Tired

There are mornings that I wake and already know how the day is going to turn out. This morning seemed to be one of those mornings.
Due to my heart condition my heart will let me know when I need to be done. I woke up this morning and my heart was telling me it was tired already. Oh, I wished that was able to get a substitute this morning. When I feel this way I try to stay in bed. If I am at school I spend most of the day sitting in a chair and teaching from it.
With everything that has to be done tonight it is going to be a rough one.
I have never passed out while teaching. Today I had to remind them that if I did the 2 students closest to the door need to run to the office to get help and the rest of them pull out a book and read. One student asked, "How do you expect us to do that while you're laying there?" Another student stated, "It will keep us calm." Very nicely said.
This is a pretty good group. I had better get some papers corrected.

OLD Man

Multitasking

During my day I will occasionally look at Yahoo! for news and whatever is on the home page. I have read a few articles lately that debunk (is that the word I want?) the notion of multitasking. The articles all seem to say the same thing. Productivity drops, meaning we get less done when we are multitasking than if we just concentrated on one thing at time. This because we are not giving our full attention to the task at hand.
As I think more about this I wish I knew the gender of the authors. It seems to me that women think that they are better multitaskers than men. This statement is not anyway meant to be derogatory. I actually believe that generally speaking that women do better at multitasking than men. By the way, the statements above are not saying that if women are better multitaskers that they are getting less done. I think women are better multitaskers and therefore get more done.
One of the articles stated that even when we think we are multitasking we in fact are not.
The idea that I have come away with is to focus on the task at hand. Do the one thing and do it well. Then move on to the next thing.
I have never claimed to be a mutlitasker. I am okay with that. However, if I could plan my time to say okay I will work on this project for an hour and then I will work on this project for 30 minutes, etc. I would accomplish a lot. But I feel that I have to do the entire project in one sitting and can't move on until it's complete. (Bartley think Baby Steps; book by Dr. Leo Marvin, in the movie What About Bob?)My actual problem is not making the plan it's doing the plan when the time comes (I think I maybe confessing too much here. My bishop doesn't know about this blog, so I can't really confess I guess).
One last confession. I am leaving to go on a cruise in less than 36 hours and I have not packed a thing. Nor have many things been packed for the children that are being farmed out to relatives.
Love you all!!!!

OLD Man

An Accomplishment

I hate fixing and taking a lunch to school. I have hated for a long time. However, I have taken a lunch to school 2 days in a row. Not a big accomplishment for many of you, but for me?...a big deal. I might even make it the rest of the week. Time will tell.

How many children's books were published in 2009?

I was in a class today reviewing children's literature. It was a pretty fun class. Not that I have a prize to offer for closest guess, but I'd be willing to hear some of your guesses. I was blown away.
I just about went to the library to find several of the books that were suggested so I could read them. It was a lot of information.
I was starting to fall asleep in the last hour. I think it would be fun to be a presenter. Someday I suppose.
I am getting excited to go on our cruise. I talked with Amy today about some details. Suffice to say that I am a kid at Christmas. I won't be able to sleep until Saturday or maybe Sunday. Maybe it's a good thing that Dave will be driving. I hope to drive some of the time. I really like driving and am excited for a road trip.
Have a great day!!!

OLD Man

Another One Word

Jen is the greatest!!!!!!

Breakfast...?

I know it is a little late for breakfast, maybe it's closer to brunch. I am contemplating what to have for breakfast. Should I have what has become a traditional breakfast of oatmeal? Or should I have chocolate ice cream? If the kids weren't around I would lean more toward the ice cream. Maybe I should save that for my meetings next week. I am pretty sure the my steward would scoop me some ice cream. Just maybe I could hit Ben & Jerry's on the Promenade Deck. I think I will have the traditional oatmeal for breakfast. I know, I know sounds so boring and unlike me. It's the one thing that I am doing to be healthy. I am taking taking Dr. Marvin's advice and using baby steps (refer to What About Bob?).
In the light of baby steps it is time to take another one. I just need to decide what that step will be. Start taking lunch to school. I hate making lunch. I know poor little ol' me. The price I pay for being healthy.
That is enough rambling for this morning.
Thanks,

OLD Man

Lindsey Can Drive

I am so thankful that Lindsey can drive and that she likes to do it. Especially when I need ice cream.

I hate feeling nervous

Okay, I get home from school this evening and I am feeling nervous. I can't keep my leg from bopping up and down; or my skin is too tight. I feel like something is coming my way. I can't say that what I feel is coming is good or bad. I know it has nothing to do with the executive meetings that I will be attending at the end of next week. Nor does it feel like it will affect kids either. It is just weird. Does anyone ever have this problem? If you have felt this way, would you mind sharing?

On positive note I am meeting with CUWP tomorrow night. I am way excited. I love getting together with this group. They are rocking awesome.

I need some chocolate ice cream. Maybe I need a Coke. Maybe I need both. Okay maybe not.

I Am Grateful

I am grateful to live in this free land; to be able to learn about the world around me; to worship as I please. Sometimes I wonder at what point we will get the "other" portion of the Book of Mormon. It's a curiosity that I think about every so often.
I am grateful for a wife who loves me despite my dorkiness and stupidity. She has had a long row to hoe. I have lost count of the times that she has had to drive home from the hospital at night by herself; to come home to sleep alone.
I am thankful that I have a job that I enjoy going to. Granted there are days that I would rather leave the mattress glued to my back, but over all I am very blessed. I am grateful that I have discovered the love of reading. I can't believe how much I read now. The real surprise I have about reading is that I sometimes have a craving to read. Especially, when I haven't read a novel of my choosing at times.
I am grateful for good friends. I have an abundance of those and wouldn't give up any of them.
I am grateful to be able to laugh. On occasion, while teaching, I will start laughing for no apparent reason. It's fun to see the kids reaction. Some will start chuckling after a very short period of time. Others will start laughing while saying, "What? What's so funny?"
I am grateful for a mother and father that have loved me very much. I am grateful for my children.

