festivities and fanfare that are fun and free!

Alright so Travis and I got free tickets to the "Dancing with the Stars live tour" last night! It was really fun! The tickets were like $195.00 and apparently they didn't sell enough, so they were giving tickets away. Travis' co-worker gave some to us. It was such a blast! I felt bad for all the performers though because the E-center was not packed AT all, and the energy was non existent from the audience. I know what it's like to perform for a dead audience and it's not fun!

Anyway, Marlee Matlin was there, and even though she's not the best dancer in the world, I just adore her. She's so cute! She had an interpreter with her and he was pretty good, but I would have been better, because I'm a girl, and I would match her better. Not everyone from the show was there, but still, the dancing was incredible! They had lots of new dances choreographed and I was impressed. Travis and I had a wonderful time! Thanks to Erin for thinking of us!

alright already!

Ok, to appease several and satisfy the request of many, I will post something else so you don't have to keep looking at the quinoa. :) Yipee, it's the holiday season and I love it! Christmas was great, and we all had a wonderful time! This year for Christmas, Travis and I decided to not get each other any presents. We did give one homemade gift. Travis made me an awesome Travel Log scrapbook of all the places we've been to. I must say, he's actually really good! I made him a book of fortunes. I took all his fortune cookie papers that he's kept over the years and organized them and wrote a blurb about why each one is going to come true. I decorated it all colorful and stuff. Both were very time consuming, but also quite heartfelt and received well.

SO... in lieu of not getting each other small gifts, we did give ourselves a present... of traveling together. For a few months now, we've been putting extra money into a bank account, to save up for something special, and we decided that would be our main Christmas gift. WE ARE GOING TO HONG KONG!!!!!
I am very very excited! We are going in March for 10 days and we already bought our plane tickets. I have wanted to go ever since I found out Travis served his mission there. We found a killer deal on flights and hotel for 9 days. You would be surprised to know how inexpensive it was! So, it's a Christmas gift, but also a graduation celebration for Travis, and early 2 year wedding anniversary trip. I cannot wait to go around and see where Travis lived and served for 2 years!

Travis is teaching me some Cantonese and it's hard! It could not be more different than sign language. Luckily I can memorize easily. I already know how to say:
-I love you
-How much does this cost? (Super important because we'll be doing lots of shopping! Anyone want a purse?)
-This older brother is taller than that older brother
-Excuse me... I'm lost.
-Thank you

I'll be learning much more! Also, Travis says I'll fit right in, because apparently all the girls are short and slender with dark hair. By that time my hair might change though... we'll see! Anyway, we are really looking forward to going and we're happy we found such a good deal. And it's only 2 1/2 months away! Yay Hong Kong!

quinoa, get outta my mind!

A few weeks ago, I tried quinoa. (Pronounced keen-wah). It's a rice like food packed with protein. Health food fanatics are crazy about this stuff. Put some brown sugar in it and it's like oatmeal. Use it as a rice substitute, put it with cream of chicken, blah blah blah. Well in a class I interpret, the teacher really wanted everyone to try it, and she included the interpreters. Me? Well, I didn't really want to, but curiosity got the best of me. I ate it. After each bite I had a GULP of water to wash it down. She served it plain. No sugar or cream for me! :( While eating it, I didn't think it was that bad. But that was the day I got sick. Needless to say, I won't be eating it ever again.

Here's why. While I was sick, the only thing that I could think of was quinoa. Quinoa. QUINOA. After that, barf. I'd be feeling a little better and then BAM... quinoa. Bleah. It makes me cringe even now. I expressed my feelings about quinoa to my family and how it keeps popping into my head, and their reply? "Well just don't think about it." Easier said than done! I even prayed about it, to have it removed from my daily thoughts. But that's all I can think about! The sick little beads of quinoa running down the back of my throat. The bland taste of nothingness. To chew on it is like eating little baby birdie's eyeballs. Yeah, sick, right? YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO EAT IT and then BARF it up! Even know, after feeling better... quinoa pops into my head and instant pebble skin. The hair on the back of my neck stands and I start to sweat. Quinoa get out of my mind... please!!! Do you feel sick now? Yeah, me too. Sorry.

does this really happen? (part two)

Let me tell you a cute little story, with a wonderful ending.

So, remember the post titled, "whew, that was a close one"? Well, there's much more to it! So, in short, I had an opportunity, and I had to turn it down. I was really upset about it. I followed the promptings of the spirit and I'm glad I did. Here's what happened!

Two days later, another, BETTER work opportunity was presented to me. If I had taken the first opportunity, I wouldn't have been able to take this one. I changed my schedule back to the way it was, and things were good. If I had left my schedule unchanged, I wouldn't have been able to accept this position. Also, because I listened to the Lord, someone else took the first opportunity. This person needed the position much more than I did, because they had recently been laid off. Not only was my life blessed, but many other people, too! Just because of a silly work opportunity! I feel so lucky to know the reason why I needed to turn it down. Most people never know the reason why they are prompted to do certain things. But within 2 days, I did!

Alright, I know the suspense must be killing you, so I'll just get on with it and tell you the good news already. I am the newest adjunct teacher at Utah Valley University. I will be teaching the simultaneous interpreting class next semester. I am ecstatic! I love interpreting and I can't wait to be teaching it!

you forget, honey; I'm a big nerd

Last week while Travis and I were trying to finish up our final papers and homework, we sat in the living room listening to some classical music. I was trying to get some inspiration for my music class and a paper that I had to write. I don't often listen to classical music, but since we were both doing homework, why not?

Well a song came on and Travis said, "Oh, this is gregorian chant, right?" I was kind of surprised that he knew the style of song. If I had not known anything about music, I would have said, "Oh, this is like monk singing, right?" Anyway, I told Travis that I was surprised he knew what it was, and then he said, "You forget, honey; I'm a big nerd. I know lots of random stuff."

Hence the title of my post today. I am here to tell you that my husband is amazing. He is a jack of all trades, and master of a few. ;) He knows something about everything and I learn new things from him daily. He is incredibly smart. He knows about people, relationships, business, crazy upperlevel math, church history, he is the best movie quoter I know, and he remembers EVERYTHING. (This can be bad when I have my foot in mouth moments and I try to get away with it. Doesn't work. He remembers every converstation we have and every word uttered.) I know he likes to play around and be silly at times, but he's always acting appropriate for the situation. He is also very creative. He is quite the entrepreneur and has several business ideas that he wants to see in action. I'm excited for him and support him in all his endeavors!

