tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13892373243658601862012-02-16T03:57:55.026-07:00A place where I talk about writing and teaching in rural America.SGnoreply@blogger.comBlogger401100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-8547667058932824912011-08-10T16:16:00.000-06:002011-08-10T16:16:03.382-06:00

Roadside lunch: a healthy alternative to fast food Aug. 2nd I left on a two-day road trip to visit family in Minnesota. I have always had a hard time staying away from junk food while on a road trip. In the past, road trips were excuses to eat whatever I wanted: candy, chocolate, soda, fast food, etc. My goal for this trip was to avoid the junk food and stick to my new found healthy habits.

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-86313784347186172842011-08-01T01:35:00.000-06:002011-08-01T01:35:58.550-06:00

We've all heard about the health benefits of fish, but if you're like me, fish rarely is on the menu--I haven't known what to do with it....until now. On this wellness journey, it’s important to try new foods. With a little adventurous shopping and the Internet, fish can become a regular part of healthy living. Last week I tried 3 new, easy fish recipes: fish tacos, grilled salmon, and

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-83454685686779132122011-07-27T23:24:00.001-06:002011-07-27T23:24:35.552-06:00

I've been dieting on and off since I was 10. Despite the diets, or perhaps because of them, I yo-yoed my way through jr. & sr. high and college. Finally, after graduate school at 240 pounds, I gave up. I decided to just enjoy my life and my food and stop obsessing about my weight. I exercised. I ate vegetables. I maintained my weight. I decided I was relatively healthy. That would soon

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-86595336988581114322011-05-21T20:42:00.000-06:002011-05-21T20:42:19.970-06:00

Writer's Digest asked for submissions of the first 1,000 words of a manuscript.The first 1,000 words are the most important words of the novel. They determine whether or not an agent, publisher, or customer wants to read the rest of the book (see Rissi's blog for more). So I sent in my 1,000 words today. To a writer, 1,000 words doesn't sound like a lot of work. I can write 1,000 words

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-60526225859655332012011-05-20T11:54:00.001-06:002011-07-27T23:29:38.473-06:00

I have taken a sabbatical from blogging...with good reason. I also took a break from classes for my EdD, but not from teaching. Just over one year ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Today, my hair has grown back from losing it to chemo, and my scars are healing from surgery. I thought about blogging during treatment, but I preferred to keep things to myself in my private journal except

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-76925364471100883982010-06-03T00:59:00.000-06:002010-06-03T00:59:07.742-06:00

An interesting poem from a subscription service I get: ATGM You're weary in the daytime, and at night you radiate alertness. It's like your clock has reset to a time zone in the future. As in the poem, "There is a hornet in this room . . ." someone else lies tight with anxiety, though neither of you talk. Lowered as if through an aperture into dreams on a distant parapet she's cocked

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-1273426604308735342009-07-24T00:38:00.001-06:002009-07-24T00:52:24.441-06:00

OK, so that's not really true...I have fear...a lot of it, but I have decided to not give in to it anymore. We'll see how long it lasts....haha.Since I learned to write, I have always wanted to be a writer. I have convinced myself that I am a writer (I have two full 5-gallon tubs of writings to prove it), but I am not published. Yes, I have a tiny poem published somewhere and I won an obscure

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-38745104046094333012009-06-13T22:21:00.008-06:002009-06-13T23:38:10.167-06:00

I can't remember the last time I visited my family in Minnesota, so that was the first clue it was time to visit. I was supposed to go last summer, but that fell through (for reasons why, see postings from Aug. 2008). This time, my mother and I planned on leaving from Wyoming on May 27th to arrive in Farwell, MN by the 28th and be there for my niece's graduation party on May 31st.Those plans

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-41275902181603218742009-04-15T12:12:00.005-06:002009-04-15T12:22:05.556-06:00

A colleague sent this to me, and I must share it. It's so true, especially having already dug out of 15 inches of snow last week and we're expecting more snow this weekend... I complained to someone, and they said that this is normal for around her in good ol' Wyomin'! So, I'm sharing it with you. Summer's almost here in Wyoming.We can now see the deer moving around.Yep, won't be long now!

