A Legend in My Own Time

by Shirley Bahlmann
I didn't know I was a legend until last Tuesday when I sat in front of Snow College Professor Bruce Peterson at my son's school Christmas program. Between songs, Peterson leaned forward and tapped me on the shoulder. I looked up from my book (which I read between songs) to see him smiling down at me. "Do you know what I remember about you?" he asked.
Now that was a loaded question if I ever heard one! So many possibilities ran through my brain that I was dizzy when I answered, "No. What?" I wondered if there were any other seats I could move to in the jam-packed gymnasium once he revealed some terrible deed of my past.
"You were reading a paperback book in a college class. When the teacher called on you to answer a question, you looked up, answered it, and went right back to reading."
"Oh," I said, not specifically remembering the incident.
"The teacher stood there with his mouth open," Peterson laughed. "I was amazed. The whole class was. I didn't even know the answer, and I'd been listening. So now, every year I tell my students about you, and say that they can do whatever they want as long as they're getting the information. If they can answer the questions, then they can read or draw or listen to music or whatever. But if they can't, then they have to do it my way."
"You tell all your classes about me?" I asked, my eyebrows disappearing into my hairline.
"Yeah. I just thought that was so great when you did that. You taught me that everyone learns differently."
"Cool," I said. "Thanks for telling me." Then I turned around, my eyes falling on the sweet adventure of the written word.
It's really kind of exciting that you never know when you'll do something that impacts someone else. I just happened to find out because I was just being my weird self, reading books in my spare time everywhere I go.
Sometimes I'll sing a bit of song in the grocery store. Sometimes I do high kicks when I'm walking down the street. I don't know why. But if you ever see an urban setting and people on the street break out into a series of random high kicks, then you'll know that Shirley has achieved legend status once again.

Choosing English--on purpose!

by Terri Ferran

Terri writes. [Sentence pattern 1 (s-v)]
Terri is overwhelmed. [Sentence pattern 2 (s-v-sc)}
Terri eats chocolate. [Sentence pattern 3 (s-v-do)]
Terri gives the teacher her assignment. [Sentence pattern 4 (s-v-io-do)]
Terri hopes the teacher is merciful. [Sentence pattern 5 (s-v-do-oc)]

What is she blathering about, you ask? I have been overcome and overwhelmed by my final semester of college. I’m almost there—I will soon have a BS that means something other than bull stuff!

The thing that really proved to me that I am now a writer is this—I deliberately took English 1120 – English Fundamentals (translated as grammar) as an ELECTIVE. That means I took it voluntarily and paid for the privilege!

I aren’t what I used ta be!

So writing for pleasure has gone on hold for a semester; but, hopefully, I’ll emerge from the heavy load a little bit properer than I was J. Here’s to teaching this old dog some new tricks.

Home Again

By Rebecca Talley

My daughter arrived home from Snow College early Saturday morning (okay it was really the middle of the night). I was very excited to see her (not so much for all of the stuff she brought home with her).

What a great experience she's had. I admit, I was a little scared to send her away to college. Would she starve? Would she pay her bills on time? Would she study enough? Would she make friends? Would she get kidnapped on the way to school in that scary Ephraim town?

I'm pleased to say that she not only took great care of herself, she did well in school, and she matured in so many ways. She also finished her Personal Progress (just under the wire) without me harping on her. She's become a young adult capable of living in the world without me. (I guess that's a good thing, though it does make me feel a little sad that my baby has grown up).

To every thing there is a season.

Getting Straight A's in College

Lyman Rose

I just thought I would talk a bit about my new book that will be coming out next month. It is a guide on how to get straight A's in college. It is brief and yet quite effective. There are just a few simple steps to take to insure that you are on the right track.

One of the steps is to take careful notes and take them in the language of the professor. Don't try to put it in your own words. Instead, use your professors words and remember them that way. Then, when the test comes and you have an essay portion, you say it like the professor said it. If there are two answers that have basically the same content but one is in the professors words and one is in the students words, the professor will tend to give the higher grade to the answer that is in his (the professor's) words because he understands it more clearly. After all, he (the professor) said it!

If you know anyone in college, let them in on this little secret and it will help them. If you want to help them further, get them a copy of my book when it comes out next month.

Lyman