I also wanted to announce that as of last night, Travis is officially DONE with school! He now has a BA degree in Business Management! I am very proud of him and all the work he has done to accomplish this goal. It was a long road for him and he's already thinking about getting a Master's. He said he wants to take a break for a while and see where life takes us. I support that 100%. I am very much looking forward to spending more time with him. Yipee! Although... it's my turn to be busy now. I've got some good news of my own. (and NO, I'm not pregnant.) I'll post more later about the good news! I know you're dying to find out, but this post was dedicated to my one and only, dearest husband Travis. Congratulations, you have a BA DEGREE!!!!

puttin' on the ritz

Ritz crackers are my friend. That's all. :(

Does this really happen? (part one)

So you all know that there's been a bug going around for the past few days, and let me assure you, this story will be different than all the rest. I'll try to make it the least graphic I can. Wednesday evening I felt very sick to my stomach and come nightfall, I was tossing cookies like no one's business. That actually lasted for a full 12 hours, it was not pretty. I thought it would be food poisoning, but I kinda felt like it was something else. I ended up going and having an IV. My body was so dehydrated, I had an entire bag in 15 minutes! It normally takes 45! They drew my blood and did a urinalysis. Come to find out, I have a freaking kidney infection! Do people even get kidney infections? Apparently I do!

I was so weak, I couldn't even hold my own weight, let alone try to get up or walk anywhere. I had a temperature of 102.5 that didn't break until later last night. I thought my brain was going to fry itself. I am very frail and weak right now, but doing a little better. Doctor said only liquids for 48 hours. That means I get to have my first meal tomorrow at 2. I might sneak and eat a saltine here and there. Real food doesn't even sound good yet. So I think I'll stick to doctor's orders. I'm on meds fight off the infection, and hopefully it'll be gone in about 2 weeks. Unless I need to change meds, because apparently there's more than one for a kidney infection! I'm so glad I had people to help me yesterday. There's no way I could have been okay alone. My mom and sister are absolutely wonderful. They came and stayed with me almost all day! I know, I'm such a baby, but I can't suffer alone! You know how sometimes you really want to punch someone in the kidney? Well if you've ever thought about doing it to me, you've got your wish... That's exactly what all this feels like. Abs, hurt. Feels like I did 5,000 crunches. Knees, sore. No explanation. Throat, yuck. And kidneys? Feels like they got punched. Still. You may not have the satisfaction of actually doing it, but what I've been through is much much worse. Feel better? I hope so.

whew, that was a close one!

Yesterday I was presented with an opportunity that I really wanted to accept. I changed my entire school schedule around to accommodate for this opportunity, and to give my boss more availability to interpret. This change seemed best for everyone. My boss was pleased that I gave her more availability, the people were happy that offered me this opportunity, and I was glad I could still take my 4 classes. I hastily made the decision. I was surprised that everything fell wonderfully into place and I was able to make the change. It seemed to come as a blessing.

As the evening wore on, I felt horrible about this decision. Well horrible is an understatement. I felt physically ill about it. I wanted this opportunity and I knew it would give me experience. Not only that, but this opportunity could lead to several others. However I knew I had to turn it down and change my schedule back to the way it was. I didn't want to, but the Spirit was so strong, I couldn't ignore it. I would much rather face my boss, turn down the job and live with the consequences than ever experience that feeling again.

All I could do was hope that the Lord would be merciful and not let me experience too much of a hard time from making the wrong decision. I felt bad enough for making the wrong decision without consulting Him first. I changed my class schedule immediately. I wasn't able to completely change it to the original, because people had already taken my spot in the classes. I still have the same classes, just at a slightly different time. Tender mercy #1. I emailed my boss before retiring to bed and first thing this morning, she texted me to let me know it was alright. She wasn't mad at all. HUGE tender mercy #2. (For those of you who know my boss, this is a big thing. She is in charge of scheduling all the interpreters at UVU and it is very stressful. I gave her a crappy schedule to begin with, I get her hopes up, and then change my mind. She was so nice about it!) Next, I talked with the people who offered me the opportunity. They said not to worry, that this opportunity would actually come up again, and that I'd be the first in mind. Tender mercy #3.

I know it seems like no big deal, but it really is. This opportunity would have changed my life, but it wasn't right. Everything is back to normal and much better. I feel so great knowing that I proved the Lord I was willing to follow HIS will, even though I REALLY wanted this other opportunity. (I'm being vague because nothing was set in stone and it needs to be kept on the D.L.) I sacrificed today what I wanted sooo badly, for something the Lord had in store for me. I may never know why it wasn't meant to be, but I am happy I didn't even go down that path. I was blessed for fixing things and in the end choosing the right. I am still being immensely blessed. I still can't believe this is my life! It's wonderful!

oregano

Today I talked with a friend who gave me an analogy which gave me great insight to who I am and how people interact with me. She told me that when she moved here she felt like she was constantly out of place. She even expressed that she felt no one liked her. In church one day someone told my friend that she was like the salt of the earth. She was special; she gave the world flavor, and that the Lord needed people like her to spice up others' lives. Likewise, my friend likened me unto salt. Or better yet, oregano.

Not everyone likes oregano, and it's okay. You don't have to. When combined with the right foods, oregano can give it just the right amount of flavor. When sprinkled on the wrong foods, it can taste horrible. Some people love it, and some people hate it. We all have different tastes and that's what makes us who we are. As far as oregano is concerned, everyone falls into one of the following categories.

Oregano lovers- These are the people who love oregano so much they put it on anything. Their car is green like oregano, they wear hats with oregano's initials and they are truly grateful for it. Others may perceive it as overkill, but to the people that love it, it doesn't matter, because to them... oregano tastes good on anything.

Oregano in moderation- These people like oregano when it's good for them. They think about oregano only when they need/want to add it in their food. In fact, they might even pass the spice rack everyday and not even think about oregano.

Oregano envy- These people (or other spices, if you will) are envious of oregano because it may be perceived as at the top of the spice rack. In actuality, oregano is right in the middle. Every time oregano is used, they hate it. They keep waiting for an earthquake to make oregano fall off the shelf/rack. It doesn't happen. They keep waiting for oregano to run out, but it never does. In their minds, oregano is perfect. Little do they know that oregano does have it's weaknesses too. Oregano didn't ask to be put up there, and in fact, it gets lonely at the top.

