Things I Love at this moment in time!

Ok, so recently I've been a bit down and I am sick of it, so here are some things I love right now!

1-Spontaneous laughter and genuine smiles!

2- Dancing in my bedroom when no one is watching!

3-Popcorn

4-Purity

5-Musical numbers at the Oscars (go Hugh Jackman!)

6- Moments onstage where my students shine, make me laugh or help me to realize why in the world I do what I do in the 1st place!

7- Wall-E (Need I say more?)

Too much lately I've been focusing on what's wrong instead of what's right! Things that make me happy and how I have the rare opportunity to create a show out of nothing. Enjoy it!

8 things about me!

Here are the rules:

1) Post rules on your blog

2)Answer the six '8' items

3) Let each person know by leaving them a comment

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8 Favorite TV shows

1. The Office

2. 24

3. Lost

4. Biggest Loser

5. 30 Rock

6. Heroes

7. Split Ends

8. Ugly Betty

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8 things I did yesterday

1. Taught kids to sing & dance

2. Finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows for the 2nd time at midnight!

3. Went to the grocery store

4. Slept

5. Cleaned my bathroom

6. Ate ice cream

7. Felt crappy

8. Taught at school

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8 things I'm looking forward to

1. My show being over, so I'll have time to be human!

2. SUMMER!

3. Friday March 6th--- NO SCHOOL!

4. Sleeping (can you tell I am tired as I write this...)

5. Going to France in July

6. The new Harry Potter movie

7. My nieces birthday parties!

8. Sleeping in this saturday because I'll be done with my set!

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8 favorite restaurants

1. Bajios

2. Kneaders

3. Paradise Bakery

4. Zuppa's

5. Sweet Tomatoes

6. Wingers

7. Leatherbys

8. Rumbi's

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8 things on my wish list

1. Get fit!

2. Finding my husband so we can have fun together!

3. My next trip to Disney World or Disneyland

4. The $ to travel the world!

5. To be in another show

6. Straight teeth

7. Study in Europe

8. To be the best I can be!

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I tag: Amy, Terrah, Andrea, & Luana

Becoming old before you're young.

I hate gray hairs. They make me feel old. I guess I am old to my little Jr. high students. Doing the musical makes me crazy. I need a sound system...stat!

Thinking...life?

Life passes so quickly and yet it seems as if sometimes it drags with lead feet... and chains... at the bottom of the ocean... sent there by the mafia.

I feel like I've gotten old before I had a chance to be young. Too old for American Idol and America's Next Top Model... not old enough for retirement... Biological clock ticking away... 30 years! (You know, I really don't care how long it takes to get married, I'd just like to be young enough to have children!)

I've been wondering a lot lately about where I should be and what I should be doing. I always assumed I'd be hitched by this time in my life, so I thought I'd be making these decisions with my husband. But, it's still just me!

I don't know if I want to stay in Utah. I like where I work (most of the time) it's been INSANELY stressful lately!!! I don't know if I could do it for another 10... 20 years.

My best friend just moved to Paris. And although I know she'd rather be in Florida, I am still envious that she made that move. I just feel so stuck sometimes. But I realize I am stuck by my own doing.

My ward is...

I want adventure in the great wide somewhere, I want it more than I can tell! And for once it might be grand, to have someone understand, I want so much more than they've got planned...

Feeling blah... (I think part of it is the cold weather...) Spring please come soon!

Is this it for the rest of my life?

When it rains, it pours

I have a cold. It's crappy. I have no energy=lethargic existence.

I can't miss teaching (too much going on), can't stay home...

Drive home today, see Bajio's sign. Debate in my head should I when I don't know the nutrition information and knowing it will surely put me over my calorie intake...

Taste Buds win.

Leave Bajio's with shrimp tacos. Wait to turn left. Get rear-ended in my new car. Lady has just spilt hot coffee over herself slams into my NEW CAR! Check car, no visible damage... lady is freaking out. My head is swimming in a sea of day-quil. Double check car- no damage (remarkably) Tell lady not to worry about it. Drive home. Reinspect car, notice bumper has moved about 1/4 inch. Get upset with myself for not getting insurance info.

Take Ny-Quil.

