In my advanced conversational spanish class we were asked to make a list of the top ten things that make us happy. I had so much fun thinking about 10 things, I think it might be more fun to make an even longer list! So, if you ever catch me in a less than cheerful mood, which is rare, you will now know what to do to cheer me up.
(Number 1 is number 1, but the rest have no order of importance)
1. The relationship that I have with my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ
2. The relationships that I have with family, friends, coworkers, classmates, teachers, and even random people I have met once and will never see ever again.
3. Almost anything in spanish.
4. Getting letters in the mail. Not bills, handwritten letters.
5. Perfect weather. When it's just cold enough to wear a hoodie, and I am not freezing. When the light breeze just tickles my face. There's enough clouds that it's a bit overcast, but it's not gloomy.
6. The temple.
7. Music that seems to convey EXACTLY how I feel in that precise moment.
8. Phone calls that I wasn't expecting from someone I haven't talked to in a long time.
9. Dr. Pepper after a really stressful day at school.
10. Laughing. This should be number 2, I LOVE laughing. Hysterically, if at all possible.
11. Talking to people that I taught as a missionary and hearing how awesome they are doing.
12. Getting my homework done early and not having to stress about it.
13. Dancing, usually bachata, merengue or salsa, because I actually semi know what I am doing.
14. Being with my little sister. She is crazy just like me and when we are together it is always epic.
15. Disney movies.
16. Having the opportunity to help someone that needs it.
17. Driving with the windows down and singing to the radio at the top of my lungs.
18. ROAD TRIPS.
19. Reading. Especially those books that you pick up and don't put down until you finish it at 5 in the morning.
20. Funny videos on youtube. My sister and I ALWAYS share youtube videos with each other, it's basically how we bond.
21. The things that little kids say. Such as: "Are you married? You look married." hahahaha
22. Making new friends. So, if I tell you, "let's be best friends" 5 minutes after meeting you, it is normal, and I really do want to be your best friend.
23. Running, and the feeling that I am cutting through the air.
24. Anything random, spontaneous and unexpected.
25. Living in a valley surrounded by mountains.
26. Eating homemade meals, usually made by my mother, sister hofeling or sister hansen.
27. Surprises. Only the good kind though, not like, "surprise! you got a speeding ticket!" Yeah...thanks mom.
28. New shoes. Slight addiction. Maybe.
29. Watching MormonMessages on www.lds.org or the profile videos on www.mormon.org
30. HUGS. Wow how did I not think of this before 30? This is like instant joy, but only if it's a good hug, not a lame one.
Mmmmm now I want to go accomplish all of those things RIGHT NOW.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
The Dur-Ham Sandwich
What is a dur-ham sandwich you ask? That is what I have entitled this semester, the Dur-Ham Sandwich. My first and last classes are located in the Durham Language building, and I have 3 classes nonstop in between, no breaks, it is epic. What is on this sandwich of epic proportions? Allow me....
1. The Bottom Bread: A croissant, nice and light, easygoing, absolutely delicious. My spanish literature class is going to be a piece of cake...I mean bread. There are like 3 other RM's in that class, strength in numbers. The teacher is way laid back and I really enjoy her spanish, it is clear and easy to understand, and just nice to listen to.
2. Ham (It had to be ham, it's a dur-ham sandwich): The meat of my day, Institute. I am taking a class on the Doctrine and Covenants and am soooooo excited. I love my teacher and know that I will learn so much under his preparation. This class is what is going to help me to survive this semester and help me to keep myself focused on what is really important: the relationship that I have with my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
3. Habanero Peppers: The hardcore, wake you up in the morning, energetic class, Adv. Conversational Spanish. My teacher is a firecracker, and I love it. She is from Argentina and I love her accent, and I love that she talks to us in Vos. My favorite quotes by her today were (translated for the spanish impaired), "This class is SUPER boring, I hate teaching it," "I am lazy, so I am gonna try and change the syllabus so your writing assignments are shorter." "Hell for me would be sitting in a room stacked high to the ceiling with papers that need to be grade and the stacks don't get smaller." This class is going to be awesome.
4. Lettuce: BORING, does it even have a flavor? Or is it merely added for texture? This is my class about bilingual learning in schools, and it is taught in english, so it is like the odd class out in my schedule of all spanish classes. I feel utterly lost and speechless in this class. When the teacher says, "Are there any questions?" I think, "Cuando se entrega la tarea que apenas asigno ella? Como hago esa pregunta en ingles? Oh, ya estan hablando de otro tema :/" (translation: when is the homework due that she just assigned? How do I ask that in english? Oh, now they're talking about something else :/) I know, I should be able to handle a class in my native tongue, but when 4 of my 5 classes are in spanish, and I try to basically immerse my entire life in spanish, I struggle just a teeeeeny bit with english. Ugh.
