Shelley Bakker Rampton

9:54pm
I skimmed through a movie called "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind". It was wasted. I was trying to watch one that looked good called "One Fine Day" with Michelle Pfiefer and George Clooney in it.

I wrote Terry Foote tonight and since I was on Facebook I found Lake Foote pictures on his 4 year girlfriend's page. He was honkin' huge. So musclebound! and she models swimming suits. Quite a couple.

There were 4 people with birthdays this next week so I had to say HBDay to all of them and then I went the extra mile on Shelley's. I just felt like it.  I didn't accomplish much today but I can count that creative effort as worthwhile.  I have been amazed at how many people think they are not creative.  I gave Grayelinn a long set of vmails about maybe it is a gift afterall.  I love words and rhymes and so this year of making limericks for family birthdays has been perfect for me. 1) They don't come all at once and so I have a fresh mind by the time the next one comes around, 2) I found a RhymeZone website that also allows me to check out definitions, so strange rhyming words I have been able to post a meaning for, 3) I am good at knowing histories and facts and feelings and so can tap into all that background for creating, 4) I can post it for all to see on their timeline on Facebook.  I already got back a like from the one I just posted for Shelley.  So here is hers without any definitions:

Vern Jensenposted to‎ Shelley Bakker Rampton

There once was a girl named Bakker,
Who immediately turned into a gawker.
When her name mispronounced
By an old teacher who flounced,
Shelley almost wanted to sock her/him!

Now there is a woman named Shelley,
A last name then middle machiavelli.
She's not,
But oh so hot!
No wrinkles here, go try the deli.

She often loves and cares for one Bria,
Who socializes and might well be Gaea.
The way she is loved,
And catered and hugged,
Are they growing her on mia pia?

Jasper is the big one who stretches,
And growls and barks and retches.
All black even his feet,
But trust and loyal defeat,
Shelley's efforts to control, and he fetches.

Working cookies in summer brings home,
A productive woman with money and tome,
But High Schoolers are few,
Unlike seasons in lieu,
When her degree is active and known!

Quiet Man is a movie she adores,
John Wayne not a cowboy once mores,
A fiery will to contain,
A wild young dame,
With a brain and a great apgar score.

And where in all this is her God?
Is he hiding or guiding this broad?
Implicit her trust,
In His cosmic dust,
She temples and churches and is awed.

And grit does it ever appear?
That poor knee say good bye, thank you dear.
Your purpose served well,
Now please don't you swell,
As horses and skiers bombardier.

Happy Birthday Week Shelley Rampton

I had to really hunt for some of those words. Don't be afraid to use a dictionary. One of the benefits of being born this time of the year is we are younger than all the rest of our 59 year old classmates.

By the way, there is an edit button and you can change this stuff if you want.

I honor you! Vern Jensen

+++++++++++++==========================================++++++++++++++

Here is my letter to Terry Foote:

Hello Bro, Hey Terry, I love you. Been thinking about you lately. I tried calling this morning about 11am. When I got tired of it ringing I decided I would watch the clock and ring for one more minute. It was uncomfortable but I hung in there and did it anyway. It is Friday. The day after the 24th of July. When I woke up I thought I should go visit Jerry. But I ended up calling instead. I am listening to all the conference talks on lds.org. They start with '71! I needed some way to uplift my day upon retirement. I only have 3 years left. I am on '96 and will be done when I hit '99. I will have 4k highlights stored in my online study tools on the website at lds.org. Have you tried their study tools yet? It's been about a year since I started and I am starting to get it to do some things I want. My youngest son is named Bichael'92. He is working at WAlmart in downtown Salt Lake. He has wanted to be on his own for so long and now he has been for 1.5 years. I have a niece oops, I mean my oldest granddaughter who was baptized this month and Bichael showed for the whole day in Nephi. Five kids married and getting along in life and number 6 putting off a mission and not attending church. The pain. Of course there has been pain and worry along the way with some of the rest of them too. But he is the focus of my worries now. He is the wound that needs regular care. Back in January, M Russel Ballard gave a talk where he offered to write to every boy who's name we sent him in need of help. (This was in a conference talk before he became an apostle. His wife says she can't believe his energy! Anyway, as I listened I realized Michael'92 was the person I was most worried about.) That talk brought my concern to a head and I was almost frantic to guide him and visit with him and push and encourage him. I tried to get him to respond over and over again that week. When he finally responded he couldn't figure out why I was so hyper : ) Then it came time for prayer for myself to know what to do to ease my mind and heart. The solution so far is to give him monthly home work assignment to listen to 2 general conference talks that I find and love each month. When my 59th birthday came 7/16 last week I asked him to report/read one for my birthday present. He has only responded a handful of times this whole year so I am still in limbo. By the way, I looked up Amos Alonzo Stagg High School and found it a hundred or so miles east of San Francisco. But the pleasure of finding and commenting on conference talks for him has been my vent for my feelings of needing to guide and help and encourage. If I die he will know that I was trying for all I was worth. : ) Knowing about all your heart surgery I relate you, Jerry to each of the apostles who come back and thank the saints for their prayers and life extension after their heart surgeries. I will see if I can find and send you the last one I heard. Not that you care but I do. Vern PS. I tried emailing you after the call but it came back /bounced back saying no such address. I guess I did not save it when you gave it to me last. This is the one that didn't work: jerrysfoote@gmail.com

Hyrum Smith: “Firm As the Pillars of Heaven” M. Russell Ballard, October 1995 General Conference "My dear brothers and sisters, I am grateful to be able to stand before you today. After undergoing heart-bypass surgery two months ago, I am grateful to be able to stand anywhere. I have felt the powerful faith and prayers of Church members exercised in my behalf these past months, for which I express my sincere appreciation. I have been greatly blessed and publicly express humble gratitude to my Heavenly Father."

Well, you can't say I didn't find a way to write you!

