Tagged

The only other people I know that Blog are Lisa, Mom, and Prudence so I tag you. (Prudence, you can respond via email, or put it on with our recipes, but I really want you to respond :) The rules are to post 6 items about yourself (habits, traits, deep dark secrets, etc.) on your blog, then tag 6 more people to do the same, or in my case, three.

1. This year I've had several people comment on how beautiful the shape of my eyes is. I've never noticed anything remarkable about them, and I never knew that eye shape could be attractive, but there you have it!

2. I should be finishing up my two take home exams, but instead I'm procrastinating (just a little) and blogging.

3. Sometimes I eat leftovers for breakfast. I think it's funny that some people can only stand to have a small bowl of cereal or a glass of juice for breakfast. I wake up hungry, and I want REAL food!

4. I may be musically inclined, but I'm pop music deficient. The other day I was traveling up to a hot springs with some friends (it was a really fun trip by the wayw) and the conversed about different bands from the Eighty's on 'til the popular ones now, and I think I had heard about maybe two of them. The other ones I had never heard of, nor to I really care if I ever do again.

5. I've never felt the need for other close friends, because I have my sisters.

6. In my spare time (and I'm laughing as I write this, because I really don't have spare time; I don't know if I've ever been so busy) I'm reading the second book in the Kingdom and the Crown series.

Why it's so fun to be a student clinician

Today my 8:00 am client came, and I just can't describe how cute she is. Every session we work on narratives for a part of the time, and today I was focusing on teaching her how to start a story. Good stories start with a good description of the character involved and where the character lives, or in other words the setting needs to be described well.

So, in order to convey this to my client, we began by looking at a flower. My idea was to elicit various descriptions from her that could describe the flower. I thought we'd talk about where the flower lives and what the colors it had on it, and really basic simple descriptions.

This is how it really started:

K: What are some words we can use to describe this flower?
A: The flower is SO CUTE! (I would have bet someone a million dollars that this would be her first description, it is her favorite adjective)
K: How else can we describe the flower?
A: It has pink fingernail polish.
K: Oh really? What are these called?
A: {Blank stare}
K: These are petals. What color are they?
A: Lellow!
K: That's right this flower has yellow petals. What other colors does it have?
A: It has pink fingernail polish!
K: Okay, {me pointing to the leaves} what are these?
A: A stem.
K: {Me pointing to the stem and then the leaves} Yes, this is a stem and these are leaves. What color are the leaves.
A: Green.

After continuing on in this manner for sometime....

K: Okay let's use all these words together to describe the flower. You start, use all the words we just talked about, to describe the flower.
A: {After a long pause} This flower is so cute and it has pink fingernail polish!
K: What else can we say about the flower, using the words that we just talked about?
A: {Blank stare}

She is the cutest little girl ever! And I had a hard time not cracking up every time she mentioned the fingernail polish. The picture above is the actual picture we used for our description practice. As you can clearly see, the flower has neither fingernails nor is it the color pink. I just love that little girls her age are always so obsessed with these things. Life would be far less entertaining if they weren't.

The Best Part About Parent Teacher Conferences

Last week I got to travel down to Ogden and help translate Spanish/English for the parent teacher conferences. It was really fun, and I had a great time being able to help out, but the funniest part was listening to all of the stories that parents shared with the teachers:

One teacher mentioned to a parent that her child had mentioned that they'd lost their cat. The parent said, "Oh yes, we looked high and low for that cat, inside and outside the house. We knew that the cat had been sick so we were afraid that it had died somewhere inside the house." Okay, so yes ew, gross.

They eventually found the cat A WEEK after they had started searching for it. One of the kids lifted up the cushions on the sofa and looked under only to discover the cat there. Apparently the family has several other pets that roam freely about the house as well.

I don't know if I would ever admit to something like that happening in my house, and I can gaurentee that the sofa would have left the house along with the cat. Yuck! You know what, though? Teachers have some of the best stories I've ever heard!

I've Been Experimented On

This week my roomate asked me if I wouldn't mind being experimented on. I said, "sure, why not." Her mom works in a Doctor's clinic that also utilizes varying degrees of homeopathic remedies, as well as issuing the normal drug perscriptions.