5. The Top bread: Stale, boring, white bread that has been stepped on. That's basically how I feel in that class, Spanish Civilizations. My profesor is an older man and when he speaks it's is in a deep, mumbled voice, that I can't understand 40% of the time. I try focus alllll of my energy on understand what in the world he is saying and on laughing when he makes an attempt at a joke. Hopefully my ears/brain will get used to the way he talks and it will all click, but if not, I will be as useful in that class as a piece of stale, boring, white bread that has a shoe print on it.
Doesn't that just sound like a really nasty, unappetizing sandwich? Thank you Kid History for restoring to me a large portion of joy after having to eat the nasty Dur-ham sandwich today.
1. The Bottom Bread: A croissant, nice and light, easygoing, absolutely delicious. My spanish literature class is going to be a piece of cake...I mean bread. There are like 3 other RM's in that class, strength in numbers. The teacher is way laid back and I really enjoy her spanish, it is clear and easy to understand, and just nice to listen to.
2. Ham (It had to be ham, it's a dur-ham sandwich): The meat of my day, Institute. I am taking a class on the Doctrine and Covenants and am soooooo excited. I love my teacher and know that I will learn so much under his preparation. This class is what is going to help me to survive this semester and help me to keep myself focused on what is really important: the relationship that I have with my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
3. Habanero Peppers: The hardcore, wake you up in the morning, energetic class, Adv. Conversational Spanish. My teacher is a firecracker, and I love it. She is from Argentina and I love her accent, and I love that she talks to us in Vos. My favorite quotes by her today were (translated for the spanish impaired), "This class is SUPER boring, I hate teaching it," "I am lazy, so I am gonna try and change the syllabus so your writing assignments are shorter." "Hell for me would be sitting in a room stacked high to the ceiling with papers that need to be grade and the stacks don't get smaller." This class is going to be awesome.
4. Lettuce: BORING, does it even have a flavor? Or is it merely added for texture? This is my class about bilingual learning in schools, and it is taught in english, so it is like the odd class out in my schedule of all spanish classes. I feel utterly lost and speechless in this class. When the teacher says, "Are there any questions?" I think, "Cuando se entrega la tarea que apenas asigno ella? Como hago esa pregunta en ingles? Oh, ya estan hablando de otro tema :/" (translation: when is the homework due that she just assigned? How do I ask that in english? Oh, now they're talking about something else :/) I know, I should be able to handle a class in my native tongue, but when 4 of my 5 classes are in spanish, and I try to basically immerse my entire life in spanish, I struggle just a teeeeeny bit with english. Ugh.
5. The Top bread: Stale, boring, white bread that has been stepped on. That's basically how I feel in that class, Spanish Civilizations. My profesor is an older man and when he speaks it's is in a deep, mumbled voice, that I can't understand 40% of the time. I try focus alllll of my energy on understand what in the world he is saying and on laughing when he makes an attempt at a joke. Hopefully my ears/brain will get used to the way he talks and it will all click, but if not, I will be as useful in that class as a piece of stale, boring, white bread that has a shoe print on it.
Doesn't that just sound like a really nasty, unappetizing sandwich? Thank you Kid History for restoring to me a large portion of joy after having to eat the nasty Dur-ham sandwich today.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Obsession? or Investment?
I am going to choose investment. This week I might have went a littttttle bit overboard when I went to the local DI (Desert Industries, secondhand store run by the church) and bought all of these books. BUT I consider it an investment in my acquisition of knowledge and providing a solid library of uplifting books for my posterity :)
1. How to be Totally Miserable by John Bytheway
2. Himnos de Sion (1942 edition of the spanish LDS hymnal)
3. 1980 edition of the spanish triple combination
4. Nuestro Legado (Our Heritage in spanish)
5. Doctrines of Salvation Vol. 1, 1954, by Joseph Fielding Smith
6. Articles of Fatih, 1962, by James E. Talmage
7. A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, 1970, by LeGrand Richards
8. Standing for Something by Gordon B. Hinckley
9. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
10. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
11. Awake, Arise, and Come unto Christ- Talks from the 2008 BYU Women's Conference
12. God Wants a Powerful People by Sheri Dew
13. Way to Be by Gordon B. Hinckley
14. Prayer, 1977, collection of talks by various apostles of the church
15. The Four Arguments by Don Miguel Ruiz
Now if I had bought all of these books full price it would have cost...quite a large chunk of change, I don't want to do the math. BUT since they each book was either $1 or $2, I bought 15 books for the price of one. Can you say high five?