Oregano haters- Need I say more? These people hate oregano so much they can't even look at it or think about it. They, like the people who are allergic, will do anything to avoid it because they hate it so much. They might have had a bad experience one time. Now forever more, oregano will be on the blacklist.

Oregano fakers- These people pretend to like oregano in public. In fact, they'll even eat it when placed in front of them, or they might ask for it to be sprinkled on their meal. Why? To impress company. As soon as everyone leaves, these people complain about how bad the food tasted, ALL because of the oregano. They may even throw it up.

Not everyone likes oregano, nor does anyone have to. A word to the wise, don't be the last on this list. I think it's better to just dislike the oregano than to be fake. Don't complain about how bad your ice cream tasted because YOU put the oregano on it. Just leave the oregano alone and move on. It doesn't serve you well to talk about how much you hate oregano or how awful it is, or how you wish oregano would fall off the face of this earth. It also doesn't do you any good to pretend to like it, or assume things about it. Especially when you've never opened the bottle.

Oregano minds its own business and gets personally attacked everywhere it goes, even on people's blogs. Again, I tell you, not everyone has to like it, as wonderful as that would be, it's not going to happen. If you are not an oregano lover or even if you aren't fond of oregano, if you really don't like it, or you hate it, or you're envious of it or whatever else, all I ask is that you don't attack it, or pretend to like it. Make up your own mind about oregano but don't rally the troops against it. Is it really gonna make you feel better by attacking a seasoning? Forget about oregano and move on!

Oregano is always gonna be around. You don't have to put yourself around it, talk to it, or talk about it. Oregano doesn't care anymore what you think. It's gonna do it's job: to spice life up. If you've got a problem with that, take it up with the Chef. Oregano is considered to be one of the better seasonings out there. It's special, and SOME people need it. I guess it's all in the eyes of the beholder. Good thing my Cook loves it.

love it

...when people open up to me. It's the greatest thing in the world. Yesterday and today a few people have really opened up to me and I could not be happier about it. They all told me some personal things that are hard to talk about and I'm so proud to be the receiver. It's never easy to divulge personal information but just know that I am like a vault when it comes to this stuff. If ya vent to me, it gets locked up into the vault... Unless you wanna open it up and talk about it again, then I magically remember. :) It's kind of a blessing, actually. Today I have received yet again a number of tender mercies from the Lord. One of them being that these people opened up to me and I had the opportunity to talk with them.

Sometimes God puts us in others' lives for a reason. I LOVE finding out that reason. Today, I think I realized my place in a few people's lives. I know that as I'm prayerful I will be told what to do and how to act to truly uplift and benefit the lives of these individuals. They've already blessed MY life by just talking to me. I learn so much from them. I feel like I am living in accordance with what the Lord wants for me. It feels good to be obedient. I am being so blessed!

another long one

Lately I've had a few questions on my mind that I can't seem to let go of.

Why do bad things happen to good people?

I truly don't understand. I see my friends suffer from various trials and events in their lives and I cannot witness it anymore. Most people ask "Why me?" when experiencing something they perceive as negative. I ask, "why NOT me?" I would rather take on any of my friends trials than see them suffer. Unfortunately this entire life is a trial, and people have experiences tailor-made for them. We are literally on trial for what we believe and we must take a stand or we will fall.

I see people who are so wonderful, gracious, and kind, experience the most awful things. Conversely I see people who are so heinous wreaking havoc get away with anything, never seeing the repercussions of their behavior. Where is the justice?

That being said, here's another question... is revenge ever sweet?

Even though I cannot stand when people are awful, I would never wish bad things upon them. I only want justice. Sometimes I want revenge so badly and when it comes, I feel horrible. Most often I would have never wished that upon the person. Sometimes vengeance overcomes me, and then I become the awful one. So is revenge sweet? Nope, there's no such thing.

I think bad things happen to good people to help others (like myself) have a paradigm shift. I look up to and revere people who have bad things happen to them, yet they continue on. It's not easy, but they make it look so. There are people in this life that experience bad things to stand as an example for others. I KNOW I can be better and endure my own trials more graciously.

As far as vengeance and justice is concerned? Maybe I'll never see people get what they deserve. I might never see the heinous individual fall. Maybe God's way of "justice" is blessing me so immensely as to distract me from the horrible things around me. Maybe the Lord just wants me to be happy and stop looking for justice. Or maybe that IS the justice... that I am truly being blessed. Either way, I trust the Lord and His timetable. Things will come to fruition in His due time and all I have to do is continue to be obedient to His will.

2, my favorite number

Two names I go by (other than Kat):
1. Katie doo day (my mom came up with this one)
2. Miss Kat- such a term of endearment. My good friends in CA called me that.

Two things I am wearing right now:
1. Red nailpolish that I'll have to take off before work tomorrow
2. Earrings

Two things I want very badly at the moment:
1. No more tummy aches
2. A kiss from Travis (He's doing homework right now)

Two things I did last night:
1. mmm SUSHI
2. Cut Travis' hair

Two things I ate yesterday:
1. mmm SUSHI
2. French Toast

Two things I am doing tomorrow:
1. working at UVU
2. going to see if I qualify for a pell grant

Two longest car rides:
1. I guess from Utah to New York and back? It was a charter buss. Does that count? Even though we made several stops? It was over a period of 3 weeks though.
2. California to Utah

Two favorite holidays:
1. 4th of July
2. Christmas

Two favorite vacations:
1. Cancun
2. Hong Kong in March (even though I haven't gone yet, I KNOW it'll be my favorite)

Two favorite beverages:
1. ANY kind of juice
2. Dr. Pepper

Free Kisses!

Travis just walked into the room with this huge cardboard. Isn't he the cutest?! So clever. And charming.

mmwwaahahaha!

So Travis and I went to St. George for Thanksgiving, and it was great! His entire family was there (except jeff who is serving a mission). It was such a blast! We did lots of lounging around and relaxing. Well during the trip I had the girls pretty much convinced that we were going to Las Vegas for Black Friday. Well, we woke up early and to Vegas we went! It was AWESOME! I was ready to throw down some elbow punches to get what I wanted, but to my disenchantment it was not busy at all! It was just like your average Saturday afternoon!

