Accent Hour.

Is this photo sufficiently British?

Tonight, in my mondo study session for the beast of a test that I have on Friday, Geoff (yes his name is spelled that way and yes it makes me think of the Joffrey Ballet, even though his name is pronounced "jeff") began reading the chapter 4 finance problem with a British accent. It was gently enough to cause me to listen more carefully to see if what my ears had detected was correct, and indeed as he read "The firm anticipates that next year's sales will reach $16 million..." there was definitely a British accent. I began to smile. I was amused. As he continued, I could help but grin. And then the grin broke into a giggle because I could tell that he was grinning as he spoke as well. He was amusing himself! When he paused to ask me a question, I responded of course in my very best British accent as well. It startled him I think, but we laughed and tried to suddenly become some of London's best business analysts. Needless to say, by the end of the problem the accents were a bit more of a distraction, and we missed some key clues early on in the problem due to our lack of attention to the meaning of the words (because we were so involved with the sound of the words!). However, the brief accent hour was just the right addition to our study to liven it up a little, and to lighten it up a little ("Lighten up!" right?). Sometimes something as small and simple as changing tone or rhythm or pattern of speech can brighten things up. Has that happened to you?

Well, I hope as you've been reading this, you've used your best British-accent-thought-voice. Surley I've been typing it in a British accent :D. If you need something to liven up your day a little, I suggest throwing in an accent hour here or there. It's a delight.

Love, Kk

Here's to a MOMMY Shower!

A sweet friend offered to throw a baby shower.  For many reasons (some worthwhile and some not), I declined any kind of baby shower.  So then she offered a "Girls Night Out" instead.  I immediately accepted that kind of plan to celebrate this pregnancy.


Last week I went out with a couple of sweet friends to B&O Expresso for dessert.  I ordered cheesecake with chocolate sauce and raspberry topping.  It was beyond delicious.  I didn't even want to wait for this picture to be taken, I wanted to be EATING!


Then these nice friends surprised me with gifts for Mommy, not the baby.  Maybe that sounds selfish, but I think it was the best "baby shower" ever!  I loved it.  They treated me to a great night.


Occasionally I miss having roommates around, so it was great to catch up on some much needed girl talk and giggles.   Girls just need to be together sometimes with out BOYS.  Although I love my boys very much, it was nice not to have them hanging all over me for a night.  


Thank you Ladies!


KK- isn't fun that you know so many of this girls now?  


-Miss T

A Friday night: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

Hi Miss T,

So I remember one of the first things I learned about living in Seattle, was that there are more recycle bins than garbage cans. Wow. That was a new concept for me. Everywhere we went, if you saw a rubbish bin, you would see a recycling container right next to it. And in your parking garage there was only one dumpster for the dump, and three or four recycle dumpsters. This was the beginning of my conversion to Recycling.

Secretly, growing up I always wished that we recycled more. I can't say that it is for some intrinsically good reason, but it just seemed like good thing to do. I remember walking to school, and popping the tops of pop cans that were waiting to be recycled on Tuesday mornings. What a sweet deal for me, a little kid walking by, getting free pop tops for the Pop the Top school program, because we certainly didn't have many soda cans at our house. And Graci's house next door would always put out that blue bin with milk cartons, newspaper and cardboard in it and it looked so cool when the recycling truck came by, and they didn't just dump it, but they sorted it! Needless to say, I had long admired recycling, but never gotten IN to recycling.

Well, living in Seattle began my applied education of recycling. Every time I went to throw something away, you would stop me and say "Nope, that can be recycled!" Cereal boxes, yogurt cups (rinsed out of course), all kinds of paper, plastic bottles of any shape and size, and the usual newspaper, glass bottles, corrugated cardboard and regular paper. The best thing about all of this was, that it can all go in the SAME PLACE! I was shocked that we didn't need to sort it, because even in Boise it had to be pre-separated, and you told me about the intense and strict sorting requirements there are in Japan for recycling, so to learn that all of these items could go in the SAME bin was, almost unfathomable. What a beautiful thing.

When I arrived here in Provo, I was quickly irritated that everyone was throwing away cereal boxes (and a myriad of other recyclable things)! Oh I had such an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach. This was not ok. It bugged me to watch them waste space in the garbage can with things that clearly needed to be recycled. So many things! Look what Seattle converted me into. This needed a game plan.

I found a large box, and I put it in our utility closet (isn't it cool that we have a utility closet? I named it that). Then I informed everyone that recyclables would go in there and I would figure out what to do with them next. Awesomely, because remember please that my roommates are awesome, everyone jumped in a began to recycle with me (occassionally I did pull things out of the trash still...but that's our little secret). Boxes, paper, bottles-all recycled! We got so into it, that the box became full, and then overflowing and then, before we knew it the closet was full!
*Please see picture to the right:

A little overwhelming? Try a lot.

So this past Friday night I was home alone, and I decided to do as Jack Johnson directs in his song and "Reduce! Reuse! Recycle!" I sorted all of these many items into individual recycle bins. A box for milk jugs, a box for paper and newspaper, a stack of corrugated cardboard, a stack of toilet paper rolls, plastic bottles, and a box just full of flattened cereal and granola bar boxes. That looked so much nicer.
* Please see picture to the left.
I then loaded them up in my car. I drove them over to Heritage Halls, the freshman dormitories of many memories, and recycled! We in Provo are not as recycle-friendly as Seattle folk, so not every house has its own recycle bin. I found online that I can purchase one, but haven't done it yet. However, as I drove by Heritage one day, I noticed they had a gajillion recycle bins, so I thought I would make good use of them. I was required to divide up the items myself, but I sure felt great to recycle! What a Friday night! Wooo. I am livin' the wild college life for sure. Wouldn't you agree?

