Textbooks for CHEAP!

Last night, fellow Aggie, Kelli Christensen, told me about a website that lets students RENT textbooks for low prices. I checked it out today and found that I can buy my textbook on Amazon for only nine more dollars. Out of respect for my dead checkbook, I'm posting all the great sites, I currently know of, that sell cheap textbooks:

www.amazon.com
www.abebooks.com
www.cheaptextbooks.com
http://usedmarketplace.borders.com
www.cheapesttextbooks.com **this offers a comparison chart from different sellers

and to rent:
www.chegg.com

many publishers also offer an online version of their books for a small fee.
*if you are in a math class...I strongly recommend you don't even buy a book. Just use the mymathlab that your instructor uses - it has a multimedia textbook included.

Good luck and be thrifty!

Merry Christmas!!

Well, fellow Aggies, it's time to admit that Christmas is barely a week away, now. I'm still in the midst of a pile of unaddressed Christmas cards...you? It's sad because, somehow, in the chaos of our last move I've misplaced my address book. No problem, I thought, I must have it all on my outlook. Nope, sorry! those are just old business contacts. Well, surely, I thought, it all must be on the old palm desktop from my ancient palm zire. Nope, sorry! those are just doctors and dentists and contacts from Nevada and New York. OOOOOKAAAAAAYYYYYYY. So, I spent the last two days, in between band concerts and choir concerts, searching through several boxes labeled "office" in our storage unit. Nope, sorry! I did come across several favorite things that required lots of reminiscence and lolly-gagging. So, as a last resort, I'm googling everyone I can remember and hoping their addresses are public knowledge...(not sure I can completely trust that, though, it still shows me living at my old house). Oh, well, Merry Christmas!

What are YOU gonna do with all this snow???

Bachelors in Social Work

Just a reminder that the open house promoting the new bachelors degree is today!
Lunch is provided ;)
Come learn about this degree and enjoy a free lunch.
To see career opportunities in the field of social work, click this link:
http://socialwork.usu.edu/BSWCareOpp.aspx

Celebrity Anatomy

Something crazy I learned today:
Some celebrity women pay big money to have their last two pairs of ribs (their floating ribs) removed so that they can enjoy a real "hourglass" figure.
Sick and wrong.

Book of the Week

FREAKONOMICS. A ROGUE ECONOMIST EXPLORES THE HIDDEN SIDE OF EVERYTHING.
By Steve Levitt & Stephen Dubner

I must tell you, this is one of the most intriguing books I've ever read. I've had it checked out from the college library for about 2 months now, not because I keep reading it, but because every time I see its cover it gets me thinking again. It's difficult to explain, exactly. I read it through - there were a few bumpy spots that I just zoned out because they were, uh, boring, but, then I just didn't want to give it back! You'll just have to check it out, and see for yourself what kinds of thoughts it inspires.

USU Peeps are Amazing!

Those of you who attended the noon forum on Wednesday already know this; for those of you who couldn't make it, I'm just tellin' ya, our people are the greatest.
Mark Bradford and Alton Chamberlain, my hunnybunny, worked together to make a ginormous dutch oven lunch. Then Alton, best hunnybunny in the world, got in front of the crowd and talked up USU's four-year programs. He did a great job and had a lot of participation. Most of the crowd were first-generation college students, and he did a really good job of making his presentation easy to understand.
While I'm singing praises, I'd better make sure to mention Laurie. Laurie Francis, my personal education mentor, is absolutely terrific and very helpful in steering students to the classes and programs that best fit each individual.
Funny, because last year I was with Alton when he went around town interviewing USU-Blanding alumni. There were several who didn't have very many good things to say about it. They had a lot of difficulty in the transition from CEU to USU. Well, can I just say: times have changed! I had absolutely NO difficulties in figuring out my plan; thanks to Alton and Laurie. I'm so glad they're here!

