Presidential Trivia

(this post is about presidents past and NOT the current election)

         

        Jenna and a classmate are going to give an assigned PowerPoint this week.  I haven't seen any of it as it was a project they worked on it at school.  The first PowerPoint that I remember Jenna doing for her current school was a presentation on one of our former presidents.

        Before she had been assigned this task, I had told her that if ever she was to do a report on an American President, to pick either William Henry Harrison or Gerald Ford as William Henry Harrison was Pres. for only one month and Gerald Ford is the only President that hadn't been voted to be president (or vice-president) by the public.  I just like interesting facts that set apart from others.  But I suppose they all have something interesting about them.

        She did get an opportunity to do a power-point on a president, but not totally of her choosing.  Presidents' names were written on a paper and placed in a hat or box.  Students could draw two and make a choice between the two names drawn. 

        She came home one day and asked what I knew about  Martin Van Buren.  Not much.  I know that he was president during the time when the members of the church were being harassed in Missouri and Joseph Smith went to the white house to talk to the president and was not impressed with Martin Van Buren and decided that he, himself, would run for president.

        Jenna thought that was a cool story and wanted to use it, but the story has more to do with the Prophet Joseph Smith rather than the  Van Buren - except to say that Van Buren was arrogant and did not want to interfere with Boggs order of extermination as elections were coming up and he did not wish to lose the vote in Missouri. (Stevenson, 2013)

        Though there are some names that stand out for us more than others, there is tons of information about each of our past presidents if we but look.

Abraham Lincoln was the tallest president while James Monroe was the shortest. (Fun Facts, 2003)

Teddy Roosevelt was the youngest President to take office (at age 42) while Ronald Reagan was the oldest (age 69) Taft was the largest president and had to have a custom made tub.

Franklin D. Roosevelt served more terms than any other president.  Grover Cleveland was President twice (#22 and #24)

James Buchanan was the only president to be single throughout his term.  According to the History Channel, Cleveland is the only president to have his wedding ceremony in the White House (Siese, 2015)

though John Tyler was the first to marry while in office

For more fun facts and scandal, you can visit the following (or click on cite dates in post)

AMERICAN HISTORY: Presidential Trivia, Fun Facts and Firsts. (2003). Retrieved from Legends of America: http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ah-presidenttrivia.html

Siese, A. (2015, June 3). These 2 Single U.S. Presidents In History Prove There's Precedent For Candidate Lindsey Graham's Bachelor Status. Retrieved from Bustle: https://www.bustle.com/articles/87904-these-2-single-us-presidents-in-history-prove-theres-precedent-for-candidate-lindsey-grahams-bachelor-status

Stevenson, F. (2013, May 20). Top scandals and controversies of each United States president. Retrieved from Deseret News: http://www.deseretnews.com/top/1512/8/Top-scandals-and-controversies-of-each-United-States-president.html

Another Post with Free Thought and Weather

          I like the sound of rain

          Good Thing as it

          has rained for most of

          this month

         

          We have skylights in

          our front room and

          our bedroom and

          sometimes the rain wakes me

          after I have fallen

          asleep

          I know it's wet and cold

          outside

          but every time it rains while

          I am inside

          I will get really hot

          I don't know why

          I usually sleep without

          a blanket or sheet except

          for around my toes

          My feet are always cold

          and thus I wear socks all

          the time

          I always open windows in

          whatever room I'm in

          Roland closes the windows. He

          doesn't like being cold.

          Heat escapes his body.

          Cuddling up next to him is like

          snuggling with a furnace.

          He likes to cuddle

          while we sleep.

          I don't like to cuddle

          when I'm trying to sleep, especially    

          when I'm trying to stay cool

          and I have these octopus arms all

          over me.  It's like

          having ten blankets on top of me while

          in the desert with the blazing

          sun

          Our son Tony is

          always cold

          He has no meat on

          his bones.

          I've never snuggled with

          him, but I have

          hugged him before.

          I think I could touch

          each of my elbows as

          I'm hugging him.

          He is that skinny.

          I don't know why

          as he eats like a horse

          He eats more

          than the rest of our family

          put together.

          I think eating makes him

          thinner.  That's not fair!

          At least that's how it

          used to be.

          I don't know how

          it is now.

          I know that his wife

          Rochelle is always hot

          She might not use blankets

          either.

          Tony once accused Roland

          and I of being penguins

          I know he would be cold

          in our house right now

          At least Roland is soft and

          padded

          Cuddling up with Tony must

          be like cuddling with a

          skeleton -

          all bony and hard

          I don't know if Rochelle

          picks up extra heat from him or

          not

          When he was a boy and

          we went to the beach

          I took lots of pictures

          his brothers made fun of his

          bony format.  Said he

          could pose as a poster child     

          for one who is hungry.

          They said he looked deformed.

          He's not

          He is thin.

          He says he likes the rain.

          I don't know why.

          I like it.

Would You Like to Come for Dinner - Keeping up the (non) Tradition

       The primary had their program yesterday and only one practice.  I didn't understand as it feels so late in the year.  I don't recall there being a primary program this late in the year - not with any of the wards I've been in - including this one.  Last year we had more practice and performed on October 18. 

       This is the first year that Jenna wasn't on the stage as she is no longer in primary.  But as I looked out in the audience, I could see her singing along, and it really made me smile.  I'd have to honestly say that it was my favorite part about having the primary program.  I think the children did quite well for only one practice.

