Agism - Where Do I Start?

Currently, I am taking a class called “Sociology of Aging”.  I know it will be a good class and look forward to these next three and a half weeks.  The course will end before I know it.

My instructor is quite animated and reminds me of my late sister-in-law except happier.  I enjoyed listening to the lecture yesterday as the happiness in her voice and arm movement (I have only had one other instructor record herself).  I know her teaching methods aren’t going to appeal to everybody, but I enjoy the bonus of hearing joy.

I tried reading the book but was becoming bored with the way it was written and turned to YouTube instead and found some informative videos on the subjects and some that came across even more boring than the reading.

I have also volunteered to test market a hotspot device through the school so they can monitor how much time I spend on research and study.  Only they won’t be getting an accurate reading.  My internet, WiFi, hotspot, whatever cuts out on me every day.  Every Day!  I spend more time going from one device to another or not being on the internet at all.  I’ll start assignments or posts (such as this one) on one device and post it on another.              Grrr . . .

          So now that I’ve finished this post, perhaps I should start on my assignment. 

Accounting - a Cure for Insomnia

            I started two new classes on Labor Day - well, new to me.  The classes themselves aren't new.  One is in financing and the other is accounting.  Oh, joy.  It hasn't been a full week, and already I've gotten them mixed up.

            The instructor who teaches finance is one I've already had before.  My accounting instructor is the most enthusiastic one yet.  She talks quicker than I can take notes.  She doesn't spend much time on the assignment but does seem to cover a lot of ground.  It is still overwhelming.

            Now, I'm a visual person, which I think I have mentioned.  I love finding videos on YouTube that will help me understand whatever subject.  CrashCourse was great for economics and history, but it doesn't appear that there are have been any CrashCourse made with the subject of accounting.  Too bad.  Meanwhile, I have been searching for something that doesn't sound or read like Ben Stein.

            You see the reaction of the students?  I actually have a more attentive face learning the depression and economics and so forth than studying accounting. I have not come across yet that makes me go, "OH . . . I get it now!"  Ben Stein also done commercials for "Clear Eyes" and while the commercials themselves seem to have some eye amusement, his voice does not

            Accounting reads like double talk.  The language is seriously over my head.  And of course, everything is written in third person.  I guess that's one reason I prefer reading material in first person as opposed to third person.  Third person is too textbooky and impersonal.  There is nothing personal about accounting.  The higher up the class is, the more foreign it sounds.  Although I do seem to be getting some of what I  hear or read.

            Though the majority of my instructors have put more enthusiasm into their voices and have brought in their passion toward the subject, I haven't run across that on YouTube.  Most of it has been monotone and robotic.

            When addressing the question, "What would you recommend for falling asleep?" I have always suggested watching "the English Patient" - how can you seriously stay awake for the entire movie?  If that doesn't work, pull up YouTube and type in accounting.  That should do it.  

From Primary to MIA

When I was in primary, our classes were made up of those in the same grade at school.  We went to a class from September to September (or whenever the school year started.)  Primary was on Thursdays – just right after school. Each class had it's own name: Sunbeams, Stars, CTR, Targeteers, Merrie Miss and Blazers.

We were given paper crowns in Sunbeams and Stars and a CTR ring in CTRs.  We were given a flag in the Targeteer class.     

I don’t know if it was every other lesson, or once a month or exactly when the ribbons were passed out.  Each ribbon was a different color as I recall (I don’t know if the color was symbolic) – and I think they came with printed verse or scripture as a reminder of that lesson.  We were supposed to tie each ribbon on the “pole”, I guess just under the flag.  I can’t remember if we “earned” our ribbons or if they just came automatically.  I don’t even know what became of my flag.  It is one of the few things from my childhood that I didn’t manage to hang on to.

The only pic I could find with Targeteer anything.  Notice
the flag is rolled up so I still don't know its true shape.

Blazers and Merrie Miss were each for two years.  The boys were put in the Blazer class while the girls went to Merrie Miss.  We were given challenges and “awards” for passing off each Article of Faith and more.  Somewhere in my pack-rat memorabilia I have saved my Merrie Miss marker (banner passed out the first year) and bracelet (earned stones the second year) and Highlight Circle (which I couldn't find a picture of on the Internet, but have packed away - probably somewhere in Kayla's house - I do have a Merrie Miss Circle - still.  I'll have to photocopy it if I ever get the opportunity to do so)

I remember from early childhood that my mom had taught the Blazers.  I remember seeing the bandlos that the class members had to work on – particularly her youngest Blazer as he seemed to be the only one present for many of the classes. I don’t recall having bandlos in the Merrie Miss program, though they evidently did exist at some point

We didn’t go into Mutual (contrary to belief about some of our youth, the LDS term for “MIA” does not stand for “missing in action”) we didn’t enter just one at a time according to whenever our birthdays were.  We “graduated” from primary as an entire class.  We had a ceremony of recognition and we each received a pendant – though not from the LDS Jewelry collection offered today’   

Mine had a red flower on a white background similar to this:

 The chain broke, but I still had the medallion part until before the move to Oregon.  I don’t know what became of it after that.

I remember having learned my articles of faith – having memorized them so that I could “graduate” and not be held back in primary.  What a dork.  I realize now that I would have gone onto young women’s no matter what.  But I remember having had pushed myself just to get out of primary.

Today we still have Sunbeams and CTRs.  We no longer have classes called Merrie Miss, Blazers or Stars. The children 4 – 8 are CTRs.  The older classes are all Valiants. (I personally liked singing the Targeteer more than the Valiant song)

Primary youth no longer wait until the final class to pass off Articles of Faith.  Jenna had her AofF memorized before we moving to Oregon.  She also has the opportunity of attending Activity Days (or Achievement Days as referred to here)

Achievement Days wasn’t offered when I was a youth, but then again, neither was the three-hourblock.  Meetings were held Tuesdays through Thursdays as well as two to three meetings held on Sunday (as mentioned here)  The three-hour block wasn’t introduced until a few months before my 18^th birthday.

When I attended Mutual, each girl was given a “Treasure of Truth” book.  I could only find one picture on the web – it appears to have been around a lot longer than mine.

The one I had been given was pink with yellow flowers or white with pink and yellow flowers as I recall.  Title circled in white.  I saved everything, every handout, every scrap of paper used during each lesson.  It’s disgusting that I was such a pack rat at such a young age.

Before we had moved my mom into assisted living, I scanned a portion of my Treasures of Truth book as I just didn’t have the room (or desire with a lot of it) for storing aged memories and mostly garbage.  I did keep the binder. I’m guessing that may also be in Kayla’s possession.  Maybe not.  It could have got thrown out when Tony moved out of the WV house and Randy moved in.  Oh, well.  Not important. 

Personal Progress was not introduced until five years after I had moved on from Young Women to Relief Society (sort of) .  My sister, Kayla was able to work through it as a young woman.  I hadn’t been given that opportunity until after I had been called as a leader.  Perhaps I’ll get into that later on this week.