Merry Christmas Eve, Eve. Today's Motivation Monday is inspired by these simple words from Thomas S. Monson. "This is a glorious time of the time, simple in origin, deep in meaning, beautiful in tradition and custom, rich in memories, and charitable in spirit. It has an attraction to which our hearts are readily drawn. This joyful season brings to each of us a measure of happiness that corresponds to the degree in which we have turned our mind, feelings, and action to the spirit of Christmas."
Part of what I love about the Christmas season in the underlying feelings associated with everything. I don't feel that those things are something I can easily describe or pinpoint. Every small aspect plays a part: family, memories, traditions, selflessness, giving, holiday lights, beautiful snow, and of course remember Christ. I don't think anything highlights the great things about the season more than President Monson's quote. I love the words simple, deep, beautiful, rich, and charitable.
Christianne—As the oldest of the bunch, she is a natural leader and knows how to get things done. One thing I always notice when I'm with Christianne is that if we talk about something, she'll just do it. I tend to want to plan things out and think about things before I do them. But if we're like, "Oh let's make a headband," she leads us to just sit down right there and make a headband. She is also the craftiest of us all and knows how to do all kinds of projects. I'm pretty sure she could create anything. And she's not afraid to learn new skills. She is also the mother of 4 and is so good and teaching her kids and being able to teach them at their level. I hope to be a mom like her some day.
Today as I sat reading, working, and making my "the-holidays-are-approaching-quickly" to-do list, I noticed a sneaky smile had appeared on my face. I wasn't aware of a particular reason.
After a moment of reflection being by myself in this moment, I realized that hey—I'm happy. I'm working hard. I'm getting things done. I have great relationships with amazing people. I know who I am. I know where I want to be. And I can rely on my faith and relationship with my Heavenly Father to get there.
For me, happiness comes in the little things of everyday life. Today those little things include the following.
Looking at my nerdy Christmas tree sparkling in the corner...even though, yes, it is daytime.
A semi-clean apartment with dishes washed, floor swept, trash emptied, and bathroom wiped down.
A tired but healthy body that lets me push it to sometimes teach 5 classes in one day. And it keeps going day after day.
Waking up tired and unsure how I'll be able to teach. And then finding my energy and thinking "Yep, I can do this!"
Amazing people who continue attending my classes. Who smile from the back row. Who know my choreography down flat from coming for 3 years or 3 months. Who make the whole teaching experience amazing and worth it.
Getting back in the habit of writing...and posting here!
Touching base with friends. Even if it's a late-night visit, a quick Facebook message, a series of text messages, or a random chat online.
Cleaning out space in my life. This includes time space as well as physical space.
Having some extra cash in my pocket from selling things taking up physical space.
The exciting prospect of vacuuming (Yes I know...)
Waking up expecting bad roads and a frozen car...only to face pretty warm weather and a no-scraping morning.
Feeling motivation to cook
Feeling on top of something I usually forget. (Uh, car registration anyone? Check my "Don't Forget Anything" post about doing this two months late last year.) I have an appointment tomorrow.
Seeing and recognizing personal improvement
Knowing there have been, currently are, and will continue to be great people willing to reach out to me and welcome me into their lives
Acknowledging the amazing people I get to work with
Seeing blessing after blessing after blessing in my life
Feeling financially secure even months after leaving a full-time, salaried position with all the coveted benefits
Being able to encourage and advise people who are making decisions I have previously faced
Having great opportunities to serve
Seeing the good, the special, and the unique greatness in those around me
That's just a start today. I need to actually proceed with my previously mentioned to-do list. I'm grateful for so much in my life. I'm grateful to be happy. I'm full of love today...I love you all!
Does anyone else have a way easier time shopping for yourself than you have shopping for a gift for someone else? Please tell me I'm not the only one who might head out to purchase gifts but ends up randomly going back and forth through each store section not seeing ANYTHING appropriate. On occasion I might even head home with a handful of bags...all with things for myself. Sigh, it's a problem, I know.
I spend a lot of time at various gyms, so I thought I'd put together a quick and affordable gift guide of ideas for the gal in your life (or YOU) who loves working out or might be focused on improving her personal fitness. These are all products in no particular order that I personally recommend or covet.
