Final Grades

I just looked up my final grades.

4.0, baby!! Whoo Hoo!!

TEGR501 Circ of Adv-Compet Assmt I S
TEGR510 Educ's Place in Society A
TEGR511 Field Exp I : Exploration S
TEGR512 Human Rel & Multicul Educ A

I was really nervous about TEGR512, but it looks like I pulled out an A in the end. It was a tough semester getting back into the swing of doing homework and studying and writing papers, but I pulled it off!

Now, let's hope that I'll be able to maintain a 4.0 for the next 3 semesters.

Wants/Needs

I was bored at work, so I Googled my name followed by wants and needs to see what I found.

What Clarinda wants...

...the 1.9 millions as per immediate.
...to be.
...to build the Mangrove Village.
...to buy a note book.
...to provide the best customer service in every way possible.
...to tap into a known market.

What Clarinda needs...

...to focus on recruiting.

...to focus on attracting businesses.

...to be included in the current IDOT 5-year program.

...no more than to belong to you.

...a way to advertise their community.

...to own forty percent.

Of course, there is a town in IA called Clarinda, and it's not that popular of a name, so the results are a little skewed toward what a town might want/need.

Still a fun exercise and way to kill time...

Prove It

Yesterday, at Ramsey Junior High (where I've been observing an 8th grade English class) my host teacher was asked to substitute in a Science class. The class was in Day 2 of watching Contact. I've always really enjoyed this movie.

When watching yesterday, I got to see one of my favorite scenes:

[Ellie challenges Palmer to prove the existence of God]
Palmer Joss: Did you love your father?
Ellie Arroway: What?
Palmer Joss: Your dad. Did you love him?
Ellie Arroway: Yes, very much.
Palmer Joss: Prove it.

Science may not be able to prove that God exists, but it also cannot prove that love exists--yet no one ever challenges the existence of love.

Interesting...

This scene reminds me of an article I read a long time ago by Elder Boyd K Packer. It's called "The Candle of the Lord" and is taken from a talk he gave at a seminar for new mission presidents. It was published in the Dec 1998 issue of Ensign.

Here is a little excerpt:
What Does Salt Taste Like?
I felt perhaps, that I had borne my testimony to him unwisely and was at a loss as to what to do. Then something came into my mind. I said to the man, “Let me ask if you know what salt tastes like.”

“Of course I do,” was his reply.

“When did you taste salt last?”

“When I just had dinner here on the airplane.”

“You just think you know what salt tastes like,” I said.

He insisted, “I know what salt tastes like as well as I know anything.”

“If I gave you a cup of salt and a cup of sugar and let you taste them both, could you tell the salt from the sugar?”

“Now you are getting silly,” was his reply. “Of course I could tell the difference. I know what salt tastes like. It is an everyday experience.”

“Then,” I said, “assuming that I have never tasted salt, explain to me just what it tastes like.”

After some thought, he said, “Well, I suppose you could say that it is not sweet and it is not sour.”

“You’ve told me what it isn’t, not what it is.” After several attempts, of course, he could not do it. He could not explain, in words alone, so ordinary an experience as tasting salt. I bore testimony to him once again and said, “I know there is a God. You ridiculed that testimony and said that if I did know, I would be able to tell you exactly how I know. My friend, spiritually speaking, I have tasted salt. I am no more able to tell you in words how this knowledge has come to me than you are able to tell me what salt tastes like. But I say to you again, there is a God! He does live! And just because you don’t know, don’t try to tell me that I don’t know, for I do!”

I love this!

Love cannot be described with words.
Salt cannot be described with words.
God cannot be described with words.

Some things can only be described in how we feel.

Penny for a Poem

Yesterday, on my morning walk from the train to work, I saw a man on Nicollet Mall with this sign. Usually in this spot, there is a man just sitting with a sign saying he was homeless and asking for help.

 

Oddly, it made me miss NYC.

 

Folks asking for money in NYC were mostly doing something--drumming, singing, stunts, etc. It was often fascinating to watch. I rarely gave anything, but I would be more inclined to do so since I was being entertained.

 

Of course those who weren't entertaining, were a lot more in-your-face about asking for money. I remember one couple, who could often be seen walking back and forth on one of the train lines that we frequented, sharing their story with anyone (or no one) who would listen. Although annoying, this was still mildly entertaining.

 

Someday we'll be back in NYC!

Gas Prices

I received these in an email from my dad. I thought they were hilarious!

You Decide...

The only thing we have absolute control over is ourselves. Things will happen that are out of our control, and it is up to us to decide how we react. We can allow those things to drag us down and make us grumpy or we can choose to see the bright side.

 

This morning, I awoke to several inches of snow on the ground. It's been a tough winter! So cold! Now...two days into Spring, we get a good downfall! At least it's not bitter cold. And freshly fallen snow is so BEAUTIFUL! I love to watch it gracefully fall. So...even if it's supposed to be Spring with flowers blooming and sun shining, I love to see the snow fall!

 

I don't think the snow had anything to do with it, but my commute to work this morning was interesting...to say the least. I missed my train by about 2 minutes. Turns out, it didn't make any difference because that train broke down before it even entirely left the station. Everyone on it had to get off. Then we had to wait. After 5 or so minutes we were told that we would have to board the Northbound train on the Southbound tracks. We had to wait another 5 minutes or so on that platform.

 

By the time the train finally came and I was on my way, it was already the time I was supposed to be at work. Oh well. Of course, since we were travelling the wrong way on the train tracks, we had to go at a much slower pace that usual. Turns out, it probably would've been better to wait for the next train because I think the broken train and then 2 Northbound trains passed us while were were crawling along the Southbound tracks.

 

At least the conductor was in good spirits about it. He apologized over and over. He was sure to tell us that it was nothing he did, which got a pretty big laugh from the passengers. When we finally switched to the Northbound tracks, he told us that he hoped we would have a better day going forward. Another laugh. When we were exiting the train, he told us to enjoy the 2nd day of Spring (another laugh) and to have a Happy Easter! I think he really helped with the situation.

 

Still...to many, I'm certain this was a terribly frustrating way to begin the day! They may have a terrible day as a result.

 

I'm choosing to move on and not dwell on it.

 

The snow is still beautiful! It's still Friday!! We are having some friends over tonight!!! Easter is on Sunday!!!!

 

It's going to be a GOOD day...despite its rocky beginnings.

President Hinckley Dies at 97

This morning I was doing my cardio on the elliptical machine in the fitness room in my apartment building. At the tail end of the news, there was a brief story about the "passing of a leader in the Mormon church." With the noise of the machines, I didn't quite hear all of the pertinent information in the report. I was pretty sure that it was President Hinckley that they were speaking of, but I wasn't certain.

 

I had more than 10 minutes left of my workout. I couldn't wait to finish so that I could get to my computer and confirm the story. I began putting forth more effort, as if that would make a difference! I know it really didn't, but it did seem to make the time go by faster.

 

President Hinckley will be greatly missed. He became the prophet during my senior year of high school, so while I do remember vaguely Presidents Benson and Hunter, President Hinckley has been the prophet for all of my adult life. I know that he was inspired of the Lord and that he guided and directed the church according to the Lord's will. He committed his entire life to serving the Lord; he was great man and will always remain a strong example to me.

 

During General Conferences in recent years, I have always enjoyed his talks. I will miss his stories and his counsel. I will miss hearing of his travels around the world. I will miss hearing him testify of the gospel.

 

My prayers will go out to the remaining apostles during this time of transition.