Just a Bunch of Babbling

Okay, here I go. I went to the dentist today. I know...great way to spend a day off. My kids thought so too (only because they had to go as well). It's a lot easier than getting everyone out of school. However, Lindsey, Ashley, and myself get to go back in Feb. Some cavities, crowns, chipped/broken teeth and orthodontia. Yes, it is all great fun. My children have decided that they like Dr. Dave as a family friend, but not as the dentist. I like Dave as a friend, a former roommate, and as the dentist. His office overlooks Jordan Landing. I keep telling him that I am waiting for him to turn the office around so I can watch the planes take off and land at airport no. 2 in West Jordan. I also like watching the Apaches and Blackhawk helicopters. I would like to see what an Apache looks like from the front seat of the Apache. Seeing the view from the backseat would be even more fun, but that is asking for a little much.
Question...how do get a bunch of soldiers to run when they see their own aircraft coming? If you ask me I just might tell you.

OLD Man

School's out Tomorrow!!!!!

Not that we have anything exciting planned, I am glad to be out of school. However, we are going to the dentist. That is our real roof raiser for our holiday. I spent yesterday just hangin out at home. I didn't accomplish anything either; I did really relax. I watched a couple of movies. This is the first Saturday in a long time that I have not had anything outside of the home scheduled. I was really surprised when I realized it.

It's Time to Get Up Already?!!!!

I have made every attempt this week to get to bed at a reasonably early hour. A couple of those nights I was successful. However, the last two mornings I have woke up more tired than I felt when I went to bed. Can someone explain that to me? I'd really like to know. I will admit that yesterday morning I woke up about 5:40 and had a stroke of genius. I wrote an essay that I needed to send with my application for the summer institute in New York this summer. I scratched every thing that I had written up to that point.
I don't have strokes of genius very often (heaven forbid I have a stroke ever).
This morning I could not get the mattress off of my back. It was as if extra, extra, extra strength super glue was keeping attached to the bed. My eyelids were so heavy that I would have snapped the toothpicks into microscopic splinters had I tried to use them to prop open my eyelids. I barely made it to school on time.
I went to the wedding reception of Tresa's daughter. I have known of Tresa since elementary school. She works at Greenwood as an aid. It is so much fun to go to events such as these and see a bunch of people from Greenwood there. There were tons of people there. We waited in line for about 30 minutes.
I am blessed to work with some amazing people. Unfortunately, they don't realize how amazing they really are (maybe its better that way). I think everyone ought to get to work with people as awesome as I get to. I'm just hoping that some of the awesomeness rubs off.
Well kids, I'm off...to where? I don't know, so don't ask.

OLD Man

New York in the Summer

I have spent several hours assembling an application to attend a summer institute in New York to study the Holocaust. It would be for two weeks. This application has taken more time than I thought it would. More importantly I am surprised by the thoughts that I have been having. For example, what did many of the survivors use for hope to make it through the atrocities that occurred?
The running, hiding, running again, etc. The constant fear of being found. Just the constant fear of everything. I cannot imagine the fear of a parent of young children. Children will still be children. Sometimes, they just won't listen. What would a parent do? It has definitely been a bit eye opening. The application is due in the mail by Friday, but I won't know if I get accepted to the institute until sometime in March. I think it will be a lot of fun.
There are 4 parts to the application process. There is a 2 page application, a resume that cannot be longer than 3 pages, an essay that cannot be more than 4 pages, and 2 letters of recommendations. When I saw the resume couldn't be more than 3 pages. I'm thinking in my head, "What? 3 pages. I only have 1. Maybe I'm not smart enough or something? The essay has to answer several questions. I will finish the essay tomorrow and then get in the mail. Wish me luck!!! If nothing else...Good Luck Bartman
Have a great day all ya' all!!!

OLD Man

One Word

I NEED some burnt almond fudge ice cream. Yes NEEEEEED!!!!!
Okay, I think I can concentrate for now.
Thanks,

OLD Man

I just have to share...

I woke up the sound of waffles being made. No Jen is not a noisy homemaker; I heard her say something the one of the kids about waffles. Then we finished family home evening to the taste of homemade, made from scratch brownies. Jen has been one cooking women today and it has been wonderful to be the recipient of such treats. Thanks Jen.

Paul Blart and New Year's Resolutions

To start this first post of the year I would like to discuss New Year Resolutions. I was asked the other day if I had any goals for the new year. My reply was simple, "I'm too busy fixing past years' failures to work on new goals ('years' is plural)." Later that night I did give it some thought. Goal setting is not one of my fortes. I am okay with that.
I like things simple. I have committed to doing the following: To Live, To Love, and To Laugh.
Paul Blart.
Of all the movies I have seen in my life time, Paul Blart Mall Cop describes my life almost to a tee. The exception is that I have not saved the day on such a grand scale as Paul did. Maybe I have never saved the day, but anyway. Yes, I was a security officer, not guard, at two different venues. There is a difference, just don't ask me what they are. Oft times I fail to capitalize on moments that arise (hot sauce in captor's eye). And yes, I could use the phrase, "Fun fact for ya'..."
Our neighbor made a comment about not wearing white after Labor Day. I asked Andy if he knew where that came from. Just before I was to explain the origin of "You don't wear white after Labor Day" Jen said, "Fun fact for ya'..." There you have it Paul Blart aka Bartley Nicholes.

Happy New Year to you all,
May the Lord's precious blessings with you always.

OLD Man