Any fitness lover can benefit from using a heart rate monitor to track workout intensity and calories burned. This information is both INTERESTING and USEFUL. I own a Polar FT4 and love the data it provides. I especially recommend a monitor or tracking device for someone with specific fitness goals or one trying to lose weight. Are you eating enough food? See how many calories you burned and add what's needed into your diet. Are you burning more than you are taking in? Refer to the device to let you know. One thing to keep in mind about many heart rate monitors is that they often cannot accurately track calories burned during strength training. Just something to keep in mind. Price: $45-200
This is a product I covet. A thick, sweat-wicking headband is one of my personal fitness essentials, and I am constantly searching for the best options. Currently no product seems to compare with the prestigious Lululemon option. Priced a little high, you may have to splurge but I'm betting you'll love it. I just want 10 of them. Price: $18
4. Music Gift Card
Music plays a huge roll in a successful workout experience. Help yourself or those you are shopping for step things up with some new tunes. I'm not of fan of iTunes, so I'd refer you to an Amazon MP3 or Google Play gift card. The best thing is that these credits can be digital and are a great last minute gift. Price: $1+
A few months ago I started researching good earbuds that wouldn't fall out of my ear while I run. The top option was Yurbuds. While I ended up receiving earbuds as a gift before I could purchase these, the next time the need arises, I'm getting Yurbuds. They twist and lock in your ear and have a special design for women. Again, these are a little on the pricy side for me, but I think a good pair will last a long time and definitely be worth the extra price. I mean, come on, how many cheap pairs have you bought? Plus you can find them a bit cheaper online (or at Target), so I'm sure you could find a deal.) Price: $25-60
I admit, I am prone to losing water bottles but I USED to own one of these and loved it. I love the straw and how the bottle is designed to easily access water while moving without the fear of spilling all over oneself. (Please tell me that has happened to you too.) Plus, I've had great experience with the warranty on the bottle and have had a couple replaced. Again you can find deals in local stores and online. Price: $8-20
7. Workout DVDs
Sometimes you just can't make it to the gym, but that doesn't mean you can't fit a workout into your schedule. I highly recommend any of Jillian Michael's workouts, especially the 30 Day Shred. At-home workouts can be hit or miss, but I've also heard great things about Physique 57 and would love to have a great barre dvd on hand, like Pure Barre. I'm still on the search for a stellar yoga dvd. Price: $8-20
8. Fun Workout Apparel
You are likely to work out with more intensity and for a longer time when you FEEL good about how you look at the gym. I can think of at least a handle of times I've gone to the gym and then realized I HATED the shirt or pants I was wearing that day...and then left. Workout apparel can be pricy (think Zumba or Lululemon), but you can find a lot of great options at Target (I love this top), JCPenney, Old Navy, etc. I also love Reebok's dance line. Zumba lovers - check out sites like zumbafashion.com or talk to your local instructor. Utah has some cute local options (again they are pricy), but check out AyAyAy or KIAVA clothing. Chances are you can find them at a trunk sale or boutique with a discount. Price: $15+
9. Massage or Spa Certificate.
When you work hard at the gym, your body feels it and a nice massage or night at the spa can do wonders both for your body and your mind. Treat your fitness lover with a little bit of relaxation. Find a studio close to you. (Groupon and the like often feature great deals!) Price: $30-200+
10. Gym bag Essentials
I'm talking mini shampoo and conditioner, compact towels, all-in-one facial wipes, waterproof makeup, dry shampoo, deodorant, flip flops (showers!), body spray, etc. You can't go wrong with these daily essentials. Price: $2-20
I know it's been a little while since I posted...Today, however, I needed a little Motivation Monday and found snippets of inspiration in some quotes from Nelson Mandela.
In light of the South African leader's recent passing, I believe the timing is appropriate to reflect on some of his words for inspiration and motivation in my own life.
My approach for Motivation Monday today is a little different than usual. First, I'm not designing anything. And second, I'm using more than one quotation. My thoughts follow each one.
One: "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."
I admit, this excerpt reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by Taylor Swift. No, Ms. Swift is not a person I believe one can even try to compare to Nelson Mandela. However, the idea of fearlessness is one I love. (See my thoughts on Taylor Swift's quote here in 2008 and here in 2012. Both are from my old blog.)
There are lots of things I'm afraid of in life. The unknown. Failing. Being alone. Not fulfilling my potential. Being insignificant. Every day, fears—whether we recognize them or not—creep into our lives. This does not mean that we can't accomplish the things we want to accomplish in life. This does not mean that we need to give up.
Fears exist for us to overcome. Fears exist to allow us to grow.
I can be courageous by moving forward despite my fears. I show bravery toward the unknown by taking whatever efforts I need to take in order to conquer my fear. Be fearless, Karianne. Embrace what you know. Focus on the positive and move forward with the opposite of fear: faith.
Two: "There is no passion to be found playing small—in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living."
Those who have known me the past several years know that I'm always striving to break out of my comfort zone. To never settle. To push myself to my limits. I don't see the point in living what could be deemed a "small" life, as referenced here. There are some things I believe allow you to live happily. And sometimes those things require you to make focus on what YOU value. And sometimes you have to abandon the expectations and traditional routes others pursue. I don't want to live a life doing things I don't love or am not passionate about. I want to pursue my true interests and chase after my true dreams. I believe by doing so, by striving to live a "large life," other things, like money and life necessities, will follow. And that is one approach that I believe leads to living a happy life.