Oh well... we did find some great deals. At one place there was 40% off already marked down clothes and if you made your purchase before noon, you got an additional 20% off your entire purchase. We went to several other places and found some awesome deals. Yay for Black Friday! I also got to go to my favorite stores ever (not found in Utah) and got some super cute stuff. Some Christmas gifts, too.

Well here's the highlight of my post... Travis is awesome. Why?Because he woke up at 4:30 on Friday and went to Walmart and bought us a 42' LCD HDTV flat screen TV. HAHA! He also purchased a 2 year warranty on it so if ANYTHING happens we get a free replacement. Ready for the grand total? $650!! I didn't know he was doing it! He woke me up when he got back and told me he bought us a TV. I was too tired to really understand but later when I saw it shoved into our car, the excitement began! He had some funny stories to tell that morning about crazy shoppers, long lines and an old lady cashier who took forever. Perfect timing to get a TV, because our friend is moving back to Utah and we'll give her back her TV. We've been borrowing it for over a year. All in all, a GREAT weekend! Shopping, a new TV, laziness, stuffing my body with good food and spending time with Travis! Oh I love life!!!

race the elevator!

Both at Sorenson and UVU there are elevators and stairs, and they are very close in proximity to each other. Everyday I'm faced with a choice; elevator, or stairs. So many times I wanna take the elevator because I have such long days and I get exhausted running from one end of the campus and back at the end of each hour. Well I decided around the middle of the semester that I would play a game. It's called, "race the elevator!"

This only works when the elevator is just leaving the floor I am on. As soon as those doors close I book it up the flights of stairs to the 3rd floor and I see if I can beat the elevator. I do. Everytime. I skip steps though. When the elevator is on a different floor, I justify taking the stairs because 1, it's exercise 2, I don't want to wait for the elevator to come down and it's faster taking the stairs, even when I don't run up them. The stairs at sorenson are awesome. They are many, but perfectly spaced apart for my stride length. The elevator at Sorenson is much faster so I push myself harder. I still beat it. I must say, my legs are getting pretty toned! ;)

little things

So many little things make me happy. Let me give you an example of a few that happened today.
-chiclets. I love them. The little baby ones, ya know, you have to eat like 10 in order to have a sizeable amount to chew? MMM love it.
-I went home for lunch today and as I drove home I thought, "I wish Trav was home, that would be awesome!" I pulled up to our house and he was there! I was so happy I literally jumped up and down when I saw him. :)
-Student cancellations. I love getting paid for doing nothing. Hey, I've paid my dues, don't hate!
-At Walgreens the cashier called me sweetie. She said, "Have a good day, sweetie." I get this all the time. I've heard sugar, honey and sweetheart. Even the other day when leaving Smiths, a worker about 50 years old smiled and said, "Hey, how ya doin, girl?" HA. I loved it. Is it because I'm small and short that people think they have the right to call me sugar? I don't mind, I actually love it.
-When an awesome song I haven't heard in forever comes on the radio. 'Nuff said.
-I love having the time to do crafts. I made a bunch of flowers on hair clips to wear, and I love making cards. In fact, that's what I'm doing right now.. watching a movie and making cards/gifts.

These are just a few that make me sooo happy even though they aren't a big deal. They are tender mercies of the Lord. He's always watching out for us, we just have to look for the blessings.

50

I guess this makes 50! I forgot I ordered these! They took so long to arrive that I almost forgot about them! I love these super cute golashes! Target online has some really fun ones, all for $25 and under. I'm still not ready for snow but when I'm trudging around in these, it won't be so bad. ;)

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, meanness.
Some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be cleaning you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
Meet them at the door laughing and
invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
-Jelaluddin Rumi

long-winded

In a letter to his friend, Mark Twain wrote, "I'm sorry I wrote such a long letter; I didn't have time to write a short one." I'm sure you have noticed by now my long-winded posts. I do not claim to have such a creative mind as Mark Twain, but I do feel the same way he did about his letter to his friend. It is much harder for me and requires more time to write posts of shorter length. I envy those who can say so much in so little words! To all my fellow bloggers out there... to you I say, "I'm sorry I wrote such a long post; I didn't have time to write a short one." ;)

drumroll please....

Well no one guessed spot on, but the closest guess was Kim, and she guessed 50!

The correct answer is: 49.

I know it's not as high as some of you anticipated, but as I stare at my shoes next to me, I realize that I actually DO have a lot of shoes. And yet, "I want mooooooooore!" Thing is, I truly do wear them all. Thanks for playing!

let's play a game!

How many pairs of shoes does Kat have?

NOT including flip flops

Guess right and you win a special prize!
(Prize TBD later)

leave the leaves!

Every morning when I come to school I see a guy with a leaf blower. He blows all the leaves into a center pile and then hauls them away. The next morning I see him doing the same thing. Not that I don't mind seeing the beautiful green grass underneath, but come on, it's fall! Leaves are supposed to be on the ground! If there are no leaves, I can't crunch them under my feet! :( I don't see the point of blowing all the leaves away (which really takes him about half a day) and then doing it again the very next day! Can't he do it every other day?

I suppose someone was looking for a job at UVU and since they couldn't find a place, they probably made up the job description "leaf-blower man." I wonder what he'll do when all the leaves are gone? Maybe he'll be the "snow-blower man."

such a great day!

Yesterday wasn't the best day of my life, nor was it the worst. Things just didn't go my way and certain experiences and events had me down. I rely on the Lord so much and I always have the faith that He'll give me some sort of a break in some way. Yesterday it didn't happen, but I knew He'd make up for it somehow. The Lord always comes through for me, I just have to stay positive and make sure to give thanks to Him.

Well today was just wonderful, even though it's not over yet! 4 of the 5 classes I interpret were cancelled today! Talk about a MAJOR break! I went from a horrible day yesterday to a wonderful day today! Looking back I'm actually glad things turned out the way they did. Heavenly Father knew that I might not have appreciated such a BIG break today if things had gone better yesterday. Or perhaps if I had a small break today and a small break yesterday, I would have just "expected it" and not been more grateful. Either way, I'm happy things happened this way.