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-28007228857714362852009-03-12T15:16:00.005-06:002009-03-12T15:48:16.191-06:00

Maria tagged me on this game: pick the 4th folder in your pictures file and post the 4th picture in that file. My 4th folder is labeled "August 2007" which is when we moved to Sheridan, WY. So here is the most photographed deer in Sheridan. What's interesting is that this hill no longer looks the same. It's been mowed down a bit in preparation for building and for regrading...of course, it's not

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-35271632146230399012009-03-05T22:51:00.002-07:002009-03-05T23:11:00.036-07:00

OK. I have several updates:1) I am officially a Doctoral Candidate in Education. Ack! This freaks me out! I knew I wanted a Doctorate, but it took a while to figure out in which field. It will be in Instructional Technology, which makes sense for the future of education. What doesn't make much sense is that most jobs in this field are administrative jobs. I don't know if I want to be an

SGnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-52891814687176509282009-02-08T20:25:00.003-07:002009-02-08T20:35:25.049-07:00

I can completely sympathize with my students now. I have to write a Literature Review on a topic of my choice. I chose a topic I was interested in, told that it was too broad, thought of how to narrow it down, and then started research. OK. I can't find anything! The problem is not that there aren't articles out there about teaching composition online; the problem is that the articles are in

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-61943328757480772642009-01-20T15:03:00.003-07:002009-01-20T15:18:57.594-07:00

This is an historic day in the United States of America! Rejoice! The dream has arrived. Let freedom ring!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjnygQ02aW4

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-4584424550732320192009-01-12T01:37:00.003-07:002009-01-12T02:14:52.960-07:00

In thinking about my title, I realized the irony of the double meaning. Currently, I'm on a new course...a new direction. I have begun classes for my EdD. ACK! This also means I've begun a new course...a new class!This class is online, and I understand the trepidation my students must feel when first beginning a new online class. I'm both excited and overwhelmed. First of all, I am one of those

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-73248758001784741072009-01-07T22:20:00.003-07:002009-01-07T22:50:07.803-07:00

This is how I feel about resolutions: I hate them. They don't work, and I never make it through the entire year. I always lose motivation at about the 3rd week of the year. I think this is pretty typical, so I guess I'm normal. So, instead of making resolutions, I'm making plans... OK, OK, so you may not really believe that I'm making resolutions, and you may be right. Every year I swear I'm not

SGnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-9108739931400371432008-12-08T16:51:00.005-07:002009-01-07T22:17:55.695-07:00

How to Start a Fire (Warning: this only works in wood-burning fireplaces. Don't try this camping or in a gas fireplace).1. Wad up paper in the fireplace. Make it tight and use plenty of it.2. Place sticks in small stack on top of newspaper. Works best if in tepee shape.3. Light newspaper with lighter...the long handled ones work the best.4. Keep piling up newspaper until the small sticks light.5.

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-91013232411992896412008-11-24T18:41:00.001-07:002008-11-24T18:43:30.604-07:00

From NPR: This is what Thanksgiving is all about: giving and thankfulness.http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97418921

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-25032169277848165512008-11-16T15:22:00.001-07:002008-11-16T15:22:37.159-07:00

  Mark Bauerlein wrote this provocative book titled The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future (Or, Don't Trust Anyone Under 30).  He is an English professor at Emory University, and he seems to be saying things that my fellow English teachers have been saying for at least the last 10 years (although I hope this doesn't give English profs

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-69468634573012214512008-11-14T14:12:00.002-07:002008-11-14T14:13:59.088-07:00

If you're wondering what to get me for Christmas, check out this music video of Enya's recent album.