Three: "May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears."
Again, this excerpt reminds me of other inspirational sources. Those sources include the address "Lord, I Believe," by Jeffrey R. Holland at the April 2013 General Conference. Elder Holland is comparing faith and fear, but I believe the idea is similar: recognize your faith before you recognize your fears. Additional, Russell M. Nelson shares the following in his address "Face the Future With Faith." "We do not need to let our fears displace our faith. We can combat those fears by strengthening our faith."
I don't want to live a life led by fears. I don't want to live a passive life where I let things come as they may. I want to go after what I desire. I want to embrace the unknown. I want to work hard to have amazing things in my life. Those are things that are worth it. I want to live a courageous life. I don't want to be bound by fear. I want to release my hope and build my faith.
November. Wow, wow, wow. I think I've said that in every post this month so far. I just can't get over it. But without further adieu, let me present this month's installment of "My Life in Instagrams. I'm going to do this a little different and group multiple photos together because as I've looked through my posts in October, I see several themes. Enjoy. Oh, and go ahead and follow me on Instagram. I'd love to follow you back!
October 2, 2013
Let's just say that this post was only the beginning of my attempt to organize that huge box of pictures and documents. I pretty much conquered the pictures, but I'll admit right now that I DID NOT finish the entire project. I ended putting everything back in the box and moving it out of my living room because it was driving me crazy. Maybe I'll finish in...December??
October 4, 2013
Me. My friend Kirsten. And Imagine Dragons. Oh, in a huge arena with horrible seats. Regardless, it was a fun evening out and I'll always appreciate a good concert or night enjoying music.
Fall, Fall, Fall
Utah has had a beautiful fall this month. So often it seems that Utah kinda skips right over my favorite season, and I've loved enjoyed a little cooler weather without jumping RIGHT to winter. Here we see a shot from a canyon drive between General Conference sessions and my lovely view as leaves stared falling. Love it.
Halloween Events
My month included an awful lot of Halloween/Zumba events. I had (pictured) a Halloween Zumba party with the Pleasant Grove Recreation Center, a Monster Mash Dance Fitness party with the Provo Recreation Center, a Zumba Kids party, costumes for my regular classes on Halloween, and then another dance event including a Thriller Flash Mob. Whew.
Instructor Trainings Galore
First of all, I passed my U-Jam video certification! (More to come on that!) and I've started teaching U-Jam classes bit by bit as I build an hour playlist. (I'll just do half Zumba for the rest.) But I also completed my Zumba Gold and Zumba Sentao trainings back to back. Gold is a program specifically designed for the less-active, 60+ plus population. I'm excited to build a Gold-Toning program because I've found so many of my attendees in this age bracket really benefit from the design of a light-weight workout. That's another mini program I need to complete, but I plan to do so in the next couple months. Sentao is Zumba with a chair, and, like Toning, incorporates a little more focus on strength training. I will say that Sentao tends to be pretty...sassy...considering you are dancing with a chair. But it's super fun, and I'm a lot more excited about this program than I thought I would be!
That third photo shows my current Zumba certifications and qualifications. It's crazy I have that many! Crazy!
October 27, 2013
These are now always sitting either on my desk or tv stand and make me smile every time I look at them. Let's just say that I didn't get them for myself. :)
October 31, 2013
Reading The Book Thief did seem to take up much of my month! I got a whole stack of books at the library several weeks ago and loved getting back into reading. This book is long and I did not start reading it first so I found myself rushing to finish because I wouldn't renew it again. Great book! (I'll share more of a complete review later!)
October was great, and I have high hopes that November and December will be just as excellent. Enjoy!
Welcome back to Motivation Monday. (Yes, I know I've been slacking here.) As I mentioned on Friday, I really want to take advantage of cultivating gratitude in my life this month. Usually I don't like things like this that may seem cliche (I still won't be posting it every day or on my Facebook page), but I've been feeling peaks of gratitude in my life a lot over the past several months, and I want to let this all out!
Today's quote is from Melody Beattie and reads as follows:
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."
I really do feel very thankful for so many things in my life. And I love the outlook this quote provides on gratitude unlocking all the bounty I experience each and every day. I love the simple separation of past, present, and future, and how gratitude provides a vantage point to help us benefit from everything we have, are, and will have—emotionally, physically, spiritually, etc.
So this month I will strive to recognize my many blessings and how great of a life I have. I want to embrace that I have enough. I want to appreciate and accept where I am in life. I want to welcome order and clarity and embracing my current circumstances.