One of the homeopathic tools they use is acupuncture. Now don't get excited, I didn't have acupuncture performed on me. Her mom, Carrie, is a nurse, and she needed to practice a new computer program that utilizes the acupuncture points in your hands and feet to determine the strength and health of the energy levels flowing through the various parts of your body.

Now, I'm generally a bit of a sceptic when it comes to homeopathic remedies, etc., but this was really cool. In one hand I held a kind of wet metal rod, and with the other Carrie placed a kind of pointer-energy-reader-thing on the various points of my hand that indicate specific "energy" systems. Now, I was feeling pretty miserable Wednesday because I had a nasty cough and some awful head congestion, and this instrumentation picked up on it exactly.

It measured my lungs, nose, and upper sinus energy systems as all being weakened/stressed. Pretty cool, huh? Carrie explained to me, that a researcher in acupuncture had created the program, and he researched all over the world and analyzed and reanalyzed this computer program until he felt confident that he had it right, and it seems pretty right to me.

After they analyze your system, this information gets sent to another program, and it determines which system should be treated first to benefit your body the most. Interestingly enough, the system chose my chemical allergies system first. Carrie explained that it didn't choose the upper sinuses or the lungs because it could tell that these were only temporary stresses caused by my cold, and the allergies was a more chronic weakness.

So next comes the drops test. They have this vast supply of homeopathic drops, and they go through and determine which drops would help revitalize the weakend system. The system said that I needed the Childhood Vaccinations drops. Apparently, a lot of people's bodies respond to childhood vaccinations negatively, and this causes allergic reactions to some chemicals because of lingering side-effects. These drops are supposed to counter-balance the effectiveness of such negative side-effects. Isn't it fascinating? I'm going to go in for more practice/experimentation in a couple of weeks, and we'll see what happens to my system after I've taken the drops for this two week period.

I've never had so much fun being someone's guinea pig.

What Grad School is all About

Wow! I made it through my first week of Grad school, and I'm already grateful for a three day weekend. There's just so much to do, and so little time to do it. You know, I've always thought that I've been a pretty disciplined person in grad school, but there's a whole new level to be learned.

I'm really excited for the Clinic aspect of everything, and mildly terrified of all the course work and extra studying that's going to be involved. I not only have to pass my classes now, but I must also pass certification in specific areas within the class to become certified by ASHA (the American Speech and Hearing Association). Wow! Talk about the nitty gritty. I also have to fulfill a specific number of clinical hours in individual areas.

My best approach is going to be to plan like crazy, and take it a day at a time.

Fifty Things About Me

One of my favorite blogs from the Silly Witch is when she listed her "50 Things About Me". I had so much fun reading it that I hope you will enjoy mine half as much as I enjoy hers.

1. My favorite form of exercise is biking riding. I love to ride my bike. I once rode to Salt Lake from Provo, and it was so fun! One of my goals for next summer is to ride in one of the long distance bicycle runs.

2. I've only weeded my garden once this year, and it's thriving.

3. My favorite dessert is vanilla ice cream with fresh rasberries and hot fudge.

4. I sometimes think that at the end of my life, my tombstone will read: "Jack of all trades, master of none." I have a tendency to start projects and leaving them hanging for an indefinite period of time (scrapbooking, an exercise routine, blogging, etc.). I think this is the reason that I never made the Volleyball team. I really do enjoy the sport, I was just never willing to put the time into become a "master".

5. My favorite color to wear is blue.

6. My favorite color to decorate with is green.

7. Despite the fact that I have been home from my mission for over a year, I still tend to think of the day when I clean up the house and do laundry (it's usually a Saturday), as P-day.

8. I love children's books. Last year one of my professors informed me that it was essential to collect good children's literature for your clinic. I was thrilled with the news. One of my favorites: the Skippy John Jones collection.

9. I'm a girl who likes "happily ever after" movies and books. If I don't think it's going to have a happy ending I don't watch it or read it. The one exception to this rule is the seventh Harry Potter. I wasn't sure if it was going to have a happy ending, but I took my chances and read it any way.