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-62935553119836543262008-11-12T10:20:00.004-07:002008-11-12T10:28:00.436-07:00

OK, so the weather around here has been gorgeous: 60+ degrees, few clouds, no wind, etc. My students are getting tans while sitting outside. It's also been getting dark very early, which isn't that bad until we come home wanting to take the dogs for a walk but it's so dark we can hardly find the street...I kind of like it, but I have to admit I'm getting a bit annoyed. It's that time of year

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-3962418811256399322008-11-04T22:59:00.002-07:002008-11-04T23:23:35.342-07:00

Welcome to the future! I am in awe. Whether you supported him or not, Barack Obama is the new President of the United States of America. It is the time to come together, put aside our differences, and work to pick up the pieces of our broken country. With the long and fear-driven campaign, it may be difficult to put aside hatred and anger, but it is possible. It is possible to embrace the unknown

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-469137637728929072008-10-03T00:13:00.002-06:002008-10-03T00:52:49.452-06:00

I've been interested in photography since I was given my first camera at age 10: a 126 box camera that took wonderful pictures. Unfortunately, I left it on the train in London and never got it back. That was one of the best cameras I've ever had. No matter how far away I was from the subject, or as close, everything was in focus. The colors were always sharp and beautiful, too. It was a huge

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-12165825531925993492008-09-21T09:42:00.004-06:002008-09-21T10:24:10.970-06:00

I went to a conference this week in the beautiful Big Horn mountains at Bear Lodge Resort. The conference was a small conference with only 19 participants. It was different than any other conference I have ever attended. Rather than having guest speakers, we were the experts. Before we arrived, we had "homework" and we were asked to bring our best practices and challenges in addition to any

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-6538304908191658192008-09-19T23:34:00.002-06:002008-09-19T23:44:08.949-06:00

Yes, you read the title correctly: I enjoy grading papers...okay, 'enjoy' might be going too far. Let me clarify this a bit: I enjoy grading papers more than I used to, but this, by no means, implies that I love grading and would rather do it above anything else. I actually hate grading, and I wish I didn't have to grade essays at all. I could instigate a portfolio system like I used to do,

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-23198504139656114582008-09-12T11:27:00.002-06:002008-09-12T11:32:57.709-06:00

The New York Times has a very interesting article out that uncovers many lies about the Presidential campaign. Check it out!

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-62526089439740557132008-09-08T16:44:00.003-06:002008-09-08T17:02:46.396-06:00

The first week of school has ended and the second week has begun. I am still blissfully in denial.Each semester I start out with a positive outlook. I meet with my students in my classes and think, "wow! I have some great students. This is going to be an excellent semester."And then I collect their first essays...Needless to say that hope turns to despair. Some hope remains as I return the

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-86968321092514028232008-09-01T14:59:00.004-06:002008-09-01T15:17:55.083-06:00

After having my computer report a system error and refusing to start, my brother told me about this video on You Tube. It's perfect for the day!Did I mention that I haven't finished all of my work and I'm working today (my computer is finally working...stupid Windows)? I will at least be ready for class tomorrow. I guess working on a weekend is a given...I'm actually looking forward to teaching

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-1321362792391315552008-08-25T23:25:00.002-06:002008-08-25T23:37:04.548-06:00

Well...I went back to work today. Technically, I didn't have to, but I know how much work I actually have to do before classes start. I thought I would get lots done. No such luck:It was good to see everyone again (not everyone was there, though), and I had to talk to them and see how their summer went; It wouldn't be school without some kind of committee meeting; unfortunately, this one was

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-51543203312817927672008-08-25T22:50:00.007-06:002008-08-25T23:17:21.271-06:00

Two weekends ago, a business trip got cancelled and we took the opportunity to go camping! Yea! We hadn't gone all summer. Our last camping trip was a year before when we spent a few homeless days in the Big Horn Mountains. It was not as enjoyable as we had hoped. We were anxious to be in our new house, there were cows (and cow droppings) everywhere, and I think everyone with an ATV was driving

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-59800542380267348442008-08-13T21:35:00.002-06:002008-08-13T21:44:48.853-06:00

One year ago today we moved into our new house. This is the house within the first week we moved in. This is what the house looks like now. There aren't many changes: some green grass, trees trimmed, a new screen door (not pictured), some new siding pieces, and that's about it. It feels like home, though. Of course, the dogs add the special touch.