So, I got laundry done, did some reading (skill development), went to lunch with my mom and dad, and enjoyed my time off! The one class I did interpret went really well. Plus I saw a huge flock of birds on my way to school. There were probably like 200 birds flying around. It was beautiful. Yet another gift from our Heavenly Father. He gives them to us all the time, we just have to look for them and be grateful!

rose above my expecations

I went to the Rise Against concert last night and it was seriously face melting. My experience was AMAZING and I've decided Travis is the BEST concert buddy in the world! This was actually our first concert experience together. I must say that from now on, every concert I want to go to I'm taking him along! He protected me the entire time! Concerts can be icky and gross because of all the sweaty bodies but it was so worth it! Travis basically made a halo with his arms and I stood in it. No one touched me! Travis is seriously my hero! He is so big and so strong!!

We were in the middle of the floor and I was satisfied, jumping, screaming, singing and enjoying the experience, but at one point, I desperately needed to be closer. The closest. I told Travis, "You're getting me to the bar." And SO HE DID. He picked me up like a little doll and shoved a ton of people out of the way. I didn't know what was happening or where we were going. Up was down, down was up, and I had no concept of left or right. Then all of the sudden Travis whipped me around and BAM, there was the bar! I was right up there, feeling the sweat and spit of Tim McIlrath! They played several of my favorite songs and my throat is coarse from screaming.

I'm sure people look at me and think, "what a poser." Well if you think that, you're right. I'm sick of being a poser.... of a goody goody! I'm a wild woman at heart and I LET LOOSE last night! I went crazy all over the place. It was incredible! I'm not pretending to be a crazy concert goer, I'm pretending to be a molly! ;) This is what I am and I used to go to concerts all the time! I forgot how much stamina I have. I think I'll be going to more concerts soon.

I had very very high expectations of Rise Against. Travis had seen them 3 times previous to last night and told me all about them. My friend Dayna also spoke highly of them. They were MORE than I imagined! The stage presence, the music, the energy..... by the end of the night all I could say was, "That was totally WICKED!" (If you know where this line comes from I'll give you 17 cool points). I've seen many many bands perform. Honestly, Rise Against is my favorite band and by far the best I've ever seen! SICK!

Guinea Pig

As an interpreter of UVU I get the benefit of interpreting classes and seeing how the class is run. If I like the teacher, I may take a class from him/her. It's a great way to test out the waters before taking a class. I also like using my siblings as guinea pigs, especially my sister, Lizzie. I keep changing my mind, but I think I want to be a psychology major. The classes are super exciting and interesting to me and I think I could be really good at it. So for now, that's what I've decided.

I am taking a much heavier load of classes next semester and we'll see how it goes! Two of the classes I am taking next semester are classes my sister has already taken and from her exact teachers. She's already given me the inside scoop and is willing to let me have her books! She's a little further than me in her major of Social Work but several of our classes are the same. Hopefully one day we can be in the same classes at the same time! :) That way we can study together. I hope she doesn't mind that I use her as a guinea pig for school! She's also my little testing subject for style. If she can pull it off, so can I! :) She's such a doll.

P.S. I took the compass exam for math today and I placed into Math 1000. Not bad, but not great. At least if I get a good grade I can go straight into Math 1040 or 1050 and be done with it! I am feeling super ambitious lately and I have gotten so much done! Also I'm excited about my schedule for Spring because I decided that I am not going to work at all on Tues/Thurs, and I'm taking all my classes those days. I'm sick and tired of not being able to wear all my cute patterned clothes during the week! So on Tues/Thurs and Fridays it's jeans for me baby!! I know it's silly but I really can't wait! (Both for my classes AND to wear my true style of clothes! Yipee!)

Where to start?

My momma tagged me and I don't know where to begin!It's gonna take me forever to write this post!

1. I am obsessed with the smell of Travis' breath. I know... barf if you must, but I LOVE it. During church I always ask him to "breathe on me" and he'll move his lips to the side and breathe in my general direction. I take a sniff and I always LOVE IT! Don't think I'm gross.

2. I pick my lips when I get nervous or when I'm stressed. When I watch scary or intense movies, I pick. When I was six, my mom told me that if I stopped picking my lips for one week I could get my ears pierced. It was a challenge but I did it. I still do it today and my lips are always scabby and peely. That IS gross.

3. I am the queen of thank you cards. I love writing notes and sending them. I collect thank you cards and I also love making custom cards as well. Any excuse for writing a card and I'll use it!

4. Okay 3 down 3 to go.... this is hard! Alright I thought of one. When I get home I take off my shoes immediately. However, they are never in the same spot. They are right near the door, near the kitchen table, behind the couch, or sometimes in the bathroom. They are NEVER put in the right place when I get home. I have shoes everywhere and it makes it tough when I'm looking for a certain pair and I can't find them!

5. When I get out of the shower I immediately dry myself off while still standing in the tub. I cannot have a drip of water on me. I hate getting my arms or face wet and although I love showers I cannot stand being wet. If my hair is a little damp I can tolerate it and it naturally dries pretty fast anyway. But if Travis has wet hands or just brushed his teeth and has water on his chin and then wants to kiss or touch me, I have to make sure he is completely dry before I can touch him. Wow.. I guess Kats don't like water either!

6. I have a fear of flushing toilets. I must've had a bad experience as a child or something. That being said, I have certain stalls at school and work that I frequent. They have been good to me in the past, so I figure I won't have any problems.

OOPS!

So when it comes to interpreting, I KNOW I am competent. For only being 23 years old, I have succeeded at a rate much faster than I thought I would. I am already Utah Level 2 and plan to take the National Interpreting performance exam very soon. Four short years ago I lived in Logan and went to USU to become a Deaf Education major. I quickly realized how much I loved interpreting. While I was there I wanted to interpret (and because of the law in Utah about interpreting, I needed to be certified). I knew I wasn't good enough to pass level 1 because I had no training so I went and took the interpreting provisional exam. I FAILED!! I had a very short sojourn of a year at USU.

Much to my dismay I returned home to California to pursue an Interpreting Preparation Program and I was one of ten people who were accepted out of sixty to apply. Yipee! After 7 months of the program I flew back to Utah to take the Utah written exam and passed. I was DETERMINED to show Utah what I had and before finishing the IPP, I once again returned to Utah to take the Level 1 performance and passed that as well on the first try. I have worked extremely hard to get to where I am, and it has paid off. I am envious of the people that are fortunate enough to have ASL and interpreting come naturally to them. Honestly, you lucky ducks!

