My Two Cents: BYU vs. U of U

In light of all the talk going around about the BYU vs. UTAH rivalry, I just wanted to give my opinion on the matter. I mean, that's the whole reason we blog, right?

For those of you who don't know, the big BYU vs. UTAH game was on Saturday. BYU won in overtime 26-23. The game was riddled with personal fouls on both sides and emotions were running high the entire game. After the game Max Hall, BYU's QB, gave an interview in which he pretty much stated he hated everything about UTAH: it's fans, it's team, the coaches, and pretty much the entire school (even the Engineering department! Now that's hitting below the belt...). When asked why he hates them so much, he said it was because of the way his family has been mistreated by UTAH fans for the past year. In an apology the next day he said the hatred was really only for the fans that had been mistreating his family, not for the entire school. You can read all about the rant here and his apology here.

The aftermath of what he said has been interesting to say the least. Max Hall did kind of ruin the victory for BYU. And UTAH fans now have a target in which to direct all of their pain and frustration from losing.

Here's where my two-cents come in.

I find it interesting that many Utah fans are spewing the same kind of hatred for BYU that Max Hall spewed toward Utah.

In a few instances on Facebook I've read statements to the effect of "This is why I became a Ute fan, because BYU fans are horrible, their coach is horrible, blah blah blah." and "I hate the team down South...".

Um. I hate to break your little self-satisfying hatred bubble, but you sound just like Max Hall. Whom you hate for hating. Max Hall's rant does not give you the green light to rant yourself. If you don't like what he did, don't do the same thing.

It goes both ways people. Both teams have horrible fans. But both teams have good fans. And both teams come from EXCELLENT universities that have great coaching programs and great coaches. And great Engineering departments. So there.

In Hall's defense, he was "in the moment" as they say. He'd just won against a team that, in his opinion, has been spewing hatred toward him and his family for an entire year. That kind of thing wears on you. It's hard to "turn the other cheek" when someone targets your family.
I don't condone what he said, but I understand why he said it.

So here's my final say on the matter:

Max Hall, I know you and your family were mistreated and there's no excuse for it. I'm sorry it happened. But harboring hatred is only going to hurt you, so let it go. Be the bigger man and just let it go.

Small percentage of UTAH fans that behave like jerks, shame on you. Shame on you for representing your school with cruelty and hatred towards someone so much that, in his moment of victory, all he can do is reciprocate your hatred. You support a great school, so don't tarnish its name by acting like a jerk.


If it were turned around and the Ute QB said the same things about BYU I would be really disappointed in the BYU fans whose actions prompted such a statement of hatred. You're better than that.

But this isn't just about sports and rivalries. I see a parallel to this in politics, religion, and anything where people have a difference of opinion. There are many people who HATE the LDS church because of the interaction they've had with a few of it's members. Does the action of a few justify hatred of the entire organization? Not at all. But shame on those members for acting in such a way as to misrepresent the church and the gospel of Jesus Christ. (If you want to hate the church because of it's doctrine, fine. But don't hate it because your LDS neighbor next door is a jerk.)

What's my bottom line? I don't know, maybe be nice? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, even if what they've done unto you is be a big fat jerk? (Ooo, I like that. I think I'll have that cut out in vinyl letters and plastered on my living room wall.)

Don't be haters, people. Don't be haters.

Sesame Street

In honor of their 40th Anniversary, I thought I'd follow Allie's lead and post some of my favorite (at least the ones I can remember) skits from Sesame Street.

First, this one because I still quote it.



And then this one because it inspired "Crazy Melvin Day" at school, but we celebrated wtih bananas, not pencils.



This one is STILL funny.



And this one was my all-time favorite song from Sesame Street.



And don't forget "C is for Cookie", "Ladybug's Picnic" and "Number 9 Martian Beauty". I would post them, but this is already getting ridiculous.

Just a test...and pictures of Danny and Makenna!

I'm just testing to see if I know how to make a video on the laptop and make it available for your viewing pleasure via YouTube. If you were able to watch a short clip of Danny and Makenna to the tune of James Taylor's "Never Die Young", then I have achieved success!

Rod Stewart

My parents used to have this magpie who'd come around their house a lot. It'd poke around in the backyard for walnuts and other things to eat. It liked to hop around their deck and we could watch it from the kitchen windows. One day I think it actually flew in the house, but that's another story.
The reason I remember this bird so well is because one day, during Sunday dinner as the magpie was hopping around the deck trying to swallow a plastic toy grasshopper, we decided to name it. The first suggestion of "Maggie the Magpie" naturally lead us to our final choice of "Rod Stewart." We tried it out: "Hey, Rod Stewart is outside trying to swallow Andrew's plastic grasshopper toy." Success!

