THEE CAMP / LPC

Truett and the Traitors Capture a Timeless Sound With Beatle’s Inspired Tunes

One could say that the Austin’s loss is Springfield’s gain. While Southwest Missouri native, Seth Truett had dreams of making the Austin music scene, he quickly learned just how difficult that would become. Austin is filled to the brim with musicians striving to have their music heard, and make a living at it. According to Seth, even your run-of-the-mill bar bands in Austin already had at least 3 CDs under their belt. He decided that in order to get attention and compete in that music scene, he would need to record a CD as well. Hence, his return to Springfield, to record his first solo project with legendary producer and recording engineer, Lou Whitney. Seth had grown up watching The Skeletons, the studio band at Whitney’s recording studio. It was at this point Seth decided to return to Springfield, after spending 2 1/2 years in Austin. In preparing for the album, Seth realized he would need a band. After recommendations from mutual friends, the four-piece band came together, but has since added a fifth member. Truett & the Traitors is now comprised of lead singer, Seth Truett; guitarist, Dave Price; bassist, Chris Greig; lead guitarist, Adam Cochrun; and drummer, Rick Gates.

Their sound is largely influenced by music of the 60s’, mainly the Beatles, as well as some Chuck Berry, though his music came a few years earlier. Yet, Truett & the Traitors refuse to be pigeon-holed into one or two genres. Seth explains that their music is a spin of genres, taking from 70s punk, while mixing it with a little bit of Americana, and throwing in some uptempo. Seth also points out some more modern influences, namely the Strokes and Coldplay. He believes these two bands have had the greatest influence on music over the last 10 years, along with a resurgence of the garage band sound earlier in the decade. Additionally, Seth credits modern bands such as Jet, White Stripes, and other British bands as having an influence in his music.

While all of their music is original, the band has found that audiences generally like a few cover songs thrown into the mix at shows. Seth says he tends to favor the songs that typically do not get the appeal of the fans, as much as some of the other songs. While discussing upcoming shows, Seth shared his thoughts regarding the ordinance which prevents those under the age of 21 from attending live performances in venues that serve alcohol. He explains that since the passing of this law, the attendance at live shows of most bands has been cut in half. In a city where there is an abundance of local music, the competition can be rather stiff. It also causes more difficulty in booking shows. Basically, the bands now have two groups to which they must cater: the over-21 “bar crowd,” and those under the legal drinking age. The result is they have to book more shows, at different types of venues.

In listening to the music, one can definitely pick up on the 60’s and 70’s vibe. Take It Back seems to be a fun mix of pop combined with a 70s punk sound. It is a song that will definitely get you moving. However, all of the songs are solid, and each has its own appeal. Fans will soon be in for another treat, as Truett & the Traitors are currently recording four more songs. While the songs are being newly recorded, Seth actually started writing them several years ago. His band members recently helped polish the songs off, and get them ready for recording. These songs have also been played at area shows.

In addition to recording the new music, Truett & the Traitors can be seen live in three upcoming performances in Springfield. They are scheduled to play the Outland on May 23rd, along with John Henry & the Engine. Next, they will be playing at a lucky fan’s birthday party at Lindberg’s on June 13th, though Seth did stress the show is open to the public. Finally, they will return to Lindberg’s on June 27th, where they will be playing with Holstein, who will be holding their CD release party. Merchandise, including CD’s, t-shirts, and stickers are available at shows, as well as their online merch store. On a rather fun note, the t-shirt designs are derived from pictures that fans doodle on napkins during live shows. If you are looking for some new music that is solid, timeless, and downright fun, you will definitely want to check out Truett & theTraitors. You just might get hooked. I did. I just spent the last 3 hours listening to their catalog of songs, over and over.

Fond Food Memories: Tiger Meat

Growing up in South Dakota farm country, I was raised on plain old meat and potatoes. One popular delicacy in that area at the time, was “tiger meat.” Don’t think of the orange and black striped animal. The “tiger meat” I am talking about comes from a cow. It is basically raw ground beef and seasonings. Some recipes also call for raw eggs. I look back at this, and some other things I ate growing up, and wonder how it was that I DID NOT ever get e.coli, or salmonella poisoning. I would never eat this now! Tiger meat used to be available in the meat departments at local grocery stores. Alas, that is no longer the case.

