Last Lecture for now

Today was the last session of the human development course I taught this semester. To wrap it up, I asked the students to bring in something about a life story, real or fictional (novel/movie clip/article, etc.) to relate to some aspect of the course.  I loved what they came up with.  It ended up taking the whole class since everyone had given it such thought and had so much to say.  If you have a few minutes, the links (I starred the ones that were especially compelling) are wonderful:

• Father of the Bride 2 -- middle adulthood, Levinson's theories of midlife change
  
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower -- attachment, identity formation in adolescence (Erikson, Marcia)
  
• *Mean Girls clip (3:43-5:27)-- identity moratorium, adolescent social aggression
  
• Smashed -- Erikson's intimacy vs. isolation stage, inhibited by alcoholism
  
• song "Time of Your Life" -- developmental transitions, exceptions to set theory
  
• **About Schmidt final letter-- Erikson's ego integrity vs. despair in mid adulthood
  
• song Mr. Larkin by State Radio -- older adulthood, prejudice
  
• Old School -- exceptions to older adulthood preconceptions
  
• Goonies -- middle childhood Erikson's industry vs. inferiority stage
  
• *the Last Lecture -- loss, ego transendence, Erikson's generativity, 
  
• Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius -- early adulthood and Erikson's intimacy vs. isolation
  
• When I am an Old Woman -- older adulthood, theories of positive aging
  
• **The Giving Tree (2) -- lifespan development, attachment, Erikson's stages
  
• *Guys and Dolls -- (first few minutes of documentary of Lars and the Real Girl-type relationships) social work practice, culture/microculture, Erikson's intimacy/isolation 
  
• Tuesdays with Morrie -- ego transendence and generativity
  
• Archie comic book -- adolescence transition, scaffolding, conceptions of adolescence
  
• Dalai Lama -- moral development, ego transcendence, older adulthood, "good death"
  
• Mr. Rogers -- social learning theory, attachment
  

It feels so great to be done but I'm going to really miss that class, those students.  They were very patient & accepting of this green, nervous, shaky-voiced first-time prof.  

class of idealistic, passionate grad students + human development course content =

life affirming and hopeful alchemy

Snow has fallen, snow on snow

What a gorgeous snow this has been! It's snowed on and off, ever since Friday, atypical Utah-like fine powder. Church was cut short today and we inched home through the blowing snow, after Lauren and I played a flute duet and Greg played his bass in a quintet.

Today I'm grateful for that hushed feeling that a snowstorm brings.
And that we contracted with a guy to come and plow our driveway.
And that I can make music with my daughter, who has spent many hours becoming a better flutist than I am.  
For singing along with the radio's You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch and Sleigh Ride at the top of our lungs as we took our modern sleigh ride home.  
And for fantastic movies. Greg and I saw Slum Dog Millionaire yesterday (which, so you know, is rated R for scenes of extreme poverty which would not be appropriate for children to see. Or live in, for that matter.)

and then later watched the wonderful Bella last night at home.

Food for my soul...I highly recommend both.  
I'm also grateful for playing games on the floor of the family room.  
And for writing Christmas cards and pausing to smile at memories and how much we love every single one of these people from all the phases of our lives (and wish we all lived closer to each other still).
And curling up with books in our favorite spots.
Even for tough times that help me appreciate blessed weekends like this one.
I'm grateful for busy present making behind closed doors.

For anticipation, building.

Around here these days...

~Twilighting. I am taking Lauren to the midnight opening of  Twilight tonight.  Yes, I'm officially crazy.  I'll just leave that Mother of the Year nomination form conspicuously on the table there.

~Grooming. Louie is out getting his groovy on today.  His first grooming appointment which, because of his fabulous fur, will take all day. I kind of miss him around here.  We haven't been able to see his eyes for months. I wonder if he'll look like John Stamos/Rod Steward/David Bowie again?

~Listening. You know how when you were an early teen and there was That Song that you absolutely loved and (in my case) taped off of the radio and listened to over and over and over?  The one you never ever got sick of and made your heart go flutter every time it came on?  That's happening around here these days with the same songs flowing from two bedrooms.  My girls are officially obsessed with Taylor Swift and her new CD that came out this week.  Especially White Horse:  "I'm not a princess, this ain't a fairy tale..." (Let me take this opportunity to apologize to my family for inflicting them with  Footloose tape, Journey's "Open Arms," and "Endless Love"  during my early music years. Then I found Depeche Mode et al. and went alternative and inflicted them with that.)  I don't think we go more than 15 minutes without someone playing that CD.  Truly.

~Presenting. Lauren got her birthday present today, four months late.  She's sooo excited about her brand new flute, the Yamaha 461H.  Next year she'll want the kind of Yamaha you can ride.

~Painting. Maddy's room will be receiving its post-wallpaper paint this weekend.  It only took me a couple of months.  Word to the wise: just go straight to purchasing a steamer to remove wallpaper. 

