On The "Wrong" Coast: 2012

12/14/12

While the main blog page has not been updated in a while, the "Reading List" page is in constant evolution. Check it out.

7/11/12

Wordless Wednesday July 11, 2012

5/28/12

Good practice

Waking up terrified by the fact that the earth is moving....momentarily breathless and hustling to your feet. This is a common occurrence.

Although I live on the west coast, these are not earthquakes. It is the kid in the apartment upstairs who insists on leaping off the top bunk, shaking the walls and jarring me awake!

This caused two thoughts:
1) I am subconsciously thinking/dreaming more about earthquakes than I realized, and
2) I have to find a house and get out of this apartment!

5/22/12

The Countdown to Summer

Time flies... at least that is the old cliche, right?

In some ways, it does not seem possible that I am wrapping up my second year. However, the fact that my institution is on the Quarter System means that I have been teaching basically non-stop since January. First, 11 week of Research Methods and after a spring break that included State FFA Convention, posting grades, evaluating work samples, and retooling a new class, I started a new term. It is week 8... which feels like week 19.

Summer is 25 days away. Summer is packed with travel and an exhausting list of tasks that I cannot seem to find time for during the school year and inevitably shuffle to summer. Regardless, summer is a change of pace with longer blocks of time to complete tasks and work at a much healthier pace. I am looking forward to the shift in speed.

5/1/12

"They Ask me why I Teach" by Glennice Harmon

They ask me why I teach
And I reply, "Where could I find more splendid company?"
There sits a statesman,
Strong, unbiased, wise,
Another later Webster
Silver-tongued.
And there a doctor
Whose quick, steady hand
Can mend a bone or stem the lifeblood's flow.
A builder sits beside him --
Upward rise the arches of that church he builds wherein
That minister will speak the word of God,
And lead a stumbling soul to touch the Christ.

And all about
A lesser gathering
Of farmers, merchants, teachers,
Laborers, men
Who work and vote and build
And plan and pray into a great tomorrow.
And, I say,
"I may not see the church,
Or hear the word,
Or eat the food their hands will grow."
And yet -- I may.
And later I may say,
"I knew the lad, and he was strong,
Or weak, or kind, or proud
Or bold or gay.
I knew him once,
But then he was a boy."
They ask my why I teach and I reply,
"Where could I find more splendid company?"

2/8/12

Ma and Pa Lambert visit Oregon

That is right...the Lamberts came to Oregon. My mom and dad spent a whole day in airports and airplanes just to come see where the middle daughter chose to start her career. And, boy did we pack in some fun. Okay, so it was a while ago and it has taken me a while to get the pictures posted. Whatever....Enjoy the recap.

We drove down to Eugene just to take in their special-kind-of-crazy and have a Voodoo doughnut. Yum!

We drove over the coastal mountain range to Newport. We had lunch at Rogue Brewery (Again, yum!), visited the Marine Science Center, and took in the seals while shopping the Old Bayfront area. It was freezing at the coast, even though it was 90 when we left Corvallis to drive the 45 miles to Newport. The weather can change drastically when you cross the coastal range. We had planned to stay and watch a sunset, but it was too cold and damp for the folks.. and it was cloudy so you couldn't see much anyway. I told my mom I would get her a sunset before she left.

They got the tour of campus complete with landmark buildings, Benny the Beaver statue, and of course my office!

We took a trip over the Cascade mountains to spend some time in the high desert portion of Oregon. We stopped at the museum and took in some sites there.

We shopped in Sisters (too busy shopping to take pictures). We stayed the night at the boss' cabin. Naturally for an aggie, it is shaped like a barn. My dad was ready to retire here.

And then we hit up Crater Lake. My second time seeing it but my parents' first time. It was also my first time without 30 feet of snow. We were able to drive all the way around. I could have spend the whole day here. Enjoy the pictures.

We took in nature.

And when we left Crater, we ate lunch and drove to Northern California to see some tall trees. This was nice and my parents were troopers. I think they were tired at this point but they stuck with me. Going to see the trees was mostly an excuse to get over to the Southern Oregon coast so we could see a sunset without cloud. Remember - I had promised my mom.