Cabin Fever

It's January and I am sure that you are getting sick of winter. That is one thing I am not excited about coming home to next year.
Anyway, I can't remember how many times my mom told me how bad it was to exercise outside because of the inversion. I don't want you to stuff your lungs with junk but I want to challenge you do what you can to get your body moving. You can still do lots inside: Pilates, Yoga, Dancing, Laps on your stairs, My mission workout.
I don't care if you feel gross. That's when you need it most. It's like praying or reading your scriptures.

Frank Sinatra

Here is a lovely song, sung by a beautiful man with a beautiful voice.

Although I have never liked using the word love when it came to my personal life I do believe that when I do find a wonderful man, I fall too fast and too hard.

There are many men I find attractive. Many that are funny or witty. Some who are true gentlemen.

I find qualities in many guys I know that I like about them, bookmarking that I would completely happy if they pursued me. It's not how most women are when it comes to men but in my experience whenever I find one that seems unbelievably perfect, there is always one flaw; he never sees me the way I see him.

I guess with my system I have set myself up to settle, which I know should never happen. 

I pray that one day I will find one of these great guys who has realized I am pretty neat too.

Back to reality, I know that I am on my mission and I shouldn't be thinking about men. In my defense, when I vented this I still had 17 days till I left. Can't kill hopes and dreams for a mission. But I will put them aside for a while because if I serve faithfully and worthily Heavenly Father will bless me.

Oh and have yourself a lovely Christmas!

Land Before Time

It's my birthday today! I am turning 21. Super weird. Chelsey is probably having a hard time with it all.
Anyway I wanted to make this months post a little more personal. So here is a little bit on a great movie. This is cheesy. I won't deny it.

The movie Land Before Time has always held a special place in my heart.
I have been watching it longer than I can I remember. When I first watched it, I just saw cute dinosaurs but as I continued to grow up I began to truly understand it.

Although, Littlefoot loses his mom when he is still young he never forgets what she taught him. Hang onto your dreams. Never lose faith in what you believe in. Have faith in yourself. Have faith in those you love.
It doesn't matter if you are a long-neck and the girl down the street is a three-horns, we need to look out for each other and be a true friend.

Sums it all up.

Judging

Composed January 15, 2013

Today was stressful at work. We had treatments overlap and ended up getting an hour behind schedule. At the end of the day I went to go talk to a patient out in the waiting room and I overheard the mother of a patient talking. Well it was more like she was talking so that everyone could hear her.
She was just going on about how they had been sitting there for an hour and still had not been taken back; just being real snotty. I did not like her one bit.
When I looked at this lady I started judging her. Throughout her appointment she made more snotty comments, telling me how to do my job. After leaving I was putting things away. I went over to where she was sitting and oh dear it smelled bad.

I went out to finish cleaning things up for the night and I tried with two co-workers to vent about this lady. I was ignored. At first I was annoyed. Why didn't they agree with me. Then I realized, "I don't know this woman. I have no right to judge her. Even if I did know her that would not give me justification. I don't have to like her but I don't have to judge and I definitely do not have to gossip about her."
I am not sure if my co-workers ignored my comments because they didn't hear me and they were busy or if they were truly not wanting to talk badly about her but I am glad they didn't.

Going to Puerto Rico I am sure I am going to find plenty of people that I could judge. But I can't afford it. If I allow judgmental thoughts into my head there is no longer point for me to be out. The purpose for my mission is to love and serve. That would be impossible to do while judging them.

I pray that by the time you read this I will have found myself unable to judge because I have learned to love the people.

Challenge

Do something extra these next two weeks! Serve somebody every day. Do tell. Write Mum a letter and send it to her in the mail. Even if you live 30 minutes away. Or something for yourself. Try a new recipe. Find your place where it can just be you and God. Go have some one on one with Him.
Relax.
Relieve your stress.
Remember life goes on.

The Lorax

Composed Jan. 30, 2013

After hearing the catchy songs while cleaning kids teeth, I finally decided that I needed to see this movie. I believe that Dr. Suess' works are genius. He produced something completely unique and special we all have memories of loving as children. His books have challenges that apply to us as we continue to move through our different stages in life. Even though The Lorax is a children's movie I knew that it would be good.

The whole story has sort of a tree-hugger idea. I know that there are many who would automatically discard the movie because of this fact. Do not do it. I am not personally an extremist in saving the world but I think that the human race has a problem that we cannot ignore.