-Rod Stewart's Relative-

Rod Stewart doesn't come around anymore, but I'll always fondly remember his antics in the backyard.
"Hey guys, Rod Stewart's back...and he's trying to crack that walnut shell off the deck."
"Rod Stewart tried to fly into the house again!"
"Be careful. Rod Stewart's out there and he might bite you."

I think when we get another pet someday I want to name it something along the same lines as "Rod Stewart". You know, like "Phil Collins".

"Come, Phil Collins! Come! Good boy!"
"Phil Collins was trying to eat his poop again."
"Somebody let Phil Collins out. He's scratching at the back door again."

Train of Thought

So, on my drive home from work today I heard a Peter Cetera song. "Glory of Love" to be exact.

And here's the train of thought that followed:

This reminds me of when Hannah and I made Erin and Corinne's wedding video. Erin told us not to put any music from the group "Chicago" on it. So what did we do? We set the video to the song "You're the Inspiration" by, of course, Chicago. Hannah's rationale was that Erin and his friends always said "Chicago" music was the best romantic music (or something like that). So we HAD to use it. Looking back, we probably should have listened to Erin and NOT used it.

What other questionable choices have I made because of cousin influence?

Well, there was that time we showed up at my ex-"somewhat boyfriend's" house dressed as old ladies, lured him to the side of his house and then beat him with handbags.

Then there was that time we made an entire batch of methylene blue brownies and took it to a party some of my high school friends were having. One friend and his brother ate pretty much the entire plate. I felt bad, but not really.

I won't even go into the rice crispy wigs because I still haven't decided if that was good or bad.

I wonder if people still judge me based on bad (or good) decisions I made when I was younger?

Do you ever grow out of the image people have of you from one point in time?
Think about it, I'm sure all of us can name at least one person from high school who we think is crazy because of something they did. Or we think someone is a jerk because of one thing they did. Maybe they're not crazy. Maybe they're not jerks. Maybe they're regular people who just made a bad decision.
Next time I see someone I knew from way back when I'll keep an open mind and not cram them into the box I've been keeping them in all these years. (For the record, I'm talking about a figurative box, not a literal box. I did crazy things with my cousins, but nothing that crazy.)

And that, my friends, was my train of thought as I drove home from school.

Love, Hate and School

Right now I'm at school getting things ready for next week. I needed a break from working and this seemed like the funnest alternative. Funny how blogging becomes a break when I'm working, but it's work during the summer. Go figure.

I have a love/hate relationship with teaching.
I love the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction I get when I'm doing something I know how to do and that I've done so much that I can actually do it well.
I hate having to be somewhere every morning at 8:15.
I love starting fresh every year with a new group of kids.
I hate having to get subplans together at 3:15 AM because I woke up with the flu. Why can't it be like other people's jobs? If they call in sick they can just call in sick. I have to call in sick, get subplans ready, find a substitute, and then clean up the aftermath when I get back.
I kind of love having every child in the school know my name.
I love getting my room together.
I love stacks of freshly made books, freshly sharpened pencils, new crayons, markers, and colored pencils, and full glue bottles. That means I'm ready.
I hate the feeling I have right before the kids come in on the first day. I don't like being nervous.
But I love the feeling that comes right after the bell rings and the kids start coming in.
I love the drive to and from school. 25 minutes each morning and afternoon to reflect, think and listen to music.
I hate driving that 25 minutes when it's snowing and the roads are icy and covered with snow.
I love love love the people I work with.
I hate that I won't have that association when I quit teaching.
I love teaching kids how to read.
I hate that I don't have enough time to prepare all the fun things I want to do with those kids.

Speaking of prepare...
I should get back to that.

How Boys Play

I used to think I knew how to play basketball. It wasn't until I married a true basketball fan that I realized that playing basketball isn't really 10 girls huddled underneath a hoop each taking turns throwing a ball into the air until, after several grueling minutes, one of them successfully manages to make it into the hoop that's been hovering elusively over their heads. Basketball is more than dribble, block, throw (e.i. shoot) the ball. It actually involves strategy. There are plays involved. Techniques. Moves. Skillz.
None of these I have.
But my hubby does. And he loves to play the game. Lucky for him he happens to know some other guys who love the game, too, and so they play every week.
I decided to tag along the last time they played and do a little playing myself.

...but I played with the camera.

I got some good action shots. Don't ask me what was going on here. I'm just taking the picture.


I just like this one.


It appears that Brad is going to try a granny shot and everyone is giving him some space to do it.


Don't mess with DAN.


But don't be scared of Dan! He's a nice guy!


Zack was popping up for the rebound on this one, but it could also be that he was attempting to dunk the ball and just fell short of the mark.


I like this because it gives a clear shot of Thomas's intimidation shirt (Who isn't intimidated by Porky Pig?) and because it shows how much fun these guys are having.