10. I love to cook. I never feel like I have time for it, but I enjoy it when I can.

11. My favorite room in a house is a kitchen...of course it's got to have lots of windows and light like my parent's home in Montana, and the house I'm currently residing at.

12. I enjoy driving cars, especially stick-shifts. I was terrified to learn how, I think it was because I couldn't trust it if I didn't understand how it worked. I took a consumer mechanics course my senior year in high school, and I haven't been afraid of anything with a motor in it since then.

13. I love yoga. I was introduced to it by a roomate down at the Y, and I've enjoyed it ever since.

14. My most important attribute is that I have a testimony of Jesus Christ and His true gospel restored to the earth in these latter-days.

15. I've wondered for years what lentils look like, and I finally found out this week.

16. I speak spanish. This week I've been out in the schools in Ogden, and I've had the chance to talk with a lot of Hispanic parents. It has been so much fun, and I've been able to rev-up my skills a bit, as they've been getting a bit rusty.

17. My favorite hymn is "How Firm a Foundation." It has a great melody and hopeful words, I can't help but be happy when I hear it and sing it.

18. Don't ask me who someone famous is, I simply won't know. I was traveling down to Ogden with one of my professors and he thought he'd try the radio quiz game, to see which artists I recognized. I laughed and told him he was wasting his time...I simply don't know or care.

19. I play the piano. It's one of the most soothing and satisfying activities on the planet.

20. One of my goals: Before I turn thirty I'm going to ride in a hot-hair balloon.

21. I just started grad school on Monday, and I'm going to be VERY busy.

22. I have the best parents in the world, I'd nominate them for best parents of the year, but they'de hate to become famous.

23. I had to purchase liability insurance this month...wierd.

24. I'm a morning person. There's nothing in the world as refreshing as a cool morning breeze...except possibly a pleasant evening breeze after a hard days work.

25. A friend of mine who's an obsessive shopper, is moving to Chicago, and I just inherited a beautiful portion of her clothing. I don't think I've ever dressed so well.

26. My favorite breakfast cereal is Frosted Mini Wheats, I could eat them every single day of the week for breakfast and be perfectly content.

27. If I could eat out at an restaurant in the City of Logan, I would choose the Old Grist Mill. They have the yummiest tuna sandwhiches that I have ever tasted.

28. I drive a Toyota Camry. It's a great car, and I'm not sure I ever want to drive anything else.

29. I'm taking an Institute class on Studying the Scriptures. Because I'm a morning person I'm taking it at 7:30 in the morning. It's fabulous!

30. I like playing Scrabble. I've only ever played it with my family, and I don't recall ever winning a single game.

31. I've always wanted to get a professional full-body massage. It seems soooo relaxing.

32. I don't have any tonsils.

33. According to a teamwork test I took today, in a group situation I'm considerate and direct...does that seem like a slight oxymoron to anyone else?

34. I would love to be organized, but life always seems to happen before I get to that point.

35. I agree with the Silly Witch...ill fitting sheets are extremely irritating. If you buy twin sheets during the college sale time, you have to be extra careful not to purchase the extra long ones that they're saling because of all the freshman in the dorms who sleep on extra long beds.

36. According to the color code test I'm mostly white and blue.

37. I love being silly.

38. My favorite TV Show is Psych.

39. I'd like to live in Montana someday. John Steinbeck called it "the last best place," and I think he's absolutely right.

40. I used to be scared of disabled people. I'm taking a class to learn about them right now, and I'm gradually learning a better perspective and a lot more respect for them.

41. I speak Spanish. I learned to speak it in New Jersey, where I served as a full time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saits.

42. Serving a mission was one of the best experiences of my life. It cemented the testimony of truth I already had, and I still constantly draw from my experiences during it. On September 29th it will be 3 years exactly since I entered the MTC.

43. I've never broken a bone in my body, I've bent one, though. I fell out of a treehouse when I was little and I got what's called a greenstick fracture. I fell out of the tree house because I slipped coming down the ladder. If my memory serves me correctly I believe I slipped because I was wearing my Sunday dress shoes. Little girls are so silly, and I was no exception.

