided that I liked my story, I thought it was good, and that was all that mattered. And so I read my story.<br />
<br />
It feels silly writing about it now but I felt so empowered. I was telling my words that I had written with my heart and had come from my soul to these people. And they were listening to me. Granted, they were a captive audience, but they were listening.<br />
<br />
I easily trap myself into comparing myself to others. Unfortunately it has gotten worse with blogging which partially another reason I haven't blogged lately. I felt like what I wanted to say wasn't important compared to what so many others were talking about. I decided that I don't care anymore. My words have power. Even if they are only read by me. My words are important.<br />
<br />
I am me, and I am good.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-53361493723686672352012-12-13T23:19:00.001-07:002012-12-13T23:24:46.510-07:00My Wrapped GiftsYou know how around Christmas your recycle bin overflows with paper products? It starts with the boxes from the gifts that were shipped to you, then it ends up being full of the packing material (be it plastic bubble-wrap or brown paper) and in the end it is full of wrapping paper after the Christmas day tornado of unwrapping. This year I decided to skip a few trips out to the recycle bin. Every time a box came I carefully unfolded the paper used as padding and stashed it in my gift wrapping supplies. I may have even ironed some of it if it was extra wrinkled. <br />
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So when it came time to wrap my gifts I opened up my sewing table to wrap on, pulled out all the brown craft paper, and got down to business. If anyone is wondering why my sewing table is so beat up, it's because it's sixty years old. Someday I'll do a post about my amazing Pfaff 130 which is also sixty years old but sews better than any machine I've ever used. <br />
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I printed the super cute labels for free from <a href="http://freshpickedwhimsy.typepad.com/fresh_picked_whimsy/2012/11/its-the-hap-happiest-season-of-all.html">fresh picked whimsey</a>. Then I just cut them out and attached them with tape. <br />
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My helpful husband was out getting super secret deals at the mall (he paid cash so I can't even spy on what store he was shopping at on the bank statement) and stopped at the dollar store to get some ribbon.<br />
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Whenever I have a gift that won't fit in a box I already have, I raid the pantry for cereal boxes. The cereal isn't any fresher in the box so I just make sure the bag is sealed and put it back on the shelf.<br />
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When they're all done and dressed up you may never guess that the paper was leftover from packaging. And the best part about it? My wrapping cost $1.07 for the ribbon. That's it. And I'm not double contributing to the recycle bin with even more paper. It feels good giving gifts to both my loved ones, and to the environment.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-49805885859039865382012-12-10T20:16:00.001-07:002012-12-10T20:19:05.886-07:00Ach!I hate that it's been over a month without any blog posts. But school comes first. I am done with two of my classes for this semester. I just have a few more papers to finish up, a final Tuesday afternoon, and a final Wednesday morning. Then I'll have all the time in the world to blog. And catch up on cleaning my house. And make all those Christmas presents that I haven't had time for. And do all those fun Christmas activities that I have planned. Those should make lots of fun posts. Thanks for sticking around even though I'm mostly absent.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-1612803211849597132012-11-09T22:09:00.001-07:002012-11-09T22:09:10.045-07:00My Snow FamilyWhen I got home from work I snuggled onto the couch and started knitting. Then my amazing husband made me grandma chocolate, which is what I call Mexican hot chocolate because it's called Abuelita and has a picture of a grandma on it. It's pretty much the best drink ever. After awhile of relaxing, I decided that Doug and I should make a snow family. He made a snow person before I got home from work but she needed some friends. So I put on my hat, coat, and boots, and he put on his jacket and flip flops and we started building. An hour later we had a handsome mustached snowman, a snow-hound, and a snow cat. Aren't they cute?<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T7gSKPK9bGo/UJ3fEwsMmFI/AAAAAAAABQo/lvb_4IsFpxY/s1600/031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T7gSKPK9bGo/UJ3fEwsMmFI/AAAAAAAABQo/lvb_4IsFpxY/s640/031.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left to right: Snow Doug, Snow Biscuit, Snow Emily, and Snow Penny</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's amazing how accurately this family depicts our actual family dynamics. I'm usually keeping the dog away from the cat and the cat somehow always ends up between Doug and I, especially when we're sleeping. Doug is farthest from the dog because she annoys him the most often. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KBTeSlqcbfw/UJ3fF-jSMAI/AAAAAAAABQw/qZ-TL5Fd2x0/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KBTeSlqcbfw/UJ3fF-jSMAI/AAAAAAAABQw/qZ-TL5Fd2x0/s640/032.