Random Selection

Whenever I've had occasion to participate in a raffle, random drawing, or luck-of-the-draw-may-the-odds-be-in-your-favor something, I am always optimistic.  I cross my fingers and think happy thoughts for luck, hoping that this time, this once, maybe I will win.  Well, someone in the room must always be thinking happier thoughts than me. *Sigh*.  I hardly win.

BUT! Yesterday I was sitting in LDS Marriage & Family and Brother Dorius announced that the Department of Religious Education was going to be randomly selecting 10 or so students from each religion class to take a one-hour online test.  This test is meant to measure a BYU student's knowledge of the New Testament, without scriptures or any other form of aid (hopefully prayer isn't ruled out).  Sounds fun, yeah?  I know that a test hardly sounds like a coveted prize to win, but how exciting is it to be one of 10 selected from 60-something?  That is enough to brighten anyone's Thursday. Plus, they give you a $5 gift certificate for the Bookstore.  Not bad, I say.  Not bad.  That is like a bag and a half of chocolate covered cinnamon bears.  Not bad at all.

Brother Dorius read the lucky 10 names in alphabetical order.  There was a last name beginning with B, then E, then G, then J, then H....could there be another H or would he skip on down to L or something?  Imagine my delight when I heard "Hardman, Bethany"!  Huzzah! *Big smiles*

How jolly it is to know that someone thought of you, even if it was through the process of random selection.  Now I just hope my New Testament knowledge is up to par.

My Father's House

Well.

Well, well, well. Today I have begun examining my love/hate relationship with blogging. Pros and Cons are being weighed. Thoughts are being mulled-over. A decision will be made. We'll see if a new post makes it up here anytime soon.

p.s. if you are reading this and have an opinion about blogging, you better share it with me. Ready go.

Bethany

A Far Green Country

What a beautiful day! I woke up this morning from a little sprinkling of rain upon my face, let in by my open window. A quick glance outside told me that the outside world was grey and wet. Scratch that, grey and WHITE and wet. Beautiful soft April snow. Winter semester ended yesterday and I was afforded a leisurely morning at home feeling cozy inside while the rain/snow/sloosh carried on around me. Several hours later when I emerged and made ready to enter the outside world, I noticed the brilliancy of the now-visible sun, and the beautiful effect that it was having on everything within its rays' reach.



Everything around was fresh and green, brilliant and blue, bright and white. The morning moisture left everything with a sweet little sparkle, and I was reminded of a beautiful piece of Tolkien wisdom:

"The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass. And then you see it. White shores…and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise."

Happy Earth Day!
More pretty photos by Nick Coombs, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Hansel, Gretel, and a Happy List

Recently I taught 26 darling 1st graders the basics of making a simple list. We talked about what you might want to put in a list, how you will separate your items for clarity, what the colon means ("everyone say 'colon', now draw it with your finger in the air, now your nose!"), and as part of an interactive writing activity we came up with a variety of lists for our literature theme of the week, Hansel & Gretel. Our first list went something like this--

Characters: Hansel, Gretel, Mother, Father, Witch.

Not too tricky, eh? The lesson went quite well and made for a good foundation for the students. I've had lists on the mind. So....

Here is a little list of things that turn up the corners of my mouth and make me crazily happy. It is nothing new, but happiness is always worth sharing, yeah?

1. Dr. Seuss books
2. My mother making corn chowder on a chilly evening
3. The last hour of school just before a 3-day weekend
4. Wind
5. Flipping through the pages of the new gospel art book
6. Jenny's culinary creations, and the fact that she shares them with everybody!

What would your happy list for today look like?

On The Lightning Thief

Once upon a time last summer I was introduced (by the vivacious duo Delanie & Melanie) to Percy Jackson, the half-blood/demigod/heroic adolescent son of Poseidon. Yes, that Poseidon.



It wasn't long before I was quite taken in by Rick Riordan's nifty little series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Though Percy doesn't quite compare to THE half-blood hero (we can thank J.K. Rowling for that...and no, I do not mean Harry), his character, kindness, and humor make for quite the enjoyable ride through Riordan's modern day oxymoronic Ancient Greece.

Seriously, these books will make you happy. Aside from the refreshingly unique adventures and twists spun throughout the U.S., the character development is highly satisfying, particularly in the cases of Percy, Annabeth, and Grover. Not to mention how satisfying the Percy-Annabeth thing is. I'm not usually smoozhy (or I do not like to claim to be, at least), but this little coupling really is right up there. Needless to say, I love these books.

Read them. Please. Just do it.

Last night, after months of happy anticipation, I had the opportunity to go to the midnight showing of the The Lightning Thief, an adaptation of the 1st Percy Jackson book. Did you catch that? ADAPTATION. And a loose one, at that.

I'm still trying to figure out my response to this movie. It seemed targeted to a young audience (which is okay), and that did make it rather silly at times. No, it did not hold very true to the book (where on earth were the Titans!?). No, not very much at all

But it is fine for what it is, and I did enjoy it. You know what else? I'm actually grateful it wasn't very true to the book. That allows me to think of the books and the movies as two separate entities. I can appreciate what I can from the movie (admittedly, the water-wielding was pretty cool), and still love the books just as much.

And there you have it.

Kindle and Char

It has been a beautiful Monday. I woke up this morning after a perfectly splendid dream, in which BYU had become a pirate haven! Campus was paved in rough cobblestones and the RB and SFH had graciously made room for a bay complete with lamp-lit sailing vessels. We received grades by meeting our professors (with swords drawn) in battle. It was amazing. The fantasy was made complete by a victory against Dr. Crandall, bouts of fog rolling across the Law building parking lot, and acts of heroism by the Heritage Halls freshmen.

Why isn't school like this?

Unfortunately, this wonderful dream took place during my Teaching Literacy Class. I guess my alarm clock wanted the day off :). But that was okay, too, because it meant that I spent the remainder of my morning reading an email from a nice missionary, making a package for said missionary, tying a quilt with my mother, and watching bits of Sense and Sensibility. Perfect.

6 Things

Happy, happy, happy. Here's why:

1. It's the golden glow of the evening.
2. I get to philosophize with Jenny tonight.
3. My hair is to my waist.
4. Ralph and Leisel married one another in real life!
5. Cameron is nearly home!
6. Wintry Evening Air.