There are different recipes for Tiger Meat, using different seasonings. This one has more kick than some of the others.

TIGER MEAT
1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 small onion diced
2tsp Tabasco sauce
2tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
3tsp salt
2 tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl; cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 8 hours. Spread on crackers. Awesome! Do not eat after 2 days.

Sounds tasty, doesn’t it?

Meat Loaf Wellington

3 eggs
1/2 C. Ketchup
2 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp ground mustard
1/8 tsp pepper
3/4 lb ground beef, lean
3/4 lb ground veal
3/4 lb ground pork
1/3 C. onion, chopped
3/4 C. bread crumbs
1 (17 1/4 oz) pkg frozen pastry, thawed

Madeira Sauce:
1/4 C butter
5 T all-purpose flour
2 C beef consomme
1 T tomato sauce
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 tsp browning sauce (optional)
Dash, cloves
1/2 C. Madeira wine or beef broth
2 C. fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 T olive oil or vegetable oil

In a bowl, beat 2 eggs, ketchup, seasoned salt, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and pepper. Crumble meat over mixture and mix well. Sprinkle with onion and bread crumbs; mix gently. Shape into 2 loaves. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each pastry sheet into an 18 x 16 inch rectangle. Invert meat loaves and place in center of each pastry; fold short sides of pastry over loaf. Fold long sides over loaf and pastry; seal seams. Place, seam side down on a rack in a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan. Beat remaining egg; brush over pastry. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160 to 170 degrees. Meanwhile, for sauce, melt butter in a saucepan. Whisk in flour until smooth. Stir in the consomme, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, browning sauce if desired, and cloves. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in wine or broth. In a skillet, saute mushrooms in oil until tender. Serve the mushrooms and sauce over meat loaf slices. Yield: 2 meat loaves. Servings: 12.

Note: I omitted the ground veal, and used a little more of the ground beef and ground pork. I also substituted dry oats for the bread crumbs.

My New-Old House

Gettin’ Clicky With It….Some Cool Links on Which to Click

I decided to forgo my 7 Wonders Wednesdays posts in favor of starting a new series. In Gettin’ Clicky With It, I will once again be sharing favorite links that will, hopefully, offer value, information, entertainment, and usefulness to my readers. Instead of a set number of links on a set day, this series will be somewhat random. The number of links may change from post to post, and the posts may be written on any given day. Here are some of my new favorite links on which to click:

• Discover who hosts any website on the wonderful world wide web with whoishostingthis.com. The site is super easy to use. Basically, you just type in the URL and hit the search button. In addition, the site offers plugins for both Firefox,  and Internet Explorer, as well as a search bookmarklet.
• Have you ever been curious as to some of the oldest domain names?  The oldest domain name was originated on March 15, 1985. In the grand scheme of time, that is really not very old at all. However, in internet years, that could be considered pretty darn ancient.  That was the era of the Apple II e, the BASIC programming language, and the Commodore 64. Find out exactly which domain name is the oldest at iWhois.com. In fact, iWhois has a list of the 100 oldest domain names.  Click it to find out which domains made the list.
• Have you ever wanted to say Happy Birthday in Bulgarian, Greek, or Mongolian? Shabbir.com shows the Happy Birthday greeting in 161 different languages from around the globe. While the site design could definitely be considered amateurish, I found some really interesting tidbits of information on this site.
• Do you enjoy coloring, but have trouble staying in the lines? If you do, be sure to check out thecolor.com. This site offers a free online coloring book that is so easy, and so much fun! There are well over 20 cateogories of coloring pages that you can color online or print. You can also create your own gallery. Way cool!
• Windows Live Translator is another “foreign language” site. This translation site allows you to enter up to 500 hundered words to be translated into another language. There are a variety of languages from which to choose.  You can also enter a website URL. The website of choice will come up on the screen twice – on the left side and the right. The leftside  will contain the original language, while the right will be the language to which it was translated.  For example, www.daily-adventures.com will show up in English on the left, and French or Spanish, etc. on the right. The page is translated within seconds of loading. This site is a great tool for web developers, bloggers, writers, and others, that allows them to reach wide cross-section of people. I am only fluent in English, yet with websites like Windows Live Translator my blog can be read by many non-English readers and speakers.
• FACEinHOLE.com is a great time waster that is creative, entertaining, and loads of fun! You can choose from photos of celebrities, historical figures, and fictional characters, and then make them your own. You do this by inserting a photo of your face (or someone else’s face) into the hole. I have used other software to do this, but FACEinHOLE is, by far, the easiest to use.  I have wasted hours at at a time turning my friends and family into SuperMario, Wonder Woman, Queen Elizabeth II, Willie Wonka, and many, many more.  Like I said, FACEinHOLE is a fabulously fun time-waster. Click it!

