Ricks College years

 So I graduated from Vincennes High School (they built a new high school just in time for my senior year - so my name is on a plaque as the first student body to graduate from the new building). 

I applied to BYU and Ricks College (and anywhere else?? I don't think so). So I felt like I should go to Ricks (after my mom called back about my application and apparently it had gotten stuck under a desk or something - anyway I got admitted).

My family came and saw me off on the airplane and I cried and cried (and I only had one half  wet kleenex) and the lady next to me looked at me like I was crazy - even when I said I was going off to my first year of college.

I flew to Denver, where Uncle David and Aunt Michelle met me and I spent the night. Then they sent me off to drive the Rexburg all by myself. WHAT??? No map quest, no phone, I don't even think I had that great of directions. That is a long way!!! 

Anyway, I was suppose to drive the car to Rupert, where Aunt Wanda and Uncle Darryel lived (it was Grandma Sandberg's car and they were going to have it). So I think they are the ones that drove me up there. Or came and got the car? It is all a big blurry. 

So I arrived at Ricks College. I didn't know a single person. I had three roommates, lived on campus and ate in the cafeteria. I eventually made friends with some girls in my classes and work the newspaper staff. I was 'hired' to sell advertising for the Ricks College Scroll.  I went around and tried to sell advertising for the paper. I learned a very valuable lesson.   Women's Week was coming up and it was a huge paper - tons of moms, etc. came to see campus and hang out with their kid. 

Aunt Wanda and her three girls came up to check out college and see me. They all slept in my living room. I remember now, thinking, she was so smart to bring her girls up to see where they were going and it would be like. All of her girls have graduated from college. 

I sold a quarter page ad to a candy/chocolate business downtown. It was a 'come in and get a free chocolate bar' ad - real deal I remember thinking. I went back after Women's Week to see if he wanted to buy more ads. And he said these words I will not forget "No one came. No one at all." And he sort of looked at me. I mean, I at least, could have taken my family to get a free chocolate bar. So if you ask someone to buy something, YOU need to buy one!

My second semester I was the Associated Production Editor. More to come on that in two paragraphs, 

OK, then I went home for the summer. I probably lifeguarded some more.

Then I went back the next year and I was 'hired' to be the production editor for the whole paper.  It paid your tuition. That's back in the day. First there would be a big page (which would be taken, photographed and made into the print copy for the press. First the ad people would add all the advertising. Then the editors would plan spaces for the big stories. Then the photographers would get their pictures on. Then I (and my two helpers) would make sure all the type lines up (this was back when you would print something, wax it, take it to the light board and make sure it was all lined up. Then add the bylines, the jump lines, etc. 

I was not too good at this job. I was always messing up from one week to the next. Like the date would be wrong on page 28. Or the lines at the top of one page would be crooked. Did I mention that I am NOT a detail person? This would be called today, a bad job fit. Anyway, the advisor would always call me in and tell me what I was doing wrong. It was disheartening. 

So then I graduated (in 1991). My mom came to my graduation. It was super awesome. Then we packed up and I went home. Probably lifeguarded some more. I will get to that in the next episode.

High School Jobs

 I started (OK, it was several years ago - check out the blog books) writing down all my jobs through out my life. I am going to start (again?) with the careers in my high school life.

These are not in exact order. 

Oh wait! I found a list of the ones I have already told you (my children) about. Let's just review that briefly.

I started out working as a paper girl. I delivered about 35 papers around to a different part of town. I would come home from school, folder papers and take off on my bike. On Sundays, the papers were way bigger. Very occasionally Mom or Dad would take me around in the car. Probably Thanksgiving, since the papers were HUGE. I did that for about two years, before I took the lifeguarding class and did that.

So I had to finish the class (once I realized I was in advanced lifeguarding, not advanced swimming because without me, they could not hold the class). Then I became a lifeguard at Rainbow Beach in Vincennes, Indiana (where I grew up). I did that for years, both at the Beach (outside) and then later at the YMCA (indoor), I watched more than a few aerobics classes. And lap swimmers. Once I jumped in when a boy came off the slide and could not get his footing. 

During this time, I wanted to make more money, so I convinced a guy I knew (why in the freak did I feel like I needed a male partner?). I approached one of the guys I delivered papers to and asked if he had any yard work that needed to be done, so he sent us to some of his rental properties. That did not last long. 

I also helped (at one point when I was young) some woman (where did I meet her?), to paint her newly created bookstore. What joy! She paid me just a bit, but gave me a discount on books (I bought a vocabulary book on French - which I was taking in high school). 

I also taught swim lessons at Rainbow Beach for a couple of summers. The water seemed colder in the mornings.

 I worked for the Vincennes University Summer Theater as an assistant costumer. I 'helped' sew until Alethea realized I couldn't really sew, then I spent a lot of time sewing on name tags. I got paid some and was did props for two shows and was in "The Mystery of Edwin Drood." It was very fun - the cast was from New York and I hung out with them some.

My first "real" job was working at Hardee's (Carl Juniors here in the West). I asked my mom what to wear to my first interview and she said this classic wisdom, which I still tell my students today "Wear one step above the job you are interviewing for." So I wore my cute summer jumper she had made for me. I got the job as a cashier. Because I was doing so much other stuff, my parents said I could only work Friday nights and Saturdays. So I did that for a while. It was very eye-opening. Like when one girl said she took 13 aspirine so she would pass out and get to go home. Or when the 7-month-pregnant woman was on her hands and knees washing the floor. That is when I said (in my head)...That will NEVER be me. So I went to college!

Two updates

 Here is how the shed is looking these days. Just one spot of wrap on the other side. Josh looked into ordering siding- something dark blue! It is so muddy out there right now (lack of grass). There are walking paths to the chicken coop and the shed. Many muddy feet.

Also, check out how high this gluten free cake it! It was an brand from Aldi grocery store (back East) that my cousin sent Heather and me. Wow! Josh even said it was 'very good' GF cake (but only a 30% on normal taste).

We have enjoyed a four day weekend together. The girls have tomorrow off for Covid, but Michael has school. Yah togetherness!