Spring Ahead.. Fall Behind.. Catch up... Repeat.

Hello readers!

Today is the first "official" day of spring break at Dixie State! I cannot believe the semester is over half-way done! I've done a decent job of keeping up, and this semester I'm actually confident in most everything I'm doing!

I am on vacation, in SLC, and like most students, spring break offers me a chance to catch up on some homework and studying. However, on the dark-side, it presents a major distraction to me by being spring break; luckily, my golf game was rained out, and I'm left sitting by the fireplace warming my bones, waiting to go out to lunch with Harold.

Today hasn't been all fun and games. I helped teach a lesson to fourth-grade students in an elementary school in Tooele. The class had been studying art, and in particular, abstract art. When I was young, my brothers and sisters and I would play "squiggles". Squiggles is a game in which one person draws a few lines, or shapes, or scribbles, and another person creates a drawing based on the squiggles provided. So, I taught the class how to play squiggles.

After all the squiggles were competed, we made stories out of the 4 squiggles on their papers. Kids are pretty creative, and it was awesome to see some of the amazing things they had drawn, and written about.

Of course, like any kids, many of their ideas involved bodily functions, monsters, dying, bullying, and an innocent boyfriend-girlfriend relationship.

Which draws me to my next idea. Why not create an iWhatever app? The kids really seemed to take to the idea of squiggles. Of course, most of us have played games like this since we were kids, so naturally, I think that formatting it to match modern technology would be awesome!

I better not give too many of my ideas away though.

Well, I'm off to lunch. Thank you for reading. Keep you guys updated about my progress on the APP!

John

Hours in a bottle...

Well, my midterm in POLS was today. I had a lot of writing to do, and not a lot of time. However, I did my study guide for the class this last weekend and the early part of this week; Study guides rock. I cannot describe how useful it was to put in all that time. Over 4000 words.

It is times like today, when after I've taken the test knowing i was able to do my best, that I feel my best -and tired. I can't wait to go home, kick off my shoes, and pour a great big saturday-morning sized bowl those delicious Reese's Puffs.

Oh, this just in... I forgot I had dinner plans. PHEW.. Happy birthday Hanna. Then, I've been told that i am going shoe shopping after that (a little bit less relaxing than kicking my shoes off, but meh, at least it still deals with shoes).

Anyways, it's almost the weekend (halfway through the week anyways). Consequently, it is also midterm. SWEET! So far, I think I'm doing well, except for my Math class. It's always something right?

Well, other than classes doing well, I have also started getting into a great groove. I feel like school, work, family, and friends have finally started balancing in the right way. It is always a good feeling when things are balanced. Instead of feeling like I've been walking on a high-wire, I am starting to feel a bit more concrete in my actions everyday.

Well, it's off to the Olive Garden for my friends birthday dinner. Thanks for reading

J

Dys-functional groups

Friends are an important part of any college experience, and choosing the right ones can make or break how good your time at college turns out. I was sitting in class today, minding my own business, going through the study guide in my group, when, some girl asked to sit next to me. She asked me some really inappropriate questions, and was extremely crude. The kid in my study group then proceeded to tell me that the girl was his friend. I kept on going through the study guide for chemistry, and ignored the girl for the rest of the class period.

Having that very uncomfortable experience made me realize how much I appreciate the good friends I have. I have come to see my friends as an extension of who I am because much of me has been and always will be influenced by them and will influence them as well. I'm not usually a "holier-than-thou" kind of person, and I'm not saying that those kids from my chemistry class were bad people, I just think that having good, respectful friends is priceless.

I am thankful for my beautiful girlfriend who always supports me. I think in someways, having her around has helped me improve myself. Having her good company has impacted me in a way that even my family notices the difference between who I was and who I am.

Also, if you're wondering why i put a dash in-between "dys" and "functional", it is because it is ironic that I was studying functional groups in chemistry during the horrible occurrence.

Needle in the hay....

Recently, I've been assisting with a project that requires me to dig into piles of historical photographs of Dixie State's past. I have also had the privilege of spending time with retired Dixie State President Doug Alder. President Alder works in the special collections, and is a Professor Emeritus. I have also been working with a few others, who are really nice, and have a lot of fun stories about Dixie State, and their experiences as students, professors, and administrators. They have been more than welcoming and I have found myself looking forward to get to work so that I can share more time with such wonderful people. (The photograph shown on the left is a committee discussing the construction of the Mosaic Mural circa 1974)

As a student, I would study in the library quite often. Walking passed the Special Collections and Archives room, I would always think to myself, "what a chill place that would be to study in". Well, now, I have found out first hand exactly how chill it really is in there. They seriously have a refrigerator for photographs aged more than 50 years old.

