Girls (and guys if you are into this sort of thing)...if you did not watch tonights Ladies Free Skate...you missed the most amazing figure skating that I have ever seen...
Kim Yu-Na from Korea put on the most amazing figure skating show EVER...
It's was technically perfect, the choreography was well done, her 'dancing' was very musical and artistic...her jumps looked easy...the whole program looked easy...what's crazy is that evidently she is the biggest superstar in Korea...the most recognizable face...she is on all kinds of advertisements and billboards...the girl pulls in 8 million a year...CRAZY!!! And all this for being a figure skater...so basically, she had to win the gold...it's like the New York Yankee's getting double what they earn now and not winning the World Series...incredible pressure for the young girl...
Her long program earned her 150.06 points...the next closest was 131...absolutely incredible... instead of posting how many points the next skater needed to take over the lead, they started posting how many points the next skater needed to medal in the first place...the score was just unprecedented...
LINK for the video...just BEAUTIFUL!!!
And then there were all the other ladies of the top 6...our young 16 year old American, Mirai Nagasu, got 4th...she will be a force to recon with in 2014...
Just beautiful...I was okay with the judges scores today except for our other American, Rachael Flatt...I think they deducted points on her jumps, but they really were complete revolutions...I will be very interested to see what the score card says once it's posted...(told ya, I follow this sport...)
Yay for ladies figure skating...makes me want to get on the ice...
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
My Thoughts on...
Two things: American Idol and the Olympics...
1) The guys are WAY better than the girls...I mean, WAY WAY WAY better than the girls...I was really 'hating on' the girls last night...I picked out the two guys to be voted off tomorrow as Tim Urban and the kid who looked like Paul McCartney...kinda...I think his last name was Lambert (I don't think he is any relation to the runner up from last season)...
There is ONE girl that I really like: Siobhan Magnus (I have NO idea how pronounce her name correctly) who surprisingly the judges didn't like last night, and three girls who are on my pretty good list: Crystal Bowersox, Michelle Delamor and Lilly Scott...all the others need to be GONE or need to step it up and prove to me why the judges thought they had a better girls group this year...
...oh, and I have to agree with Kara; Casey James is something special...he could sing that song to me any time, any place, whenever...he kinda has that Fabio look to him, but WAY better looking in my book...if he doesn't make it singing (which he should, because honestly he sounded better than most of the guys tonight), he should really consider modeling...
Probably won't watch Idol again until they have whittled it down to the top 10...that's when I start voting...
2) I am a bit obsessed with the Olympics...I wanted to be a figure skater SO bad as a little girl, and whenever I get on the ice I attempt spins and such (that's saying a lot for a klutz like me!)...anyways, my thoughts so far...
1) The guys are WAY better than the girls...I mean, WAY WAY WAY better than the girls...I was really 'hating on' the girls last night...I picked out the two guys to be voted off tomorrow as Tim Urban and the kid who looked like Paul McCartney...kinda...I think his last name was Lambert (I don't think he is any relation to the runner up from last season)...
There is ONE girl that I really like: Siobhan Magnus (I have NO idea how pronounce her name correctly) who surprisingly the judges didn't like last night, and three girls who are on my pretty good list: Crystal Bowersox, Michelle Delamor and Lilly Scott...all the others need to be GONE or need to step it up and prove to me why the judges thought they had a better girls group this year...
...oh, and I have to agree with Kara; Casey James is something special...he could sing that song to me any time, any place, whenever...he kinda has that Fabio look to him, but WAY better looking in my book...if he doesn't make it singing (which he should, because honestly he sounded better than most of the guys tonight), he should really consider modeling...
Probably won't watch Idol again until they have whittled it down to the top 10...that's when I start voting...
2) I am a bit obsessed with the Olympics...I wanted to be a figure skater SO bad as a little girl, and whenever I get on the ice I attempt spins and such (that's saying a lot for a klutz like me!)...anyways, my thoughts so far...
- Evan totally deserved the gold...his performance was MUCH better than Plushenko's, even without the quad. And I admit that I have the tiniest crush on him...and yes, he is 6'2"...:)
- I am feeling sooooo bad for the Dutch speed skater...that coach of his owes him a gold medal...and a world record...if you missed it, he was way out ahead of everyone, had the gold medal basically clinched, and his coach tells him to get into a different lane...just by moving into that other lane, he was disqualified...he got to the end of the race, pumps his hands, looks at his girlfriend in the stand and she has her face in her hands...at that point he realizes something is very wrong...just SO sad...he doesn't even get a silver or bronze...NOTHING...
- GO TEAM USA!!! For beating Canada in Hockey, and winning their game today against the Swiss team...and way to go Canada for giving Russia a good beating today...I really hope the gold medal match is USA vs. Canada...makes it a good game...
- I am planning my whole evening tomorrow around the women's figure skating tomorrow...it's my FAVORITE event...I am pulling for the Canadian woman...she totally deserves at least a medal just for continuing in the competition after her mother passed away suddenly on Sunday...I can't even IMAGINE what she is going through...very surprised by the USA girls, I didn't think they would fare as well as they have...and that Korean girl is AMAZING...best female figure skater I have ever seen, and I actually follow that sport pretty regularly...
- Boy, Lindsey Vonn isn't doing very well, huh? AND because of her fall today, her teammate isn't even in medal running now...just AWFUL...
