Favourite Public Sign... Ever...

If this doesn't deter you, what will?!

Lost in Translation...

One of my professors introduced me to engrish.com. Rather funny to scroll through when you have time on your hands...

Fail of the Day

Todays fail comes from England. For only 2. 50, you can risk your life!

In the British News...

Mother whose son, 8, was taken into care after she hit him with a hairbrush defends parental right to smack children

Should parents be able to smack their kids? Post your thoughts...

Daily Inspiration: Antropologie

Visit anthropologie.com for unique inspiration. If I had all the money in the world, I would spend far too much of it here. Because I do not have all the money in the world, I instead consult anthropologie for DIY ideas. Enjoy some of this season's favourites!

Office Times With Moe and Hol

This is me after a long hard day at the office.  Slightly delerious.  In need of a nap.

Moana experiments with the label maker.  She wore her new name tag on her skin for the duration of her shift...

Always enthusiastic to talk to students...

This is our cubicle.  To make for a happier environment, we bring in a plant, cottage- style drinking cup, candy dish, photo frame of us (which reads "Best Friends"), and hand cream.  Needless to say, our cubicle is the cheeriest place in the office...

Moana and I with our plant.  You can tell it had been a loooonnnggg morning!

Highlights of Winter Semester 2009

Beginning work, BYU Independent Study.  Moana Parker and I began at the same time, bonding instantly because we were both new.  The highlights of our day included break times, teasing our trainer, Ryan, and finding funny websites.

Roommate times with Anna.  We have now known each other almost... 2 years!  If I had my way, we would be roommates forever.  I will probably live above her garage when she has 6 kids and a hot hubby.

Birthday parties and movie nights with the FHE fam.  Devon and I blew up hundreds of balloons for Jamie's birthday (well, I did most of the work.  He was too preoccupied with popping the balloons and watching Twilight-his fave).  I baked a 3 tier cake and we played a british fave, Pass the Parcel.  I don't think I have ever felt more like a mother in my entire existence!   I had more fun stopping the music than they had doing the dares in each layer!

Karem's awful spelling bee's.  I cannot elaborate.

Temple fridays with Kyrstin- what a lovely girl!  I would get off work and run up there with her, then afterward we would go to the creamery for the kids meal (cheese burger, fries, ice cream and soda all for $3.29!), of course!

Shooting infomercials with the FHE fam.  Featured above, "How to Avoid Ninja's".  An instant classic- I shall attempt to locate the finished product and post it at a later date...

Enough Said.

Office FYI

Current mood: aggitated

Moana Parker, alleged office BFF, failed to sit next to me when the opportunity presented itself. FOR SHAME. I shall now go and steal a treat from her freezer supply.

Hats of the Kentucky Derby

Oh My! Lacey and I spent the morning looking at these wonderful hats for the Kentucky Derby. It looks like the americans can do it like the British... with some outrageous twists...

Fact of the Day

Evening newscasters have covered Obama more that they have ever covered Clinton and Bush... combined! That's one seriously watched prez!!

Calling All Bored Persons!

The most effective way to whittle away time: saving the earth's people! The UN have teamed with harvard professors to make this site available to all. Quiz yourself: learn new things, and earn grains of rice for starving nations. It's a win-win!

Hideous Shoe of the Day

[Insert caption here]

Probably the ugliest shoe I have ever encountered! My co-worker Lacey and I found this beaut on amazon.com. We just stared at the screen, speechless.

Two Tragic Movies

My friend Devon and I sat down to this movie this week and admittedly spent the majority of the movie feeling like idiots (well, I did- I don't know if he did). I can't remember exactly how many time I called out in frustration "WHAT IS GOING ON?!" Of course, as with any suspense-filled Smith movie, all is revealed. I still wonder at the movie's message. I understand that the movie is meant to convince us that this man was noble: and that contrary to the usual, guilt can move a human to do something "good". However, I am not so sure that I agree that suicide to provide organs for others was noble! The blind man lived a noble life: never rising to intimidation, serving others in the community. Smith's character was noble when he gave his home to the abused mother and her children, and when he visited and cared for the cardio-love interest. People are noble when they live, reacting well to the challenges life throws at them. It is an interesting thought that he would take it upon himself to change the circumstances of those around him: but taking his life to satisfy his guilt... I don't know if I can accept that as noble! It feels like Smith's character believed that this was the only way for him to move past his guilt. I don't agree with this! He used his wealth to bless the abused woman and her family: that singular act was significantly greater than anything a lot of people on this planet could ever imagine to accomplish! So I have to ask myself what an audience can take away from this movie: the notion that the small services they perform for others is simply not enough or insignificant? If everybody lived with this conception, the world would be considerably more tragic than it is today.
My Dad has been talking about this movie for a long time. War movies, boy movies: not my thing. But good golly (yes, I just said "good golly"), what an ending. I cannot give it away for those of you that have not yet seen it: but I will say that it is probably the most affecting ending. Ever. Also- Whoever played the bpys mother in this movie- I forget her name- she was excellent. Wow, wow, wow!