• Calling all Night Owl Geeks! Do you stay up way past your bed time on a consistent basis, yet usually have to rise early in the morning? Check out Geek Dad’s 10 Geeky Tricks for Getting Out of Bed in the Morning. While, they may seem overly simple and obvious, they really can work, if you just apply them consistently.  For example, set your alarm – across the room. Better yet, go to bed when you are tired. To read all 10 geeky tricks, click on the link!

Some Twittering Thoughts

I have been using Twitter for about a year now. Originally, I signed up with Twitter out of mere curiosity. I was interested in learning about the daily lives of people from various places in the world.  At first, this seemed to be the case for many Twitterers.  However, as Twitter has grown substantially in the number of users, it has changed and evolved. Over the past year, I have made a few observations and have formed some thoughts and opinions about Twitter, and those who use the service.

• You should never feel obligated to follow someone just because that person follows you. It may be a bit of an ego-buster to not have the following reciprocated. However, I would not want someone to follow me if they are not receiving any value from the information I am providing through my tweets. Likewise, I have no desire to follow someone from which I do not gain value. That does not mean they are not adding value to the stream for someone else. It just means that I find their information irrelevant for myself.  Also, if someone who has thousands of followers were to feel obligated to follow everyone in return, it would just boil down to numbers. Everyone, on both sides, would just be a number. I don’t want to be just another number, and neither should you.
• On that note, how can someone who follows over 1,000 people – and some follow over 10,000 people- really be following anyone at all. It would be classic case of hit or miss. The likelihood of one of these followers actually seeing any of my tweets is minimal.  Of course, many Twitter users who follow that high of number are  often considered “spammers.”  Generally, they are not concerned with reading the tweets of others. That is not to say that all Twitterers who follow a large number of people are like that. There are many who are genuine.
• I find that some Twitter users treat Twitter like a chat room or an instant messenger. Alternatively, they should be moving their conversations over to those services, as constant @replies often add little value for their other followers. It is like listening to half of a conversation.
• On the flip-side, being aloof and not engaging your followers in some conversation can be a bad thing. It is always good to keep it in check. When I reply to someone, I try reword the tweet (in 140 characters or less) so that my other followers won’t feel like they are eavesdropping on just my side of the conversation. I want my @replies to add value to the stream for everyone who follows me, not just the intended recipient.
• There are more and more people on Twitter who are labeling themselves as SEO, social media, and PR experts. It seems that most of my new followers consist of these self-professed experts.  I wonder how long it takes to become an expert at Twitter?
• There are times when I go out of my way to try new and interesting things just so I can sound more interesting on Twitter. I’ll try new, hip & trendy restaurants, movies, concerts, events, you name it. Surely, I am not the only Twitterer who does this.
• I have found Twitter and Twitter Search to be a great avenue for finding out about outages of Twitter and other services.  For example, when my blogs were not loading at all, I learned through Twitter Search that GoDaddy’s servers were down.  You can learn of newsworthy events in a very timely manner – often before you will hear about them on the radio, tv, CNN, MSNBC, etc.
• Fortunately, or unfortunately, Twitter has also become a great resource for airing complaints about bad service. Sometimes, you can even get results. Let’s face it, Twitter can spread bad word of mouth like wildfire.  No business wants that.

These are just a few thoughts and observations. This is far from an exhaustive list. There are so many great possibilites with Twitter, as well as certain downfalls.  One of the biggest keys is moderation – in both the number of times you tweet in a day and the time you spend on Twitter.  Another big component is respect. Treat other Twitter users with respect and dignity just as you (hopefully) would in person.  Don’t be overly harsh or critical, and don’t be unkind. Better yet, go out of your way to make your stream valuable for those who follow you. Retweet information from others that you find interesting or helpful, and give them credit. Use Twitter to encourage others.  Most of all, be YOURSELF, but be the BESTself you can be.  Happy Tweeting!