Chat Conversation End

Abe Savant

12:07p

Teg

Personal

x

vern jensen <phonev6@gmail.com>	12:05 PM (2 minutes ago)
to Abe

Hello Abe,

I am emailing instead of texting so I can use a whole keyboard.

I have not heard from Uncle Teg in a couple of years although I have emailed him monthly.  Have you heard anything?

Aunt Nose has been welcoming on Facebook.

Because I have been trying to index for Family Search the Church made a deal with 3 other genealogy companies to give members free access. So I signed up Sunday.

With our tainted parents I haven't ever wanted to do any genealogy! But when I had the whole pedigree before me I couldn't help but be curious and look up some stuff.  It said Ranghild was born in Fernsmaker, Norway. I tried to look it up on google map. No luck. I checked out some of the other locations and they existed.

You probably know # 9 granddaughter was born on my 59th birthday. Mouis and Lonnie now have their second child named Brace.  I got to hold her for about 10-15 minutes last Saturday night.  Both are healthy and well.  Her three year old brother, Lin is the one with the tracheotomy.

Spruce Randall, that short, slow thinking, trucker/driver, that told me he met you 3 years ago has been out of it.  But he lives in my ward and I was assigned as his home teacher this month. It is so nice to not have to break the ice with someone brand new.  He has not been active lately. I had asked a brother for a copy of his amazing talk in sacrament meeting last month and I dropped it off at Bruce's house on Sunday. He wasn't answering his text messages. He read the talk and loved it and called me. We talked for a pleasant hour.  I say pleasant because I got to do most of the talking.

I asked SpotJ to interact with me a little last week.  He said he can't yet.  Too sick and 15 months without a job.

Marrissa'84, told me she was going to blog this year back in December/January.  New Years resolution.  I decided I would try it.  I blogged once a month and then here in July I have blogged about 6 times.

I have been worried about losing my typed journal entries on by hard drive.  Things always break down.  WE used google drive a little at Tonaquint Intermediate School and it had invited me to do the same at home. So last month I backed up all my journal entries from the last year, that were typed, onto it. I have 15 free Megs in the "cloud".  So, so strange!

People often ask me how I occupy my time. I used to say hobbying with my fish and dogs and reading and flirting on lds.com.  Recently I have shortened it to reading and writing!  that is my current answer.

My retired neighbor friend Merril Calmer70+ years old wrote me about some science teaching openings in backwoods Utah. It got me thinking about teaching again.  But I have been having a heck of a time getting my teaching license cleared.  I committed a Federal Offense! I added six missing resource students names to the list of 15 already on there and sent it to be copied by a student and it wasn't in a brown envelope to protect their names/identity. Like no one knows who they are! Duh.

I got my case all together for sentencing in February.  Of course the State Board had an agenda too full for a couple of months so more delays!

Now my contact for help is sick and I'm twiddling my thumbs again. . . waiting.  Don't let any of this upset you.  I am just updating and venting.

Good news. I have not overspent and have survived on my retirement income of 1500$ a month with a 900$ mortgage.  Pretty good huh!

Pandra'85 our new family Master's of Accounting tax helper/daughter, and new mother of Drew'13, Sept 24, was worried I might have to pay a 10% penalty on early withdrawal of retirement funds before 59.5 years old. It is a lifelong payment so it was exempt! Thank heavens.

I accepted an assignment to make a breakfast caserole for the stake 24th celebration this Thursday.  Eggs were on sale at Albertsons for .99$ a dozen and I told two other assigned elders as well.  I ought to go get some more today. 6 dozen might not be enough. : ) JKidding

I have ordered the big family copies of the New Testament and Old with all the teaching aids at the bottom of each page. I just finished Deuteronomy last night and it is not just a commitment I am keeping to read these unintelligible verses this time. I am understanding it better than ever before. Michael'92 and I read the New T together but got bogged down in the Old.  This will be my second time through in my life.  Quite an accomplishment for me.

Grayelinn has a son name Rate who was in a Boys home in Wyoming last year. He got out in January. I have only heard from him twice since then but it opened up the world of possible communication with prisoners for me. Verse 6 of a hymn I sing to put myself to sleep each night says:

In pris’n I saw him next, condemned
To meet a traitor’s doom at morn.
The tide of lying tongues I stemmed,
And honored him ’mid shame and scorn.
My friendship’s utmost zeal to try,
He asked if I for him would die.
The flesh was weak; my blood ran chill,
But my free spirit cried, “I will!”

Since that has been in my mind all these years I have wondered if I would ever be called on to do something like that.

Gravid Hughes a postal worker and ear jewel wearer, like you, goes to visit his accused murderer brother-in-law each Sunday with his wife and has since 2010 when Srandon Smith was incarcerated.  Every 4-6 months they do the next step of his trial and Gravid says it is so drawn out!

Since I have got time to kill, (although forcing myself to do something like wash the dishes or vacuum the floor is difficult because I don't want to), I decided to try to make contact.  That has been another adventure!  If you are interested I will share. (1)  the (1) means I would like you to respond to that, my first wondering about you today.

Cille said you called her last month and updated on your family. I imagine I could probably ask her what you said and you would be OK with her sharing. (2)

I will tell you one more story.

The oldest man in our ward is about 5'2" and thin. He jogs daily and he wrote his life history when he retired. He lived in a box car from a train growing up and was converted while in the service. It took about 5 years after he moved into the ward and I heard he had written his personal history for me to convince him I was trustworthy enough to share it with. I borrowed a copy and read it and got to know him so much better.

Last year when I retired I thought I could help people write their personal histories and do my own. I wanted an example so I dropped by his house and asked if I could buy a copy from him for $50, thinking I was being way over-generous.  As it turned out I only had three 20$'s so I ended up paying him 60$. He did not offer it to me for free!!!  He said they cost 50$ each to print so I was just covering the actual cost.  Boy was I surprised.