Thank you for teaching me to love recycling.
Love, Recycler Kk

Becoming

KK-


Being apartment managers can be very interesting.  The other night a fire engine showed up at our building late at night and 4 firefighters started rushing up our stairwell.  I met them at the top of our stairs and told them I was the manager and asked what the problem was.  They said they were responding to a call from an apartment in our hallway.  I watched them go into the "crazy" lady's unit.


Now I know "crazy" is a harsh judgement, but she really is.  English is not her first language, but this is not why she is difficult to understand and deal with. She is truly paranoid and runs around our building opening windows and other crazy behavior. Having just had a recent encounter with the "crazy" lady, I was feeling very frustrated and irritated by her.


Big D & I were trying to eavesdrop in the hallway, but it just seemed to be taking a long time.  I quickly suggested that it was taking so long because "they can't understand what the crap she is talking about."


Big D looked at me and immediately said, "Don't say that word Tenley, it is not very becoming of you."


I stood there and little stunned and apologized.  Then we went back to trying to figure the the emergency situation.  It ended quietly and the firefighters left quickly.


I have been thinking about what Big D said to me.  What are other things that I do or say that are not very becoming of me?  What kind of woman am I trying to become?   


Thinking before I speak is very difficult for me, but I think doing it would help me speak better about life, myself and other people.  


I am thankful to have a husband who has high expectations for me and wants me to become better.


-Miss T


*In all honestly, I think the thing that would help me become better right now is getting this baby out of me!!!

By Accident..

Hey Miss T.

Are you ready for a hilarious and adorable story? It's about this endearing Hawaiian man (his lovely grand-daughter by the name of Patiole--which means a cup of gold, now how charming is that?-- is sitting next to him).

I asked him tonight, "How did you meet your wife?" His reply was "By accident."

Of course, we all giggled. And then had to know the real story.
"It was really by accident. I met her because of an accident in front of her house," he began. At this point I did a really huge gasp and said, jumping to conclusions, "A CAR accident! Oh no! No way! You met your wife because of a car accident in front of her house. How embarrassing!"

He pressed on, "Yes, there was a car accident in front of her house. And I was the ambulance driver." Whew. Thank goodness. Now that is manageable.

"So I got to the scene of the accident and started helping the people. I looked around and there she was the neighbor (at this point in the story his eyes became huge as he did an impression of himself maybe 50 years ago when he first saw his wife and took in her marvelous beauty), and I looked again and said 'Are you still single?' And she said, 'Yes' and I said, 'Where you live? This is your street?' and she nodded her head, so I said, 'Ok. I'll be back at three o'clock.' Then I was. And that's how I met my wife by accident. You ask her the story, and she says the same thing. 'We met by accident.'"

I just giggled at that. What a great story. Have you heard any great meeting stories recently? I love to ask people that question. You get some of the most outrageous answers. I guess you never know when or how it will happen. Maybe, by accident.

Love, Kk

You Know You Are Really Pregnant When...

I hate this picture, but it is very fitting for this post.

KK - 


I am now going to the Dr every week.  Each time I visit the Dr's office, I have to leave a urine sample.  Last Thursday, I checked in, and went to the bathroom to do my duty.


I walked out and the sweet girls at the front desk, started asking me how I was doing.  I looked at them and said, "You know you are really pregnant when you forget to pee in the cup!  I just sat there holding the cup in my hand and totally forgot!"


They all laughed.  The nurse told me that I am not the first person to do that.  Do I believe her?


I am feeling extremely forgetful and spacey lately.  Wish me luck at this week's appointment.


-Miss T

The Beauty of Live Music

Hey Miss T!

How long has it been since you have been to a performance or concert of a live symphonic band, orchestra or philharmonic? I think every person on earth should ask him or herself this question twice a year.

For myself, it had been well over 2 years since I've enjoyed group musicianship in a concert setting until this past Thursday night. I attended the BYU Insturmental Showcase which featured the BYU Philharmonic, Symphony Orchestra, Wind Symphony, and Symphonic Band. It was a sensation. I had completely forgotten:
A: How much I LOVE classical music
B: How exciting LIVE music is

As I watched the conductor directing the wind symphony, he bounced up and down on his toes lightly, his baton moving oh so lightly to the rhythm with swift side jerks in the direction of the flutes, then the clarinets, and occasionally to the oboes. All of the musicians were in their concert black, accent jewelry her and there sparkling from stage with the sway of the music. The marching rhythm of the band tunes carried me back to many a band concert where I watched the trombone section, cheeks blowing in and out, arms extending and retracting, a brother or two in unison with the whole section.

Then the orchestra came out. Oh the orchestra! Strings are just lovely instruments. The color is beautiful, the shape is elegant, and the sound so classic. I felt enriched the moment they began. I felt as if I were cultured, and enjoying something that unites humanity throughout the ages. The timeless classic Jupiter from Holst's orchestral suite The Planets finished off the night. For nearly a century this music has been inspiring people of the unexplored universe that we live in. And centuries beyond that celebrate other masterpieces that bring out everything good within us.

So, I would just recommend that you ask yourself the question, when was the last time you enjoyed some live classical music? And if it's been more than 6 months or so...schedule yourself a cultural event and go see a symphony, or even a high school orchestra! You will not be disappointed.

Love, KK