Five Ways You Can Support Your Favorite Band

So, you love music! You have certain bands that are favorites, whether they be local or “big time.” Perhaps they are signed to a record label, or maybe they are up-and-coming unsigned artists. It doesn’t matter if they are the cover band playing at your local bar, or Coldplay. ALL bands need the continued support of their fans. Big names such as Bon Jovi or Springsteen didn’t get where they are without paying their dues. Nor did they end up playing in major stadiums or arenas without the support of fans from early on in their careers.

With the help of a few friends who are local musicians, I was able to come up with a list of 5 ways fans can support their favorite bands. They are in no particular order, as all are equally important and appreciated.

• Come out to as many local shows as you can.  Bands never enjoy playing to an empty house, or even one that is half-full.  This is also a great opportunity to “spread the word,” by inviting friends to come with you.
• Spread the word to friends.  Talk to your friends about the band. Invite them to shows with you. Send an occasional email to your contacts who are music lovers. Be sure to include a link to the band’s website, Myspace page or other site where your friends can actually listen to their music.
• Buy merchandise! I cannot express this enough. The sale of merch (t-shirts, cds, posters, etc) is one of the top ways that bands make money.  Ticket sales don’t necessarily bring in a ton of money for the band itself.  Much of the profits from the tickets and cover charges goes to others, such as the venue they are playing. You can nearly always purchase the band’s merchandise at their live shows.  In addition, you can usually find merchandise on their website.
• Note the band in your online websites and social media accounts. Do you have your own blog? Write about the band. Do you have a Myspace page? Post a blog or bulletin about the band and any upcoming local shows. Embed video or banners that the band may offer.  Do you have a Facebook? Post a link to the band, or write a note.  Became a fan on the band’s fan page if they have one. Be sure to include them  among your favorite music in your profile.  Do you “tweet?” If you have a Twitter account, why not post an occasional tweet about the band, and include a link?  You can also tweet about an upcoming show. Additionally, many bands have Twitter accounts themselves. Find out if they do, and follow them. Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter are three of the more high profile and common social media outlets. However, there are many more out there. Take a look at the social media in which you currently participate. Find creative ways to promote your favorite band utilizing these services. Does the band have a Street Team? Be sure to sign up as a street team member if they do have one!
• Keep in contact with the band and it’s members. Sign up for email newsletters. Leave comments on their Facebook group or fan page. Comment on the band’s Myspace profile.  Many bands nowadays love to hear feedback from their fans.

These are some fairly easy ways to support your favorite bands.  Undoubtedly, there are a ton of other creative ideas for promoting them as well. Find out what works best for you, and go for it! Your efforts, will more than likely be greatly appreciated!

25 Random Things About Me

As many of you may already know, one of the popular trends on Facebook right now is the “25 Random Things” list. I had been tagged by so many of my FB friends to do this, that I ultimately gave in and came up with my own list.  I am going the extra step and publishing it here on Daily-Adventures. I hope you enjoy!