Aside from working in the Special Collections, I am now put on a cataloguing project that will make it easier to retrieve photos from the Dixie State Database. Good times all-around!

Classes are going great! I wrote a paper in 30 minutes and scored an A-. Not to shabby for an old geezer like me.

Classes

Hey there everyone!

Today started out a bit fuzzy -literally. All my clothes had lint on them from the dryer. Ohwell, good times. Today, in my Political Science class, we talked about the differences between a few political orientations, such as libertarianism, liberalism, conservatism, and the populists. It was very interesting to explore the different ways of looking at things politically.

After class, I headed off to study near the bookstore. Sometimes I find that the library can be too quiet and that the cafeteria can be too loud. So, i found a comfortable sofa, and set up camp there for about 45 minutes. I received a call from my brother, and we decided to go to lunch.

After much debate, we finally decided to hit up the "Red Rock Cafeteria". The salad bar at the cafeteria is always a decent choice, and they have some really good toppings there. After slapping together a delicious meal, my brother and I sat down and ate. Just as we were finishing, this horrid smell came pluming down the hallway... It smelled like a dairy farm, with a hint of extra-sour.

Finally, after sitting through the stench of who-knows-what, we parted ways and I went to my Chemistry class.

In chemistry, we had a class discussion on water fluoridation, and were split into groups. Half the class proposed reasons to support water fluoridation, and the other half (the half i was on) needed to propose reasons to oppose water fluoridation and rebuttal the supporters claims.

After a lengthy and heated debate, we wrote a few paragraphs describing our own research and support for our side of the debate.

After class, I walked over to the Public Relations building, and now, here I am, words and all.

I have a few tests this week, and i have a paper due next week. Hopefully, this week goes by slow enough to get things done, and fast enough to forget the endless nights of reading and writing.

You look like I need a day off...

Well, hello again.

Last week was a week worth remembering to forget. Actually, it wasn't that bad -for me. I was woken up at 4:15 am routinely; my girlfriend is suffering from Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (for all you soon to be med students this simply means an ear that wont "pop" because of "stuff" clogging up an inner-ear drainage tube) which causes headaches, earaches, dizziness, disorientation, sensitivity to sound, and a bunch of other really horrible symptoms.

I stumbled around the house looking for my "rice sock" (a make-shift heating pad made by putting rice into a sock). After locating the rice sock in the dimly lit bedroom, I put it in the microwave and placed it on my girlfriends ear to help reduce pain and to loosen up the mucus buildup.

Learn how to make a rice sock here. Of course, I knew how to before this article.

I attend my POLS 1100 class at 10 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Friday's lecture was decent. We learned about Institutions. A girl that sits next to me was amazed to find out that gambling is illegal here in Utah, and had a hard time wrapping the idea that beer sales were prohibited on Sunday in 80% of our state.

After class, I drove home to check on the love of my life. She was doing ok. So I made her so bruch (waffles, eggs, bagels, orange juice, milk, applesauce, and love). I had about an hour to hang out, and then it was time to jet off to my CHEM 1010 class. We learned about the structure of elements - we also played with beans (using the varying been color and size to represent Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons).

After class on friday, I went to go sign my W-4. That's right! Those nice folks down at PR hired me! I realized I didn't have my Social Security Card; I thought I had lost it years ago. I went to the Social Security office and waited for an hour just to get told that what I needed wasn't printing out from the computers. So, I ordered a new card anyways and left. I called my mother in a last desperate attempt at finding my papers. She told me to check at her house, and i found my SSC, Birth Certificate, and Passport. I was relieved. I went back to meet with the really nice lady that was having me sign forms. After that, I ran home. By this time, I am just pooped.

I took it easy for the weekend, taking 3 tests; 1 political science test, 1 CPT (college placement test), and my philosophy test. I did well on all of them -thank goodness.

Second week, first blog

Hello there everyone, and welcome to my blog.

The hustle and bustle of the first week has subsided, and in it's wake has left an increased sense of direction for the newer students and a renewed motivation for all students alike.

This morning I woke up, and began my usual routine of wash, munch, and dash. Luckily, I was dashing to an interview with the awesome folks of the Public Relations department of the school.

Now, i'm studying in the library, catching up on some logic and reasoning for my Philosophy 1250 class.

After that, I will be headed to an excruciating 2.5 hours of math (it's not really that bad although they could maybe get the seasons right in the math building. Seems like the hot air blows in the summer and the AC is on during the winter). Anyhow, that should get me up-to-date from the long weekend we just had.

Hopefully, after the day is done, my girlfriend and I will head off to Springdale (a really really awesome town at the mouth of Zion Canyon) to enjoy some dinner.

Tomorrow is a new day, a new opportunity to do my best -also, a chance to wear that new shirt i just bought.

Anyways, thanks for reading.