Since then the plastic binding has broken and it would cost $10+ to rebind at Steamroller's so I looked up binding to find out how to do it yourself.  I ended up just tying string through the 10 holes and putting on some card stock for a front cover.

But Elmer and I are best buddies now. He teased me in opening exercises for priesthood yesterday, if we were going to sing the 4th verse of Lead Kindly Light.  We had done one verse each of the 3 previous weeks and there is no 4th verse.  I invited him to write one and he said he could barely sing and surely could never create a verse!  So funny.

Enough for today. I know you. I love you. I respect you. I admire you. And,

I love you again.

Daughter - in - law: Amity

7:49p
I have had an itchy runny nose all day.  Feel draggy with cold symptoms. I hiked up Webb Hill at noon with Lily, without a hat, with a black t-shirt, hoping to help burn it out.  Poor, good sport, Lily.  On the way down she kept hunting for shade. When we got to the park she quit.  I grabbed a gallon of cold vinegar water and went out front to wait for her. Molly joined me shortly.  The second time I threw the tennis ball for Molly I threw it towards Lily who was just rounding the corner of Judy's house 5-10 minutes late. She went straight into the fish pond!  I ended up with a little bit of a headache. Probably dehydration but it is gone now.

As you probably know by now, I love fun and excitement.  I got the biggest kick out of Amazon.coming Srandon P Smith 2 gifts to arrive tomorrow, Tuesday: Visions of glory, 64 crayola crayons one of which is called raw sienna.  Visions of Glory was back down to 11$ like when Mouis bought it last year. They jacked it up when the interest was intense: $17

I called DarloD and told his answering machine that eggs are on sale for 1$ a dozen for our breakfast caseroles on Thursday the 24th.  I texted Thames Stasinos the same last night at 11p and got a response!

Last Sunday, 8 days ago, Rod gave 2 lessons and a prayer. I gave one prayer in SS. Yesterday I got to pray in SS and accepted a request to call all the 24th volunteers for Quinn Carter through Pres. Rave Black.  I love being known and depended on. That 5th Sunday when Leon Lee explained how Rave was gone, Terek was gone, would I pray to close the conjoint meeting is a perfect example of Rave knowing I am always there and always willing.

We had the most awesome EQ discussion/lesson yesterday. Thames shared following the counsel of Elder Worthin and giving his family blessings. Wife, Marinda, McKenzie. McKenzie has been called a giant by her mean classmates. Thames wept as he blessed her and felt what the Lord wanted her to know. Jim Adams shared the recent blessing of moving here last year and uprooting his family. Something he dealt with as a child and never wanted for his kids. Style is on a mission in Peru now but had many more friends here than in Eagle Mountain where they have lived the last 10 years. Cars and girlfriend have occupied their corner. Austin16 says Dad this place is 100 times better than there.  Quinn Carter who reminded us he can't read, read about the tongue of angels in 2 Nephi and it was quite long and in his careful speaking I was able to feel the message of the verses. Tim shared how he has learned about his children as he blesses them because the Lord tells them things he had no clue about. Besides, tears we had gallant laughter time after time with Tim conducting. I wondered what the nice reverent RS thinks of us through the curtain!  That is the hazard of having our EQ there!  I shared my listening to conference '94 and hearing about the tongues of angels and asking in my journal: HF, have I ever spoken by the tongue of angels (HG)? if so when? and what did I say?  That was part of the messages I left with Barter's while HT last Sunday.  I keep wondering, what influence have I had on the ward? Is my openness and humor an expanding force in the ward?  We keep hearing we have the best ward in the stake.  10 wards, 300k names indexing goal, 900k the stake goal. If part of it is because of our size, too bad, they are the ones who put Belford Place back in our ward 5 years ago.  William Blaggard said good job Vern in the hall as we were last to EQ.  I slowed and responded, Will, one thing about me is I like fun. He said, that's not a problem, it helps make the feeling lighter.  I had just written the first letters of the words to the second line of: The World Has Need of Willing Men as suggested by Dustin Salmon.  When we sang that line, I bounced on the letters with my finger to show which word we were on.  Just a little fun. Rulon Sagley was grumpy and resistant about choosing a hymn.  He ended up saying he repented and told me number 343, a blank page which I turned to and showed him.

Speaking of grumpy. . . Amity was a bit pointed and disagreeable last night. I asked Rod if he would share his password with me for Ancestor.com so I could see his ancestors and she was a bit questioning and resistant.  I was short and to the point so I did not ease her feelings at all.  Her tension or brittleness began to become apparent to me and I wondered why.  We were on a walk around the park and I invited them to share something hard or bad from this last week. Rod had already shared he got a B- on his English final test/paper. Anxiety wiped him out. Oh I felt for him. I compared it to training with a difficult rifle and having the target in the site but not being able to pull the trigger. I suggested there are probably much better analogies remembering Amity's aversion to guns. I invited them to tell me the word I was hunting for to describe it.  Rod said, My life.  And I agreed. I heard Amity making thinking noises but she was responding quite quickly to anything that was said, as was I as usual.  What? Me uptight too?

Then the treasure: Rod shared how upset it made him feel to have Amity labeled as lazy when she declined to cut the watermelon and her grandmother got it stuck in her craw and wouldn't let it go. Rod ended up responding, you guys are lucky she has lasted as long as she has with you this week. Grandma said, are we really that hard to get along with?  As we talked we agreed that GM is martyring when she prepares food and she spins off all kinds of mud as her wheels slip in the kitchen.