Regardless, when I look back on the past 4 years and how I've excelled at interpreting, I must say, I am quite satisfied. I went from NOTHING to Level 2 in no time flat, thanks to the dedication and perseverence I demonstrated. (Please understand I'm not that special, many people succeed in the same amount of time, or even surpass my skill level. All I'm saying is that I am personally satisfied with how I've lead my life and the path I have chosen for my career. I have a long way to go, but for my age, I have arrived at some great milestones that most people don't reach until later in life!)

The rest is pretty much history and I actually didn't intend to give this much background information before getting to the meat of my story today. All that being said, I do have my days where I have my "moments" and begin to doubt my skills. I interpret a class in which I do a lot of voicing (when deaf people sign, I voice for them). On Wednesday I was 100% SURE I had seen this word signed/fingerspelled and I didn't think about what I said when I said it. The IPP I was in taught me to be confident when voicing and not trail off. My teacher said if you say something with confidence, it is very unlikely people will notice the mistake. Not on Wednesday!

I loudly and confidently said "Diuretic." (pronounced di-a-re-tic). I could NOT have been more wrong. The correct term was DIACRITIC. Just a slight slip of the tongue! If you do not know what either of these terms are, let me do you the honor of defining them for you. A Diuretic is tending to increase the excretion of urine. A DIACRITIC (the correct term) is a mark near or through an orthographic or phonetic character or combination of characters indicating a phonetic value different from that given the unmarked or otherwise marked element. Yep, I'm pretty smart, I know what these terms are, now if I could only get it right!!

The entire class roared with laughter and I admit, so did I. Oops, I guess these things are bound to happen especially when working with 2 completely different languages. Why couldn't I have chosen a profession that required less skill? :)

Higher Education

Recently I have been thinking a lot about education and how important it is for the future. You all know I'm not the smartest crayon in the box, sharpest knife in the bunch, coolest hen in the den (ok I made the last one up) but I have been trying harder everyday to learn something new and expand my mind. As an interpreter my memory is the most important thing besides my hands. I have so many words/phrases/dates etc in my mind and because language is always evolving, so must I.

*mounting soap box* - (Thanks for letting me borrow your phrase, Shanna)

I don't want to give a false impression that I am about to be exalted or that I think I'm all that and a bag of chips, I simply want to share some positive experiences I have had lately. My new focus is positivity and I feel so great about the efforts I have put forth towards that goal. I have seen success and it has been well worth the soul searching I have done in order to begin the journey.

I've decided that the way to increase my memory and expand my mind is through memorizing scriptures. I memorize one a week and I carry it with me throughout the day to accomplish this goal. I figured if missionaries can do it, so can I, right? I has truly helped! Memorizing anything is good for the mind, but I think that because it's Holy Writ that I have seen more improvement. Not only this, but it helps me try to lead a more Christ-centered life.

Yesterday I chose to receive a higher education by attending the temple. I love going with Travis but sometimes I forget that I can go alone and if I have time, I should take up the opportunity. I had the most wonderful experience. Without exploiting the temple or making my experience seem "grandiose," I would just like to say that I went with several questions and ALL of them were addressed. I have said and done several things I am not proud of, but I am in the process of making amends and patching up the areas that I have torn. I have a ton to work on and I am ever aware of what I need to do to improve.

Any time we do a deep analysis of ourselves and present our weaknesses to the Lord, it's going to hurt. No one likes having their faults be made known. It requires a lot of effort on our part to humble ourselves, although being compelled to be humble isn't much fun either. :) In the temple I learned that while I have a lot to work on, I don't have to beat myself up in the process. This life is about learning and although we'll make mistakes, we can always learn to not do it again. All I ask is that you all please be patient with me while I go through this process and in return, I'll do the same with you.

*Dismounting soap box now*

Love her!

I had lunch with Rachel today and it was so refreshing! I always feel so uplifted after being with her, and we have the greatest times together. We can also have a super deep conversation and shed a tear or two but the next minute we could be laughing again. We follow along with each others' moods quite well and I must say it's so nice never having to explain myself to her. She can put me in my place without hurting my feelings and also give me a genuine compliment without it seeming fake. Gosh, I love her! Don't you?! Rachel, can I please be YOU when I grow up? ;)

You Decide

I can't figure out who I look like more. Spock or Audrey Hepburn. I kinda feel more like Spock. Decide for yourself.

White Trash Party

4th Annual White Trash Party!

This is us last year, and it was held at our house!

This was the year before

The party is THIS saturday, November 1, 2008!
Where: 946 East 900 South in Provo!
When: It starts at 7:00
What: Dress up and enjoy the company of fellow rednecks!
I know it's right after Halloween, but come dress up and have a great time!
Bring a dish of food/snack if ya want!

Fall

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Fall? I don't think so. In California we don't really have seasons and we definitely don't have colors as beautiful as Autumn in Utah. Here are some reasons why I love fall so much:

I love leaves! I love to crunch them under my feet, and
make a pile then throw them everywhere! Today I went outside
and literally watched the leaves fall. It was so peaceful!

This is the view when I walk out my front door.
I love the colors!

I'm not so good at carving pumpkins,
but I love pumpkin pie and pumpkin seeds!
Travis carved this one. It's the Milo symbol but notice
how it says Cook instead of Milo. :)

One more reason: I bought these golashes for 12 bucks.

It doesn't make me dread the snow as much anymore.
I'll be grumbling as I trudge through the snow,
but at least I'll be stylish!
I have another cute pair coming soon! :)

You're the one that I want!

Travis and I were the Grease couple for a Halloween party on Saturday night. I, of course was Sandra Dee and he was Danny. :) We won an award for "most original." I didn't really look the part, but Trav totally did! My hair is too short, but I poofed it out quite a bit. It was a blast.
I couldn't find a modest dress for Marilyn Monroe, so Sandra Dee it was! Let me tell you about this party, there was rock band, food, games, and a PINATA! It was awesome. We had such a great time! We didn't have pictures of our competition, but there were some good ones. The joker was there, nacho libre, the tooth fairy (a MAN), a girl scout (a man also... ick!), malificent from sleeping beauty, and many others! P.S. These are fake cigarettes. We don't smoke. :)

Pure Talent:

Rise Against.

Their new CD is AMAAAAAZING! I can't wait to go to the show. I have all the albums and I must say I'm obsessed. Seriously. So sick!

This stinks!