1. How to be Totally Miserable by John Bytheway
2. Himnos de Sion (1942 edition of the spanish LDS hymnal)
3. 1980 edition of the spanish triple combination
4. Nuestro Legado (Our Heritage in spanish)
5. Doctrines of Salvation Vol. 1, 1954, by Joseph Fielding Smith
6. Articles of Fatih, 1962, by James E. Talmage
7. A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, 1970, by LeGrand Richards
8. Standing for Something by Gordon B. Hinckley
9. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
10. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
11. Awake, Arise, and Come unto Christ- Talks from the 2008 BYU Women's Conference
12. God Wants a Powerful People by Sheri Dew
13. Way to Be by Gordon B. Hinckley
14. Prayer, 1977, collection of talks by various apostles of the church
15. The Four Arguments by Don Miguel Ruiz
Now if I had bought all of these books full price it would have cost...quite a large chunk of change, I don't want to do the math. BUT since they each book was either $1 or $2, I bought 15 books for the price of one. Can you say high five?
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Appropriate/Inappropriate Goals
As a missionary I had a companion who I loved dearly. During our thursday weekly planning sessions we were instructed to discuss our "appropriate goals" but because she is hilarious she also suggested that we discuss our inappropriate goals. Don't worry they were PG, like the one I had to push one of the Elders really hard so that he would fall...out of appropriate missionary love of course! The following apply to this upcoming semester:
Appropriate Goals
1. Get straight A's in my classes. I have NEVER gotten straight A's in a college semester, BUT there is a first time for everything right?
2. Be able to run three miles without stopping. Good luck on that one.
3. Do my visiting teaching EVERY month.
4. Call my converts from the mission EVERY month.
5. Get a passport
6. GO TO CLASS, don't ditch/sleep through class like I did before my mission
7. Pay off my credit card :) I usually am reaaaaaallly good about keeping it paid off every month, but I had a rough time financially when I returned home from the mish and am still trying to bounce back, but I'll get there.
8. Have meaningful scripture study everyday.
9. Buy some piece of furniture from a thrift store and refinish it.
Inappropriate Goals (They're not actually inappropriate, just not really goals...more like.. stupid things)
1. Have a jam session with my mission president who happens to play the bass. I don't think he will go for this.
2. REALLY scare someone. At work people enjoy popping out of nowhere and scaring me, because it might be ridiculously easy. I just want to be able to scare someone else just once.
3. Go on a date that is exactly like the lantern scene from Tangled.
4. Embarrass my younger sister in a public setting. That should be cake.
5. A handful of spontaneous road trips.
6. Harry Potter marathon. All 8 of them. No breaks.
7. Some sort of epic battle in my home with my family after sunday dinner...food fight, water balloons, nerf guns, who knows. The possibilities are endless
8. Go dancing with a suave hispanic who whispers sweet spanish nothings in my ear as we salsa/bachata/merengue the night away
9. Pull an amazingly intricate prank on teacher Kara. May or may not involved the moving of large pieces of furniture.
Appropriate Goals
1. Get straight A's in my classes. I have NEVER gotten straight A's in a college semester, BUT there is a first time for everything right?
2. Be able to run three miles without stopping. Good luck on that one.
3. Do my visiting teaching EVERY month.
4. Call my converts from the mission EVERY month.
5. Get a passport
6. GO TO CLASS, don't ditch/sleep through class like I did before my mission
7. Pay off my credit card :) I usually am reaaaaaallly good about keeping it paid off every month, but I had a rough time financially when I returned home from the mish and am still trying to bounce back, but I'll get there.
8. Have meaningful scripture study everyday.
9. Buy some piece of furniture from a thrift store and refinish it.
Inappropriate Goals (They're not actually inappropriate, just not really goals...more like.. stupid things)
1. Have a jam session with my mission president who happens to play the bass. I don't think he will go for this.
2. REALLY scare someone. At work people enjoy popping out of nowhere and scaring me, because it might be ridiculously easy. I just want to be able to scare someone else just once.
3. Go on a date that is exactly like the lantern scene from Tangled.
4. Embarrass my younger sister in a public setting. That should be cake.
5. A handful of spontaneous road trips.
6. Harry Potter marathon. All 8 of them. No breaks.
7. Some sort of epic battle in my home with my family after sunday dinner...food fight, water balloons, nerf guns, who knows. The possibilities are endless
8. Go dancing with a suave hispanic who whispers sweet spanish nothings in my ear as we salsa/bachata/merengue the night away
9. Pull an amazingly intricate prank on teacher Kara. May or may not involved the moving of large pieces of furniture.
Monday, August 8, 2011
It's back. It's new. It's under construction.
When I came home from my mission, approx. four months ago, there were several people who asked if I would be updating my blog again. I didn't want to at first, but have quickly realized that it is really hard to find time to journal and need to document my life in some way, shape or form.
You might be curious about the title, THE LIST BOOK, I don't really fancy it but allow me to explain my plan and perhaps someone can come up with a better title.