44. I've had stitches (for things other than surgery) twice. Once I cut my finger open on a can of chili...I wouldn't let Dad take me into the hospital until he retied my Sunday dress. Once when I was playing ping-pong (also on a Sunday). Long story short: be careful capturing a ping pong ball from under a staircase when the staircase is made of metal. I had steri-strips on my chin once from a bike accident, and when I wrinkle my chin you can see the scar.

45. I loved to write stories when I was little. I once made it to the state level in reflections for a story I wrote. The only pieces I've written in the last few years, are school essays, and one poem I wrote on my mission. It's entitled, The Tag by Sister Kristy Colleen Price:

It first carried an orange dot

In a significant spot,

Announcing I was quite green

To the missionary scene.

Later on I carried two.

One seen only by the few

Hurrying on to hearth and home

Mid the nasty winter storms.

Th' other pinned to my sweater

Displayed a little better

To the ones who truly know

Why we two tramp thru the snow.

Summer comes in a short while--

Hard work missionary style

Sees the color slightly fade:

Hot sun? No matter, faith saved.

Carried for over a year,

It has seen its share of tears.

Scratches, it has a few.

Bent in service: living true.

But the most important part,

Why it's placed over my heart,

A name writ on the third line.

He's your Savior. He is mine.

46. The only reason I can write a well-written paper today is my mother. She proofread all my essays in High School, and I learned it all from her!

47. I love music from film scores, especially the orchestral parts. My roomate my last three years at BYU was a contemporary music composition major, and she introduced me to the joys of film scores.

48. I'm a research assisant right now, and a couple of our projects are in the final process right now. I never thought I could get excited over research data, but I am! I can't wait to witness the final results.

49. I'm a twin, a younger sister, an older sister, and a daughter. I've been blessed with a perspective of my immediate family from almost every angle, and I still learn something new from my siblings and parents every single time I talk to them: you're all amazing.

50. Even though I try and count my blessings, I can't. There are just far too many of them to number.

The Cure for Boredom

Boredom is a condition characterized by perception of one's environment as dull, tedious, and lacking in stimulation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boredom . If I thought boredome was going to be a problem for me this summer, I was definitely mistaken. It was really fun actually.

Last weekend at about 9:30 am Saturday I got a phone call from my friend Jolene who explained that one of our mutual friends needed to get her yard cleaned up asap or risk getting fined by the City of Hyrum. She lives in her grandma's house and her uncles and aunts are supposed to be responsible for the yard's upkeep, but that hadn't happened yet, and the city was getting a little impatient, so Missy Kissy to the Rescue! After calling as many people as I know that live in the Logan area I headed off to the sight to see what damage we could undo.

The support of friends and even a few strangers was awesome. All in all throughout the day we probably had about 15 people who came and went according to the time they were able to spare.

I've had some other fun activities throughout the summer as well: an awesome camping/rock-climbing/mountain biking trip up to Rock City, in Idaho, one wonderful week with my family in Montana (I love you guys!), and a lot of fun morning and afternoons biking around the Logan area.

This weekend I had hoped to be camping once again up in Idaho, but alas! instead of celebrating my finally being done with my City of Logan job, duty called me to finish up transcription work on the research project up on campus for my other job. It took four hours, but halleluah it's done. There'll be a lot more of it next week, though, we're going to be out in the schools doing prescreening. I'm so excited! This'll be my first chance to earn real clinic hours and gain some hands on practical experience.

The week after next? School begins again...no, my life certainly has no room for boredom.

It's Official!

Prof. Vicki Simonsmeier and I sat down and talked over the IDT program on Wednesday, and it's official, I'll be starting in with the program at the same time that school starts! I've learned a bit more about it since Wednesday, too: I'll be taking an extra class on Friday afternoons, as well as participating in a group research project with a team of individuals from different disciplines here on campus, namely Social Work and Audiology. There are a few other disciplines, but I can't think of them at the moment.

Besides the research project, I'll also be observing and participating in several projects at various clinics throughout the Logan area. This is particularly nice, since usually first year Grad's are stuck on campus at the clinic a lot. I'll still be spending my fair share of time at the clinic, but I'm looking forward to being able to get out and participate more in opportunities outside of the typical campus bubble.

