Monday, January 31, 2011

Just Another Productive Monday

Do you ever just have those days where items your "To Do" list gets shorter and shorter? Well guess what, I had one today (mainly due to the fact that I called in sick). Here are all the things that I accomplished today:

1. Received confirmation of RT job in Ohio
2. Made an appointment for a TB test
3. Went to the grocery store and got ingredients to make granola
4. Proceeded to make granola
5. Read my scriptures
6. Filled up my car with gasoline.
7. Went and canceled my gym membership
8. Set up a savings account at Wells Fargo
9. Did the dishes
10. Set up an ad on craigslist to sell my apt. contract
11. Received three offers to look at my room.


For those of you who are wondering you read number one right, I finally got a legit big girl job. After a particularly rough week at work I a couple of weeks ago I decided that I was going to be more open to recreation therapy jobs across the nation and I started applying to any and all jobs that seemed somewhat interesting. After a somewhat grueling application (I felt like I was doing the ACT's again), and an even more time consuming interview process, I got word today that I have been selected to fill the Recreation Therapy position at the Cleveland Clinic Shaker Campus.I will be starting on March 7th. Currently I feel like I am living at an accelerated pace, everything is going by so fast. I will put in my 1.5 weeks notice tomorrow, will probably be out of my room at the end of this week, and will be leaving for Ohio via Vegas in one week! Now I just have to make it through the last two weeks of work! Wish me luck!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Highlights of 2010

Of course this is a week late but I thought I would post some highlights of 2010. I'm sure I will add more as time goes on...


Graduated with my Associates and Bachelors degree
Passed my Therapeutic Recreation certification exam
Shot a gun for the first time
Learned how to drive a manual car (and didn’t stall once!)
Moved to Utah to start my post-graduate life
Took 19 credits, was secretary for Recreation Management Society, education and training specialist for Adaptive Services, and had a part time job all in one semester.
Had roommate bonding every night with 4 amazing girls!
Absolutely LOVED my last year of college
Lived in Hawaii, visited Pearl Harbor and went snorkeling at Shark’s Cove.
Became confident in myself and my abilities

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Fun Fact Game

As I was taking a gander at my old blog I came across this post.... and since it has been almost a year I thought I would change a few and add a few. My China friends will tell you that this was my favorite game to play as we were walking to church, or eating lunch. Maybe it is the Recreation Therapist in my but I felt like it helped us get to know each other on a less superficial level.