All throughout my mission, from my very first transfer until the day that I went home, I carried a small book with me everywhere that I went. It became known as the list book. Why? Because I filled it with lists. Why lists? Because I had very little personal time as a missionary and the list is quick, simple and can be updated as I continue through life. Along with my lists I had random quotes, pictures, reminders, and basically anything else I wanted was in that book. I love that book. So, instead of carrying a book with me, I am just going to put all of my lists, and any other randomness onto my blog. I hope that it entertains.
In honor of my new list book...I am going to make a list of alllll of the lists that are found, in order, in my little red list book from my mission. Perhaps if someone would like for me to expand on what that list entails then I will accept your request and take it under consideration.
1. Husband Qualifications
2. Husband Brownie Points
3. Things I Want to Learn
4. Habits to Bring Home from my Mission
5. My Gifts/Talents
6. Places that I want to Go
7. People to Visit after my Mission
8. Favorite Things
9. When you Train, Remember...
10. Advice from "Dying Missionaries"
*note: dying missionaries are not physically dying, it is a slang term for missionaries who complete their missionary service and are returning home
11. Bucket List
12. Things I Have Learned on my Mission
13. Songs to Look Up
14. Books to Read
15. Things to Watch on the Celestial Big Screen (Moments I would like to re-live, or didn't experience and would like to see)
16. People to Refer to the Missionaries
17. You Tube Videos to See
18. Food I Need to Learn How to Cook
19. Girls' Names
20. Boys' Names
21. Movies to Watch
22. Things to Do with my Kids (When I have them, later later)
23. Things to Do when I am a "normal member" of the church, and not a missionary
24. Favorite Ensign Articles
25. Things to Do for Myself When I am a Mom
26. Things to Do with Hermana Christiensen after the Mission (I wonder who wrote that one in there....)
27. Dr. Lang Proverbs
28. Missionaries to Send Letters to after I go Home
29. Marquees
And, Last of all, is my list that was tucked away at the very back of the book, hidden from anyone who I let read it...
30. The List that Must Not be Named
Or, the Trunky List. A list of allllll of the things that I wanted to do once I returned home from the mission. I know, it's bad, but I didn't start that one until the end of my mission when people started asking me what I would do and I realized that I had no idea. Surprisingly, I have done almost all of the things on that list in the last four months, high five.
You might be curious about the title, THE LIST BOOK, I don't really fancy it but allow me to explain my plan and perhaps someone can come up with a better title.
All throughout my mission, from my very first transfer until the day that I went home, I carried a small book with me everywhere that I went. It became known as the list book. Why? Because I filled it with lists. Why lists? Because I had very little personal time as a missionary and the list is quick, simple and can be updated as I continue through life. Along with my lists I had random quotes, pictures, reminders, and basically anything else I wanted was in that book. I love that book. So, instead of carrying a book with me, I am just going to put all of my lists, and any other randomness onto my blog. I hope that it entertains.
In honor of my new list book...I am going to make a list of alllll of the lists that are found, in order, in my little red list book from my mission. Perhaps if someone would like for me to expand on what that list entails then I will accept your request and take it under consideration.
1. Husband Qualifications
2. Husband Brownie Points
3. Things I Want to Learn
4. Habits to Bring Home from my Mission
5. My Gifts/Talents
6. Places that I want to Go
7. People to Visit after my Mission
8. Favorite Things
9. When you Train, Remember...
10. Advice from "Dying Missionaries"
*note: dying missionaries are not physically dying, it is a slang term for missionaries who complete their missionary service and are returning home
11. Bucket List
12. Things I Have Learned on my Mission
13. Songs to Look Up
14. Books to Read
15. Things to Watch on the Celestial Big Screen (Moments I would like to re-live, or didn't experience and would like to see)
16. People to Refer to the Missionaries
17. You Tube Videos to See
18. Food I Need to Learn How to Cook
19. Girls' Names
20. Boys' Names
21. Movies to Watch
22. Things to Do with my Kids (When I have them, later later)
23. Things to Do when I am a "normal member" of the church, and not a missionary
24. Favorite Ensign Articles
25. Things to Do for Myself When I am a Mom
26. Things to Do with Hermana Christiensen after the Mission (I wonder who wrote that one in there....)
27. Dr. Lang Proverbs
28. Missionaries to Send Letters to after I go Home
29. Marquees
And, Last of all, is my list that was tucked away at the very back of the book, hidden from anyone who I let read it...
30. The List that Must Not be Named
Or, the Trunky List. A list of allllll of the things that I wanted to do once I returned home from the mission. I know, it's bad, but I didn't start that one until the end of my mission when people started asking me what I would do and I realized that I had no idea. Surprisingly, I have done almost all of the things on that list in the last four months, high five.
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