And here comes bachelor number two!

Okay, so the title is a wee bit deceptive in that there are currently no men in my life as far as dating goes...but I have officially completed my second bachelor's degree. Yea! I am now officially certified to work as an SLP aid, and I have completed all the prerequisite course work for the master's program. So there are absolutely no worries about things left undone as I begin my first semester in the graduate program.

Another new and exciting thing has ocurred this week, too. One of my graduate professors, Vicki Simonsmeier, who I've only met a time or two, and very briefly in passing, sent me this email:

Kristy,

Dr. Manuel-Dupont has suggested you for a training position in the Interdisciplinary Training Program for next year. I’ve attached some brief information about this program for you to review. This program also has a stipend (usually $3000 for a first year graduate) and requires 300 hours of didactic, leadership and clinical work. Please review the information and email to make an appointment to discuss this opportunity.

Thank you.

Professor Simonsmeier

Vicki Simonsmeier, MS, CCC-SLP/A

Well, needless to say I did email her, and I'll be meeting with her on Wednesday afternoon! She told me once again that "Dr. Manuel-Dupont speaks very highly of you." And while nothing is official yet, I feel really confident that this is going to work out.

Ever since I learned about Interdisciplinary Teams (IDT's) at the end of last fall semester, it's something that I've wanted to be apart of. It means that I'll get specific training on how to organize my caseload based on a group effort. So, if a child is involved with a physical therapist, a social worker, and an audiologist in addition to myself, I'll be trained on how to work with that team of individuals so that we utilize our time most effectively and focus each of our efforts more specificially to the goals that we decide on as a team. It's a pretty awesome, (and when it works right) efficient approach to those in need of services from multiple individuals. All in all, it's a great opportunity and I'm excited for the chance to be involved in it.

The Rodeo Romp

What could be more fun than an evening out with the girls in Preston, Idaho? I'm not sure, because this was sooo fun! We arrived in Preston about an hour and a half early for the rodeo, and just in time to see the tailend of their parade. Since we were so ahead of schedule, we went to eat in this charming little local pizza place before heading off to the rodeo. My friend Amber, a true rodeo groupy, purchased our seats ahead of time so we were front and center and had a great view of it all.

I was entertained by the fact that the girls around me kept asking me what the rules of certain events were. Being known to be from Montana sure does have a stigma attached to it. I paid attention to the announcer, though, and learned a lot about the does and don'ts of barrel racing, bull and bronc riding, etc. The mutton bust and barrel racing were by far may favorite events.

Bull riding still terrifies me as much as the first time I watched it 15 years ago. Do you remember the Boulder rodeo Lisa? We went and rode in the parade down main street with Chandra Obie and her parents (they were campaigning for some political position at the time, I do believe), and then they took us to the rodeo. The big bulls kept ramming their riders up against the fence near the audience, and it was rather frightening.

Afterwards the fairgrounds people paid Lisa, Chandra, and I $5.00 a piece to clean out the beer cans from underneath the stadium. We came back reaking of alcohol, and Mom questioned "what on earth have you been doing?" I'm pleased to remember that she wasn't a bit concerned that we had actually been drinking the stuff we smelled of. I now know that it was a job definitely worth more than $5.00.

This rodeo was a lot different from the one in Montana in that respect, though. There was absolutely no alcohol in sight. The biggest difference was that it was begun with prayer. I mentioned this to Mom, and she said she couldn't think of any other sport where prayer was more needed, than at this kind of event. I couldn't agree more. I loved the prayer, though. It was a true cowboy's prayer, comparing green pastures to heaven above, and other similar kinds of fun cowboy imagery.

I'd go to this rodeo again in a heart beat!

Pioneer Day

One of the fun things about Utah is that they celebrate the 24th of July. And although I've lived in Utah on and off for five years, somehow I've never actually been in Utah for this celebration. Well here I am! It's great: a holiday in the middle of the week. I love it.

When I was 9 or 10 I remember thinking that I had been born in the wrong century. I wished so strongly that I could have been a Pioneer. The idea of camping under the stars, cooking outside and doing the washing in the creek, walking in the sun all day long, while all along being headed toward a promised land was very appealing to me (the majority of these daydreams I do believe, occurred during math class...in particular the loathsome fractions unit).