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-66284988901455281832008-08-10T20:37:00.007-06:002008-08-10T20:57:58.475-06:00

Before I started blogging, I thought of it as a bragging tool for the highly successful. I know now that's not true. It's mostly for people who have something to say and to help stay in touch with family and friends. I thought that I wouldn't have much to say after posting vacation pictures, but that has turned out to be untrue as well . . . of course, I'm sure you've noticed if you're trying

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-84374224145711137782008-08-10T15:21:00.005-06:002008-08-10T15:40:01.445-06:00

This is a cool dictionary discovered from Dumb Little Man's blog (this is only one from several listed). It visually demonstrates links to a word. You can also look up random words and see the links. It's so very cool! I can't wait to use it in my DVST class!

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-37629090631559988882008-08-06T15:28:00.004-06:002008-08-06T16:04:19.309-06:00

I just read this article from MSNBC about ER waiting time. On June 14, I had a horrible experience in Lake Havasu Regional Medical Hospital. On June 16, I wrote about it (posted below).You know, we tip waiters and waitresses for good service; teachers go through evaluations, observations, and assessments galore, and politicians want to link our pay to our performance; school administrators get

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-23239938097542583792008-08-03T15:56:00.009-06:002008-12-08T14:40:32.013-07:00

The last part of our St. Louis vacation was spent at the zoo (no, not in the zoo...just visiting). I took a lot of pictures...these are the best ones. Again, if you want to see more, email me and I'll link you to Snapfish.com. Despite the heat and high humidity, the animals were relatively active.The rhino looked like he was curious about the crowds and headed our way to check us out. Can you

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-12394162808273743852008-07-30T21:46:00.007-06:002008-12-08T14:40:32.780-07:00

This is the day after the wedding (July 6). We got up relatively early (for us) and we headed downtown to the Gateway Arch. Security was tight, and it took nearly an hour to get through the line, but it wasn't too bad (other than being hot and humid). I took this picture of the Arch from the bottom. It looked pretty skinny. It was hard to believe that we would take a tram up to the top and look

SGnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-91367095736244509692008-07-28T01:53:00.015-06:002008-12-08T14:40:33.983-07:00

I arrived back to Wyoming on June 29, and I was so excited to be home. Matt immediately took me up to the mountains and we hiked around Sibley Lake and took lots of pictures as we drove down the mountain (posted on Snapfish...let me know if you want to see more pictures of the lake; I'll send you the link to Snapfish). Sibley LakeThis is the view on the drive down the Big Horn Mts. The sky was so

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-36262604131894344282008-07-26T13:13:00.003-06:002008-07-26T13:18:01.895-06:00

I thought you might enjoy this article about Wyoming from The New York Times. It has some interesting historical facts and information about Sheridan.

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-33683626011172726952008-07-26T10:12:00.008-06:002008-12-08T14:40:34.828-07:00

OK, so part 2 was not as wonderful as part 1 (although I failed to mention in part 1 the tornadoes). In this part, I stayed at my mother's house for more than a week...it turned into 6. I was grateful that I could be there to help out, but I only wished that the circumstances were better. Most of you know that Owen was in the hospital for emergency surgery. It was very scary. He's doing much,

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-28320862292362828922008-07-25T02:55:00.008-06:002008-12-08T14:40:35.620-07:00

OK, so I said that I wanted this blog to be for family and friends and a scrapbook. The first order of business then is to publish some pictures. This summer I took off in May, shortly after school released for the summer and I went to a conference in Cheyenne. That was fun, but a different blog. After the conference, I started the drive to Arizona. The plan was to spend a few days there, maybe a

SGnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1389237324365860186.post-11778499861100556302008-07-25T01:40:00.000-06:002008-07-25T01:47:05.101-06:00

OK...I have entered the blog world for real. I tested it out on MySpace for a while and got really tired of struggling to upload pictures and other content. My hope for this blog is that it will become a place to get closer to my family and friends. I also hope that it will become a place where I can create a scrapbook in a sense. I'm 4 years behind on my print scrapbook and perhaps I can

SGnoreply@blogger.com1