The movie depicts the human race in the fact that we are always trying to find how to improve ourselves. The Once-ler invents the idea of the Thneed, something everyone needs. His seller for it was that it could be anything that you wanted. Unfortunately he gets caught up in the excitement of his success that he does not take the time to slow down to realize that he is destroying the most beautiful place he has ever seen.
The Lorax warns Once-ler that "the tree falls whichever way it leans." The Lorax knew that if Once-ler lost sight of his promises that he would do exactly as he did.
In the future of Thneedville, Ted sets out to find the Once-ler to learn about what happened to the trees. At first he is set on impressing a girl but becomes passionate about bringing back the trees. My favorite thing about this movie was that the lesson applies to all things in life...

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it's not.

 I am Katrina and I speak for the trees. We are blessed with a beautiful world. All around there are different miracles. We have a problem and it is being ignored; we are slowly destroying Earth's beauty. Do your part this week to show you are grateful to have a beautiful world. Pick up trash on the side walk. Ride the bus to work. Ride your bike to school. Walk to your friend's house.

Caribbean Grilled Steak

2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. minced onions
1 tsp. oregano leaves
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp. olive oil

Mix it all together.
Brush it all over steak.
Refrigerate for 30+.
Grill it.
SO YUMMY!

A bit on prayer

Composed Jan. 14, 2012.

I recently started C. S. Lewis' book Screwtape Letters. I have created a list of books that I want to read before I leave and this is one of them.

Anyway.

For those who don't know anything about this book it is written from the point of view of Satan's angels. You read as the Senior angel Screwtape coaches his nephew, a junior angel, through tempting his first subject.
In one of the very first letters to his nephew Wormword, Screwtape explains the importance of redirecting the focus of his subjects prayers. He said that people have a tendency to pray to the image they have of God instead of God. If that makes any sense.

As I was thinking about it, I realized that I do just that. My prayers are not always as they should be. I'm not really speaking to God, I'm just tossing words around in my head. I am going to try my best to make really speak with my Father in Heaven when I pray. We're not just praying to some unknown thing in the universe. He is there. He hears us. He wants us to really speak to him. I challenge you to make your prayers that much more meaningful.

We are not alone

Composed Jan. 17, 2013

While sitting in a session at the temple today I realized symbolism. Throughout the whole temple there are workers there to help you. If you get lost. If you forget anything. They are there.
Maybe I'm stretching it a bit but it's like the atonement. You do your absolute best and, although it's still not perfect, Christ fills the void.
A couple days ago I was explaining what I would tell somebody who felt like they were not prepared to go through yet. I was saying this exact thing.
I think there is a lesson I need to remember this week.

Remember to Smile.

Composed Jan. 16, 2012

First off:

Happy Birthday Richard! I am so happy that we have become so close:) You have been such a blessing in my life!

Happy Birthday Kelsey! You just have the sweetest smile. It is contagious.

Happy Birthday Natalie! You're not home right now so I'll post something sentimental later:)

When you make the effort to smile, your mood automatically improves.

I've realized that as people we do not like to do this because we like to stay mad/frustrated. At least in my experience.

So just smile today. It will make it better.

(Sorry I just had to.)

Kung Fu Panda 2

This is my first post while on my mission... although at the moment I'm not actually yet... you get it.

Anyway.
I wanted to share something that I thought of while watching one of my nephew's favorite movies.
In the second movie of Kung Fu Panda, Master Shifu reveals the final thing Po must learn to be finished with his training; inner peace.
It is only till the end when Po speaks to the soothsayer that he can learn inner peace.

"Your story may not have such a happy beginning, but that doesn't make you who you are. it is the rest of your story, who you choose to be... So, who are you, Panda?"

Our lives are filled with hardships, pain and sadness but that is the point of it all. This life is a test and it is what we choose to do with it that matters.
I can't remember where the quote is from but we need to "take the good and the bad and just say ok." I believe this is how we endure to the end.

One last quote that ties in. My mom has it cross stiched, hanging up somewhere in our house. Cliche', but I like it.

Well-rounded Workout

After promising I would post this at least a month ago, I finally sat down and forced myself to take the time to do it.
I did not set reps to this workout. It should be that you do 60% of your maximum that you can do.
Forgive me if my descriptions don't make any sense. I did my best.