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Snow-Hound</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oXy8X_v2UN8/UJ3fG0LLv7I/AAAAAAAABQ4/ri-tGRR4kcw/s1600/033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oXy8X_v2UN8/UJ3fG0LLv7I/AAAAAAAABQ4/ri-tGRR4kcw/s640/033.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow me? Yes, it is. Do you like my beautiful leaf outfit?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g6FF9yLECtU/UJ3fHhaNURI/AAAAAAAABRA/RGxlUtha_TQ/s1600/034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g6FF9yLECtU/UJ3fHhaNURI/AAAAAAAABRA/RGxlUtha_TQ/s640/034.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow Biscuit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/---VXz7CcE2s/UJ3fIdUBVOI/AAAAAAAABRI/WTaMQDRc_xA/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/---VXz7CcE2s/UJ3fIdUBVOI/AAAAAAAABRI/WTaMQDRc_xA/s640/035.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow Doug, note the handsome mustache</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sX8SOZb6ACs/UJ3fJPlg2EI/AAAAAAAABRQ/dkV4THJOols/s1600/036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sX8SOZb6ACs/UJ3fJPlg2EI/AAAAAAAABRQ/dkV4THJOols/s640/036.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Happy Snow Family</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bHjA-uCQKIQ/UJ3fJ0eYMcI/AAAAAAAABRY/Bhe_RuON-hw/s1600/040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bHjA-uCQKIQ/UJ3fJ0eYMcI/AAAAAAAABRY/Bhe_RuON-hw/s640/040.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even though it's blurry, this is how light it was at 9:30 at night without the flash</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-40257311983672794692012-11-09T16:27:00.002-07:002012-11-09T16:32:22.058-07:00No News IS Good News!I just got word that my wonderful best friend will only have to have 10 shots and not intense chemo as long as her body reacts well. This is such a relief.<br />
<br />
If you don't know what I'm talking about, check it out <a href="http://eclecticem.blogspot.com/2012/11/so-many-things.html">here</a> and <a href="http://eclecticem.blogspot.com/2012/11/no-news-is-good-news.html">here</a>.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-23566808014577265742012-11-09T15:51:00.001-07:002012-11-09T16:03:41.984-07:00No News is Good News?First, thank you to everyone who has been worried about me. I didn't want to make people worry but I had to get it off my chest. I just couldn't bring myself to talk about the specifics of it yet. I couldn't force myself to write down what was happening. But now I will.<br />
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In September my best friend of 12 years excitedly told me she was pregnant. I was happy for her but also nervous because the father wasn't the greatest guy in my opinion. But I supported her because I love her and after seeing how much support she was getting from her family I knew she could do it. In the middle of October she went to hear her baby's heart beat but they only heard the hum of the machines. So they did an ultrasound and found that she had a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molar_pregnancy">molar pregnancy</a> and that there was no baby. She had surgery the next day and had to go back to the hospital with complications after the outpatient surgery. She was in the ICU for awhile because of a thyroid storm and fluid in her lungs. Everything was fixed (except her broken heart) and she was released from the hospital a few days later.<br />
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They did follow up tests to make sure her hCG levels were returning to normal. But they weren't, which is an indication of a cancer called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choriocarcinoma">Choriocarcinoma</a>. She went in for CT scans earlier this week. If it hasn't spread she will get shots of a low dose drug to kill the rest of it in her uterus. I'm assuming they'd use methotrexate since it's specifically mentioned in the Wikipedia article about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choriocarcinoma">Choriocarcinoma</a>. If it has spread she will have to undergo full on intense chemotherapy with the hair loss and everything. Since she had problems with her lungs in the hospital they're more worried about it having spread.<br />
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So, it's Friday and the CT scans results are supposed to be here. But for some reason they didn't do all of the scans that they needed to because of a paperwork mix-up or some garbage, so she had to go back to get more scans done. And we're all still waiting for the results...Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-5444788491312254242012-11-07T19:48:00.000-07:002012-11-07T19:48:34.353-07:00So Many ThingsI feel like so many things are going on that I should have a ton of stuff to post about. But then when I sit down and start to write, I realize that everything I feel so busy with is mental. I'm not doing a ton of fun activities like over the summer, but I'm doing a lot of reading, writing, and thinking for school. I'm thinking about my future and often about my past. And it's hard. The first time I was in school I felt like I could take a long time because I had graduated from high school with so many college credits. Now, I feel like I can't mess up. My semesters are planned so rigidly that I cannot fall behind. I'm doing well so far so I shouldn't worry but it's so much pressure.<br />