Rod wanted to find a solution. Amity declared that her GM is just super critical.  I suggested him saying, You guys, you may be used to speaking this way after all these years but we aren't.  He concluded he could say, I am not OK with you speaking like this.  I reminded them they can always time out, which they are pretty good at in most cases.  I shared Cille's experience of Touris explaining to a boyfriend how certain talk made her feel uncomfortable, especially blaming talk. And that his response was, well don't feel that way.  Her kids are not prepared for the harsh world when they have been living and practicing Sark Clayton's language of feelings, acceptance and validation and conflict resolution in their home these years.  I disagree. They can't help but be used to it.  They have gone to school how many years. But her point is well made. And I shared it with RnA.

So and hour later I am walking the dogs at the golf course and Izy finds RnA walking towards us!  The only people I saw at the golf course last night. So unexpected.  Rod said they had already walked 4 miles at Sun River golf course to vent anxiety earlier than the walk with me.  Stressful week.  I had been thinking about Amity and was happy to see them again. I reassured her that this last week probably did lots of damage to her little Amity and it might take some special treatment and time to heal her and get her back up to strength.  I gave her a hug after asking permission. Sure I accept hugs she responded.  She also admitted when she got home that she wondered where all her irritation was coming from.  She was angry and hurt inside. Makes total sense!

As we left to walk they invited me to bring my drop off stuff for Marita Rates and Spruce Randall.  I spent 58 minutes on the phone after my nap, with Spruce Randall. He had called twice and left me messages about the letter and talk I had taped to his door after ringing it twice.  He loved Rent Parker's talk.  He said it was exactly up his ally. Hurray!!  I was brilliant dropping it off at his house!

Earlier this week I had texted him twice and hadn't heard anything back so I wasn't sure his phone was accepting texts. I told him Terry Foote's didn't.  He asked me about my magic jack messages and I reassured him that I got them both but was napping and didn't pick up.

I dropped him off 4 books. Two copies of Visions of Glory (one with all my personal writing in it. He says he has been reading like crazy but I encouraged him to start writing too.), And This Nation Shall Endure, A Consecrated Life.  He shared with me on the phone and out of body experience he had when working for the tent and sleeping back factory we had here in town in the 70's.

Hello Spruce,

I am not a forget-you-home teacher! I remember you every week. I just dropped off a talk at you house. It is from a ward member. I wrote to you in red.  Vern n RicY 12:53p

I sent a copy to RicY so he would know I was remembering him as well. My new companion.

So, kudos!!! for the wonderful success with Bruce Randall yesterday.  He explained he had used a roll and a half of TP with his stomach flu he thinks came from some bottom of the freezer burritos he bought.  : (  Man can I relate to the stomach flu/food poisoning!

So thank you HF for the opportunity to nap plus use my Sabbath so well yesterday.

PS. Katy Rusty and Kelly Spasey were our High Council speakers yesterday.  I told Katy after her talk: I knew 10 reasons why she was asked to accompany him.  I thanked Kelly for not cutting his talk off. He had wonderful things to share. So absorbing and personal and about the HG versus pride. He has gotten so confident and open in his willingness to apply the gospel to his own personal experiences.  Wow, what a king!  A king speaker.  He said thank you for not running he and Randy and someone over the other night on my bike when I rode to the library and the Post Office.  I asked him if he heard my surprise at seeing their dark silhouettes in front of me on river road as I headed for the sidewalk?

Mason Chappell told me I could have all the women that become available for dating.  They always get too mad at him!  So cute.  To be pursued at a later date.

flip off

I was surprised at how little anyone remembered. Perhaps because I was abused and a Jr High teacher for so many years I had a chance to remember, plus an extension in adulthood. Louis said he really didn't remember and he and Bonnie gave me a $50 gift card to Walmart so they were totally covered.

I was so pleased and surprised to have Carol contribute. I wrote her a limerick for her birthday.

vern jensen <phonev6@gmail.com>	Jun 6

If any of you would like to wish me a happy father's day this is my request.  Tell me how you feel personally about people who flip their middle finger, when did you find out what it meant, the process you have gone through deciding to use it or not.

I rode my bike to Walmart this afternoon and I thought this would make a most interesting little book.

===========================================

My story, composed on the spot.  The Bird

We had a  semi-active catholic family that lived across the street when I lived on Sunflower Lane in Sandy. (Ages 4-18) They had 4 boys and Bobby Peterson was my age and a real bruiser. He had more broken hands than anyone I ever knew from getting into fights or getting angry and punching. In Jr. High school he always had a gathering around him and was proud of his courage to take on anyone and fight.  He also flipped people off out the bus window to and from school. He would show us the middle finger and describe the anatomical parts each bump represented.  When you are young oftentimes the only things you have to keep you entertained are your fingers. I remember how obsessed I was in Jr High with what it meant and only trying it a few times in private.  But whenever there was time to kill and signs to make with one's hands it would creep into my mind and I would try to oust it.

I had a cousin a year older than I was named Victor Tapp.  He was my idol. He even played guard on Hillcrest High Schools basketball team and he might have even been the play maker. How I idolized him.  But he dared to flip the peace sign and I figured if it was bad to flip the bird we shouldn't flip the peace sign either. So I never dared to use it.

I did psychotherapy from 2000-04. One of the things I had to learn was to candidly look inside and try to figure out what I was feeling.  It was so hard.

When I taught my first 2 years at Niwot High School in Colorado I was nicknamed, Mr. Rogers.  I had a button up gray sweater from Guatemala that I used as a missionary.  I also had a hard time figuring out what to say next as a teacher. I wondered if it was my Spanish tripping up my tongue and brain. That was when I was trained to shrink inside when I heard, Mr. Rogers.

After teaching at Dixie Middle School for my next two years I got a new nick name: Bobby Devo.  It was the name of a new alternative rock group and so the shrinking I had learned in Colorado was kept alive in Saint George. At least DJHS students did not know about Mr. Rogers!

Jr High kids love to experiment with words. Homo and gay were popular for much of my teaching career.  In Guatemala I learned the word for gay from the few wealthy teens that could drive when they yelled at us as they drove by in Quezaltenango, my first area for 4 months.