November 1. Who can believe that? This morning I dragged myself out of bed to make it to my 9 a.m. U-Jam class. I definitely gave props to the attendees who made it despite all the many festivities the night before and surely the extra bit of sweets consumed. (I'm thinking I need to go on a sugar-free cleanse for a couple weeks.)
In years past holidays and such always seem to sneak up on me. I may have all kinds of thoughts and desires and what I want to do to honor, celebrate, or even enjoy certain occasions.
I've been thinking about November and Thanksgiving quite a bit the past couple weeks. Perhaps this is because my entire family is gathering in Dallas and we are all planning and looking forward to that fun.
But I decided that I want to really embrace the spirit of Thanksgiving this year and write a daily thought of gratitude. I think this blog may be the best way to do that.
So here goes.
Nov. 1: I'm grateful for my job as an instructor at the Provo Recreation Center. I've mentioned it a lot over the past several months and my time there has really always been positive and motivating. I am a part of a team that I FEEL a part of. I love all of my fellow instructors, my boss (she is amazing), and the other people I get to work with. I love the facility, the people who attend my classes, and the opportunities offered to me.
But my gratitude extends beyond those things.
My getting a job as an instructor here actually played a large roll in my recent life decisions regarding quitting my job. I had been building up my Zumba income as a way to support myself in that decision. I jumped on a couple opportunities to teach classes during the day and simply had to move forward on my plans to leavey full-time position.
I couldn't have asked for a better situation. The Provo Rec feels like home (or as close as a fitness facility can). I'm grateful for the opportunity to work there.
"This one time" should actually be a many time experience, but today we're focusing on Halloween in 2000.
My family was not the type to buy Halloween costumes. I still think store-bought costumes are lame and lack creativity. I'm all about piecing things together, working with what you have on hand, sewing things if necessary, or utilizing thrift store finds.
So back in 2000 (I was 14, Susie was 12), Susie and I discussed our costume ideas for the year. We sorted through our family costume box and looked at what fabric our mom had on hand.
We found this purple felt and decided that Susie would be a wizard! How would we make this happen? Well, we had two pieces of fabric. The large piece would work well as a the cape. I don't think I even had to cut it. I very simply lined the collar and create the loop for the sparkly rope to tie through.
The skirt. Again we were pretty lucky on the size of the fabric. It was easy to sew a seam up the side, put an elastic in the waist and cut a zig zag edge. And finally the hat.
Hello poster board. I glued it together to make a cone (and stapled it to make sure things stayed put). Then we glued on the extra fabric scraps. I remember we didn't exactly have whole pieces of fabric to cover the entire hat so we had to make things work. We used the shiny stars (cut out from scraps of school supplies) to cover any seams.
The BEST part of this story is that I barely finished all of this by Halloween. The next problem?
I still didn't know what *I* was going to do for a costume. I ended up throwing together a very makeshift Pippy Longstocking costume. It was less than excellent. It was actually kinda lame. Oh well, at least Susie's costume was cool. And we used that costume a couple more times over the years, plus for some school spirit activities when my first high school's colors were purple, red, and silver.
When it comes to modern language usage—especially concerning the ever increasing technology-related terms we use today—I get slightly frustrated with those who make claims like "'Text' is not a verb," implying a speaker cannot say "I'll text you the information."
From those people's standpoint, a speaker would instead have to say, for example, "I'll send you a text message with the information." (Don't even consider using any forbidden slang terms like "info.")
I admit. I am a descriptivist as far as grammarians go—if you can bring yourself to even slightly consider me a grammarian. In the world of grammarians, with many stereotypically described with a better-than-thou motivation to find every—any—mistake, I often feel as though I am the minority fighting for my voice to be heard, struggling for my beliefs to be understood, accepted, maybe respected. But the bombardment of those screaming "Y-O-U-apostrophe-R-E means 'you are.' Y-O-U-R means 'your" (Oh wait, that was Ross in "Friends") tends to overshadow my stubborn statements of "Yes, 'texted' can be used as a past tense verb of 'text'" or my response "I'm good" to questions of how I'm doing.
Now, don't get me wrong. I am not saying you don't need to use an apostrophe and the extra "e" in "you're" or to not bother distinguishing between "there," "their," and "they're." While I'm not sure how to exactly determine what will eternally be right and wrong in overall usage of a language, there are accepted styles of language for various settings that you are simply expected to conform to.
To be taken seriously academically and in job interviews, there is one form of "correct" language and to be taken seriously in another setting, there is different form. I, for one, embrace the fact that I can speak differently than I write in a professional setting. That my academic writing differs from my writing on my blog. That I can speak one way with my friends and another with subject experts. That every day I can make up words and opt to include usage I wouldn't dream of in another setting.
I have control of my language.
