entering the blogging world

We're starting a blog.

Here are our top 5 reasons why:

(1) Narcissism -- YOU get to read about US
(2) All of our techy friends are doing it
(3) We're not good journal writers
(4) If you don't hear news from us, it's YOUR fault
(5) We're mobile: in the next few months we'll be in Seattle, China, Boise, etc...and we want to save you from the boring family video party later.

So, please read our blog!

We're leaving for China in 10 days. And we're sure to post some fun pictures.

We've recently read a blog from somebody in China, and really wanted to know why they were there. After hours of scouring the blog, we never found out. To save you some effort, here are the pertinent details on our trip to China.

(1) Hyrum heard about a lecturing opportunity in China. He was curious, but not interested since this quarter promised to be very busy with a PhD General Exam, other summer internship possibilities, etc. But, he requested for more information just to appease his curiosity.
(2) Apparently, the folks at Shanghai Normal University (hereafter referred to as "the university") are desperate for people who speak English that can also teach undergraduate Electrical Engineering classes. Instead of sending more information about the position, they sent an email that said "when can you start?"
(3) The schedule and classes they offered didn't work, so Hyrum said no.
(4) The folks at the university wouldn't take no for an answer. After each "no", they'd scramble schedules and classes around to try to make things work.
(5) After almost 2 months of negotiating classes, schedules, and working out commitments at school, we finally found arrangement that could work, if we so desired. So...we said, "why not?" and accepted.

We leave May 28th. Hyrum will be teaching in Shanghai for a month. Two classes, each class meets NINE TIMES A WEEK! So, it should be a busy schedule. Room (a foreign guest house on campus) and board (something like $5 a day) are provided. Hyrum's airfare is also provided for, and he'll get a small stipend that should cover the cost of tickets for Nicole & Scottie plus a little vacation after the teaching commitments. We're scheduled to come back to the U.S. of A. on July 9th, after which we'll work (meaning Hyrum will do research at his Dad's company, and Hyrum, Nicole & Scott will help out on the Anderson farm) out the summer in Boise.

In the meantime, while Hyrum is lecturing at the university in Shanghai, Scottie and Nicole will search the city for nice photo material for this blog. So every now and again, check out our burgeoning blog.