New Arrival

Behold, my new MacBook. Complete with touch control pad, my new "mac-a-lak" reminds me of Minority Report- you know, Tom Cruise and the see-through-float-in-th-air-computer-device. Enough said.

Rural Chivalry

Oh dear, oh dear... Another funny from the office. Less than an hour to go at work... and it shows...

Congratulations!

Hannah Kinnard and Jonathan Shenton are engaged!!! Congrats to my British friend, a wedding is finally on the horizon! Han and Jono will be married this August, with a hot guest list including yours truly, travelling from afar!

Summer Plans!

THE MOTHERLAND. Thanks to the impending matrimony of my British BFF, Han, I shall be touching down (VERY briefly) in the good old United Kingdom for a weekend in August. Have a heart, friends, and offer me a place to stay!

WORK. Hurrah for BYU, and the funding of the church. Thanks to that, I am able to work full time on campus despite the economic crisis. I work at BYU Independent Study, where I answer phones, calm aggitated customers, order final exams and proctor exams myself, catch plagerism, sort out tuition fees, update courses and update my blog.

FRANKFURT, GERMANY. The parents (and Logan and Connor) are moving to Germany this summer, and because they miss me so terribly, have requested that I visit them in August! I am excited to brush up on my [awful] German skills and see their faces!!

In the News: Swine Flu Begins to Hit Air Travel

Swine flu- a new epidemic that has killed 149 people in Mexico City so far- has now hit air travel, raising red flags on flights everywhere. Canada, Israel, the United States and Australia are amongst countries reporting cases of the flu, which is believed to be racing around the globe via air travel. Consequently, the airline business is suffering, and airports across the globe are chaotic!

Best. Movie. Ever.

My mother convinced me that I needed to see this film- and am I glad that she did! I was so impressed by the honesty of the movie. Some viewers may watch and believe that nothing so tragic could ever happen to real human beings. Living in a third world country taught me that there are a lot of thing in our world that are very unfair. I hope at least that some people are awakened by what they see and are fueled with a desire to learn more or help in some small way. I have said it before and will say it again: we live in ONE world, not THREE.

Funny of the Day

This is perhaps one of the most humerous images I have seen this year. So far.

'Tis The Season!

Alastair and I when we were wee. Merry Christmas everyone!!

Guy Fawkes Day, Nov 5 2008

So I managed to find some great people who actually appreciated British traditions. For November 5th, a group of us had our own "bonfire" (small bbq) wherein we placed our own replicas of Guy Fawkes. A couple of guys in our ward were kind enough to host- and even made us some amaaaaazzzing chili (it was SO good). Muchas Gracias, boys of 95!

Twilight, the Movie

Alright, alright- the most anticipated movie of the year... was so so bad! But fear not- I actually had to conclude that I LOVED it, despite Edwards BAD makeup and Bella's not so smooth, ever so monotone "what is going on" line. Corny, incredibly overacted, but... loved it!

Brothers

Today I miss my cute brothers. Connor recently knocked his teeth out- sad!- and Logan, on a date with a girl, somehow caused her to fall wherein she broke her ankle and ripped her new jeans. LOVE!!!

Picture of the Day

Thoughts: treehouses, crickets, stargazing, shepherds and the nativity story, camping, sausages, blue paint, romantic hike, moon river, the cure, warm breezes, barn houses, swings, bedtime, Edward Cullen, writing a novel, mosquitos, old swing music, rolley polleys

Hallowe'en 2008

The Cowboy, The Greecian, The Penguin, The YW President and The Schoolgirl

College Family

Art Night at FHE. I had Keith pose and the rest of us had 10 minutes to sculpt/ draw/ paint him.

This is my FHE group for the Fall! Keith and I look after Loren, Devon, Logan (who recently left us to get married), Emily, Amber, Coleman, Anna, Karem and Jamie.

Eclectic Adventures of Anna and I

Having lived together for some time now, Anna and I are basically the mod version of Anne Shirley (of Green Gables) and Diana Barry.

Anna was making me watch a Harrison Ford movie (gag), and as in all situations we thought we would make it official with the chocs. Harrison + Amish people wasn't really doing it for me, so the chocolate had to become my only entertainment. Therefore, Harrison + Chocolate = above.

Toga Party!! Anna and I were invited to a toga party (of the LDS variety) by some guys from our apartment complex. Best dressed. Enough said.

Here is Anna and myself- doing what best friends do best- shopping in Salt Lake City! We figured out that it takes 2 hours to get into Salt Lake using public transport. 2 hours and a lot of very interesting encounters with very strange people- why is it that only very odd people use public transport?

Roommates Fall/ Winter 2008-9

Anna, Karem and I moved into University Villa and met our new roommate, Jamie- a lovely girl from Minnesota. Jamie served a mission in Germany. Karem, of course, is a good friend. We met in an English class in 2007. Karem is from Florida. Anna and I have been roommates since fall 2007 and knew that we would have to live together again! I am incredibly lucky to have such good roommates!