       Growing up, my favorite thing about Thanksgiving was spending it with a different group of people than the year prior as I mentioned here.  The smallest Thanksgivings I can remember included only 5 or 6 people.  Those were: one year with just my family.  My second Thanksgiving in the mission field: our landlady, her son and his wife, and my companion and me.  And my last Thanksgiving with mom mentioned here

       Three of mom's children and their families were able to meet on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.  There were just over 20 of us gathered in a room between the kitchen and the cultural hall of my brother's ward.  My mom felt overwhelmed by the tremendous amount of people that were gathered there.  Roland, Jaime and I had only played one game one game and could sense mom's desire to leave.  The theater may not have been as crowded.  We had taken her to see the movie: Brave.  She seemed to enjoy herself as she no longer reacted to a possible crowd of people, but had lost herself in the movie. She said she liked it.

       The most people that I've ever had Thanksgiving with was just over 30.  Peggy Bird lived across the street from my mom.  Her Thanksgiving philosophy was the more people, the better.  It was held in a room by the kitchen of the ward building where her son attended Church.  That was a lot of people.   Several years later, Peggy invited my mom and her children to spend Thanksgiving at her house.  That year all of her married children had committed to spending the holidays with the in-laws, which would have made for a much smaller table otherwise. 

       Last year we drove to McMinnville to spend the holidays with Beth and Graham.  It was a nice to see them again, and of course, the meal was superb.  But the drive was long - not as long as if we'd gone back to Utah.  I think my oldest daughter-in-law was quite miffed that we didn't.  It just hasn't been practical or realistic for us to go back for just a few hours and then have to turn around and return as Roland works on the Friday after Thanksgiving.  I suppose he could ask for it off, but still.

       We had invited Annett's family to break bread with us this year, but as we never got a commitment and Nora is upset with us and doesn't even want Annett talking to Jenna at school, it was down to just Jenna, Roland and I. Jenna suggested we go to Home Town Buffet and would be okay with that, though I suspect she would like to have the association of others.  She missed her brothers and cousins tremendously. So we thought we'd try our hand at the community dinner here  in town.

       Yesterday we had two offers for Thanksgiving.  The first one from Roland's cinema buddy.  I had his daughter in sunbeams last year and his nephew this year.  And so we will be having our Thanksgiving dinner with all of their family.  And perhaps next year we can have dinner with the other family that asked after we had already accepted the other.  It will be good to spend Thanksgiving with two of three of Young Women leaders and help Jenna to feel more comfortable about going to Young Women's rather than primary.

        

Jenna takes a stand

I realize my mind seems to be going in several directions . . . I still have my two classes to focus on, but did want to express how pleased I am with Jenna

          The Douglas County libraries have run out of funding (or soon will be) and had proposed a 44cent per day tax increase to all property owners.  The proposal made it to the ballot that was mailed just before the election.  Unfortunately, the bill did not pass and the libraries will be gone.

          Myrtle Creek had invested in a drop box that was put in just before the election.  I suppose it will be possible to salvage some libraries that may run independently as city libraries - but it sounds as if most libraries will close down.  Two had already opted out before the election.  We do not know what's to become of the rest.

          The building that houses the books at the Myrtle Creek library was built specifically to be a library, where many others have been offered space through the city . . . the library in Canyonville, for example, is sandwiched between the police station and city hall.

https://www.quora.com/Do-you-waste-your-vote-if-you-vote-for-a-third-party-candidate                  

          Scott M. Stolz gave us 15 reasons why voting third party is not a wasted vote.  It is better to vote for something you want than to vote for something you don't want.  It is better to try to do something about this given situation even though it may not work. Jenna and I have been feeling quite helpless as we certainly don't have a way of funding the library either. On her own, she has decided to start a petition and has been gathering up signatures - mostly of classmates.

          The library's future was to be discussed at the city council meeting last night.  Jaime took her petition and faced the council as she read her plea that "most of those who signed the petition didn't get to vote.  They signed the petition so their voices might be heard" and "we are your future.  Don't take the libraries away from your future"

          She was nervous to face the council of adults, but I think they were impressed - not that it will change anything - but with the stand, she was willing to take.  She also let them know that she has written to various performers to see if they might contribute their talents to a benefit's concert. 

          I hope that Jenna may take this experience and recognize it as positive on her part regardless of what results are found.  As of now, it's just too early to say.

Now I forget which class I'm in

          For the last four weeks I have taken an accountant class - by itself - no other classes.  It was different.  Thus far it is the only set of four weeks that I have had only one class.

          This week I started two more classes - both credited.  I think I will enjoy my history but still have this lame attitude toward management and how I cringe at the very idea.  Right now I am taking a break before I return to more reading and research and explanation.

          This week we are discussing sole proprietorship, partnerships, LLC's and non-profit organizations.  Hey, thank you for throwing in the non-profit.  At least I can relate to the idea of charitable donations and financial  struggles and dependency.  Still, my passion lies more with the volunteers and managing time and tangible goods rather than monies. 

          There was a time when the accountant was sent to the back room and left alone - that's what I thought I was getting into.  Slowly (or maybe quickly?) I'm finding out that I'm not going to be as introverted at my work as I had hoped.  If I'm going to be a team player, I'm going to have to know the business ins and outs and agreements and communication and so forth.  Bah, humbug!

          Hopefully I will come to the realization that this knowledge is a good thing.  My goal right now is to have such a better understanding of the language, that in three years or less, I will actually be able to get all of the nerdy accounting jokes.

          My history instructor has informed us (the students) that we will be cramming 400 years worth of information into four weeks. (100 years per week)  thankfully I already have a background, and finally an appreciation for learning history.  It is hard to keep my emotions out of it however.  But it will be okay.  In addition to history, my instructor also seems to be a movie buff.  I will can reference movie quotes and relate them to the theme of what I'm writing.  How awesome is that?

          Guess that concludes that break.  Back to Influence in Time magazine.  I think this week will fly by rather quickly.