One day as I was walking home from Desert Hills Intermediate school in about 2001, after my first year of therapy, I heard some boys, elementary age, jumping on a tramp in their back yard and yelling, "Hey, you're gay!" over and over again.  I thought, that is sad. And I wondered who they were yelling at. As I got closer I saw their heads bobbing above the fence and them yelling it at me.  I was surprised and displeased.  I looked inside, noticed what I was feeling and decided I would vent it.  I flipped them off as I walked by and since I was on the golf course and alone I held it there as I passed.  The yelling ended.  Then I heard a little voice say, "Hey, why are you flipping us off?"  I did not explain.  I did confess this to my therapist the next week and awaited the verdict.  I always expected a verdict but that is not what therapists do.  He simply said, you weren't going to be taken advantage of where you.  I felt relief. That was exactly why I had flipped them off. (I won't detail the rest of that visit.)

Optional paragraph:

Walt Jones and his wife have taught in WCSD for 25 years. He in Jr. High shop and she in kindergarten.  I told them a story about a secretary turned Jr. High teacher, turned back to secretary again. They were waiting for a stake temple recommend interview and I had just finished mine.  Walt just ate the story up and he was with me all the way.  I asked Mrs. Jones if it was that way for her and if she could relate. She said no. In fact when Walt went in to substitute for her one day and all the little kids came up and hugged his legs, he asked them, Is this allowed in school?  They just said they loved Mrs. Jones and they also loved Mr. Jones.  So Mrs. Jones said, I don't relate because I don't teach the kids that you guys do. And then she leaned forward and covered the side of her mouth and whispered, "the criminals".  Yep that's what shop teachers have to deal with.  : )    [And the rest of us that teach that age too.]vj

======================================

OK

feeling creative

or courageous yet?

Can you remember that far back?

If so share, I would love to hear.

Your strange request maker,

Vern

Carol Lee Coy	Jun 11
to me

I learned about it in elementary school.  I was neither shocked or upset, as most kids I knew did it as a tease and I didn’t actually know the full meaning of it.  So for the most I just laughed as I thought it was meant to be funny.  It was in junior high when the seriousness of it was realized.  However my good friends and I continued to tease each other when doing it and my really good friends still share that laugh with me.  So for the most part I find it to be funny as it has to do with intention.  If it is intended to be mean then it definitely doesn’t bode well, and the truth be known it is being used as a vulgar sign to encourage anger and possibly rage.  So I think intention is the key factor in how I view it as I so often laugh when my friends send me the naughty gesture.  

Here is what I’ve heard about the origin of the “Finger”… It is a result of the Hundred Years War between England and France from 1337-1453 (yes the Hundred Years War lasted 116 years). The English longbow was so feared by the French that anytime they captured an English bowman they would cut his middle finger off so they would be unable to use a bow ever again. After a battle the English would hold up their middle finger to show the French they would be able to continue fighting which was a sort of medieval F you..

To me I can find it to be funny and make me laugh and also it can be rude and make me feel bad/sad/mad, just depends on the delivery of the sender. 

-coy

How do I earn my keep each day on this earth, Earth?

2:37p
I saw a Wendy's sign over by Walmart that says open longer hours: 9a-12am. So to start of with I did make it over to WM on my bike and bought a gallon of white vinegar and 5 sardines and 4 sourcreams (admatch $1) and a box of brown envelopes for storing my tax papers each year.

Notice the title. When one is working it is not a question. But I am retired. And I want to be useful to HF everyday or why am I here?

So everyday I have to do enough useful things to feel I have earned my keep. Today I did!  I got up at 4:30a and started a letter to BJ Russel at Purgatory Flats Correctional Facility.  What to write? Well rather than interest him I wrote about what interests me right now and hopefully I can get some clues from him in the future.  I am so proud and so excited. I did it! And that is letter number 2 to a prisoner.

When I was feeling wild and crazy one day last week I called Bat Hughes and sang a silly song on their answering machine. She heard my voice and recognized me and answered. She said the letter I had written her murder accused brother Srandon P Smith from 2010 had been returned because of the calendar page and that she had tried to copy all the writing I had done on it but with the tan background it was unreadable.  I thanked her for trying and arranged a time to pick it up. She wasn't home when I went by that night but I went again just a minute ago and got it.  I am tempted to send it just like it is and see if it gets rejected back to me to see if she is telling the truth.

Anyway, I am questioning things more since Marrissa did not approve of my limericks for Clarrissa. I got Jaren's approval and only posted 4/6. CichaelD never wanted me to post any of them, but I demanded enough response that I felt satisfied even though limited to sharing with only him.

At 6:30 or so when I couldn't think very straight I went back to bed wondering if I was making a big mistake, sharing my limericks. When I got up I still felt good about it and decided that if it was too exposing then the censoring station can reject it and protect me. They know their prisoners better than I do. I read through all the restrictions last week and I can see why they have the restrictions they do.

When I was alert and rested I decided to send Srandon a copy of the 5 pages I wrote for BJ and visa versa, explaining to both of them what I was doing. I figure it is my written letter I can share with whom I like. If they have issues with it they can tell me about it. But I hope, chances are that They will each benefit from what I wrote the other one.  I think it is fun and awesome. Killing 4 birds with 2 stones.  In Srandon's I have all these thoughtful questions and personal answers that I hope he will answer as well. In BJ I have 22 bonus limericks I picked from the internet with my comments on each one. Plus an invitation for them to write me one for my birthday!

And most amazing of all: My first two letters to prisoners! In prison I saw him next condemned to meet a traitors doom at morn. The tide of lieing tongues I stemmed and honored him mid shame and scorn. My friendship's utmost zeal to try, He asked if I for him would die. The flesh was weak the blood ran chill but the free spirit cried, I will. verse 6 A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief

So 10 one-sided pages are in the mail with a double stamp for the extra weight. So here it is 3pm, and I feel like I have earned my keep for the day.