An odd encounter

I went to the Utah Theatre Conference today with 26 of my junior high students and attended a variety of workshops. Overall a good experience but tiring. The keynote speaker at the conference was a Broadway vocal coach, pianist, comedian, playbill.com columnist and the DJ for the Broadway station on Sirius XM, Seth Rudetsky. I find him to be hilarious. His keynote address was insanely entertaining.
He (along with two other Broadway colleagues) attended the luncheon for the teachers and organizers of the conference. Now, I wanted to meet him, so I did. I felt like such a dork.

(Going up to his table)
Me- (Extending my hand) I just have to say I am a huge fan of yours
Seth- (Eyes darting around the room, not smiling) Oh really, that's nice.
Me- (Nervously for some reason) Yes, I read your column and listen to your radio show.
Seth- Really? (As if to say, podunk Utahns appreciate theatre?) I've been surprised how much the kids here know about Theatre.
Me- Well, there is a lot of great opportunities for the kids.
Seth-(Noticing my name tag looking insanely confused) I am not even going to try, how do you pronounce your name?
Me- Kjersti... It's like a chair and you add stee
Seth- Oh
Me- it's Swedish, you know ethnic (ba dum ching)
Seth- (not acknowledging my creative joke and still not super friendly, as if he is being forced to have this conversation with me.) Well, I hope I wasn't too offensive, they didn't really give me any guidelines, and I did say 'hell' five times.
Me- (trying to be funny with trying being the operative word) Well, 5 'hells' won't send you to hell. ha ha ha
Seth- Actually I think it was six.
Me- Well, (sighs) six could be a problem. (ba dum ching!)
Seth- (stares blankly) I guess so.
Me- Well, thanks for coming, it's really great for the kids- enjoy your lunch. (I walk away)

Well, that was weird.

I AM COLD!

Mister Winter came to stay.
(Although I wish he'd go away!)
The world is frozen, chilly too.
So what's a freezing girl to do?
Complain, complain!!!

Spring, why don't you come out to play?

DISNEYLAND!

So, last weekend my friend Sarah and I left the frozen tundra of Utah for sunny California where Sarah repeatedly stated, "It's January and I'm wearing shorts!"

We began our trip with a visit to In-N-Out Burger, where I went animal style!

Then we tried to find the beach. We left just before the sun set, so I was able to just head west, but after the sun went down, I got a little lost. After two hours (including the time eating) we finally found it!

It wasn't too cold for JANUARY!

Getting our feet wet!

My camera doing some funky things while at the beach.

The next day we were off to Disneyland!

With Winnie the Pooh after Splash Mountain in JANUARY!


At the castle! (We got matching Pirate Princess Mickey ears with the names "Ms. Parkes" and "Ms. White" embroidered on the back to wear them back to school!


After the "Tower of Terror" Me terrified, NEVER! Sarah? Well maybe a little...

The "Wild Ride!"

Sarah actually got me to ride the teacups! (They make me sick) and we even spun a little, I was OK as long as I just focused on Sarah's nose...

It was a nice break from a school and a VERY nice break from winter weather! I love Sarah, she is such an awesome friend and I am so grateful we went to Disneyland and wore shorts...

in JANUARY!!!

Reaffirming why I must continue.

People live in a bubble of their perceived reality. Once in a while, that bubble is popped and the truth stares you glaringly in the face... Case in point, this picture-

Now, I've become quite the expert at 'hiding' how I truly look. Whether it be angling my body a certain way or hiding behind others to mask my girth, I've been there done that. Now, I am not throwing myself a pity party, but I am being honest. This picture was taken last October at the beginning of my bodybugg journey. The beginning of "getting real" with myself.

Over the holidays I gained about 6 lbs. It was tough. But, I'm already down 4! So that means, since this picture was taken I have lost 8 lbs. I am glad this picture was taken, I need to be reminded of what I look like. How I truly do need to lose the weight. It's a matter of my life.

I think whenever you embark on a life change, you have to constantly reasses and check yourself. Now regardless of whatever happened to cause you (me) to get out of control it is important to deal with.

When I was younger, I built a bubble of protection around myself as to not deal with the realities of my life. I dealt with a lot of crap. I hid behind my bubbly personality, my talents and I ate to feel... something... Now, as an adult, my life is pretty smooth compared to my teenage years, but oh the habits that formed! But, I had to ask myself- What do I really want out of life?

I WANT TO LIVE!!

