Creative arts test number two

In the midst of struggling through nursing classes, I have a creative arts class that requires that I write things for exams.  Normally, this would be a treat, a creative release, a mental stroll.  But not right now!  Anyway, here are two of the questions on the exam.  These are the poetry, literature, and paintings chapters.

(1)    Write a poem using the style of the poet you have chosen in the first question.

                   (which was Georgia Douglas Johnson)

Plans Unfulfilled

I wanted the smile to last forever

I wanted a lifetime of holding hands

Your touch brightened the darkest day

And lifted the heart of this tired man

We planned for old age together

Planned the trips, the projects, the lazy days

You were to be my support and my ally

The one to accept and encourage my crazy ways

You weren’t to go before the sun had set

The doctors, the beds and the pain

This wasn’t what we saw when at first we met

Where is the splashing barefoot in the rain

What am I supposed to do now

Where is the color in my dreams

When will you lean near and tell me how

To live, move on, to encourage me to breath

I lie in bed, looking blankly at the wall

Listening to the crippling silence of the house

I am alone now and life promises nothing at all

For indeed I have lost my partner and my spouse!

(2)    Reread Blake's "The Lamb and "The Tiger" With or without rhythm and rhyme, write a short poem about another animal using it as a symbol for something else you should not name directly.

From the silence

Silent passage through the grass,

he moves, he drifts, he slides

motion, he stops and licks the air

focus and danger in his eyes.

The other, so unsuspecting

Life’s struggles on her mind

Unaware of the hunter’s presence

She teeters along through life

Teeth, long, hollow and unforgiving

Find flesh, bone and skin

Pain and panic, fear unfolding

Innocence lost before life begins

The hunter, feeds with satisfaction

Then disappears as silently as he came

To find more innocent children

To torture, kill and maim

No warning but for a rattle

Nothing for parents to teach or take

To protect their pure and lonely

from the bite of the deadly snake.

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I don't know Haiku?

 I am supposed to write some Haiku's for my creative arts class.  I have not been given any instruction on how to do it or what rules are involved.  The only instruction I have so far is that it is a short poem of 17 syllables distributed over three lines –five, seven, five.  Given this instruction, here are my first attempts.

1)      Speak to audience

Mouth is dry and tongue is thick

Picture them naked

2)      Slice juicy lemon

Liquid splashes in my face

Scream, tears, blurry eyes

3)      Splash, plop, frog in flight

From below a large fish gulp

Last swim of the day

4)      Clouds drifting fluffy

Darkened sight obscures the path

Fall in hole unseen

5)      Ragged breath, wheeze, cough

Hoisted box, stumbled up stairs

Wife complains, wrong box

6)      Shirt and pants too tight

The scale mocks my swollen gut

Tears, a salad night

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St George

Finally found our way to St George after cutting the first two days of the trip for Camden's football practices and first scrimmage.  His scrimmage ended abruptly after the first quarter due to a large laceration below Cam's elbow.  See pictures:













But we hit the pool by about 6:30 pm Saturday night and enjoyed our time immensely.  The boys and I saw the third Batman installment on Monday night.  We found church meetings that started at 1:00 pm on Sunday afternoon because that is when we were finally ready.  Incidentally, it is at the ward house just west of the movie theater, up the block from the Condo.  We enjoyed the pool again for a good part of the day on Monday:

Here is Brayden and Madilyn doing tandem dives.  We left at about 11:50 am on Tuesday and made it back of Cam's football practice and Brook's activity days activity.  Fun time - only our second time down at the condo as a family but well worth it.  Thanks Mom and Dad!!

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Last day of class

The last official day of class for the summer semester.  It has been a hectic summer and I am glad to be nearly done.  Finals are tomorrow and Friday, two each day.

After that - full time work and a three week break from classes.  I haven't had more than a two or three day break from between semesters since January.  I am hoping to have a mental break too and escape with the family down to St. George for a long weekend.  The busy nature of the schedules of teenage children are already popping up to try to derail my St. George break.

I will be taking my LPN state boards within the next month or so.  I will need to study for those sometime this month.

I missed a youth fishing trip with Cam last week (although Cam can't abide fishing - too slow) and I am missing a youth fishing trip with Brayden this week (Lake Powell)  I wish that my finals were earlier in the week so that I could go catch some fish with Brayden - my fishing buddy!  We went through his gear last night.  I supplemented his tackle and bait with some from my own tackle box.  I hope that he does well.  He caught 4 last weekend up at Payson lakes, 3 rainbow and a beautiful brook trout.  It was part of a 3 day Hollist family gathering.  He and Joe ate the trout for breakfast on Saturday morning.  I was at a hospital clinical.