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And then there's "The Thing". The thing that I refuse to talk about because if I don't talk about it, it will go away, right? "The Thing" that I keep hoping isn't true and keep praying can't exist but I won't know until Friday. "The Thing" that will change lives, not my life the most, but it will definitely affect me. It's the thing that makes me stare out the window of the bus but not see a thing that passes by. It's the thing that makes me shake my head in the middle of a lecture so I can focus again. It's the thing that makes my stomach hurt, that I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about. "The Thing" is at the point where, if it's there, there is only one way to fix it. A hard, painful, long way. A tearful, stressful, sick way. A way that breaks you down so far you may wish you were dead from the very thing you're trying to fix. I keep hoping with all my heart that "The Thing" in this case is just a myth. I keep reminding myself not to be upset because we don't know yet. And I just keep waiting...Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-10408057089342835862012-10-31T16:16:00.000-06:002012-10-31T16:16:33.429-06:00Happy Halloween!I don't know what I am (a ballerina? a missing model from America's Next Top Model? an evil queen? a girl who didn't know what to be but did cool makeup and wore black?). It looks cool and scary right? Thanks for the pictures Rachel! (The little bear is my sweetie nephew Chai).<br />
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<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-89577362230729017222012-10-30T23:17:00.000-06:002012-10-31T07:27:35.978-06:00Random Acts of Craftiness: Copper Pipe Make-up Brush HolderThis month's random act of craftiness challenge was to make an original creation with odds and ends from the hardware store. I have wanted a holder for my make-up brushes so I set out to find something that would work. I drove over to <a href="http://www.habitat.org/restores" target="_blank">ReStore</a> and found a beautiful copper pipe for $1.50. It even had some verdigris patches which gave it more personality.<br />
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My brushes were in a copper pail with the rest of my make-up but they kept getting lost in the shuffle. <br />
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Every morning I had to empty the whole bucket and lay everything out on the counter then put it all away when I was finished (which rarely happened). Everything usually stayed piled on the counter because it had to go back in such a specific order. The bigger items in the middle, smaller items around, then the brushes filled in the spaces.<br />
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Now I don't have to worry about the brushes getting damaged because they're next to the pail instead of in it! Woohoo!<br />
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I started out using a hack saw to cut my pipe. It was a long and unhappy process. At the end of my patience with sawing I opened a hole about 1/3 of the way around the pipe, stuck in tin snips and cut the rest of the way around. That resulted in a very uneven edge but it was kind of artsy so I left it. I just won't let kids use my make-up any time soon. After the frustration of the hacksaw and the tin snips I decided to bend the final piece of pipe in half.<br />
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I arranged the pipe pieces in a pretty way and hot glued the end pieces to the middle bent piece. Then I stuck in my brushes and viola! A beautiful solution to a first world problem. <br />
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It probably would have been easier if I would have gone to a normal hardware store and got pre-cut pieces of pipe but then it wouldn't have been as full of <strike>frustration and cursing</strike> whimsy and personality.<br />
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Check out what everyone else made <a href="http://his-and-hers-blog.blogspot.com/2012/10/industrial-pipe-tealight-holder-link.html" target="_blank">here</a>! <br />
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-20796331313921134702012-10-18T23:07:00.000-06:002012-10-18T23:10:12.424-06:00Our House GuestToday we had an unexpected guest grace our house with his presence. After I got home from school I was relaxing on the couch with my laptop when I glanced up and saw a furry, four legged creature with whiskers and a tail on the floor. Seeing fur and a tails is a common occurrence at my house since we have a cat and a dog. This guest was in addition to my furry, four legged pets. It was a small brown mouse. I said with surprise, "Oh, Doug, I just saw a mouse." I'm not afraid of mice but I don't enjoy them being in my house. At this time of year mice always find their way in from the cold and end up in our old basement apartment. Usually the fearless tuna eater Biscuit kills our mouse guests before we notice them running around. Doug went and got Biscuit and I went into the other room so I didn't have to see the mouse meet his fate. But for some reason Biscuit was uninterested. So Doug put on work gloves and tried to pull Mr. Mouse out of his bookshelf house. It wasn't working so Doug asked me to shove <a href="http://eclecticem.blogspot.com/2012/08/ombrella-handle.html" target="_blank">my ombrella</a> in the crack to scare him out. He scurried his way into the container that Doug had waiting for him. <br />
