Then what ARE you?

The little boy I tutor has a five-year-old sister, Zoey, the Drama Princess. The other day she asked me,
"Sheryl, are you a mom?"
"Nope, I'm not a mom yet."
"Are you a teenager?" she said.
"No, thank goodness, I'm not a teenager anymore." I replied.
She looked a little confused and then said, "Then what are you?!"

I mean, what else is there?

My pupil discovered last week that I was 24, and upon hearing the news he dropped his jaw. (Apparently 24 is pretty old.) He asked why I didn't go to the same church as he does. "I go to a single adult ward." I told him. (What's a single adult ward?) As I explained this I found myself clearing up a misconception. "But I thought you were married to Brother Wilde." (My Dad!)
Oh, man. There's nothing like kids to keep you humble.

Happy Novemeber 4th-- Vote!

Most of us have probably already decided who will win our presidential vote, but I just found two web-sites that are great tools for verifying you're selecting the candidate who best represents your views. Both sites are politically neutral. GlassBooth features a quiz where you are asked your opinions, and then you are "matched" with the best running-mate. You can easily see how you agree and disagree with the candidates. VoteSmart allows easy access to the candidates past voting records, and other helpful/interesting information.

GlassBooth.org

VoteSmart.org

Hoorah for Period Drama

I think my regular subscribers are an audience of four: Amy, Tawni, Erica, and Tammy. Woo baby! :)
Well, anyway, I think most of y'all like Jane Austen, so here are some trailers to whet (no, that's not a typo) your appetite for some mini series and films I HIGHLY recommend. And I'm always looking for others, so let me know if there are some you like I haven't included. I think both Weber and Davis Counties have most of these in their libraries.

WIVES AND DAUGHTERS (Miniseries) - Featuring my favorite literary heroine!


NORTH AND SOUTH (Miniseries) - Think "Charles Dickens meets Jane Austen"


CRANFORD (miniseries) - Featuring Dame Judi Dench. Probably too new to get at the library. There's not as much romance in this one, more drama, but I still really liked it. It is based on three novels by Elizabeth Gaskell, the author of Wives and Daughters and North and South.

VICTORIA AND ALBERT (miniseries) No trailer! How sad. This is about the real-life love story of the teenage Queen Victoria, and Prince Albert. Trivia: Albert is played by Jonathan Firth, Colin Firth's brother. Incidentally, Jonathan Firth also has a role in the next film I'm recommending, Luther. Victoria is played by Victoria Hamilton who has a small part as Mrs. Forrester in the A&E Pride and Prejudice.

LUTHER (film) - Very interesting film about the Protestant Reformation. I was first introduced to it in my World Religions Institute class. (Rated PG-13 for some violence.) This isn't my favorite trailer; I think it's a bit overdone, but at least you get some idea.

Confessional- my BBB addiction

I suppose it started long before they started coming in the mail, but the regularity with which I indulge in my addiction has increased. Yes, it's true. I am a sucker for the Bed Bath and Beyond coupon. Particularly the $5 off coupon-- I mean come on, pay ten bucks for fifteen dollars worth of merchandise! While it may be true that I currently have no need for my own stainless steel measuring cups (or spoons) or the place-mats I bought on sale, or the towels, or the snazzy glass pitcher... in the next few years (or less--oh please, oh please, oh please) I will actually have my own place where these things will come in handy.

The downer is that in the meantime, I'm completely outgrowing my bedroom. With my room filled to capacity and my treasures occupying three boxes downstairs, my parents aren't always excited to see me bring home new things (although some of the time I'm with my mom when I buy.) There have been times when I sneaked my sack to the basement without the show and tell. ;)
Last November I got caught in the act when I stopped at Bed Bath and Beyond on my way home from school; when I came out with my new purchase, the car wouldn't start.
I guess I really should stop stocking up on stuff for the future, but it's so fun! It's my twenty-something equivalent of playing "house." For the most part I have restrained myself when it comes to buying large items, but last summer I did go ahead and buy the cutest three piece wrought-iron bistro patio set. (Not from BB&B incidentally, but it was on sale!) For now, it lives in the basement.

I've added a good number of items to my "inventory"- some more frivolous than others. Maybe I'm quirky weird; I admit to uh... actually buying a really adorable, soft baby reindeer stuffed animal when I was fourteen years old with hypothetical baby's first Christmas in mind. (I know, I know.)

What can I say? At least I come with a heck of a dowry.