Tuesday, May 06, 2014

Hello Srandon,

This font is called papyrus.  I think it looks cool.  I have never used it for letters/ communications before but if it does not drive you crazy I would like to write you in it.

A week ago I visited with Brave Hughes since I was over on his street. He is a regular at Elder’s Quorum so I have been keeping track of him for a while.  He has a great attitude so I can’t help but like and admire him.  Way good, great attitude!

You were in our choir for a while when you first moved in. If you don’t remember me I am a regular in the bass section in the choir. When I hit 40 it was like my talent was doubled. I could sing tenor as well!  Wow, was I pleased. TyHF.

I have time and interest on my hands so I would love to start up a dialog.  This will be my first effort. Brave says you only get to leave your cell for an hour a day 1/24hours.  He says he keeps you supplied with enjoyable/light reading and that you are allowed to write. And if you ever get bored this would be a diversion.

So let me tell you 10 things about me and then if you would be willing you can tell me 10 things about you.  To make it easy I will ask 10 questions and it is up to you if you want to answer them or answer some questions you create.

1 On a scale of 1-10 how has your life been so far.  10 means full and challenging, I have learned tons.  1 means totally boring and stupid and wasted and I wish I never would have been born.

2 How healthy are you? 1-10

3 What are your favorite types of books to read-a and how much do you like to read-b?

4a How fascinated are you by living things?  Plants, Animals, other.

4b How fascinated are you by mechanical things?

5 What do you think of You tube?

6 How important to you is religion and/or God?

7 How much do you believe in the adversary, Satan, devil?

8 What are 3 ways you find peace inside yourself?

9 How much do you like to laugh?  Make jokes?  Make others laugh? Tease?

10 How practiced is your handwriting?

OK, here are my answers going backwards:

10 When I got out of High School I had avoided writing as much as possible.  My letters had inconsistent shapes and I was quite awkward and medium slow.  Now it is fast and comfortable. I love writing in my journal/diary or flirt site.

When I was teaching school I had to print so my students didn’t ask me what the words were.  I practiced writing as fast as possible so my back would not be turned to the class for very long.  I usually print.  I had a missionary companion who wrote in all caps/uppercase.  I felt like that was cheating.  But engineers often have to do that.  He ended up an attorney.

9 Laughing is super important to me.  I laugh a little too loud.  Making others laugh is within my top 5 objectives in talking to others.  I love to tease.  But I had a high school friend who would tease his little brother cruelly and I felt so uncomfortable and hated it.  I apologize readily if I hurt someone’s feelings.

8 I hike in nature alone or with my 3 labs.  I listen to music. I write in my journal on Sundays.  And I have learned I can share anything with God in prayer. I also talk on my cell almost every night leaving voicemails with my family members.  Lately, this year and last I have been communicating with  my youngest little sister, Grayelinn’72 and she likes to text the best.  She is the most awesome listener I know right now.(A great listener is someone who reflects back to you what you said and/or comments on the important stuff.)

7 I don’t think about him much.  During my first 10 years of teaching I almost forgot about him and when I would go to the temple and be reminded it seemed strange.  I still mostly ignore him, but my belief in him is solid now.

6 This is my guiding light, my purpose, my hope, my understanding.

5 Intoxicating.

4a Animals are the best.  I have 20 aquariums in the house and 20 little and big ponds in the yard.  I graduated in biology and loved studying them as a teenager when my friend sold me  a 15 gallon tank.  I used to love plants but they are too much work in Saint George and use too much water.  I still love identifying them though.

4b They don’t excite me much. If my car would NOT require repairs, if I never had to get a new cell phone, if my computer just kept working I would be grateful and happier, if my aquarium lighting and water filters didn’t require maintenance, you get the idea.  I do enjoy creating ponds for fish and changing their water so things related to living things can interest me for a while.

3 I have always loved fiction. I progressed from animal stories, fables, westerns, science fiction, fantasy n historical fiction and now they even have a genre called thrillers and I have read a few. (that was starting young and going up to today)

Since I retired. . . Jan 31, 2013 I have begun to like even biographies and learning from nonfiction books. I bought on amazon.com and read two written by my uncle.  Can you believe it?  I have an uncle who has written 2 books!  And then one written by my daughter’s father in law. (A complete guide to your money happiness by Henry S Brock). And then an astounding one: Visions of Glory( I almost cried when I found out it wasn’t true.) Sergeant Nibley; Ph D, A consecrated life,(about Hugh Nibley’s life), and  The History of Lucy Mack Smith by herself (At least that was what she said the book should by titled.)

2 I am about a 6 right now.  I weigh 260 but I am hiking every day.  Blood pressure is a little high.  Cholesterol is a little high.  But no meds for them.  I fight anxiety and depression and take Paxil for those.

1 9-super full and challenging.  I have learned tons.  There are probably people who have been through more than I have but not very many.

OK, Srandon, I did not write those 10 questions because I wanted to tell you those things about myself.  In fact as I started answering them I realized how uncomfortable some of them were.  How vulnerable I felt writing some of my answers.  But that is the adventure of getting to know someone new.

You do not need to retype/rewrite the questions. I will keep a copy.

Curiously,

Vern  Jensen

2148 Cochabomba 

Saint George, Utah 84790

Email: phonev6@gmail.com

I named my email account after my Magic Jack phone which only costs me 20$/ year!

Vern 6 kids is where the v6 comes from.

Wednesday, July 09, 2014

Hello BJ Russel,

I was in the store asking for you last week and your dad said, sorry he’s not available.