Do you remember your teachers telling you to never start a sentence with "and"? Or the dramatics of the apostasy that follows if you split an infinitive? No doubt these teachers also emphasized that a preposition should never end a sentence.
These "hard-and-fast rules" reflect years of trying to control a language and fit it in a mold. (I love that I listed these three examples and then found all three mentioned in an article entitled "Three Grammar Rules You Can (And Should) Break.")
There may be some individuals somewhere who still insist on these rules.
Maybe.
Some nit-picky teachers are probably still teaching them. But really what is the point? Sooner or later, students and language users realize that the contorted, un-split sentence is awkward and, hey, look around, people are splitting the heck out of infinitives left and right.
Nevermind that not ending a sentence with a preposition is a rule that really has nothing to do with the preposition but instead wants to get rid of unnecessary words. ("I have no idea where this rule came from" is fine. "Where are you at?" might be better as "Where are you?")
Forrester: Paragraph three starts...with a conjunction, "and." You should never start a sentence with a conjunction.
Jamal: Sure you can.
Forrester: No, it's a firm rule.
Jamal: No, it was a firm rule. Sometimes using a conjunction at the start of a sentence makes it stand out. And that may be what the writer's trying to do.
Forrester: And what is the risk?
Jamal: Well the risk is doing it too much. It's a distraction. And it could give your piece a run-on feeling. But for the most part, the rule on using "and" or "but" at the start of a sentence is pretty shaky. Even though it's still taught by too many professors. Some of the best writers have ignored that rule for years, including you.
Maybe this is all a result of the English language completely and definitely going down the drain. The teenagers are ruining our language! Text messaging and e-mail will be the end of all that was good and all that we cherished!
...
Calm down people. Yes, here is where my passion for descriptive grammar and usage steps in. I think I pretty regularly make conscious decisions about what I say and how I use the English language.
I do my research, choose my side of any usage issues and them may proceed to respond "I'm good" to the question "How are you?"
How many times have you heard the phrase "Ain't ain't a word, and you ain't supposed to say it." But is it not widely used informally? I don't personally use "ain't" on a regular basis, but I love belting "Ain't it a shame that every time you hear my name you can't think straight" with Kellie Pickler like any country music-loving gal.
While technically "ain't" may not be a word in standard usage, it IS everywhere and can't be denied. It might drive some people crazy, but who can say that "ain't" can't be a "proper" word? Why were "haven't," "who's," "doesn't" and "you're" chosen, but "ain't" left behind? This is not me advocating for a wider use of "ain't." I'm just saying that our usage is based on tradition and expectation. Someone, somewhere, sometime made a decision and we've all followed along.
Let's take a look at the book titled "The Lexicographer's Dilemma: The Evolution of English from Shakespeare to South Park." The author, Jack Lynch, is a professor of English at Rutgers University and was the editor of Samuel Johnson's Dictionary. In the book Lynch describes how we got "proper English" and that grammar isn't made up of rules or laws like the law of gravity or moral rules like those against thefts.
Instead usage rules are fallible by people and subject to change.
"Most of these [rules of English] probably describe the speech habits of of some class of people, once upon a time. It will tend to be the upper class of people a generation or two ago. And that's what many people decided proper English is," says Lynch.
Stated simply, I advocate for grammar usage based on the needs and desires of the people who use the language. I embrace language change and get excited when those changes evolve, are identified, and then accepted. Disregarding various opinions and arguments of whether those changes are for the better or worse, I appreciate the notion of a group of people taking control of their own lives—or in this case, their own language. Language as a whole should embrace change, especially those reflective of a current culture and lifestyle.
Happy Monday once again! I've kinda been a blogging slacker this past week, but wow, I've had a good run. After initially quitting my job, I knew I would need something to keep me accountable and motivated. For me, that has been my blog. I hope to continue keeping up as much speed as I've maintained the past couple months, but will probably allow more leniency as well.
Today's Motivation Monday is another quote by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf from the Priesthood Session of the October 2013 General Conference. Apparently Uchtdorf just speaks to me.
"You are stronger than you realize. You are more capable than you can imagine. You can do it now."
Uchtdorf states this phrase near the end of his address, and I love the example he shares to demonstrate his point. While skiing, Uchtdorf fell and—seriously—couldn't get up. That is, until he's grandson came over and simple said "You can do it now."
And he did.
What does this say to me? Well usually the only person keeping me from succeeding at whatever is...me! Whether the task be physical, emotional, mental, or anything else, a main key in being about to accomplish it is your personal attitude and dedication. That said, sometimes we all just need a little reminder that, hey, we CAN do this. And sometimes all we need is someone else to believe in us too.