I think everyday we have a choice to live or die by the actions we choose. What do you choose?

Just some thoughts.

First off, I am overwhelmed by how much people care. I turned 30 this past Monday and went back to teaching that day. (Which was especially difficult after sleeping in till around 10 everyday during the break). And one of the first people who wishes me a happy birthday is my friend and fellow teacher, Janelle with a giant Diet Dr. Pepper and a donut! It made me sooo happy (and gave me the much needed caffeine boost and sugar rush to make it through the day!) My students in my 1st period class made me a poster board size card and brought me some cheesecake, they were so sweet to remember. After school I had my 1st rehearsal for my show "Alice in Wonderland", it went OK... The kids were just so excited to be starting rehearsals, that they talked WAY too much, but it was fine. Then I went to dinner with my friend, Sarah and my sister Annelise and her daughters Madeleine & Ivy. All in all, a good day!

Some things I've learned in my 30 years of existence...
-You must take care of yourself. With my recent diet & exercise kicks and then relapsing a bit during the holidays, I realized how different I could feel when I don't take care of myself. You have to make yourself a priority. I want to live a healthy, long life- I've got to make the right choices.
-Find your own family. Some of us aren't blessed with our "own" families, it's important to fill your life with people and purpose... no one is alone.
-Practice what you preach.
-Be the kind of person who people want to be around.
-Love.
-Try to be like Jesus.
-Don't be afraid to sing and dance in front of junior high students who think you're 'weird' secretly they want to do it too!
-Smile.

I am grateful to all who have enriched my life. Thank you.

On to other things...
I am upset tonight. Not to go into details, but I was dealing with some students and cyber bullying today and it just makes me sad. Someone had started a Myspace page with the sole purpose to spread gossip and rumors about others. I couldn't believe it! Why would someone do that? I just don't understand why people feel the need to tear others down to build themselves up. Sometimes I just wish I could take some students by the shoulders and give them a good hard shake...

Sometimes being a junior high teacher makes my head hurt.

Why my Life is AWESOME!!!

Friday afternoon- I eat lunch, laugh and reminisce with my friends Kristi and Melissa.

Friday evening- I leave Utah County to travel to Riverton to go to the wedding reception of my friends, Camilla and Steve.

Weather- crappy, Traffic- crappy = Crappy conditions.

As I travel along I-15, traffic slows to a stand still because of a car accident ahead. And as I sit there in my car, it stops. Completely. Lights are still on, music still blaring, but the engine....
For a brief moment I contemplate what to do, try to start the car, nothing works. So, I open the drivers door and proceed to push my car across two lanes of traffic with one hand on the wheel by myself. I get in the shoulder and two young men pull up and ask if they can help. Because of my vast experience with car engines I tell them, "uh, I dunno... maybe we could try jump starting the battery" They then ask if I have cables (I knew I had forgotten SOMETHING!) and then another gentleman and his son pull up and the two guys take off.

So after about 30 minutes of trying to diagnose the problem, we give up. We push the car further into the shoulder and I reassure the gentleman that I will be fine. And I call a tow truck.
Wait in the snow...
Tow truck comes, have a pleasant conversation with the driver, then try to be cordial as he charges me $100 to tow my car to Riverton...
Call Mom, she picks me up and drives me to the reception. I walk into the cultural hall and notice the lack of people, my friend Brie sees me and starts laughing (I must've looked like a drowned rat...) And lo and behold the couple had left 10 minutes earlier! AWESOME!!!!
Borrow a car from the parental units, drive home and go to bed.

Saturday morning- search for cars on the Internet. (Last February, I put $800 into my car and I vowed the next time my car broke down I would purchase a new car)

Saturday afternoon- Go to the car dealership, find a cute 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt with only 3,000 miles. Decide to purchase the car. Go for a test drive with the salesman. While driving around discover 20 year old salesman attended Valley Jr. High- where I currently teach. Immediately salesman feels a kinship with me and proceeds to tell me all his opinions about my fellow teachers. (Most of which were not very favorable.. mostly along the lines of are they still weird...) Suddenly I feel like I am buying a car from one of my junior high students.

Buy cute car!!!

Go to see Marley & Me with Luana, thoroughly enjoy the movie.

Debate about what to name the new car... Any suggestions?

And that is why my life is AWESOME!