tp tree

Oakley, CA

Why is it when you are in the middle of Yellowstone, you can't find any and you end up using poison oak to wipe with, but when you are in Oakley the TP just seems to grow on trees.

The Shoe Pencil

(Gasp - A picture on Teaching Sean. Don't we have another blog for that!)

In 4th grade I had a problem. (And before Katie beats me to it...this is what I look like when I have a problem in 4th grade) I had resource right before recess. The resource room was on one side of campus and Mr. D's classroom was on the other side. (In fact, when I was first told I was going to be in Mr. D's class I told my parents it was surely too far to walk and I needed an electric truck to get me from the house to class and then home again. They thought I could just leave home earlier.)

When I went to resource I took a pencil with me and when I returned to class I carried the same pencil back. However, like I said, I did that reverse trek during recess. In my school we had a game called 9 square - It was like the two and four square games I've seen at the schools I've taught at, but instead - we had nine. Who got into those first nine squares was determined by who got there first. Being in Mr. D's class created a huge disadvantage to all of us compared the rest of the 4th grade because we were so far away. But being in recourse, all I had to do was step out the door. Only one problem - what did I do with my pencil.

Sometimes I would put my pencil in my pocket, only to have the lead poke me as I played (where in I was bleeding and had to leave my square) or the eraser would rub up against me and slow my play (where in I'd lose and had to leave my square). Sometimes I would put my pencil on the ground near where the line started, but this resulted in the pencil getting stolen or stepped on (which in my mind meant I now had two pencils but my resource teacher told me I needed the one long and not the two shorts). I struggled with this for some time.

About half way through the year, Mr. Y (who was one of the coolest science teachers I know) announced we were having an invention fair and that each person needed to think hard about their invention. After some time I decided that having a place to put your pencil was a darn hard thing that needed an invention for it. With my dad we talked about it. We discussed where you could put a pencil and be safe. If it was on your belt you may brush up against it during 9 square. Taping it to your shirt kind of required you having tape readily available.

One day I came home and told my dad we should attach the pencil to your shoe. If it was on the outside of the shoe it wouldn't brush up against anything, it wouldn't poke you, it wouldn't make you bleed (and thus not require any medivac time). It would be on your shoe. So him and I worked together to attach the pencil to the shoe. Having helped my dad around the house, I knew he had tubing we could use. He melted the ends and stuffed some material down either end (He thought it would prevent the pencil from breaking in the tube - it turns out he was right). We used a rubber band to keep the cap in place and to force the pencil into the tube.

Once it was all done, we made our tri-fold display and took it to the fair. I got an A in science because of this project, but more importantly - I got Honorable Mention (4th place), my shoe in the paper, and my name in the paper. I was over joyed. Sadly we did not get any contract deals out of it (as far as I know) and it did not become a world wide sensation, but I am still proud of my little Shoe Pencil.

A member of the new batch

Antioch, CA

When I got home from work today, the kids had the new batch of bunnies (all 8 of them) out for a little run on the lawn.

(BTC - Enjoy 8 more Bunnie Pictures)

Moose

Clyde CA

I take issue with people that name their animals after other animals. Take this fine creature. He is a Lab/Greyhound mix. But his name is Moose. When people do that I have wonder - was it because they wanted a moose and they couldn't have one? Or They wanted the dog to be inspired to follow in the foot steps and be like the other animal (Unfortunately this Moose did not do well if that was the goal. No antlers on this dog)? Or did they just want the dog to feel bad? How many dogs wake up every morning and say "I'm never going to be a good moose. I try and I try but I'm just not moose material."?

I think the worse is when people name their dogs "Bear." "He's a tough dog and good to have around if you are ever in trouble. He's just like a bear." (Except for that part where HE IS A DOG!!!)

no fiction

Dear Reader:

I have a 4 chapter story outlined in my head, but I can't get the paragraphs out, so there is no fiction today.

However I'd like to add some non-fiction to your life. I found out today that I got an A in Abnormal Psych. I figured out that takes my GPA from 2.77 (that I graduated BYUI with) to a 2.88. Oh, and I lost five pounds in the last three months. All true - not fiction. I'll try to upload fiction as soon as my head, my fingers and the voices inside come together.

Sincerely,

Sean

rusty chain

Antioch, CA

I've spent the last few weeks talking to my friend Steve. He recently bought a recumbent trike and has been telling me about adventures with it (such as wrecking the derailer in the first ride and being sidelined for a few days). It gives me a desire to take my bike out for an adventure as well, except my bike has been sittin out for the last few months, exposed to the elements. I called around today and to get someone else to get the bike up to snuff will cost me about $100 (this used to cost me $25 in Idaho - During a good economy!!). So it looks like Saturday morning I might be spending some time tuning it up myself.

It turns out it isn't orange

Antioch, CA

Evidently, I thought I would spend 2009 being wrong when Nina was right - a lot. I really thought this was orange. Shouldn't basketball tie tacks be orange?