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Isn't he a cutie? We kind of wanted to keep him as a pet but didn't think it would be fair to him since we also have a cat. Doug gave that mouse a cookie (but it did not ask for milk) and we took him on a car ride to the field next to my work. Doug took him to a nice grassy knoll and opened the box. Mr. Mouse jumped out and ran off to find a new home.<br />
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I'm so grateful to have married a man who will spend an extra half hour capturing the mouse and releasing it into the wild instead of just killing it. I love animals so much and it's great to have a husband who is also kindhearted to all living things.<br />
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Which house guests have you had to relocate? Which ones do you wish you could relocate (I like my in-laws but I know some people would like to release theirs into a field) ?Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-57363215909943289572012-10-15T21:55:00.001-06:002012-10-15T21:55:31.475-06:00I'm in!I have been waiting to officially share the news because I didn't want to jinx anything but now everything is all clear. I have been accepted to the school of secondary education. What does that mean exactly? It means I'm on my way to being a teacher. You're saying "but it's only your first semester!" Well, you are correct. But, since I'm planning to finish in a short 5 semesters, including a jam packed summer, I needed to get going.<br />
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I met with the secondary education advisor at the beginning of September to make sure my planned schedule would work. I was originally planning on applying in the spring to start my education classes fall of 2013. He said it would work but that I could apply for spring semester and get started sooner if I wanted to. And so I did. I turned in my application by October 1, had my interview on October 3, and got my acceptance letter on October 10. Today I got fingerprinted for my background check, on Friday I take a pre-assesment to figure out what I already know, and on Monday the 29th at 12:01am I register for classes. I'm so excited!Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-19889014518732741462012-10-11T00:12:00.000-06:002012-10-11T11:32:23.636-06:00An Evening with Lois LowryYes, for real, I finally got to meet my favorite author Lois Lowry. This post is going to be kind of long because I'm so excited to write down everything I learned from her and to share it will all of you. I was hanging on every word. My wonderful local library hosted Ms. Lowry as a speaker and then had a book signing. I invited my lovely mom to attend this event with me because she is reading <i>Number the Stars</i> with her elementary school reading group. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The most unflattering picture of both of us but the best one I got.</td></tr>
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Ms. Lowry spoke for about 45 minutes, had a short question and answer portion, and then signed books. My mom took wonderful notes while she was speaking which I will now summarize with the help of my awesome memory. Everything may not be exact so don't quote me without further research, but I'll try to be fairly accurate.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lois Lowry while speaking. Unfortunately it was a night of unflattering photos. Anyone want to get me a new camera?</td></tr>
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On October 3rd <i>Son</i>, the final book in The Giver quartet, was released. The purpose of Ms. Lowry's visit was to promote that final book and give us some insight as to how all of the books came about. The most common question she gets from readers is "How did you come up with the idea for <i>The Giver</i>?" It came about when she asked herself what she always asks herself before writing a story, "What if..." Ms. Lowry had been vising her aging and forgetful father in a nursing home in Virginia. She and her brother had given their father a photo album with pictures from throughout his life to help him remember things, including his favorite car, a Chrysler 300 that cost $3000, the same amount as her first year of tuition at Brown. While looking through the album he saw a photo of Lois' sister Helen with Lois. He remembered who Helen was but wondered what happened to her. Lois had to tell him that her sister had died. When he heard this news the grief and loss was as if it were the first time he heard about it. A few moments later he came across another photo of Lois and her sister as teenagers and again wondered what happened to Helen. Ms. Lowry repeated that her sister had died. Again, her father reacted as if it were the first time he had heard the news and was grief stricken. While she was driving back to the airport to go home to Boston she asked herself "What if there were a place where you could control memory? Where you could obliterate any frightening or sad memories?" And the basis for <i>The Giver</i> was created.<br />
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The character came to her as a twelve year old boy named Jonas. Whenever she thinks of a character they have a name when they come to her. She doesn't have to look up names in the phone book; her characters are born in her imagination with a name. The book had to take place in the future where a perfected community was possible. In the first few pages of Ms. Lowry's books she lets the reader know what the book is about and introduces a problem. She usually starts a book knowing the beginning and vaguely knowing the end but she makes up the middle without an outline because she likes surprises along the way. <br />