~Bracing ourselves. Not one but TWO of our kids are heading for braces in the next few months (Sam and Maddy).  Headgear. Retainers. Spacers. Bands.  Teeth extraction.  The works!  Upon investigation it appears that the alignment and jaw issues both kids have are not actually from my side of the family but are exactly like Greg's teeth.  And he always said he should have gotten a dental dowry when he got married...

~Handing in. I just finished my last stats assignment of the semester, with just the final left to complete next month.  I am making peace with multiple regression, residuals, outliers, and Mauchley's Test of Sphericity (which, to be honest, is just fun to say).   

~Anticipating. I love Thanksgiving.  It's my favorite holiday.  I'm enjoying making lists, planning meals and shopping.  Being thankful.  We have friends coming to see us for a couple of days right before Thanksgiving (can't wait!) so it will be a delicious, blessed week.

~Loving these. Enjoy:

First Aid Kit.  

Love that they are two sisters from Sweden, doing covers of Fleet Foxes music. Very talented and cool and haunting:

This adorable French girl:

This one will make any day brighter:

Guaranteed. See more here.

Sick day superlatives

^note to my kids: please don't lick your palms. Or try to fake me out.

I knew it was going to happen. We have another sick one around here. Sam's home with a fever and headache today (and yesterday) so in his honor I've got some sick day superlatives:

Best pseudo-sick day movie ever: Ferris Bueller's Day Off, of course! Maddy watched Sleepless in Seattle when she was sick last week and Harry Potter is on Sam's list today.

Best drink for a sickie: Sprite. Apple juice. Water with ice and a straw.

Best place to set up sick camp: on the sofa with pillows and blankets, near a t.v. & some books

Best time to be sick: Tuesdays and Thursdays, please, or I have to miss class. Sundays are also acceptable (and we may have to do paper-rock-scissors to decide who gets to stay home from church with the sickie...what? don't judge me!).

Best lunch for a sickie: chicken noodle soup (confession: from a can), saltines, applesauce, pudding. Or a bundled-up trip through the drive thru (fresh air does a body good, even if the fast food doesn't)

Number of days until I call the doctor: 2-4 depending on symptoms. (I try to keep a good reputation around the doctor's office as being a non-alarmist mom. Although I did notice Maddy's appendix symptoms very early on and had rock star status with our doctor for a while.)

Symptom most likely to convince me to keep someone home: nausea. I can't verify it and it has foreseeable consequences if I ignore it. Also fever. Verifiable, of course.

Best signs that it's time for the sickie to go back to school: He/she has enough energy to argue with brother/sister, begins to complain of boredom (if you're truly sick, you're too wiped out to be bored...except if you have chicken pox etc.), or can run around.

Words most commonly heard around when there's a sickie home: "Did you wash your hands, honey?" "Cover your mouth, please" "How are you feeling, sweetie?" (I pull out all the endearments when someone's sick.)

Most likely time someone will get sick: right before a vacation. (Proof here and here.) Runner up: on a day I have to be somewhere (today: class and a seminar and a vet appointment. Oh well.)

Worst after-effect of sick-days: All that make-up homework from school (kids). Rescheduling everything I cancelled (me).

Best after-effect of sick-days: Alone time with the sickie (day one) , PLUS a tidier, more organized house from my puttering (days two+)

Weirdness + a contest

My English penpal Lindsay tagged me for the Seven Strange Things About Me challenge. Hmm....only 7?

1. There are no bureaus/dressers in our house.  Isn't that odd?? We just use closets and shelves and baskets.  I think the real story is that I've never felt like using funds for dressers when I can save it for a trip. Or books. Or camera lenses. 

2. I have not read the Harry Potter series. I know, I know. But I'm saving it! (I have actually read  the first one to Sam years ago but I'm savoring the fact that I still have them ahead of me.)

3. I like to do things at even intervals on the clock.  Not 7:08 or 7:09...I'll wait until 7:10.  Or, even better, 7:15 or 7:30.  This is how I delay getting out of bed in the morning.

4. I love to peel things: paint, wallpaper (now that I have a steamer. Thanks, Jen!), fingernails, apples, potatoes.  So satisfying.

5. I'd rather organize than clean.  My tolerance of a little dirt is higher than my tolerance for clutter.

6. I was a copy editor/proofreader for a book publishing company.  To this day I can spot those typos in books I read...it makes me feel like I should write to the editor if I spot one.  (I never actually do it. But I do correct typos I find on my blog posts so I end up posting some things several times. Sorry.)

7. We will be spending Christmas on an airplane.  In order to get the cheap tickets, we are leaving on Christmas Day.  Nothing says Christmas like airplane food, movies on tiny screens, and the little uncomfortable, paper-covered pillows!  

As for where we're going on that trip?  How about a little contest?  The person who guesses where we're going (hint: we will use our passports) gets a little care package from me, including some of my favorite goodies and a book giftcard.  

Guesses close Wednesday 10/8/08 at midnight, one guess per person :). If you already know where we're going (Mom & Dad? Matt?) you are not eligible.