Mathletes, Start Your Calculators!

I have a chance to do something I have never done before in my volunteering life:  I'm helping or high school Math Club host a district wide competition at our school this afternoon.  I'm doing this for two reasons:  1)  Dear Friend, Amy, is the Math Club adviser--almost against her will--and she was kind of freaking out thinking about hosting it without any other adult supervision.  And 2) because The Girl is the president of this inaugural year of the PGHS math club--it looks good on her college applications, and she is Amy's TA one period this semester.

It is what I do:  Volunteer.

I am kind of excited to see how this will go down.  There are 150 high school students--smartypants types, one and all--expected to attend and compete.  We could have potentially 8 high schools participate.  And my majors jobs today will be to deliver the 56 feet of sub-sandwiches from WalMart with all the required accoutrements and then to be the "announcer" throughout the competition and then the prize drawings.

In this arena I think I am as close to professional as I can be without being paid--thus a volunteer.  The announcing job is always my job at the swim team's triathlon each summer too.  Just give me a microphone and let me loose.  I guess that means my talent lies in being a big mouth, since there really is no other gift or talent required for it.

I'll let you know how it all goes. My only concern is that today's math competition overlaps with the Space Center committee meetings I am supposed to be at but I have asked to be excused as I committed to this math thing before we have a committee meeting scheduled today.  "La vida es dura", as Mr. Bryant--my HS Spanish teacher--used to always say.

Sad Day

Today is a sad day for me.  I have a chance to attend a funeral from a lovely woman, Jeannine, today.  She was only 30 something, and was formerly my visiting teacher right after her mission.  Her mom is our relief society president, and her dad is our former bishop.

She passed away, quite unexpectedly, last weekend in Vegas--where she lived.

I haven't heard the reasons for her death, not that that matters in the greater scheme of things.  But I am curious.  And I haven't seen her parents since we heard about her passing. I have had them and their family in my prayers, and while I know Jeannine had a secure testimony of Jesus Christ and His Gospel, it is still sad for everyone who knew her.

Holiday Habits

Last week we decided where we wanted to set up the Christmas tree this year.  It seems to be an annual discussion that morphs into an argument.  The kids want it one place.  Genius Golfer thinks it ought to go somewhere else and I try to find where it will fit without moving much furniture.

It ended up in the family room downstairs.  We put it together and decorated it for Family Home Evening.  The kids are getting too old, apparently, to enjoy this project much anymore.  I told them that when they have kids, we are going to wait for the grandchildren to come set up our Christmas tree.

I Blame Keith

Yes, my dearest, longest, lasting, high school friend, Keith.  He gets the blame.  After my post about being released from my YW calling, he had the nerve to post a comment abut 6 years was long enough and I should get back to Primary.  How dare he!

I got a calling yesterday...in Primary.  We are not amused.

No idea what age yet...but I was called to teach in Primary and to be a 'mentor teacher' to a young single adult sister who is making her way back in the Gospel.   She will be my teaching partner, and I'm to teach her how to teach as much as I am to teach the kiddos.  The mentoring part is much more interesting to me (at this point of the game) than the kids.

The Lord has a pretty demented sense of humor sometimes.  He knows I am not much good with little people--beyond making faces in the checkout line at the grocery store, where the kid is looking at me but too scared to make noise.  I like holding little babies--when they are asleep and smell good.  But preschoolers and Primary kids hold little interest for me.

Anyone remember how many times I had to call my mom when my own kids were younger and cry to her that "someone in this house will not make it to kindergarten alive"?  I'm not good with little people.

The Boy, on the other hand, and Genius Golfer are both great with small people.  They would ROCK this calling.

But I will nonetheless be obedient and thankful this isn't a job like a General Authority where you have it until you die.  I guess the Library ladies at church are that way too.  But this is a transition position. And I will do the best I can, but I probably won't like it. Just so you know.

And its all Keith's fault.

Video Sunday