STRENGTH:

Door Reaches: A.k.a trunk reaches. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and rotate, reaching with the opposite arm. Keeps all ribs in place. This happens quite often to me, mostly because I dance. If you do not know if you have felt a rib out of place, it hurts to breathe. Feels as if you need to pop your back but it will not. It hurts to reach and turn your upper body.

Push ups: Fairly self explanatory.
 
Planks:  Holding the push-up position for an extended period of time. Can rest on elbows or hands. For greater balance challenge turn your body perpendicular to the ground and extend one arm upward. Works core.

Rowing: Used with a theraband. Sit at a right angle with Theraband looping the bottom of your feet with the ends in your hands. Proceed as if you were rowing a boat. For greater challenge hold the Theraband closer to your feet. Works triceps.

Roll to diagonal: Lay on the ground as if you were going to do sit ups. There should be a natural space between your lower back and the floor. Slowly roll your hips under and pull your hips up to the diagonal. You should feel as if you are rolling through one vertebrae at a time.
 
Marches: Hold up in the diagonal position and lift one leg at a time. Try to be sure your hips don't lower. This is a way to isolate the deepest abdominal muscles that most core strength exercises don't affect. 

Leg drops: Lay on your back with your feet straight up in the air (L). Keeping your legs glued together let your legs fall and then catch them before they touch the ground. For greater challenge drop your legs to different angles_/.

Ballet back arch: Lay on your stomach with your feet under a couch or a friends bum. Keeping your head and spine in line with each other arch your back bringing your shoulders off the ground.

Arabesque: Standing up straight, lift a leg behind you. Also works your back muscle.

Curtsy: Step side to side, lunging into a curtsy position.

Side kicks: Be the Karate Kid. Step into the curtsy position and then change weight kicking sideways. Do on both sides.

Plie' on releve': I should really know be confident in my spelling of dance words but I am not. Anyway. Go up on your toes, releve', and then plie'. Be sure that your bum does not stick out. Works ankle stability.
 
Knee in kick out: Lay on your side with your legs slightly bent. Lift the leg on top and bend it so that it touches the ground in front of you. Extend your leg out to the angle.

CARDIO:
 
Speed skater: 1 min. Imagine a speed skater. Or look up a picture. Stand in the similar position and lightly leap from side to side letting the leg you jump off come behind you like you are bowling.

Saute` in first: Stand with your heels kissing (ooh) and your toes apart. First position. Saute`  or jumps in first position 25 times. Allow a slight bend in your knees when you land and be sure that your heels touch the ground everytime.

Side jump: 1 min. Like the Speed skater. Except close your feet instead of go to bowling position.

Echopette': Jumping from first position to second position 25 times. Again, be sure that you bend your knees when you land and that your heels touch the ground.

Tondue, plie': 1 min. Stand in first position and point a foot out to the side. Plie' into second. As you come out of plie' change weight to the leg you first tondued, in the same mirrored position.

A short apology

I am truly sorry I did not hold up to my goal. I said I would post everyday. Whoops.
After my innovation I wanted to be sure I had something to write about. Unfortunately over the past couple of weeks I have been so busy that I didn't have time to post about some of the movies I was able to squeeze in.
I will try to get a couple more in before I leave in a couple weeks. After I do leave, I am not sure if I will have this blog updated weekly with emails (Most likely courtesy of Chelsey Powell) or if I will just leave it with my scheduled posts. Whatever does happened you can depend upon a post at least once a month. I scheduled most of them smack dab in the middle of the month so keep your eyes open.

Innovation

I have decided that I need to have a theme for my blog...

I kept telling myself that this humble blog was like a journal, but that is false. There are some things that I have not put just because I did not think that they would be appropriate or even too private.

Turning this into a fashion blog would just be a joke. Not that I dress badly but I would not consider myself fashionable. Most of my wardrobe is from Wal-mart or hand me downs. That is the reality of it.

I do not investigate any certain thing to an extreme... music, actors etc. I don't obsess about things in life. I really just try my best to enjoy it.
For example, when it comes to movies, I am not critical. I enjoy quite a few genres of music but I only know a couple songs from each artist. I enjoy all food (Just go try some of my Chicken Fruit Alfredo. I will eat just about anything.)

I guess that just goes to show that I am more of an optimist. Right? Maybe there's a theme. Or motif.
But I am hesitant because I want to be sure that I am not advertising that my life is perfect because it is not. I have days where I feel as if I have stopped living completely.