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Ms. Lowry hadn't planned on writing any sequels.<i> The Giver</i> was to be a stand alone book with an optimistic ending. But kids didn't like the ambiguity of the end. They wanted a concrete answer about Jonas' fate instead of imagining it for themselves (she then blamed TV for the loss of imagination). <br />
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The second book <i>Gathering Blue</i> also started with some "What if..." questions. What if a community didn't have the technology to make things better? What if they regressed and didn't have any technology, not even electricity? It is set in the same time period as <i>The Giver</i> but the community is totally opposite. <i>Gathering Blue</i> gave Lois Lowry a chance to let everyone know that Jonas was alive and well, even though it doesn't come right out and say it.<br />
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Ms. Lowry always liked the character of Matt in <i>Gathering Blue</i>. The third book <i>Messenger</i> becomes his story as a teenager.<br />
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Once people were satisfied with Jonas' well being, they wanted to know what happened to the baby Gabe. And so <i>Son</i> was written. Although it answers questions about Gabe it focuses on his mother's journey to find him. Ms. Lowry told a true story about a family whose four year old son went missing while camping in Maine. No trace of him was ever found. The loss of a child and never knowing what happened prompted Lowry to write <i>Son</i> from Gabe's mother's perspective. The working title of this book was actually <i>Birth Mother</i> but was changed to <i>Son</i> before publication, partially because Ms. Lowry didn't think any boys would read a book called <i>Birth Mother</i> (she was probably right).<br />
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So that's the story of<i> The Giver</i> quartet. Here are a few other interesting things I learned while she was speaking: <br />
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<li>Only 5 authors, including Lois Lowry, have won the Newberry Award twice.</li>
<li><i>Autumn Sky </i>and <i>A Summer To Die</i> are autobiographical. </li>
<li>It is easier for her to write a girl character.</li>
<li>Her son died in a military aircraft crash.</li>
<li>She started as a photo journalist. </li>
<li>The cover of <i>Number the Stars </i>is a photograph she took when she did portraits of children.</li>
<li>The sled at the end of <i>The Giver</i> is supposed to have a fantasy and magic about it.</li>
<li>Her favorite character in all of her books is Matt.</li>
<li>Only the natural objects in <i>The Giver</i> have color, an apple, flowers, the girls hair, his eyes. Man-made objects didn't need color.</li>
<li><i>The Giver</i> can be read as a religious allegory, or not, depending on what you bring to the story. </li>
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My all time favorite thing that she said while speaking was, "You're reading a different book than the one I wrote." She elaborated by saying that everyone brings different parts of their own lives to a story and they will have different insights because of it. I hope I will remember that when I'm an English teacher and that I will help my students have close relationships with the literature they read.<br />
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So after all the talking was the book signing. We had to wait for about an hour before it was our turn. I was so excited to be so close to such a literary master. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm almost there with my armful of books!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh! It's her! She's signing my books! It was a thrilling moment.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can imagine she was super tired by this point. I was so appreciative of her time.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IhVAF947w0g/UHZMiP6VVsI/AAAAAAAABI8/yD8P_d-VkG8/s1600/Lois+Lowry+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IhVAF947w0g/UHZMiP6VVsI/AAAAAAAABI8/yD8P_d-VkG8/s640/Lois+Lowry+028.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom got even more books signed, again, for me.</td></tr>
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I am now the proud and grateful owner of <i>The Giver, Gathering Blue, Messenger, </i>and <i>Son</i> "For Emily, Lois Lowry."<br />
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Please remember that what I have said in this post is based on my memory and my mom's notes. Please verify any information before you claim it as fact. If you'd like to read more about Lois Lowry, you can visit her website <a href="http://www.loislowry.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Who is your favorite author, favorite book, and why?Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-39757953079366513692012-09-26T16:24:00.000-06:002012-09-28T11:27:35.191-06:00Random Acts of Craftiness: Jacks Lampshade<div style="text-align: center;">
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The day has arrived. It's the Random Acts of Craftiness due date. Luckily this is pass/fail based purely on participation. Even though I feel like I failed, I participated, so I passed, woohoo! When Erin gave us the assignment of crafting with game pieces I drew a blank. There were way too many options. Finally I thought of the the simple game of jacks, played with a ball and metal pointy thing, yes indeed, called jacks. I attempted to make a lampshade.<br />