My garden is in mid-summer status.  My zucchini plants are inundating me with produce.  My yellow squash plants were planted about 45 days late and are struggling to decide if they want to grow.  Five plants at about three inches in height each.  Each with a different excuse to why they are not growing more quickly.  I don't want to hear it.  My blueberry bushes are still doing well, new branches with new leaves, good general growth. I am so excited.  I sit by them every few days, examining their growth and discuss with them their plans for the future.  I will have to eventually replant them.  The five plants are each in a black, one foot high, plastic potting container.  I have not yet acidified their soil but they still seem to be troopers for me.

My blackberries are changing daily.  More and more of the fruit are turning black.  It is beautiful to see the new growth for next year as well, three large new branches, a gorgeous plant!  My cucumber plants are out of control, creeping throughout my beans and carrots.  If the yellow blossoms are any indication, I should be swimming in cucumbers in the next few weeks.

I will attempt to build my strawberry tower during my August break from school. The neighbor down the street will be pulling out her strawberries this fall and I will be the recipient of some of the plants.  I need a place to put them and I am nearly out of room.  I found a picture of a strawberry tower on the internet and I think that I will do something similar.

I will put it in the front corner of the garden area opposite the house.  I will build another lattice fence next to it that runs from the neighbor's fence to my arbor.  It will match the lattice fence on the opposite side of the arbor currently covered by green grapes.  This new one will soon be covered by purple concord grapes if plans hold true.  This may be a spring project though.

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Good looks run in the family

In searching my family photo database for a picture of a doll that the girls made up at "This is the Place" village, I found a forgotten picture that is one of my favorites.  Here it is:

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Crazy talk

Brooklyn has tried out for and made an accelerated soccer team in the area.  She is so excited.  She has spent the last week splitting her time between soccer practices and a soccer camp.  Her first preseason game was last night.  Her team won 3 - 0.  She played right defenseman.

Leaking water and puddles in the cold storage led to a removal of the carpet scraps, the water barrels, the scout totes and anything else on the right side of the cold storage.  I mopped up the water, took out all of the water damaged items and set a fan to blow.  Meanwhile, I have made a mess of the the playroom until I can put everything back.  This may be a good time to reorganize the cold storage shelves and to reinventory the food storage to note any shortages to our year supply of food.

I completed my second psych clinical at the state hospital on Friday.  Much more calm and sedate (no pun intended) then I would have imagined.  We (as student nurses) are divided into groups of two and are sent to various units on the hospital campus.  I have been assigned the Adult North East. I have four more state hospital clinicals and two more clinicals on the psych floor at Utah Valley, where I work, this month.  I will then begin clinical rotations on Mom/Baby, Peds, and Labor/Delivery at Utah Valley during the month of July.

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Celebrate growth

Completed Med/Surge and Pharm finals yesterday - painful.  I get a week between semesters - wonderful.  I get to focus on our garden for a few minutes.  I love to garden.  My garden is just beginning to bloom.  I have just a few things in the ground so far.  I still have most of the veggies to plant.  Here are a few things. 

 

Sprouted seeds but didn't mark and can't remember

Pea plant

Thornless blackberry from a 4 inch start

New "2nd" raspberry plot!!!!

 

Both regular and garlic chives

Lettuce

Green grapevine's spring growth

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Congrats to Brayden!!!

Nominated and chosen as 10th grade Student of the Month for his High School!!!  Article with picture in the paper and a catered lunch at the school.  Good for you. It is reflective of your hard work.  Great Job.

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Truisms - I love these - I read them again today and laughed out loud!

Even when opportunity knocks, you still have to get up off your seat and
open the door. 

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear
your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you
realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I
was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm
pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how
the person died.

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at
work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive
for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I
don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it
asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper
that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this
- ever.

15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello?
 Hello!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine
times and goes to voicemail. What did you do after I didn't answer?
Drop the phone and run away? 

16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not
seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste. 

17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know
not to answer when they call.

18. I think the freezer deserves a light as well. 

19. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or
Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay.

20. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option

21. Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger
and suddenly realize I had no idea what the heck was going on when I
first saw it.

22. I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand
than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in. 

23. The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying
to finish a text. 

24. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and
hunger. 

25. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just
nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word  they
said? 

26. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team
up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong,
brothers and sisters!

27. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get
dirty, and you can wear them forever. 

28. Is it just me or do high school kids get dumber & dumber every
year? 

29. There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are
going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

30. As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate
drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate
cyclists. 

31. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still
not know what time it is.

32. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating  their
car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the  Tail on
the Donkey - but I'd bet my all everyone can find and push the  snooze
button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed,  first time,
every time!

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Wonderfully Distracted

Mid terms are tomorrow.  Trying to focus, not very successful.  I enjoy my family too much.  I would rather be with them.  Studying makes me sleepy.  Heidi and Brook are sorting all of the kids saved mementos and pictures into separate totes from the mess that was in the top of the closet.  I would rather be doing that with them :-)
Best part of the night so far was reading books with Maddie and Ash before bed and spending a few minutes with Brayd in his room, listening to him play the electric bass.  He is great.