So I'm sitting here at work and we often play musical chairs here. Without giving away confidential or proprietary information, all you need to know is that sometimes I bring my chair to other cubicals. Well everywhere I've brought my chair has stunk. I don't know if people here have smelly feet or what, but it's fettid! So I'm here waiting for the last hour of work to go by, and I plop down into my chair. Well up wofts that stank nastiness... from my chair!! I dunno who sat here last but they must've had some serious swass or somethin cuz this chair reeks! I swapped out the chairs and I'm feeling much better now. And here I am thinking it's everyone else when everyone else thinks it's me! :/ It's the chair... I swear!!!

I don't know what I did with my gum

P.S. This is my sister Lizzie

So Rachel and I just got back from the Las of the Vegas and had a BLAST!!! I can't even tell you how much fun it was! We did everything we wanted to and we shopped til we dropped! Literally, we were exhausted by the end of the trip. The entire drive down there wasn't a silent moment. We chatted like two teenage girls the whole time, and we continued to do so for the remainder of the trip. It was so wonderful to be able to catch up and share our emotions with each other whether it was laughing, crying, getting frustrated or laughing because we were frustrated. :)

We did some work while we were down there, too. The agency hooked us up! We got our hotel comped, and we got money for food, AND we got paid to work! The work we did while we were down there wasn't even that hard, either. Plus it really helps when you are "working" with your best friend and she can read your mind and know exactly when the perfect switching time is. :) Rachel, I love you.

On Thursday night as we were driving back to our hotel, randomly I said, "I don't know what I did with my gum." Immediately Rachel burst into laughter. But seriously, I do NOT remember what I did with it. I was chewing it and then I wasn't! I cannot for the life of me remember spitting it out, throwing it away, or swallowing it (YUCK). Normally I am completely aware of my body and what I do, and I would remember something like that. I know it is a really random thought, but I have a point.

This trip has been SO good for me. As an interpreter I am hyper aware of what I say and do. If I sit in the chair and start interpreting and I am not aware of what I am saying and also the information I am receiving, I will interpret horribly. However, it's those times when I am aware that I can tell if I am doing poorly or well. If I sit down and I can interpret and make a grocery list in my head at the same time (yes, I've done it, I'm a GREAT multi-tasker and my brain is capable of handling many things at one time) then I'm not really aware and even though my production may be swell, it's not the best I can do. Similarly, if I ever THINK I have offended someone, I will check to make sure I haven't, or if I have, I make amends. Again, I'm hyper aware.

However, on this trip (besides when we worked) I just LET MYSELF GO!!!! It felt awesome to be able to just say what's on my mind, knowing that my best friend won't ever judge me or think less of me. This trip I have said so many random things and a few faux pas along the way. I even jumbled up my words a ton. Rachel would just look at me and smile. It feels good to truly let go sometimes, and know that I'm not going to be criticized or judged, and that she probably won't even remember it. I'll be back on track tomorrow morning for work, but I think I'm going to try letting go more often. It feels dang good. And who cares what I did with my gum... I didn't want it anyway. :)

"Aw... my baby doesn't weigh enough!"

Yesterday Travis and I took a little drive up the canyon to have dinner with our friends. I had just woken up from a nap so I didn't feel like driving, so Travis offered to drive my car. Now, I rarely sit in the passenger side of my own car. (Duh, I'm the one driving it, so why would I sit there?!) As we're driving along, Travis (out of the blue) says, "Awww, my baby doesn't weigh enough to trigger the passenger air bag... how cute..." Immediately my eyes flashed up to the light that indicates whether the passenger airbag is on or off. It's supposed to be on when someone sits in the seat... except for me.

I kept slamming my butt harder into the seat hoping it would trigger; maybe I was sitting in the seat wrong and my center of weight was off... not triggering the censor. I panicked!!! It would be on for like 2 seconds and then it would go off again! I'm thinking to myself, "Something's gotta be wrong; it's the censor, not me!" However I recall Travis sitting there and the light being on the entire time. Do I need a vest with weights on it? Well gee whiz, I'm never sitting in the passenger seat of my car again!! Travis will just have to drive me around limo-style. "Charles, get me a martini!"

For those of you who are reading this thinking, "oh man, I wish that was my problem..." There are worse things. Like... think about me when I'm dead cuz I got in a car accident and the air bag DIDN'T go off. Now do ya wish it was your problem?? Yep, never sittin there again. :)

couldn't find a sitter?

So I'm sitting interpreting a class and in walks a student with her child. She's not the first person do have done this in her class, and I have a feeling she won't be the last. So I just gotta say it really bothers me when parents bring their children to class, ONLY because I cannot stop staring! May I just add that this little boy was so well behaved! He sat quietly for the majority of the class. On occasion he peered up at his mother from behind her laptop with his gorgeous blue eyes as if to say, "Mother, why are these people so quiet and why is that big man up there yelling at us?" He didn't whine and ask for candy every 5 minutes! I was impressed. ESPECIALLY because yesterday while Rachel and I were out for dinner there was a mother with her 3 boys and they were everywhere. At Bajio I'm pretty sure when you are ordering there is a sign that says "Please do not touch the glass." Not only was the sign ignored but the 3 children were up sitting on the ledge and acting like monkies. The ledge is pretty high up and I'm assuming the oldest boy helped himself up but the other 2 must've been lifted up and put there by their mother. Yikes-a-bee!! My heavens they were out of control! I don't have children yet so I cannot possibly fathom how hard it must be to literally juggle all of your children at once but I would hope I'd have a little more tact than to let my children run wild... in a restaurant!

"I wanna be like youuuuu"

So you all know I have this thing for being unique, and you've all heard me complain when people "copy" me, etc and I'll have you all know I'm doing a lot better about that and I'm slowly getting over it! So if you want to know where I got my super cute gold shoes with the pearls on them, I'll tell you, and you can buy them if you want. :) I'm realizing more and more that I am unique just because I am me, so it doesn't really matter if someone has the same hair or clothes as me.

That being said, I totally have a confession to make!!!! I desperately want to be like someone. I know, I know, I'm such a hypocrite! This person has been such an example to me ever since I met her and actually I used to think we were sooo alike and now I'm thinking we are SO not! Let me just explain some qualities about this person and you'll see why I want to be like her so badly!

-She is sooo kind. She rarely says a negative thing about anyone. In fact, I don't think I have ever heard her mutter a negative word or gossip about any person.

-She is slow to anger. I've never seen her truly upset.

-Her heart is HUGE. She has so much love to give and she gives it freely.