1. I lettered in theater in high school in Aberdeen, South Dakota, where I was born and raised.
2. I played in a dart league when I was in my 20′s, but I was probably the worst player there.
3. My mom and I were in college at the same time, and even had a couple of classes together.
4. When we were kids, my sister and I would snoop by unwrapping all of our Christmas gifts early. We would then wrap them back up and put them back under the tree. We thought we were so clever, but we were lousy gift-wrappers, so my parents had to have known.
5. I am not a flower and diamond kind of girl. I have had 2 plants in my adult life, and killed them both in less than a week. I would rather have fun, funky jewerly over fine jewelry. Or better yet, give me something I can actually use.
6. I can sing the German ABC’s in a little song. I learned it from Mr. Nikolas in high school German class. It is the ONLY thing I remember from that class. I speak virtually no German other than that.
7. I have had breakfast with Zig Ziglar, and lunch with former First Lady Barbara Bush. No – I am not making that up!  However,  please don’t assume I am a Bush-supporter. I might be, or I might not. Former Senate-Minority leader, Tom Daschle is from my hometown and went to my high school, although it was many years earlier.
8. My first job was at the public library in Aberdeen, SD at age 16. I worked there for 5 years. Sometimes I miss the good ol’ card catalog!
9. I can still remember my first computer – an Apple II e. I can also remember having my own 8-track player. My favorite 8-tracks were The Village People, the Grease soundtrack,and (don’t laugh) the soundtrack to The Jazz Singer remake with Neil Diamond.
10. My very first concert was Rick Springfield back in 1983. I was 15, and he was a big deal then. I saw him again in Branson, MO exactly 20 years later, at age 35. He wasn’t such a big deal anymore.
11. My first car was a blue 1981 Mercury Capri. I bought it my senior year in high school in 1986.
12. I love driving long distances by myself, such as when I go back to South Dakota. I consider it relaxing, down time.
13. I have Tourette Syndrome, but fortunately it isn’t much of a factor anymore. Most people who know me now can’t really tell.
14. I spent a lot of time at my grandparents’ farm when I was a kid. I would ride in the tractors, snoop around in the barn, shuck corn, climb in the haystacks, and walk down the gravel road to the creek. Most people who know me now, would never have figured me for a farm girl.
15. I cut myself on a french fry once. I know it is sounds impossible, but it did happen and it actually hurt!
16. I actually had to write a 10-page paper in college, applying three contemporary social theories to Pink Floyd’s, The Wall.
17. I played the drums for a year in junior high. Well actually, I TRIED to play the drums. I had taken piano lessons for three years and could already read the music, so I usually got stuck playing the bells. I hated the bells. I wanted to play the trap set.
18. I love theme & costume parties, and have thrown a few myself. My favorites were Halloween parties, a 70s party and a Decades party. Guests could dress in costume from any decade in the 1900′s.



19. The first play I was in was in junior high. It was Rumplestiltskin, and I was a town’s person. All I had to do was stand in a straight line across the stage. We all had to take one big step forward when we received our cue. I was spacing off and looking around the audience, and missed the cue. So I started shuffling up in tiny baby steps to keep in line with the others, but I was so obvious.
20. My first celebrity crush was Shaun Cassidy, followed by Erik Estrada in elementary school. CHiPs Rocked!
21. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sociology.
22. I used to love Scotty’s Drive-In, Aunt Chilotta, Lou’s Pizza, the old soda fountain at the Woolworth’s store on Main Street (when I was really young), and the Last Chance Bar. I also recall this little grocery & candy store on Washington street across from Monroe Junior High. They had two cent candy! All of these were in Aberdeen, South Dakota. I believe that Scotty’s Drive-In is the only one on the list that still remains open.
23. Growing up in South Dakota, I have had more than my fair share of snow. I have driven in more white-outs than I care to recall, and had to dig myself out on many occasions. I also remember times when the only way around town was by snowmobile. I have never been ice-fishing, which is popular up north, but that is on my to-do list!
24. I used to have my own internet radio station, but quit it recently to concentrate on other things, mainly my new job and my writing.
25. I used to run around the neighborhood pretending I was Wonder Woman. That was just last year! OK, maybe it was more like 30+ years ago. But I would do it again in a heartbeat. I’ll just have to get my tiara out, and rev up my magic lasso.

Average Jane Interview: Katie – A Love for Math

As I began interviewing Katie, I already knew many things about her. She is a graduate student in the Natural and Applied Sciences department at Missouri State University. She teachers undergraduate courses in mathematics as part of her graduate assistantship. Though raised in the Catholic church in Kansas City,  Katie, now is active in a local church with a contemporary praise band, and roots in the Southern Baptist denomination.  She has a witty, dry sense of humor, and a humble spirit. As I said, I already knew several things about Katie, but never did spend time with her one-on-one. As I did just that on this warm Sunday afternoon, I began to realize just how multi-faceted, interesting, and intelligent she really is.

