Oh Honey!

"Honey, no your wrong. You started taking piano from me in 5th grade."


"No, it was 2nd grade. That's when I moved here."


"Honey no! That's not right! I am right! I am always right. You started her in 5th grade, I remember."


Each Monday is a new surprise. I get out of the car and slowly, and dreadfully walk into my piano lesson. Always wondering what my teacher is going to be saying to my older sister when I get there. What could she possibly be teaching my sister about this week? Defiantly not piano..I know her to well. It must be another life lesson, another do this, and don't do that. She seems to have everything figured out. Anything from piano, telling me how to improve on my violin, raising a family, what my family should do, anything you bring up. You know it will last the whole lesson. I know everything about her life, and her kids. I've heard the stories ten times each.  


Every week I'm supposed to have a half an hour lesson. Usually, the piano part is about 10 minutes, and my life-lesson for the week is 30 minutes. So by the time, my sister has had a life-lesson and I have had a life-lesson, we normally aren't out of there until 4:20. Where the poor little boy after me has to sit and wait for his turn.


Don't get me wrong, I love playing the piano. It's great! I love sitting down and being able to play the keys. But lessons aren't always my favorite. As you can tell, my teacher seems to have everything in the world figured out. I often can't believe she has something to say about everything.


She wants me to be a concert pianist. She wants me practicing a hour a day, seven days a week. She wants me to major in piano playing in college. I tell her my grades are more important to me, but then she goes ahead to tell me that when she was in school she got A's and B's. She was the star of the basketball team, and then she says..."and look at me now? I'm great?" Well honey...sorry to break it to you. I don't want to be like you.


Each week I get the same lecture. Honey, you're not practicing enough, honey do the right fingering, honey you need to learn this piece! Don't procrastinate! She was rather happy to learn when I walked into my lesson today with my recital piece that I tried to hurry and learn last night..that I didn't really learn it. She told me last week “Honey, you're recital is in seven weeks! Don't procrastinate!” But what did I do? Of course, I procrastinated. And that is how it seems to be every Monday.

The mind of hers I will never understand. The voice, I will never figure out why her southern accent didn't go away twenty years ago when she moved to Utah. With each Monday being a new experience, piano never gets dull. And all you can say is Oh honey!

Spring..?

I have never understood why they start 4th term when they do and then just two weeks later we have "Spring Break" Then again, I've also never understood why they call it Spring Break..it might be spring..but the weather sure isn't acting like it lately. I mean, look outside! It snowed this morning! 

I'm not really sure why I live in Utah. I've always lived here. But I'm not sure why. My parents don't like the cold weather. My dad likes it best when it's 100 degrees outside, and my mom grew up in California. I don't like the snow especially when it's the end of March!


So for Spring Break, I think we are going to go down to St. George. Stay in Utah, but that way we can get into some kind of heat. I just praying that it will be at least kind of warm while we're down there. I don't really want to be on Spring Break and be up in Kaysville where it's snowing.


Are you headed anywhere for the break? Anywhere warm? Or even somewhere cold, if you like that better? Or are you just going to stay home and spend the week to relax? Either way, I think we can all agree it's going to be nice to have a break from school so we can finish out the school year strong.

Choose You're Favorite City Tournament...

March Madness is quite the deal at my house. Each year, everyone fills out a bracket, chooses a name, and then follow the bracket in hopes that we will win. We make it a competition at my house. We keep track of points, and then at the end of each round the person that chose the most games right wins a prize.


Filling out the brackets is always very interesting. Each year, it is a rip-off. Well for me anyway. Me and my dad watch Sportscenter, we listen to the reporters to see who should win, and we always know what is going on with the teams and the tournament. My brother kind of knows what going on, and then my sister and my mom never have a clue about anything. But each year, my mom wins.


Finally, this year I asked her. "So Mom...what is your strategy for picking the teams and always winning?"


Well, you know, I just choose the city I like best."


"Wow! That is a joke! You just choose the city you like best?"


"Yes, it's as easy as that."


And guess who is winning this year? Mom. Of course. She must just like all the lucky cities.


I'm pretty sure most of the brackets are ruined this year. Most of the teams that were supposed to win are now out. My sister is out of teams on her bracket, and the rest of us just have Kansas. Which is quite scary at the moment as they are losing to a number eleven seed. If Kansas loses then maybe we will repick for the last few games since our brackets will have no more teams left.


Looks like next year I just need to start picking the cities I like best. And please, if you still have teams on you're bracket and it's doing good. Please tell me you're secrets of picking for next year. :)

3rd Term is Over! Hallelujah!

3rd term defiantly is the hardest. Mr. Thompson was right. This week has been so crazy with big projects due, and big tests. But also, my week has so far had one very funny experience.


Yesterday, I was in my clothing class sewing my quilt. At the beginning of the year Mrs. Green always tells you the stories of the people that cut off their finger or even sew through their fingers. Each time I hear those stories I always think of how dumb that is. I mean seriously, who would really sew their finger? Me.