I've been studying this morning for my Anatomy test. I prefer the little video links that Dr. Endres gives to us, but I think I've listened to this particular part of the video about ten times so far:

"The depolarization of the T-tubule membrane causes nearby voltage-gated calcium ion channels on the sarcoplasmic reticulum to open, resulting in an increase in the permeability of the sarcoplasmic reticulum to calcium ions. Calcium ions then diffuse from the sarcoplasmic reticulum into the sarcoplasm. Long filamentous tropomyosin proteins lie on two sides of the Actin myofilament, covering up the sites where myosin can bind to the Actin myofilament. Globular troponin proteins are attached to the tropomyosin. When calcium ions bind to troponin, this causes troponin to change confirmation and move the tropomyosin. When the tropomyosin moves, this uncovers the myosin binding sites on the Actin, allowing myosin heads to bind and form cross-bridges."

*Well, typing it actually helped*

R.L. Stine hates math

My 7th-grade son had to do a book report on a mystery this week. He chose a book by R.L. Stine. I don't know what YOU think of Stine, but I'd rather my son read Paulson or Dahl. It doesn't matter what I think, though, because what do I know? I'm just Mom.
So, I was assisting him in finding facts about R.L., who goes by Bob, and we found that he hated gym class and he is terrible at math. But, he is a very successful writer.
It made me think of a nice guy I know who is currently struggling with college-level classes. If he gets his degree, he'll be the first one in his family, male or female, to do so. I'm so proud of him. Every time I pass him in the computer lab or on the sidewalk, he smiles and tells me things are OK. I hope he passes with flying colors.
And then, someday, when he's a very successful graphic designer, he'll have some other 7th-grade boy reading his biography, hoping he can be just like him.

Tuacahn Anyone?

Only three more days til Thriller!
I'm not sure it'll be "fun, family entertainment..." but it's supposed to be spectacular.
I'm taking the whole fam, so if the little skiddles like it, well, then the seven-hour trip will definitely be worth it. If not, they'll be sleeping in my bed til Thanksgiving.
Here's the link: http://www.odysseydance.com/

Noon Forum

Tomorrow (Wednesday) is Noon Forum time again! (YAY! *free food*)
Come over to the A&E Center at noon. Sign in and enjoy learning from the speaker while you eat :)
I'll see you there, Aggies!

Storms...

A few weeks ago, an electrical storm spiked through Blanding and knocked out our Internet receiver. Just like * that * we were cut off from the world and from all my resources. While we waited for the local techie to come out and fix things back up, I spent many midnights down at Alton's office, using his computer for my assignments and quizzes. Finally, we figured out how to use my smartphone to hook up to the Internet. Ahhhhhh. Back to normal operating hours.

The reluctant company has only just sent a replacement receiver, so it will still be several days before the techie makes it out to our little ridge to fix our desktop. In the middle of all this disruption, a mental storm spiked through my future plans. I was upstate, visiting my sister and her new baby boy (Seth Roskelly Brown). She happens to be an RN, working on higher things. My dad also came up to visit. He's an MD. We talked a great deal about the merits of nursing. And the merits of doctoring. And the merits of PA'ing. Not so much on any merits of physical therapy-ing. In fact, based on their interpretations of my expectations, they discourage PT, and want me to explore a couple of other different fields.

So, I came back from my wonderful trip feeling a little lost in the whole 'well-laid future plans' department. I still need to keep a competitive GPA, but now...what to do with it???

Calendar &#%@!

D'you know what I wish we had? A system that would comprehensively know what I've got to do this week. First, I log in to my CEU blackboard and check my Anatomy schedule. Next, I log in to coursecompass to check the two different calendars for my two different math classes. Then, I log in to USU's blackboard to check my Business English calendar, and lastly, I log in to my Psych class's website to check that calendar.
Drives me nuts. You would think, with all the technology available, that I could get ONE calendar, at least one per institution, that would be available to me on my blackboard and that would update itself automatically whenever the profs add something.
Suppose each class had some little macro attached to it. As soon as I register for that class, its specific macro gets attached to my blackboard. The prof updates his/her master calendar - it automatically goes out to all the little macros out there. Voila. My life just got easier.
It's possible!!! Some brainiac just needs to create it.

How Many More Tests??!