-She is HILARIOUS! I laugh so hard when I'm around her.

-She defends those she loves

-She works hard

-She is gorgeous

-She is creative

-She is spiritual

-She's a great interpreter

-She is not critical or judgemental

-She is forgiving

-She's got her head on straight. She's very emotion driven but logic based, too. She always gives the best advice because she can see both sides.

-She is very positive and uplifting

There's so much more but this is the list I could think of for now. I've realized that she is such a role model to me. When we first met we basically thought we were the same person, and I've had to admit, I did have some of those qualities. We still have a lot in common regarding our likes/dislikes, favorite movie and fav places to eat, but she has grown and progressed while I've stayed stuck in a rut. I don't know how I've gotten here, but when I think about her, the only thing that comes to mind is that we are soooo different. I've somehow become more abrasive and less sincere. I haven't been around the most positive people and it really affects me! I need positivity and affirmation. To all who I've offended, I sincerely apologize for it! I want to be like this person, and I know I can improve and do better. Please help me out and be positive around me and let's not gossip anymore! This person emits positivity wherever she goes and she is sooo humble. I want to be like that too. I love her so much and I'm glad we're such great friends.

Let's talk weather

Wow. I'm amazed that this weather has been so wonderful! For the past several weeks I noticed this beautiful weather. It's pretty constant, perfect temperature and a light breeze. I must say it's similar to how California is, and I am LOVING it! I might as well eat my words because it'll probably change soon anyway but I'm enjoying it while it lasts! Thanks mother nature for providing us with such gorgeous days recently! Please be nice to us when winter comes! ;)

Happy Birthday Melissa!! I Love You!

Yes, New York City!!! And I love that I'm not smiling. HAHA

At the Airport, so hard to say goodbye!

Capitola. cheesy almost engagement looking picture

Hey Chickadee, Happy Birthday!!!! I just wanted to take the time to let you know how much I love and adore you! You are the greatest friend ever, and we always have a blast together! You are always so uplifting and inspiring. I'm so glad we are cousins, but more importantly I'm glad we are BEST FRIENDS! Thank you so much for flying me out to New York and for paying for practically everything while I was there. It was such a treat and it was a trip I will never forget! Remember how we became friends with our waitress at Olive Garden and how she gave us a discount on our food? Or what about the time when you got that guy at Target to comp my digital pictures? We're a pretty great team, I'll say!

I have so enjoyed getting to know each other better and I'm glad we became friends while I was up at Utah State. You have been there for me during some of the hardest times in my life, and I wanted to thank you so much for not only being a shoulder to cry on, but for giving me genuine advice and for always turning me to Heavenly Father. Thanks so much for our talk tonight! Once again you have reminded me of who I am and my potential. You truly have a gift, you are optimistic and you make people feel so good about themselves! Just remember to take care of yourself every once in a while, too, okay? I love you so much cousin! I look forward to many good times in the future. Happy Birthday Melissa Joan! You ROCK! P.S. I love the picture of us in Capitola, on that log, where I'm laughing... it looks like such cheesy picture but it's one of my favorites! I love you!

Totally Awesome Combos

-Strawberry and Lime- Jones soda makes the yummiest concoction of Strawberry and Lime. It is truly delicious
-Shoes and a Handbag- lets be honest, who doesn't love these together?
-Peanut Butter and Chocolate ice cream- Oh I crave it!
-Flowers and a card
-Soup, Salad and Breadsticks- YUM, Olive Garden, my favorite place ever!
-Vanilla and Spice- my favorite perfume "Lolita Lempicka" has these two scents together.
-Orange and Cream- haven't you ever heard of a dreamsycle?!
-Kat and Utah Level 2 Certification... YEP!!!! I PASSED!!!!!!! :)

56i

You may be wondering what 56i has to do with anything.... I'll tell you. It doesn't. 56i happened when I threw my hands at the keyboard in a small frustrated moment. So, I decided to blog about it. I closed my eyes and let my hands fall. I'm actually surprised 56i was the only thing that came up, I hit the keyboard pretty hard. Then I decided to open paint and draw it with my left hand. Not bad, eh? 56i is the form my frustration has taken. We'll see what tomorrow brings, maybe a "mklsdfj" of excitement. I hope you all have a -56i day today. Even though it says negative five six i, 56i is actually negative to begin with. If you have a -56i day, it'll be positive. Happy Friday!

I keep comin up short!

I've always known I was short, but the past few days I've realized that I actually am quite under the average! I have a stepping stool I use at home in order to reach the higher cabinets. I refuse to climb on the counters like I used to when I was younger, so the stepping stool really helps. Sometimes for those really high up things, I have to ask Travis to get it for me. On another note, I usually wear some type of heel, but recently I've had to wear flats because I do so much walking at work/school. I had to go to the bathroom at school the other day and it just so happened that when I sat down, my feel didn't touch the floor. I mean there was a SERIOUS gap there, maybe 6 inches! Even if I pointed my toes I could BARELY reach it. Am I really that short? I didn't think so!

"Let me see ya 1...2... STEPS!!"

Well Well Well, as you all know, how I express myself is through my hair. I love change and I love changing my hair. It doesn't mean I'm not satisfied with it... quite the opposite! I just enjoy spicing it up with somethin new every once in a while. (Every once in a while= Every 2 months or so!) Here's the latest! It's asymmetrical and steps on my short side. They're just baby steps. I'm working my way up to the big ones. :) I love how short it is on my right side. It's cut up around my ear. I'm just lovin it all around!

Moley Moley

For the first time in my LIFE, someone commented on my mole today. It wasn't your average comment, in fact, it was a compliment! This friend told me she thought it was beautiful, and that it was in a perfect, not distracting location. (Oh why can't I have a pretty mole right above my lip like Cindy Crawford?! I used to draw one with eyeliner as a child.) Well I've never considered my mole to be "pretty", but it's never bothered me, either. This mole has been the same ever since I can remember. Luckily it hasn't changed color or shape, so I've never thought to remove it. Also this mole was the deciding factor in looking at pictures of my sister and me. Sometimes we couldn't tell the difference between us and if we didn't know who was in the picture, we'd look for the mole! :) I suppose no one has ever said anything because my hair usually covers it. Today I am wearing this cute headband and had my hair back to expose Miss Moley, and got my first compliment ever! Fancy that. I suppose from now on I'll call it my beauty mark.