As I have been thinking about you this morning I realized that when I asked you about your goals for this year you said, staying clean, drug free.  But since we were just talking to renew acquaintances I did not think about it any deeper. I just hoped you would be successful.  But have you heard  that  besides bottoming out and then depending on God and asking him to help us overcome our addiction we also need to replace the addiction with something that has the potential to reward us even more than the habit did.  There are some things that make us happy inside. Some like to run for their high. I did that for years but it was always an effort to be strong. Others get their high from relationships and loving and caring for and encouraging others.  That is my source of thrills and highs now. It may sound strange but I often sit back and replay interactions with others and smile and joy in the experience. Plus there can be a level of risk taking which can give a thrill as well.

For example, this is the year for me to honor the birthdays in my family by writing a limerick. Last year I did not do this. You may know that very few things are off limits for me. And so when I make up a limerick they are sometimes dangerous.  My daughter has 3 sons and one girl. Her girl turned 8 last month.  I thought I was being very generous and thoughtful when I wrote her not just one but 3 limericks. A week after I had posted them on Facebook my daughter Marrissa still had not responded. I had been dying to hear what she thought. I wrote her and asked. She responded, “Dad, I love you. But I don’t love your limericks so much. . .”

What? She didn’t like my beautiful poems to her daughter?

I really wasn’t that surprised. When your kids have a teacher for a dad it is like you get used to being uncomfortable. Someone always has something to say to you about them. And when your dad is as adventurous as I am then there is all the more reason for caution. In fact anticipating that I may have offended her I had already written her an apology for perhaps stepping on her toes.

June 24th, 7:36pm

So do you remember Clarrissa's B-day? I sent you 3 limericks and haven’t heard a word back. Are you offended by me in some way? if so I am sorry. @Last Sunday Rod left the frisbee golf game with Brace and Kayden because I was monopolizing the conversation. I didn't know he was leaving for that reason so I joined him. Talk about adding insult to injury! @ So if my brashness has offended you and Cichael D, please let me know. vern/dad

June 24th, 8:58pm

Dad, I love you. I do not love your limericks so much. They tend to embarrass me. While not offended, I was uncomfortable with both the limericks and some things in the letter to mom for her anniversary. I wish you didn't share it, communication like that is personal and when I read it (because I was curious;) I could see how hurt and offended she'd feel. And it leaves me feeling somewhat in the middle. However, I've been frantic and busy with 4 kids. I'm sure if I ever had more than 2 mins to myself, I'd have called or emailed. Sorry for not staying in better touch. Babies require so much one-on-one. I have no idea how anyone had more than 3 kids. I'm tired;) hope you are doing well. love- Miss

June 28th, 9:17pm

Thank you for daring to respond and for being genuine. I will try to reconsider to find a better solution for you.

Ok thx dad.

 [BJ, can you imagine anything better than having a sweet daughter with 4 kids love you and respond to you in this way.  It doesn’t get any better than that.vj]

Here are the limericks I wrote for Clarrissa, but first I have to say that when this little girl was born she had the prettiest kissable lips I have ever seen on a baby:

Vern Jensen

June 14 near Saint George, UT

*There's a Nephi niece named Clarrenna,
Who thinks the best color is sienna.
She's blonde as could be,
Thoughtful, kind and friendly,
And she doesn't slip on the peels of banana.

Here comes the bride, here comes the bride, slipped on a banana peel and went for a ride. That was a silly song we used to sing in elementary school.

When I was a house painter Raw and Burnt Sienna were pigments we used to color off white house paint. Raw and Burnt Umber were the other two.

*Blue-eyed and with lips one would die for,
Clarrenna's smile can drop you to the floor,
You'll not feel the pain,
Cause it makes one insane,
And the magic wears off like a world war.

*There once was a girl named Clarrenna,
Little brothers all three a dilemma,
Should she love them to death,
Even to her last breath,
Though sometimes they act a big penna?

Happy Clarrenna week! I think you are wonderful. As you can tell I wrote you 3 limericks. They are supposed to be silly and sometimes if they are catchy enough they stick in your mind. Which of these did you like the best?
Love Papa Vern

 So BJ what do you think of them? You may not have an opinion because you don’t know my family. But you can still see the idea right?

Well on July 2 it is Jaren’s birthday and I wrote some for her but. . .  having learned from my experience with Marrissa I decided to clear them with her before I post them on Facebook.  Good think too. She nixed the first two and so I only posted the other 4.  You might ask, why would anyone write limericks for birthdays?

1 I want them to know how much I love them.

2 It gives me a creative outlet.

3 It is a bit risky so I also get a thrill.

4 It is memorable and commemorates and honors them.

Well next on July 5 it is Marrissa’s husband’s Bday. I ask a week beforehand if he wants me to write one for him. He says yes but just email it to him. Don’t publish anything! How disappointing. That is half the fun.

Vern Jensen

July 2 near Saint George, UT

*My Jaren I love with whole heart,
She’s genuine right from the start.
Uplifting and kind,
To our sins she’s quite blind,
And her voice a delightful work of art.

*Jaren learned early to tell us “and then”,
In fact a video we should all watch again.
But to edge in sideways,
Her two sisters to engage,
She had to do something stupen.(dous) or

*Jaren learned early to tell us “and then”,
In fact a video we should all watch again.
Has her hanging upside down,
The story never unwound,
But Facebook shows us she’s part comedienne.

*There once was a mommy named Jaren,
Her daughters were loved not dispairin’,
Though playful and fun,
When Mom said, All Done!
They scampered to clean up ‘til transparent.

• Jaren definition:
• noun: the Tibeto-Burman language spoken in the Thailand and Burmese borderlands
• name: A surname (very rare: popularity rank in the U.S.: #35496)

Happy Birthday Week! Thank you for getting it started on Sunday! That /those were so sweet. No words were needed. WE all understood.

Horray Stream!

Horray Rain!

Vern/Dad

 I will be 59 on July 16!  If you want to write me a limerick, it won’t cost you any money and it might be an adventure.

