Ebenezer Bleezer

Last week I checked out some books from the library for the kids I tutor. One of my favorites was A Bad Case of the Giggles: Kids Pick the Funniest Poems, Book #2 by Bruce Lansky. I have never heard of this guy before, but I now think he is a gem. I started putting this on my last post but realized it would have made a monstrous post. Here are two of my favorites, maybe more to come.

One for my speech friends:

Oh, Woe Ith Me!
Ath I wath biking
down the thweet,
I hit a bump
and lotht my theat.

I cwathed my bike
into a twee
I thcwathed my fathe,
oh, woe ith me.

My bike ith wecked,
I've no excuthe.
And wortht of all,
my tooth ith looth.

Bruce Lansky (I guess Jack isn't the only poet in the book)

This one you just HAVE to read outloud:

Bleezer's Ice Cream
I am Ebenezer Bleezer,
I run BLEEZER'S ICE CREAM STORE,
there are flavors in my freezer
you have never seen before,
twenty-eight divine creations
too delicious to resist,
why not do yourself a favor,
try the flavors on my list:

COCOA MOCHA
MACARONI
TAPIOCA SMOKED BALONEY
CHECKERBERRY CHEDDAR CHEW
CHICKEN CHERRY HONEYDEW
TUTTI-FRUTTI STEWED TOMATO
TUNA TACO BAKED POTATO
LOBSTER LITCHI LIMA BEAN
MOZZARELLA MANGOSTEEN
ALMOND HAM MERINGUE SALAMI
YAM ANCHOVY PRUNE PASTRAMI
SASSAFRAS SOUVLAKI HASH
SUKIYAKI SUCCOTASH
BUTTER BRICKLE PEPPER PICKLE
POMEGRANATE PUMPERNICKEL
PEACH PIMENTO PIZZA PLUM
PEANUT PUMPKIN BUBBLEGUM
BROCCOLI BANANA BLUSTER
CHOCOLATE CHOP SUEY CLUSTER
AVOCADO BRUSSELS SPROUT
PERIWINKLE SAUERKRAUT
COTTON CANDY CARROT CUSTARD
CAULIFLOWER COLA MUSTARD
ONION DUMPLING DOUBLE DIP
TURNIP TRUFFLE TRIPLE FLIP
GARLIC GUMBO GRAVY GUAVA
LENTIL LEMON LIVER LAVA
ORANGE OLIVE BAGEL BEET
WATERMELON WAFFLE WHEAT

I am Ebenezer Bleezer,
I run BLEEZER’S ICE CREAM STORE,
Taste a flavor from my freezer,
You will surely ask for more.

Jack Prelutsky

Phew!

More thesis news: I scheduled my thesis defense!! That (basically) means that from now until July 17th I don't have to work on my thesis. A few days before I'll just need to pick it up again and prepare a short presentation for the defense meeting. phew!! What a relief and a day I thought would never come :)

In addition to that good news, I miraculously found a job for the summer! We happened to contact the office Steve worked at in the Religion Department at just the right time (we don't usually seem to be in the right place at the right time, so this really was lucky). I will start there this week and continue until we move to DC.

Today I think I almost went into graduate school withdrawal. Don't get me wrong, I am overjoyed to be so close to the finish line, but I came home today and I really didn't have anything to do. Having a neverending list of homework and thesis makes you feel like you're accomplishing something important. Then it all disappears and you realize you have no life. I felt like I was wasting time, but I sat down for an hour to read. My conclusion: I love reading but I need to find other things to do too.

Subleasing

We are trying to sublease our basement apartment for summer term so we can live with my parents to save money before moving to Washington, D. C. If you know any couples looking for summer housing in Provo, please tell them about our cute little blue house. They can see pictures and get more info at http://573e100n.blogspot.com/. It's also possible to sign the contract for next school year if they want to stay.

The Perks

• We are planning to DI a loveseat, table, and possibly dressers, but they can stay with the apartment if the new tenants want them!
• We love the married student ward. It has a phenomenal Bishop and very active members (family ward right next door).
• We have lived here for 2 years and don't have an air conditioner because of the huge trees outside. They shade our apartment very well.
• Great landlords- once we had a water leak and they gave us a gift card to Olive Garden for the trouble. They are quick at following up on our requests.
• Only 10-15 minute walk to the South side of campus.
• Only utility you pay is gas which is really cheap during the summer.
• We split the internet bill with our upstairs neighbor and neighbors on the other side of the house. The connection is very reliable, we never have problems.
• Rent is only $497 a month (that includes a fee for city garbage pickup).

Things are looking up

Well I am stuck on campus printing some very large PDF files that I need to read before the very last test of my college education :) (no way I am going for a PhD) on Thursday so I thought I would make a post while I wait.

Yesterday I turned in copies of my thesis to my thesis committee members. Today my thesis chair told me that once I get the go ahead from one of the members on my committee I can schedule my thesis (this means that he doesn't think the other member will really change anything...translation=less work for me!!!). For those not familiar with the thesis world, at BYU you have to schedule your thesis defense at least 2 weeks before you actually defend it. Once you schedule your defense you may make a few minor changes, but the major work is over! The actual thesis defense consists of a short presentation of your thesis and then answering questions from your committee members and making minor changes they suggest. After the defense the graduate coordinator in my department read it and suggests changes. Once he's finished it goes to the college of education for final changes. Then, electronic submission! Okay, that sounded long, but I am really sooooooo close!

Once I finish this term I am looking forward to reading something besides textbooks. I'm sure over the last several years I have come across 100 books I said I would read when I was done with school, but these are the ones currently on my summer list. Please share suggestions (it's obvious that I am limited to children's books and church books so please help)!

The Great Brain
Johnny Tremain
Goose Girl
Alcatraz versus the Scrivener's Bones
Behind Every Good Man (John Bytheway)
The Holy Secret (by the same author as the Peacegiver)
Kingdom and the Crown books 2 and 3
Man's Search for Meaning (Vikor Frankl)