I was in the back of the room sewing all of my little squares together. Singing to the music, talking, but working of course. Working very hard. :) And all of a sudden my foot was on the pedal, and I was pushing on it. To my surprise when my finger started hurting very bad. I was soon to realize that I had just sewn my finger. No there was no thread in it and no the needle didn't break. But yes, there was a lot of pain.


After I realized that I had just sewn my finger, I was scared, and very worried, but I also thought it was quite funny. I made sure I didn't sew my finger off or anything, and then I looked around for Mrs. Green wondering if I should tell her or not. She wasn't in the room so I decided I wouldn't. I sewed a few more squares to where the pain just got so bad I couldn't take it any longer. The cut wasn't too big, just very deep. So it wasn't bleeding to bad.


I slowly got out of my chair, and slowly walked up to tell Mrs. Green what I had just done. I then said, "Uh...Mrs. Green?"


"Yes?"


"Uh..I just sewed my finger."


Mrs. Green laughed a little, and then made sure I was ok. I was still in shock of what I had done. She made me first, wash my hands with soap and water, then put hand sanitizer in the cut, and then some goop, and then the band-aid. It felt much better.


My finger still hurts today, and I am struggling to type this without my index finger. One of my friends told me if we were to have a bet at the beginning of the semester of who would sew there finger, she would have chosen me. But to me, it sounds just like something I would do. It was quite an interesting experience. I hope none of you have to experience sewing your finger.

A Tale of Two Cities

In the time of the French Revolution, the Manettes, and the Defarges have quite the different outlook on happiness. Sydney Carton has a life full of trial, and is soon to be executed. In A Tale of Two Cities, Sydney Carton sacrifices his life in place of Mr. Darnay. During the book, Sydney Carton learns that sacrifice in death is the truest form of love and for Lucie, he is willing to pay the price and take Darnay's place.

“I see the lives for which I lay down my life, peaceful, useful, prosperous and happy, in that England which I shall see no more. I see Her with a child upon her bosom, who bears my name. I see her father, aged and bent, but otherwise restored, and faithful to all men in his healing office, and at peace. I see the good old man, so long their friend, in ten years' tine enriching them with all he has, and passing tranquilly to his reward.

I see that I hold a sanctuary in their hearts, and in the hearts of their descendants, generations hence. I see her, an old woman, weeping for me on the anniversary of this day. I see her and her husband, their course done, lying side by side in their last earthly bed, and I know that each was not more honoured and held sacred in the other's souls, then I was in the souls of both.

I see that child who lay upon her bosom and who bore my name, a man winning his way in that path of life which once was mine. I see him winning it so well, that my name is made illustrious there by the light of his. I see the blots I threw upon it, faded away. I see him, foremost of just judges and honoured men, bringing a boy of my name, with a forehead that I know and golden hair, to this place –then fair to look upon, with not a trace of this day's disfigurement – and I hear him tell the child my story, with a tender and a faltering voice.

It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.” (page 379-80)

Throughout the passage, Carton speaks of the peace he has come to with the sacrifice. He speaks of Lucie and Darnay and their child, and the life they will continue on, ever grateful for him and the choice he is making that will demonstrate his love for Lucie. As he speaks he sees them, happy and reminiscent of him, who will have given them the ultimate gift. He sees them growing to their old age, always thinking of him who gave them this life. He is desperate in some way to find favor with Lucie.

He is Christ-like in his martyred sacrifice. “...and I know that each was not more honoured and held sacred to the other's soul, than I was in the souls of both.” Here he illustrates his desire to be well regarded and praised for his sacrifice, hoping in a sense that he can be as important to each of them as they are to each other. “I see the good old man, so long their friend, in ten years' time enriching them with all he has, and passing tranquilly to his reward”. Again, here he conveys his desire for recognition for his sacrifice. That he has given them everything, and he will peacefully pass on to his next stage in life. “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.” His sacrifice is selfishly motivated. He will do the best thing he has ever done in his life, and receive greater peace and rest than he has ever enjoyed. And everyone will love him for it.

Sydney Carton gives up his life quite anxiously. He is giving up his life, being okay with it. He seems ready. He realizes a great thing, and shares that with Lucie and Darnay. He has lived a great, full life, and is fine and ready to let it go. Relief fills his voice. Sydney tells it himself in first person, looking on and looking forward to what is going to happen. What Lucie will be like, what Darnay will say. It is a life lesson that we can all follow, as others do in the book. Sometimes you have to make a sacrifice. Throughout the novel, others start living that same lesson. We can all learn to make a simple, or even a hard sacrifice.

A Tale of Two Cities has many themes you can learn, and many different lessons. The novel teaches lessons that don't always come out in books. Sydney Carton, and the people in his life, watch as he learns and lives an amazing lesson. Sacrifice. He is okay leaving, and he knows he has lived a great life.