Several weeks ago I was talking with my oldest sister about how I hadn't been feeling very productive. I lacked my usual drive. I lacked my go-getter and productivity seeking personality. I felt like I wasn't accomplishing any of the things I needed to be doing and was instead falling further behind and, as a result, feeling overwhelmed. Being the sister with a just-do-it attitude, she immediately grabbed a pen and paper and asked me, "Well, what do you need to get done tomorrow."
She wrote everything down and followed up with the next evening. Guess what. I accomplished everything I needed to.
We've done this for a couple weeks now, and I've seen that little extra accountability building my personal attitude of oh yea, I can do this.
I like to remember those simple phrases from President Uchtdorf when I think about things I want to accomplish or do...or be. I am strong. I am capable. And I can do whatever I need to do. Really.
Why are we so often more inclined to fear than we are to move forward with confidence in ourselves? How often do we NOT do something because we don't think we can, that we aren't worthy, that we are inadequate? I don't want to live a life dictated by my fears. I want to live confidently and make bold decisions.
Which is why I loved this quote from Dieter F. Uchtdorf's address in the Saturday morning session of the General Conference of the LDS Church.
"Doubt your doubts before you doubt you faith."
Simple.
Why do we typically doubt our faith first? Why do we question our abilities?
As I was writing this, I had something on the back of my mind that I was hesitant to accept. That situation may not have been straight up doubt, but I realized that I just needed to embrace the situation and doubt my doubt.
Are you doubting something? Now think...is that thing your doubt or your faith. If it's your faith (positive things about the great person you are and the great potential you hold), reevaluate the situation. Turn it around and choose to doubt your doubt instead.
General Conference takes place in four general sessions this weekend at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on each day. Feel free to follow along via social media as well using #ldsconf.
Seriously, I love Conference so much. Part of it is the simple opportunity to just focus on church stuff for a couple days. I love getting together with family and friends and spending quality time with them. Then you add in the opportunity to listen to modern-day, living prophets share inspired messages that directly relate to me, to my life, and to my challenges and questions.
One thing I'm excited to bring back is my word art designs featuring excerpts from the conference. Check out Oct. 2011, Oct. 2011 Part 2, April 2012, I can't believe I didn't do this for last year's conferences AT ALL! Crazy. This year though...the results will be epic. Just wait.
Oh, well I'm at it, I just wanted to share my post from this same day last year (Oct. 5, 2012). It was also the weekend before General Conference, sweater weather, Zumba highlights, etc. It made me smile...but then again, it is all about me.
September was a great month—one that mostly revolved around U-Jam and excellent weather. I'm very excited about what October will bring. I've already put to use boots and scarfs, and the weather has been heavenly. It *may* have snowed this morning, but it's already sunny and the air has a crisp, cool feel to it. With that, let's take a look at my life in Instagrams.
Sept 5 was my brother's 22 birthday. "I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22!" I took him to dinner to celebrate and we had fun.
I did a lot of U-Jam stuff in September. In addition to learning my routines, filming a video demo and sending that in, and shadowing current classes, I also worked on my "cool" factor. I've learned that the best way to pull off the hip hop look is...well...don't care what I wear and honestly...wear what I might wear to bed. :) Sweatpants are awesome.
We had fantastic weather this month. And for me that means, rain, rain, clouds, thunderstorms, and more rain. I love it... I love it, I love it, I love it. Check out the flooding in this parking lot.
Again, more U-Jam. I'd find empty studios to practice in and get used to rocking the baseball hate.
Ah, 1 p.m. with a temperature under 60 degrees. Take away the heat, world, and bring back fall air.
I decided I need to read more, so my latest run to the library resulted in me bringing home this stack of reads. My one rule was that I had to get some fiction books.
LDS General Conference is this weekend but the last weekend in September was the Relief Society broadcast...so kinda like a sneak peak to the full conference weekend. I'm pretty excited to spend this Saturday and Sunday listening to the modern prophets and apostles.
When I was a junior in high school, I landed a job working at the one and only Build-a-Bear Workshop.
A brand new store was opening in the mall near where I lived in Virginia and I was one of the original staff brought on for the store opening. I remember the interview included a lot of personality questions and random things like asking what animal I think I would be. I'm fairly certain I said something about being a butterfly and something about being social and friendly.
I worked there for over a year, and I think one more Christmas break. It was a great job for me as a high school student and I still get a little nostalgic when I walk by a store.
These pictures are from our Bearacademy Awards Party when we celebrated being open for a year. In addition to my one year of service and "Great 'Be There'" recognition, I also got the "Most likely to become a Britney impersonator" award. Because, yes, when I was younger and very, very skinny, people would often randomly tell me that I look like Britney Spears. (Like stop me in bathrooms or get people to take pictures of us together random.) I've never seen the similarity. :-)
If you are in many Facebook groups, I'm betting you know the person I'm talking about.
The one who uses the group as his or her own wall.