I found a great picture.  What a beautiful animal, ya think?

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My EAGLE Scouts!

Second all night clinical complete.  I spent the evening (5:30PM) to early morning (4:30AM) on the RHAB floor of Utah Valley Regional following a young nurse (Katelyn, age 22, experiencing the discomfort of morning sickness with her first pregnancy, 14 weeks along, hoping for a boy, father wants a girl) around to her four patients.  They were a joy to care for with no incidents of note for the evening.  The clinical includes a break from 11:30PM to 1:00AM where we meet in a Mother/Baby classroom and have a roundtable reporting/discussion meeting on the patients that we are assigned.

More importantly, last night, both of my sons met with their EAGLE board of reviews, passed, and were awarded/confirmed their status as EAGLE Scouts!!!!!!  I congratulate them both!  What a wonderful representation of commitment and resolve put forth by both (as well as their mother) to achieve this award.

The pride in my two sons and their wonderful accomplishment and commitment over the last few years tempers the bitter taste that permeates the mouth when I choke out the term scout.  That they battled through and overcame that self-righteous, arrogant and pretentious institution of scouting and its equally horrific regional leaders is the ultimate testament to their resolve.

I slept from about 5:30 AM to 10:30AM while my wonderful wife fiercely protected me from noises while she got four children off to school, worked on the computer for three hours, dressed and cared for the two year old tornado (a mischievous storm of hands, curiosity, determined destruction, and physical and mental faculties beyond her years), dressed and showered herself and checked the oldest daughter out of school to have more x-rays on her broken leg.  Meanwhile I got to sleep peacefully, slumming it in the bedroom, nice for me.

Today will be a mixture of homework and being with the kids (I hope) before going to a tedious dinner party where we have to mingle with the current bishop and his wife as well as two previous bishops and their wives.  Maybe I will (accidentally) slam my hand in the car door and have to have it amputated.  I would then have to miss the witty repartee that this little party promises, one could only hope.  Honestly, I hope that it is found to be an enjoyable experience.  I just don’t know two of the other couples very well and find the prospects of an intimate dinner party and playing strip Uno and Truth or Dare spin the bottle with them an uncomfortable assignment.  I go with a hopeful heart and four layers of clothing.  At least the Jell-O wrestling should be fun.

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Loose shorts on the trampoline

Cam's young men's activity.  His shorts get away from him.

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Loss for words

I am at a loss for words to describe and explain a post that I certainly need to write.  Monday night was spent at Mom and Dad's house, enjoying the evening with much of the family at the annual Christmas family home evening.

On that night, Clarke quietly gave me a gift that has, to this very moment, still taken words from me.  There are moments, glimpses of Clarke, opportunities to see past the veneer of confidence, to a beautiful core, a thoughtful, generous spirit, that goes far beyond anything of which I am capable.  A desire to create large things for the benefit of other people, to use his abilities and influence to give and to touch.  I was awarded the opportunity to again see this guarded side of a generous brother on Monday evening and it brought me to tears.

Clarke, in his goodness and generosity, took my Christmas story "The First Tree of Christmas" and, spending many late nights, after hours, in the studio, produced and engineered a complete two hour, two disk audio book from it.  He arranged for a professional vocal actor to read the story with full and unique voices for each character.  I am overwhelmed and deeply grateful.  Words cannot express the thrill to have my words and thoughts come to life.  I was so touched at the thoughtfulness, the generosity, the planning and the time that it took to create this incredible memory for me.  I am very grateful for him and his kindness.  It will be a treasured gift for the rest of my life.  Thank you Clarke!

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Finals?

Up at the kitchen counter studying for finals today with clinicals tonight.  I am enjoying every minute, watching my youngest play with her new dollies.  I can't help but laugh at her expressions, her personality and her attitudes.  She is a source of joy for me.  Heidi is working so diligently in her newly allocated  office (Maddie's old bedroom)  I HATE the fact that she has to work.  It kills me.  I can't wait for her to be able to quit. 

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Continue....

I like Deborah's idea of a 50 lbs weight loss between now and April.  I will take the challenge too.  Unfortunately, if I lost 50 lbs, I would still be 30 lbs from my goal weight, but that is better than 80lbs.  I'm in!!

Today was school, school and more school.  Microbio lab was in the morning, experiments on how effective cleaners are on various bacteria.

Nursing class was over lunch,from 11 to 1.  We are preparing for yet another test on Thursday.  We went over cultural diversity and nursing.

Microbio lecture was 3 to 4:30.  Viruses..... structure, types...blah blah blah.

I have this weeks schedule for training at work in the hospital, one day shift and two graves.  Unfortunately the graves come right after a day of school and right before a day of clinicals.  It will be a marathon of 51 hours of work or school over a period of 60 hours.

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