I think I will try it.
As of now I will focus my optimism on:
Gratitude.
Food (A must).
New song of the day*.
My Movie Reviews (Short and sweet I swear).

My goal would be to maybe help somebody who is having a day of not living to see something to live about. A reason to be happy.
And if there is anything cliche' about this let me know, i.e. my title. I'm still unsure if I like it.


*I believe it is important to listen to a new song every day. A song you have never heard before.

Your arm will be sore... You betcha

So I woke up this morning to realize I had slept on the same side the whole night.
Doesn't usually happen.
When I started moving around I discovered what was most likely the cause.
The pain of five shots fired anytime my arm moved.
If I had rolled over onto it while sleeping I would have rolled right back.
I made it through the day with it only coming back to my attention how much it hurt a few times.
I found that the pain goes away for a short time if I stretch it... Except of course the ten seconds before relief is excruciating.
I think I might be helping myself to some Ibprophen.

Oh win for me. Today I had the opportunity to experience ice rain for the first time in my life. I walked from my apartment next to the stadium, to campus, all the way to downtown Provo and back and I did not fall once.Woohoo! It was definitely an adventure.

Immune

One step closer to being all ready to leave for Puerto Rico. There were 3 different immunizations I needed to get before I am ready medically to go: flu, Tdap, Typhoid. I got the flu shot a couple weeks ago for work and I guess that I should have been required to get that because I am sticking my face right next to children's mouths quite often. Oh well.

I went into the Provo Health Department to get everything taken care of. Ladies and Gentlemen the best time to go to the Health Department is in the evening. So I guess it is kind of like going to the DLD. Crowded. Plan for it to take at least an hour. If you do not like crowds you might hyperventilating. You get it. Well at the health department there are certain nights of the week where you are not required to make an appointment. This evening was one of those evenings. I walked into the room and it was absolutely empty! If you ever have to go to the health department for anything, make note that the evenings is the time to do it.

I filled out all the paperwork and then went into the clinic to get my shot. Shots. Blech. I have gotten them a million times and I don't ever recall needing to be held down for a shot but that does not make me any happier about the whole idea. On the bonus side the I only had to get one. I'm taking one orally and I guess I don't actually need the third one.

Anyway, I sat down and immediately had to start taking deep breaths to try and slow my heart rate down. I think the RN was laughing me in her head.
I got the warning that my arm would be sore for a week. Awesome! I was pretty successful at not tensing up... I think.

So now all I have to do is make sure that I stay on schedule with my Typhoid test. I am just waiting for 10:45 to get here. I'll have been without food for 2 hours and then I start.
WooHoo

Official immune(almost).

Is it weird that I like being sore?

One of the reasons I was nervous to serve a mission was because that would mean I would be going a year and a half without dancing. Yikes. I've already set myself back in dance by quitting my technique learning for 3 years and I cannot let that happen again. So last night I arranged a full body workout that will continue to improve my strength and flexibility while still fitting into a half an hour. The only thing required is a theraband.
I'll probably post it sometime in the future but I am too lazy to go to the other room and grab the list.
I need to improve my lower body portion but I think I've aced the upper body... I'm definitely feeling it.


Weird thing about me. I get such a satisfied feeling when I am sore:)

Justification

So I decided that I wanted to go home for the weekend. I took my computer with me and I swear I packed my charger. But you know sometimes my memory undermines my word... :{ So I had no way of living up to my goal. It is still on the table though.

Today I am just going to share my stupid moment of the day. I set up to numb the patient today with Lidocaine. While in the treatment, Doc decided he wanted Septocaine instead. I had already unsheathed the needle and did not think to put it back. I began taking it apart but I was struggling. It finally gave and my hands flew uncontrollably and I stabbed myself. It was only in my finger but I felt real sheepish. I bled. My finger reached sausage size and went numb for a couple hours.

I have the bruise to prove it.

55 days

Running through a field of barely touched snow will result in cold feet... Regardless of whether or not you are wearing snow boots.

Going to the temple makes it all okay though.
I went by myself for the first time this evening. Besides forgetting a white bra and a zoning out a couple of times it was wonderful.

The rainbow.

I don't know exactly how the phrase goes but the clouds always clear after a rainstorm.
Although today had it's stressful moments, I left work in such a good mood.
Costa vida for lunch. Not running from patient to patient. Getting out of the office on time. Getting to go dance for the first time in too long :}

I'm happe'