The one who posts three times as much as anyone else.
The one you want someone to have a talking to about the purpose of the group.
The one who doesn't seem to understand the scope (big or small) of the group.
I'm in my fair share of groups. Some of these are social/informational groups for various church groups I'm a member of. Some of these are for sharing ideas for teaching or choreography. Some of these are certain groups of friends interested in particular activities. Some of these are for the fitness instructors at a certain facility.
I love groups. I think they are super useful and help streamline where to find information and don't necessarily clog your feed.
But there are certain people...
For example...and now that I think about it I think the most abused groups of mine are those related to my fitness classes.
Anyway...for example, an instructor might post in a general instructor page about needing a substitute at a specific location where the sub MUST be on the payroll. This bugs me for two reasons. 1) Such a post that is only applicable to a small population should only be shared with that small population. That post belongs in a group for JUST that facility's instructors. 2) If no such group exists, the post belongs on that person's personal page. It is far more likely that she is personally friends with those people than finding those maybe 10 instructors among a group of 1,000.
Does that make sense?
My other favorite person is the one who just randomly posts quotes, pictures, or promotions for personal events. All the time. Sorry dude, I know you don't have as many friends as there are people in this group, but that stuff belongs on your wall.
Sometimes I just want to sit these people down to say, for example, "Hun, this page is for instructors to find subs, discuss schedules, share announcements, and coordinate events for the facility. Your daily motivational quotes and articles are great, but try posting them on your own wall rather than forcing everyone to weed through them to find content we actually need."
Looks like this post turned a bit into a rant. Sorry about that.
This whole post is reminding me of this skit by Studio C so check it out.
Does anyone else have a stack of gift cards that they just can't seem to get rid of? Don't get me wrong. I love receiving gift cards, and I appreciate the many people they have come from.
But when that balance gets pretty small, I have a hard time spending those last few dollars. A couple weeks ago I had the goal to—get this—spend all my gift cards! I thought it would be a fun weekend activity, but in the end I didn't find anything I wanted to buy. And when I go grocery shopping and such, I either forget or think it will be too much of a hassle to try to pay with five gift cards. I bet cashiers loooove that.
Next I thought, oh hey, I'll buy stuff online! ... But most online checkouts don't allow you to determine partial payments from those cards. And there I was stuck again.
I'll tell you that I did NOT get those gift cards spent...although I did empty a Walmart one.
However, I finally found the best way for me to spend those gift cards and get them out of my wallet.
AMAZON!
I can always find something to buy on Amazon. So when I discovered that Amazon actually lets you buy an e-gift card for any amount—yes, ANY AMOUNT—and adds that gift card to your Amazon balance. It never expires and will automatically apply to your Amazon purchases if you want it to. So clean out your wallet and add some money to your Amazon account.
How to Spend Your Gift Cards.
1. Call the number or visit the website listed on the back of your gift card. Find out the exact balance of the gift card.
3. Next to "Amount," select "Set my own." Then type the amount of the gift card you'd like to empty.
4. After clicking "Purchase" select "Pay with new card" and use the gift card info in the payment section.
5. Confirm your purchase and check the e-mail you mailed the gift card to. Click "Redeem now." This will automatically take you back to Amazon and add the gift card amount to your balance.
"Don't just let life happen. Make extraordinary decisions. Decisions that lead to living a life you are proud to live."
Decisions, decisions, decisions. They occupy almost every moment of our lives. They can be big and small. They can be simple and complicated. They can be quick and drawn out. No matter the type of decision, you will inevitably face it in your life.
I'm not always a great decision maker. Sometimes I'm afraid of making the wrong choice. Sometimes I don't want the pressure of knowing an outcome is directly related to a decision I make. Sometimes I really don't care. Sometimes I'm downright lazy.
There are, however, several big decisions I've made that I find myself feeling super proud about making.
A recent one is the decision to move into an apartment by myself.
The other day I was simply washing my dishes and mentally calendaring other household chores I needed to do.
Then I stopped.
And I thought "I am so proud that I decided to live by myself."
This might not seem like a big deal to some. But I love it. I've talked half heartedly about doing it for a while. I'm just the type of person who really enjoys having a whole place to myself and not walking over a roommate all the time. Nothing against the roommate (although I've had a couple, let's say, interesting ones), but there's something about it.
Right then, I thought, "THAT's how I want to live my life."
I want to more actively DECIDE things in my life rather than waiting for things to happen or accepting the ways things fall. I want to take some risks that lead to more satisfaction in the outcome. I want to actively move forward on dreams and goals. I want every decision to contribute to my living a life I'm proud to live.
I was putting away some items in my bedroom today and could not stop thinking "Where in the world did all of my baskets go?"