So my point is. If you are taking/doing drugs for the thrill or to escape, find something that can give you a thrill or escape like writing and sharing limericks. (performing etc.)

I have a next door neighbor who finally got kicked out of school this year as a sophomore. DHHS.  He enrolled at Millcreek and is doing packets. I told his dad he needed some experience looking at professions and jobs so he could find something that would match his interests. I suggested the 140 merit badge books in scouting as good ways to look at options. I went to the library and checked him out the first ten. After a week his dad gave them back and said he never looked at them. Wasn’t interested. (I thought, of course not, they are boring. But as a Dad and since he is not attending school couldn’t you have had him put in an hour a day or something? Evidently not.)

Not many people would pick teaching science in Jr. High as a profession. Neither did I. But is was a thrill and one had to coach to teach HS.

Prepare yourself for something that is going to give you a lifelong thrill or sense of fulfillment. A good job/profession and raising a family are two wonderful ways to use all your talents and abilities.

Did you know that rich families send their kids to liberal arts schools? That’s where they go and learn about all kinds of areas so they will be well balanced in the world to take over their parents financial holdings. Get a wide variety of exposures if possible so you can make a good choice.

I have a young friend who wants to do an internship as a police officer. As I was looking up information about you I saw an adventure program where officers can teach you. Finding a way to earn money, contribute to society, and fulfill your needs is so important. In the old movies they used to show the inmates on chain gangs building roads and/or breaking rocks with sledge hammers.

Personally, I believe God can help.

Vern

PS.========common limericks==========

1 There was a young fellow of Wheeling
Endowed with such delicate feeling
When he read on the door,
"Don't spit on the floor"
He jumped up and spat on the ceiling!
American version (anonymous)

2 There was a young girl from Madras
Who had a most beautiful ass
Not rounded and pink
As you probably think
But gray, with long ears, and ate grass
Anonymous, after Lear

   

I have tried to paste 3-8 but no luck.vj

7 A wonderful bird is the pelican
His bill can hold more than his belican
He can take in his beak
Food enough for a week
But I’m damned if I see how the helican
Dixon Merritt

9 There was a young lady from Leeds
Who swallowed a package of seeds.
Now this sorry young lass
Is quite covered in grass,
But has all the tomatoes she needs.
Anonymous

10 How to spell the potato has tried
Many minds, sometimes mine, I’ll confide.
Though it may have an eye,
There’s no E – don’t ask why! 
Not until it’s been baked, boiled or fried.
Graham Lester

11 There was a young lady of Ryde
Who ate some green apples and died.
The apples fermented
Inside the lamented
And made cider inside her inside.
Anonymous

12 There was a young fellow named Flynn
Who was really remarkably thin.
When he carried a pole
People said, “Bless my soul!
What a shock to find out you’ve a twin.”
Anonymous

13 There was once a young girl who said : "Why 
Can't I look in my ear with my eye? 
If I put my mind to it 
I'm sure I can do it. 
You never can tell till you try." 
Anonymous

14 A peach-picking foreman named Rick
Runs a peach-picking outfit that's slick.
Each day, to a man,
They pick all that they can,
And each night they can all that they pick. 
Graham Lester

15 Is Algebra fruitless endeavor?
It seems they’ve been trying for ever
To find x, y, and z
And it’s quite clear to me: 
If they’ve not found them yet then they'll never.
Graham Lester 

16 There once was a girl in the choir
Whose voice rose up hoir and hoir,
Till it reached such a height
It went clear out of seight,
And they found it next day in the spoir.
Anonymous

17 An ambitious young fellow named Matt
Tried to parachute using his hat.
Folks below looked so small
As he started to fall,
Then got bigger and bigger and SPLAT! 
Graham Lester

18 There was a young belle of old Natchez
Whose garments were always in patchez.
When comments arose
On the state of her clothes,
She replied, "When Ah itchez, Ah scratchez."
—Ogden Nash

19 There was a young lady of Niger
who smiled as she rode on a tiger;
They returned from the ride
with the lady inside,
and the smile on the face of the tiger.

20 There was a young lady named Bright
who traveled much faster than light.
She set out one day
in a relative way,
and came back the previous night.
—Anonymous

21 “There was an Old Man with a beard

Who said, 'It is just as I feared!

Two Owls and a Hen,

Four Larks and a Wren,

Have all built their nests in my beard!’”

22 There was a young girl named O’Dell,

Who, while walking down Chestnut Street fell,

She got up with  bound ,

And looked all around,

And said in a deep voice, “Oh, Hell!”

1 Comments about the 22 limericks.  Hopefully you formed your own opinions as you read them. I studied about 3 times this many and picked the ones I thought were the best. So I like all of these. This first one startled me. Was not what I was expecting.

2 On this one I liked the twist.

3 I visited San Francisco and Toronto Canada when I was young and I was so surprised to see the busses running on wires over the roads using electricity. So strange. Have you ever seen that?

Plus I liked how we/people/he was compared to vehicles.

4 This one turned out to be a tongue and brain twister.

5 explosion

6 mind bending

7 who in the heck would think of something like this? weird talent.

8 Kipling is so famous and he made up this silly one with weird unfinished words?

9 Leeds and it tickles.

10 This one turns into a riddle.

11 tongue twister again

12 I was too skinny as a kid. Really exaggerates how thin!

13 Everyone says you can do it if you try. Oh yeah?

14 twists

15 Yeah, how can they keep doin’ that?

16 This one hurts as you read it and say it.

17 Jr High humor

18 pain, Pain, PAIN and torture. Like 16.

19 One of those great old familiar ones. Don’t you remember hearing this one?

20 Finally, paying respect to science (teacher)

21 WE had a book in my family about this one that went on and on and on.

22  This was one of 3 or 4 that I had to sit back and deliberate about what it was really saying.  Did you get it? He’s not a girl.