The Luck of the Irish

As I little kid, I always feared St. Patrick's Day, like most other kids. I was always scared that I was going to get pinched out. Each year as St. Patrick's Day approached the night before I would make sure my pajamas had some kind of green on them. If they didn't, I would always change my pajamas. The morning of, I would wake up and get out of bed, making sure I still had green on my pajamas. Then, I would hurray and change my clothes into something green. That way no one could pinch me while I was changing my clothes, or anytime throughout the day. I didn't ever want to be pinched, though I thought it was very fun to pinch other people.




One year, I was so excited! I was going to go to Disney on Ice. I loved Disney and could not wait any longer to go see all my favorite characters on ice. There was just one problem. It was on St. Patrick's Day, and when I was younger I didn't want to go anywhere on the day of the Irish. But I couldn't pass up Disney on Ice, so off we went. I had my green shirt on, green in my hair, my nails were painted green, I mean, I had green everywhere! I sure wasn't going to get pinched out. I stayed by my dad's side the whole times, locked in his arm so no one could even think about pinching me.




A few months ago I traveled to the campus of Notre Dame. Talk about the luck of the Irish there. Everywhere you go there are clovers, little leprechauns, and of course green. I don't think anyone there will be getting picked out on this special day.

I think my fear of getting pinched out has dissolved. But still, can't you still have fun on St. Patrick's Day? I always remember being in elementary school, 5^th grade especially, the day before St. Patrick's Day. Mrs. Hepner, my teacher, would say, “Students, tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, wear your green if you would like, but DON'T! I repeat DON'T think about pinching everyone. That will result a trip to the principals office.” But each St. Patrick's Day what do you see? All the little 3^rd graders running around pinching each other. Even if they do have green on! I was thinking though, why is it known for St. Patrick's Day if you don't have green on to pinch someone? Isn't it worth it just to wear green if you have some then get pinched?

For special occasions my mom will make a special dinner. On St. Patrick's Day she always makes corn beef, potatoes, cabbage, and other Irish food. I think it makes the day fun, when around here we don't celebrate it to much. Some make it more of a celebration then others, and even though I'm not Irish, isn't it still fun to celebrate? I will defiantly be wearing green on St. Patrick's Day. I do not want to get pinched out again! To the luck of the Irish!

Hello Minnestoa Timberwolves

Last month the legendary coach, Jerry Sloan, retired after twenty-two hard years as the Utah Jazz head coach. No one really knew what happened to him. Was he getting to old? Was it Derron Williams and his cocky attitude? Or was it simply that he was just done?


At first, I personally thought that it was Derron's fault. I figured that Jerry was sick and tired of putting up with all the cocky players. Jerry had had a long, great NBA coaching career and yet, he didn't need to put up with there jerky attitude. News reports came out that Derron had changed a play that Jerry had called, which didn't make Jerry to happy, and lead the Utah Jazz to a loss. It would be the first of many.


A week or two after Jerry retired the news came out totally randomly that Derron Williams had just been traded to the New Jersey Nets. Keep in mind, two years ago the Nets had the worst NBA record ever! It made people start wondering what really happened with the Derron and Jerry situation. Would Jerry come back? Why did Derron leave if now Jerry was gone? Did Jerry retire because he knew Derron was going to leave, and he didn't have the energy to rebuild a whole new Utah Jazz team?



After losing Derron and Jerry, the Jazz have had some lots of problems. They have lost 16 out of there last 23 games, just last night broke a 7 game losing streak at home, and almost have a losing record. Before all of the drama by the Utah Jazz, they were 6^th in the playoff spots. Well guess what they are now? 10. The playoffs aren't looking to bright of an opportunity for the Jazz.

Each team has there ups and downs. This is obviously a down for the Jazz. We don't have a star player, and five of our players from last year are starting on a another team this year. They could make there own “leave Utah” team. Usually each team has a star player. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic. And now it's __________ and the Utah Jazz. I like to put it this way, hello Minnesota Timberwolves. Hello the team that is star-less, coach-less, and needs all the help they can get.

Maybe I am just a poor sport, but now I don't really want to cheer for the Jazz. I wish Jerry Sloan was still our coach, and because of the mess that Derron caused with him and leaving, I don't really want to cheer for the Jazz. Last night, I was watching them play the Sacramento Kings. They Kings need lots of help too. They aren't very good. So sadly, this was going to be a good game. At the end of the 4^th quarter it was close, and soon lead to overtime. The crowd was on there feet because the Jazz were winning by one point. I wasn't even there, but you could hear it in the crowd. It sounded like a playoff game. It sounded like the Jazz were beating the Lakers or something. I mean seriously people! How desperate can the people in Utah get to see the Jazz win? And yes, they did win. Which means Ty Corbin there new coach has won two games! Woo hoo! It was incredible to me that the people could get so into the game, and so loud, just to see the Jazz beat the Kings.