I just finished my psych quiz, after much studying, and got 100%. YAY! Yesterday was also a day for a psych quiz, as well as a Statistics test on chapter 4. So glad to have those done. 100% on both, btw. But, come tomorrow, I may not be so smug. There is a comprehensive psych quiz, which shouldn't be too bad...and.... a lab practical exam in Anatomy (shriek!). I have SOOOO much studying to do tonight.
Remember that son of mine? The one I'm having the GPA contest with? Well, this morning he made me log on to the SIS system that the middle school has for all the students to check their grades...he's getting, what?, let's see: 110%, 107%, 100%, 100%, 100%, 98.9%, and for his lowest score? 97.7%. I'd say my competition is a little stiff.
So, while there are some fun videos I'd love to show you - namely the "Cat-Faced Spider Scare," that happened to my kids over the weekend - I must make good use of my time today.

Good luck with all your tests, Aggies!

Fantasy Football Files

In honor of USU's homecoming game today, here is a fun little video for you to enjoy:

Don't Give Up!

Hey everyone. I know it's Thursday and you probably have as many quizzes and tests today and tomorrow as a dormroom has dustballs, and I know that you wish it was already Friday, and I know that you're probably wondering why you're taking as many credits as you are...but hang in there. I posted this picture from the USU main website because it reminds me what I'm ultimately working toward. Personally, I want to become a DPT: Doctor of Physical Therapy. So, when I struggle with the 'egg' problem in stats class half-a-dozen times, I just remember why I'm doing all this craziness, and put these frustrations in their proper perspective. If you could be ANYONE, WHO would you BE?

My email address:

OK, so I was a little behind the times and only just got my aggiemail account. You can reach me at:
usublandingrep.c@aggiemail.usu.edu
I'd love to hear from everyone :) Tell me what you're finding the most challenging, your major, what you wish you could change, etc.

*WOW* Wasn't yesterday's storm amazing?!! I love a good thunderstorm. Thankfully, we didn't have any power outages to go along with all the ground-shaking thunder, the lightning, the hail... so we were able to sit on our front porch and enjoy the show. I've found that the more I'm able to watch storms with my kids, (and ooo and ahhh), the more they are able to appreciate instead of fear the tremendous energy in the sky.

Just a friendly Friday Reminder:

• check your course calendars for weekend projects/homework
• make sure your tuition/fees are all paid
• spend today like a regular study day - the weekend starts at 5!

My Friday calss was cancelled today, so I'm here in the library working on stats and psychology. The weather is gorgeous today - and Fall is the perfect time to get out and go hiking! Everyone have a great weekend!

LEXOPHILIA IS THE LOVE OF WORDS:

• I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.
• Police were called to a day care where a 3-yr-old was resisting a rest.
• The roundest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference.
• To write with a broken pencil is pointless.
• When fish are in schools, they sometimes take de-bate.
• The short fortune teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.
• A thief who stole a calendar got 12 months.
• A thief fell & broke his leg in wet cement. He became a hardened criminal.
• When the smog lifts in Los Angeles, U.C.L.A.
• The dead batteries were given out free of charge.
• A dentist and a manicurist fought tooth and nail.
• A bicycle can't stand alone; it is two tired.
• A will is a dead giveaway.
• Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.
• A backward poet writes inverse.
• In a democracy it's your vote that counts; in feudalism, it's your Count that votes.
• A chicken crossing the road: poultry in motion.
• If you don't pay your exorcist you can get repossessed.
• The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine was fully recovered.
• A grenade fell onto a kitchen floor in France , resulted in Linoleum Blownapart.
• You are stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.
• A calendar's days are numbered.
• A lot of money is tainted: 'Taint yours, and 'taint mine.
• A boiled egg is hard to beat.
• He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
• Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.
• When you've seen one shopping center, you've seen a mall.
• When she saw her first strands of gray hair, she thought she'd dye.
• Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead to know basis Santa's helpers are subordinate clauses.
• Acupuncture: a jab well done.
  Would a bank robber who's camping be criminal in tent?

Welcome Aggies!

Good Morning USU Blanding! Yá'át'ééh Shik'is.
School's been going for a couple of weeks now and I've only been at this job for a couple of days, so give me just a second while I catch up. I'm the new student rep for USU Blanding. You can find me over at the anatomy lab, in statistics, college algebra, at the CALL center or in Laurie's office. Now and then you might catch me trying to rush over to Subway for a quick turkey/provolone between classes.
Last week I visited some of you out at our distance sites of Monument Valley or Montezuma Creek. You guys are doing great - I love seeing technology work to our advantage!
This is just a quick 'hi' to make sure you know where I am, and to tell you that we're going to have a great year!