You see, I have this skinny shelving unit and used to have a basket on every shelf. Three shelves are behind a door and THOSE had baskets. For a total of six baskets.
Since I moved, I can only find three. All of the ones I used in the doored shelves are gone.
And it's driving me crazy.
I can not come up with any idea as to where they might be. And this got me thinking about the other random things to go missing from my life.
Like a long black maxi skirt that I wore all the time last year? Nowhere to be found.
I'm hoping that by some miracle I find both of these things again. But have you ever lost something like that and found it much, much later? What's the story? Let's share!
This one time my sister Susie and I decided to have a garage sale. This was in the middle of May when I had just moved, and she was about to move. We both had quite a few things to get rid of and decided that the work of a garage sale was worth it...plus we thought we'd have fun! (Yea, we are kinda crazy like that.
Well the morning of the planned garage sale (I guess technically it would be a yard sale) turned out to be quite cloudy—with what looked like very high chances of rain.
We decided to go ahead with our plan anyway.
I had printed tons of signs with cute phrases like "A gal's dream yard sale" or "Scrapbooking supplies galore" or "Come one, come all" and, uh, "Yard Sale."
I taught a Zumba class that morning at 8 am, so Susie and I met up early to get everything ready and hang up the signs, and I took off while Susie held down the fort. Our set up quite literally turned out to be a fort.
The rain definitely came. And it was quite a chilly day.
All of our stuff ended up huddled together under a large tarp.
We didn't sell MUCH that day. But I had fun. And I'd probably do it again...and hope for better weather.
The "This One Time" series is a new thing I'm doing to share some random stories and experiences from my life. One of my projects this past week has been to go through and organize a lot of old pictures and documents. That project inspired this series.
It started with Twitter, but you'll see it everywhere these days: Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, and—oh, oh—even Facebook. The hashtag. Oh wait, I meant the #hashtag. I already had most of this post outlined, but when Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake's Late Night skit exploded via social media this morning, I knew today was the day to post on this topic. (I'll also just say that I love Jimmy Fallon. I really do.)
I hope you enjoy the following video, which pokes fun at the current hashtag mania. And to throw my linguistic viewpoint out there, the practice of verbally saying "hashtag"in spoken conversation seems to have started in a comical, almost ironic usage but is actually becoming more common. Raise your hand if you've heard someone hashtag something verbally. Oh, and look at me using "hashtag" as a verb...
The video is funny. I can't get over "Hashtag I'm the real cookie monster. Hashtag Nom nom nom nom nom."
I've found it interesting that so many blog posts and articles reference the skit as a reason to stop using hashtags and why they are pointless or make us seem dumb.
I don't agree.
Don't get me wrong, I completely get that hashtags CAN be misused and CAN be quite annoying. Do a quick Google search on the top social media pet peeves, and hashtags are likely listed in every source.
But, hashtags DO play a very powerful role in the social media world. They are a great tool when used correctly. So take a quick read below and stop performing hashtag faux pas. (Full disclosure, I also misus hashtags.)
Understand Hashtags:
If you know why people are supposed to use hashtags, you'll understand how YOU can and should use hashtags.
Hashtags are used to organize information. Using a certain hashtag allows people who might not see your original pin, tweet, or post, to find it later. Specifically when they are interested in the topic associated with that hashtag.
Use Sparingly To Categorize Your Posts:
Hashtags are super powerful for businesses, events, or even social trends. If you want more exposure to your posts, choose one or two categories to hashtag.
DON'T OVERDO OR ABUSE THE SYSTEM. Don't use a hashtag your post is not related to. Don't go crazy. And don't be the person who hashtags every word. A single word does not always classify as a category. Which brings me to my next point.
Use the Hashtag Within The Text:
You can typically tell if you are overusing hashtags if you have to clump them all together at the end of your post. Say you have a vegetarian recipe you tried and would like to share. Instead of following your post with things like "#vegetarian #recipe #spinach #mushrooms #yumyum #icantgetenough." Try incorporating that in your text. Maybe use "I just tried this #vegetarian black bean enchilada #recipe."
Have a Reason to Use a Hashtag:
I support being creative and making your hashtag usage your own. For example, I personally tend to post a lot of feet pictures via Instagram and use #theplacesmyfeethavebeen to organize those photos together. I also use #siblingtime for posts related to activities with my brother or sisters. And there are others. But the point is, I use those hashtags to help me organize my social media activity. My purpose is organization. (Yes, I am the type who looks back over my past activity.)
Only Use a Hashtag That Could Be Used More Than Once
There is no point to using a hashtag that you or anyone else will NEVER use again. There just isn't. So don't do it.
Don't Hashtag Your Whole Caption
Most likely you can't use that whole caption again, but this faux pas happens enough that it needs to be addressed separately. Again, just don't do it.
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