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After much measuring I thought I knew how many jacks I needed. One jack every square inch should have added up to just over 90 jacks. So I ordered 96. Well... I should have ordered closer to 200, or maybe even 400 if I put them closer together. <br />
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Since I didn't know how this would turn out and I didn't want to sacrifice my existing shade, I built a wire frame for my lampshade. It just consisted of bending wires until they made a circle and some stands. <br />
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Then fishing line and a few mornings watching The Price is Right before school and this is what I ended up with. <br />
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I love the shape of jacks. They are so fun. <br />
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As you can see from this beauty shot, I didn't have enough to even get half way done. But I got the front side finished.<br />
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My husband likes them closer together. What do you think? <br />
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I have been so busy going back to school that this is as far as I got on this project (and I got this far on it this morning, on the linky party due date). I have intentions of buying more jacks and spending more time tying them together with fishing line while watching The Price is Right. I just haven't had time to do it yet. I think I'll change the shade to a different lamp though. This one has too much silver.<br />
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I'm super impressed with everyone's projects who have linked up so far. Good job crafters!Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3480030767932306572.post-29042973692154397912012-09-13T21:40:00.003-06:002012-09-28T11:27:04.495-06:00An Answer to MoMo,<br />
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I apologize for not answering your question on Tuesday before I got off the bus. I've thought about your question for the last two days. I was expecting to see you on the bus again today to give you an answer. For whatever reason you weren't there. But I still have an answer for you (even though you don't know about my blog because I don't give personal information to random people on the bus).<br />
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The short answer is, I just do. I doubt you wanted such a brief answer when you asked "How do you keep doing it when school gets hard?" I don't think of any alternative. Quitting isn't an option. As soon as the thought of quitting crosses my mind, I throw it out like the month old Indian food in the depths of my refrigerator. I can either do my best or do my best. Those are the only two options I give myself.<br />
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I used to get trapped comparing myself to other students. They'd go above and beyond, turning assignments in early, making study guides, and coming to school extremely early only to leave a few hours before they'd have to return the next day. I got so discouraged because I would never be a good student like they are. Then I realized that I'm not them. I don't have to do what they do to be a good student. I just have to do my personal best. I make goals for myself. If I don't meet those goals then I've let myself down. Instead of dwelling on it I remind myself that the next day I can do better than the day before and that's all that matters; improving myself every day with only my previous self to compare against.<br />
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Think about all you've sacrificed to go to school. You came all the way from Tonga. Your parents got your started on the path to American citizenship. That's amazing! You seemed impressed that I already have a bachelors degree at 24 and that I'll have a second one in a little less than two years. But I'm impressed that you are in a whole new country, going to school, and learning the confusing bus system. Even though you're in your first semester, you've sacrificed enough that it's worth it for you to keep trying your best and to finish. Eventually you'll have enough classes finished that you're more than half way to graduating.<br />
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There are people to help you. Parents, friends, classmates, teachers, advisers, and many other people invested in your education. But when it comes down to it, your name will be on the diploma and you will have to do the work to earn it. You have to want it.<br />
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By going to school you will gain so much. You will gain knowledge about things you've never heard of before. You'll probably gain knowledge of things you never want to hear of again. Hopefully, you'll also gain the ability to keep learning, to think about issues from multiple perspectives, and to find solutions to tough problems.<br />
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Best of luck to you my single-serving friend and may the force be with you.<br />
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Sincerely,<br />
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Emily <br />
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02282848313740318447noreply@blogger.com0