Katie’s earliest memory of math, was watching her sister play with a Speak & Math, which is similar to the Speak & Spell.  She could recall being a little confused, and not understanding the concept of math, just as any toddler or preschooler would be. Katie also went on to share that even though she did well in math throughout her school years, it was not her strongest point up until high school. She said that something just kind of clicked in high school. Prior to that, her best subject was English, and she was most interested in that.  Katie still loves to read fiction, as long as it is well-written and has substance. You will not often find her reading the latest chick-lit novel. Though she considers herself more of a reader, Katie also has developed strong writing skills, though not necessarily in the area of fiction or creative writing. She has more of a skill in the writing of technical and non-fiction pieces, and essays. This has actually been very beneficial to the study of math, particularly, in proof writing (as opposed to proof reading.)

When asked, Katie shared several observations about math, misconceptions about the subject, and words of wisdom regarding the study of math.

• First, is the idea that girls just are not as suited for math as boys are. Katie feels this should not be accepted as gospel. She agrees that while girls may be wired somewhat differently than boys, that should never be indicative of what girls and boys can or cannot accomplish.  With enough hard work and dedication, girls can become just as skilled in the study of mathematics as boys.

• Second, math is often perceived differently among various cultures and countries. Katie says that as Americans, we too often, shy away from subjects that are difficult, and focus on ones where we know we can perform well.

• Third, Katie said that her most challenging students are the ones who have not met with much success in math in the past.  She teaches Math 101 and 102, which are prerequisites for pre-algebra. Because these courses cover the more basic math skills, Katie works most often with students who may not have done well in math courses up to this point.  Her best advice for students just beginning college would be to get a math tutor if you know you have had limited success in previous mathematics courses. She says that just a few hours of one-on-one tutoring per week, can make a huge difference in how you perceive math and the level to which you succeed at it.

• Fourth, just as challenging, are those students who feel they don’t really need the more basic math courses. They think they already know everything about math that they need to know. These students, often are not open to learning more, putting effort into the subject, and accepting help.

• Katie explained that people often come across as proud of not being good at math. One of the first things people will say when they find out Katie is studying math is “math is not my strong point.” Or perhaps, “I never did do well in math.” She said this type of attitude is actually very commonplace, especially as Americans. It is almost expected.

• Katie also talked about one of the “fluff” math courses that she took as an undergraduate student. In math history, she learned about the techniques and other things regarding math that ancient societies had figured out. She said one example is that the study of geometry began among the ancient Greeks.  Katie went on to say that the ancient Greeks disliked or were opposed to the concept of infinity.

One thing that I learned about Katie is the fact that she was the Salutatorian of her high school graduating class in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. This was no small feat as her class had well over 450 students. She was active in Math Club, Science Knowledge Bowl, and Debate and Forensics. Additionally, Katie served as President of the Scholar Team.  She explored her musical side by participating in the choir, though Katie insists singing was not her strongest feature.  Katie received 4 letters for participation and accomplishment in Math Club, Scholar Team, Academics, and Music.

Here are some fun facts about Katie:

• She is a “retired” ballet, tap, and jazz dancer.
• Her favorite tv shows include Scrubs, House, and The Office.
• Katie enjoys the Harry Potter series, as well as the Twilight books. She also enjoys the works of author, Neal Gaiman.
• She prefers humor that is dry and witty. She most often laughs at inside jokes and those that are subtle – the type where other people may totally overlook the humor.
• Katie enjoys James Bond movies, but also likes “softer” movies such as Notting Hill. In addition, she counts childlike movies such as The Emperor’s New Groove, and Lilo & Stitch among her favorites.
• Katie works with the college group at her church in Ozark, Missouri, just south of Springfield. She also serves the community regularly through service projects at the church. Most recently, she participated in volunteer projects at Victory Mission and Boys and Girls Town.

Katie is working toward a Master of Science degree in the Natural and Applied Sciences which is an interdisciplinary program. In addition to math, she has a love, affinity, and fascination for the sciences, including biology and chemistry.  I am so thankful for the opportunity to sit down with Katie one-on-one, and pique her brain about math. What I discovered was a very fascinating, well-rounded young woman who cares about people just as much as she cares about her studies.  It is very apparent that her love of math has translated into a genuine desire to help struggling students overcome their past failures and disappointments.  She wants to help them start fresh, gain a new perspective, and a new attitude regarding the study of math, so that one day, something may “click” for them just as it did for her years ago.