Well according to Dalling H. Oaks, I can be a pioneer. I've been collecting quotes recently (and I have to say, Dallin H. Oaks says things so eloquently) and I really liked this one:

"It is not enough to study or reenact the accomplishments of our pioneers. We need to identify the great, eternal principles they applied to achieve all they achieved for our benefit and then apply those principles to the challenges of our day. In that way we honor their pioneering efforts, and we also reaffirm our heritage and strengthen its capacity to bless our own posterity and 'those millions of our Heavenly Father's children who have yet to hear and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ' (Our Heritage: A Brief History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [1996], 145). We are all pioneers in doing so." (Dallin H. Oaks, "Following the Pioneers," Ensign, Nov. 1997, 72)

Some of the great and eternal principles that I thought of were these: weigh the price, and decide if what you're doing is really worth it; when something's right don't hesitate, just do it; and once you've made all of these decisions, constantly press forward no matter what.

How great that I can still be a pioneer; it's not really in the way that I longed for 15 years ago, but sharing what I know with others has proven to be a pretty great way to be a pioneer.

Gardening Successes!

Today I was hanging clothes on the line, when I realized I haven't given much heed to my little garden patches as of late. I wandered over to take a peak, and discovered that despite the weeds and the lack of watering it is thriving! There are loads of beautiful looking tomatoes and banana peppers and despite the fact that I haven't thinned anything that needs thinning, the plants are growing bigger and bigger. Do you suppose that plants are like people? ... Adversity only makes them grow stronger.

I don't know for sure about that, therefore, I'm planning to devote my evening tomorrow to ensure their survival. I suppose the Savior is a lot like that in our lives, though. He looks down and says, "hmm, Kissy's been enduring a lot of adversity, and she's grown a lot stronger, but I don't want her to dwindle in the drought, or fall victim to the weeds so I'll spend some time with her tomorrow, and ensure her survival." That is a very comforting thought.

Graduate School

I've left you all waiting in suspense long enough. I was accepted into my preferred graduate school! I'll be going to Utah State University in Speech Language Pathology. I must only survive these last few summer courses (that means passing with a B- or better), and I'm in!

Recently it has just dawned on me how cool it actually is that I'll be in Grad School. Some of the best parts of Grad School include the things that I will not be doing: I will not be working at Utility Billing (I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to just focusing on school, especially after the hectic life I've led this summer...two part time jobs, three classes (that's nine credits), and don't forgot a very busy church calling), I will not be twiddling my thumbs idley as life passes me by, I will not be wishing, wishing, wishing, and never accomplishing, I will not be feeling sorry for myself, and I will not be worried that nothing ever good comes my way. I'm so grateful for the things I don't have!

Church Bloopers

I must agree whole-heartedly with my brother-in-law...procrastination really does make time fly. I can scarcely believe that I am already into week 6 of the semester. The most exciting thing that has happened during the past month and a half is that all my gradschool apps. are submitted. Now I must learn more about the art of waiting patiently, knowing that there is not another tiny thing that you can do but hope and pray. Those are two pretty big things, though, so I'm sure that if I keep that up I'll know that the right thing has happened when the answers come rolling in.

The most amusing thing that happened today, was during church. During the intermediate hymn, a young man behind me began singing the third verse when we were just beginning the second. Usually people catch themsleves halfway through the first word, but he kept right on going through the entire first phrase. I don't know why, but for some reason church music bloopers are some of my favorite things. It must have something to do with people making fools of themselves in a very public place but still being in a good position to hope it goes unnoticed by the majority of the crowd. It gave me something to smile about and a good inner-chuckle any way.

One of my other favorite ridiculous church music moments is that one distinct individual who always sings in his/her loudest opera voice on that high note no one else is brave enough to attempt. Then there is always that cheerful soul that you can't help but appreciate, who sings with all the fervour he/she can muster but doesn't sing a single note that is actually written on the page. I'm not laughing at or mocking these people, but rather I think more than anything I smile because I respect their fearlessness; it's something that I would like to learn in certain aspects of my own life.