1. I was born in Logan, Utah
2. I lived in Las Vegas, Nevada for 8 years
3. My elementary school mascot was a Giraffe
4. I learned how to sign "House at Pooh Corner" by Kenny Loggins in the 2nd grade.
5. I loved to play the glockenspiel in music class\
6. I had two guns pointed at me while running in my 3rd grade class (My elementary school was part of the reintegration of blacks in the 60's or 70's, therefore, it was a "specialized" school (it was focused in arts and entertainment) in a black neighborhood.)
7. We had "intruder" drills instead of earthquake or tornado drills.
8. I remember the day school was cancelled because of the Rodney King incident. I also remember that I was told we needed to go hide and people would come in to our houses and take all the toys that they wanted, but I could take my favorite stuffed animal and barbie)
9. I play the piano and have played since I was 8 years old
10. I played the violin for 6 years
11. I used to eat pepperoni and yogurt (sick I know)
12. We used to have rats as pets (even sicker)
13. I lived in Boise, Idaho for 5 years
14. I LOVE LOVE LOVE getting pedicures
15. My idea of a perfect day is sitting in a hammock on the beach reading and listening to Jack Johnson or Josh Groban
16. I really do not like the feeling of jumping off high places into the water
17. I have lived outside in Southern Utah for 35 days.
18. I went through the canyon "fooling around" in a polygamist dress.
19. My favorite food group is carbohydrates... especially pasta
20. I sat in a sauna naked with 6 other girls in Kunming, China
21. I've been to the Great Wall of China... twice.
22. I got a 4.0 my first year of college
23. I've sat in the audience of a Chinese Game show in Nanjing, China
24. I've spent 48 hours on the edge of a canyon all by myself.
25. I love having people do things for me, like dressing me, doing my hair, making me food.
26. I love jogging 7 miles and then doing an hour of yoga
27. I love hiking mountains because when I'm on top I can look down and see everything I
      have accomplished.
28. I used to cross stitch when I was in junior high
29. I have never been a good singer
30.  I've gone 12 days without showering.
31.  My favorite thing to clean is the refrigerator
32. I love to run stadium stairs
33. My ear drum burst on Halloween (also my sisters birthday) when I was 7. I spent the rest
      of the night in the emergency room.
34. I am not a competitive person at ALL!
35. I have only been pulled over once... but never gotten a ticket.
36. I was so into Barbies when I was a child, i had matching shoes, earrings (which dates me),
      a house, and a limo
37. When I was 5 I went hiking with my family. When my grandma took me to the bathroom she let me fall on a cactus. It ruined any chance of going to the bathroom outside, until I took a back-packing class in Fall of 2006, now I am hooked.
38. I can not, CAN NOT stand any of the pride and prejudice movies.
39. I have been to the Hong Kong temple, and it is beautiful
40. I vacationed on an island for 2 weeks and had no responsibility... it was wonderful
41. I lived on the ocean in Kailua, Hawaii for a semester.
42. I just barley started making my bed every morning in Sept. of 2009
43. I love putting clothes on straight from the dryer.
44. I believe that winter should be done on January 6, Rexburg and Rochester disagree.
45. I belonged to the American Girls club at my school, however I was not allowed in the Spice Girl coalition.
46. I used to make little bead lizards and sold them in 6th grade. I made 12 dollars.
47. I love the first snowfall when you can snuggle up with a blanket on your couch and drink hot chocolate.
48. I love going to the dentist.
49. Giving blood is one of my favorite things to do, not because it helps others, but because love the feeling of needles going into my vain.
50. I love running because of how good it feels to stop running.
51. I've been to Victoria's Harbor in Hong Kong
52. I hiked 22 miles without water or food.
53. I drank water from a cow trough with a snake in it as well as a pot hole w/ algae and bugs.
54. I love bouncing on exercise balls.
55. I would rather wear a dress than pants
56. I like to accessorize my outfits with earrings.
57. Raspberries, starfruit, and pineapple are me favorite fruits.
58. Any man can steal my heart if he can sing and play the ukulele (preferably Polynesian) 
59. My favorite part of autumn is the changing leaves.
60. I pretend I can't play the piano so I don't have to play at church.
61. I took my drivers license test on a layer of ice and 3 inches of snow, and I still passed.
62. I've eaten dog, beer catfish, and oysters.
63. I traveled 3 hours one way to go to church in China.
64. I locked myself out of my apt 4 times when I lived in China, twice in a 24 hour period, twice at night, and once in the pouring rain.
65. I can't stand bowling... I think it's boring
66. I do not like showering... really really don't like it.
67. But I love styling my hair and doing my makeup
68. I love brushing my teeth
69. I will not go camping with out my makeup, at least my mascara.
70. I hate going out with out shaving my legs, even while I'm camping
71. On day 6 of my 12 days without a shower (while on the 35 day expedition to Moab) I shaved my legs out of a water bottle (which I then threw away).
72. I hate... hate... HATE... soggy bread, this includes sandwiches of any kind (especially PB&J) and when people talk right after they take a bit of their sandwich
73. My favorite books are The Giver, Tuesday's with Morrie, Cry Thy Beloved Country, To Kill a Mockingbird, Wild Swans; Three Daughters of China,  and the list goes on.
74. I am always running late, however I do not like to be late
75. If I am late for a meeting or activity I opt not to go so I don't have to show up late.
76. I could eat Snap Peas all day
77. My favorite color is shades of green
78. I have been called Tiffers, Tiffey mae, Shaniqua, Tiff Tiff, and Tippity Tap Tap Tiff
79. I was so in love with Taylor from the band Hanson when I was a kid.
80. I remember the days before computers, and the internet, and text messaging, and I-pods
81. I love sugar and have no self control, therefore I can't buy it from the store because I will eat it all in one sitting.
82. I was accepted into the nursing program at BYU-Idaho straight out of high school, I declined (politely) thinking I would re-apply... I never did.
83. Clutter drives me crazy
84. As a result I LOVE throwing things away.
85. I listen to Christmas music all year 
86. I LOVE LOVE LOVE wearing workout clothes, especially Yoga pants
87. I cannot stand being cold.
88. I have gotten hardcore hypothermia from repelling down 7 waterfalls. 
89. I have no problem going to the bathroom anywhere, including at gas stations and on the side of the road.
90. I went to speech therapy until 6th grade because I couldn't say the "r" and "s" sound.
91. I refused to go half way through 6th grade because I was embarrassed.
92. I LOVE everything about the Christmas season.
93. I sat in hard seats on a train for 27 hours with Chinese people ALL around me.
94. I have been to Tianamen Square 
95. I have been to the Beijing Olympic sites
96. I was 22 before I learned how to drive a manual car.
97. I started a fire with a bow drill (two pieces of wood).
98. I've been snorkeling in Hawaii, it felt like I was in Finding Nemo.
99. When I was in high school you couldn't pay me enough to camp and go to the bathroom outside, I absolutely hated it.
100. I am deathly afraid of the dark.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Lessons From Josh

For those of you who may be unaware of Josh Groban's musical ability, you should probably go look him up and don't be embarrassed, I won't scoff at you too hard.  Not only does he have a sexy sunday voice (that one's for you Katie), he also has amazingly inspiring songs that have helped me through so many hard times. My personal favorites
1. O Holy Night: There is not much I can say about this song other than it is one of my very favorite Christmas songs.
2. Thankful: I listened to Thankful a million times while I was in Changzhou, China, because it is true, we have much to be thankful for.
3. You Raise Me Up: Not only does You Raise Me Up have a great violin solo, the words are powerful when you imagine Jesus Christ singing those words as you are going through struggles and challenges you just don't feel you are capable of bearing. I listened to this song while I was on Spring Summit.
4. You Are Loved: I listened to this song many times during my last semester at college. While it was an amazing experience, there were many times when I felt like throwing in the towel and giving up. Then I remembered how many people around me loved me and would give anything to help me, as the song says "don't give up, you are loved"
5. And finally his newest addition "Hidden Away" (posted below for your viewing pleasure): I realize that this song is probably intended more as a romantic song, but I feel as though it can be used in any relationship, friend, parent, roommate, lover, etc.  This song reminds me of a conversation I had on Spring Summit with the dear Dave Holladay. We, as humans, are so reserved and timid to tell others that we love them. Perhaps because we are embarrassed or nervous that they might think we are weird. But who doesn't like recieving a complimant and feeling like they are loved? I think Josh says it best when he says,

 "And all these words that you meant to say
Held in silence day after day
Words of kindness that our poor hearts crave
Please, don't keep them hidden away"



The above mentioned songs all have AMAZING messages.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

The Updated Bucket List


As it is the beginning of the year I thought I would go and look through my old blog and see what was there. I ended up finding this list (big surprise, I know), and then I realized what an exciting year 2010 was for me. I had actually completed multiple goals!!! So I thought I would take this opportunity to update my bucket list and add some new goals and take some away.

Graduate from College completed December 17, 2010
Go on Spring Summit completed May 2009
Live in Hawai’i completed Aug 2010
Become a CTRS Completed January 12, 2010
Get out of debt
Get in a healthy BMI and fat percentage range
Become a certified yoga instructor
Become a certified spinning instructor
Learn how to play the cello
Teach English in American Samoa
Backpack Havasupai
Read the Book of Mormon front to back completed July 2010
Get married
Adopt children with disabilities
Adopt children from a third world country
Run a half marathon
Go to Tonga
Learn how to Bollywood dance
Go to a summer Olympic event
Learn to speak another language
Own a house
Go through the temple and receive my endowments
Attend General Conference in the conference center
Participate in an adventure race
Hike Table Rock completed July 10, 2010
Have a green house in my own house
Read all the books on the New York Best Seller list
Learn basics in holistic healing
Go to Disney World
Deliver a baby without an epidural
Deliver a baby in a bathtub
Become a contemporary dancer
Spend a week in the Boundary Waters
Mountain bike the White Rim (from rim to rim) in one day
Go to a Josh Groban concert
Go to Pearl Harbor completed August 14, & November 12, 2010
 Visit the Wonders of the World
Christ the Redeemer: Rio de Janerio, Brazil
Pyramids of Egypt: Cairo, Egypt
Chicen Ita: Mexico
The Colosseum: Rome, Italy
The Great Wall of China: Beijing, China completed May 2007 and Nov. 2009
Machu Picchu: Peru
Petra: Jordan
Taj Mahal: Agra, India
Hanging Gardens of Babylon: Iraq
Statue of Zeus: Greece
Temple of Artemis: Turkey
Mausoleum at Halicarnassus: Turkey
Colossus of Rhodes: Greece
Lighthouse of Alexandria: Egypt