- I LOVE Shaun White...he's just a fun athlete, and absolutely blows everyone out of the water with his half-pipe technique...absolutely amazing...I mean, did you watch his first run? Watch it, and then watch any of the other guys...the height he got on the first trick, the straight board? INCREDIBLE...
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
1 1/2 for 2...
Halfway cooked dinner tonight (my idea, my recipe...well, Mom's recipe...but the lady of the house did help a LOT with it) and all the way cooked dessert...at least I thought I cooked it 'all the way'...
Chicken Pot Pie (Mom's Throw-together Pie)...I insisted on not putting more liquids into the pit, and I am glad I did...just the right amount of flavor, and it wasn't a soup...
Pumpkin Bars...with this amazing (and amazingly simple) cream cheese frosting...1 package cream cheese (8 0z), 1 stick butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla...mix until smooth...try not to eat all of it before you actually frost something...absolutely delectable...
Everything was going well until we actually CUT into the middle of the Bars...they weren't cooked all the way...yeah, kinda bummed about that...BUT they still taste yummy...I really am bummed though, because I tested the bars THREE times with the tooth pick, and it came out clean as a whistle...
Oh well...maybe tomorrow I will be more successful with food...
Chicken Pot Pie (Mom's Throw-together Pie)...I insisted on not putting more liquids into the pit, and I am glad I did...just the right amount of flavor, and it wasn't a soup...
Pumpkin Bars...with this amazing (and amazingly simple) cream cheese frosting...1 package cream cheese (8 0z), 1 stick butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla...mix until smooth...try not to eat all of it before you actually frost something...absolutely delectable...
Everything was going well until we actually CUT into the middle of the Bars...they weren't cooked all the way...yeah, kinda bummed about that...BUT they still taste yummy...I really am bummed though, because I tested the bars THREE times with the tooth pick, and it came out clean as a whistle...
Oh well...maybe tomorrow I will be more successful with food...
Sunday, February 21, 2010
In need of protection...
Today was a rather usual Sunday...went to Church (great Sacrament meeting), came home, ate food...
This afternoon after eating with the family I am living with, I came upstairs to relax...check email, consider watching a movie, in my room...
...after a while I heard some unfamiliar laughter coming from downstairs, along with the families laughter...after trying to figure out the source, I decided to look for myself...
Went down the stairs and...
...suddenly I found myself at the bottom of the stairs...but instead of standing I was, well, not...
I don't think I passed out or anything...I obviously slipped, but I don't remember slipping...I do remember sliding down a few stairs, because that part hurt...really bad...I think I was so focused on figuring out who they were talking to that I just don't remember slipping...
...the father of the family was at the stairs in a flash...I was dazed and in shock to find myself in that fashion...(oh, they were talking to a friend of theirs in England using Skype, btw...)...I took a sec to take an accounting of my body...the back and shoulders will be VERY tender tomorrow, for sure...taking the Aleve tonight...
So it's decided. I need a bodyguard against myself. I mean, I nearly sliced my thumb in two a few weeks ago, then I nearly burned my left hand horribly bad, and now this. It's official, I need protection from myself.
This afternoon after eating with the family I am living with, I came upstairs to relax...check email, consider watching a movie, in my room...
...after a while I heard some unfamiliar laughter coming from downstairs, along with the families laughter...after trying to figure out the source, I decided to look for myself...
Went down the stairs and...
...suddenly I found myself at the bottom of the stairs...but instead of standing I was, well, not...
I don't think I passed out or anything...I obviously slipped, but I don't remember slipping...I do remember sliding down a few stairs, because that part hurt...really bad...I think I was so focused on figuring out who they were talking to that I just don't remember slipping...
...the father of the family was at the stairs in a flash...I was dazed and in shock to find myself in that fashion...(oh, they were talking to a friend of theirs in England using Skype, btw...)...I took a sec to take an accounting of my body...the back and shoulders will be VERY tender tomorrow, for sure...taking the Aleve tonight...
So it's decided. I need a bodyguard against myself. I mean, I nearly sliced my thumb in two a few weeks ago, then I nearly burned my left hand horribly bad, and now this. It's official, I need protection from myself.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
It's About Time!
It's 62 degrees outside!
It's about freaking time...I took advantage and wore a short sleeve shirt, ankle capris and sandals...
So.happy.it.almost.hurts.
Washed the car, drove about, basked in lovely sunlight...
The park was packed! I didn't go so far as to go to the park today, but I did drive by it...it really didn't look all that appealing, with the grass being brown and all...but I do understand why all the parents took the opportunity to get out of the house with the kids...
See, cold weather just shouldn't exist. Moving to AZ ASAP!!!
And that's all I have to say...for the moment.
It's about freaking time...I took advantage and wore a short sleeve shirt, ankle capris and sandals...
So.happy.it.almost.hurts.
Washed the car, drove about, basked in lovely sunlight...
The park was packed! I didn't go so far as to go to the park today, but I did drive by it...it really didn't look all that appealing, with the grass being brown and all...but I do understand why all the parents took the opportunity to get out of the house with the kids...
See, cold weather just shouldn't exist. Moving to AZ ASAP!!!
And that's all I have to say...for the moment.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Encouragement...
First of all, thank you to all of you who take the time out to encourage me. There are very few people who are truly perfect at the art of sincere encouragement with no 'if's, and's or but's', and I am lucky enough to know some of them, so thanks.
I am reading a book by John Maxwell (never heard of him before) called 'Encouragement Changes Everything', and as I am reading this I can absolutely say this is true! It does change everything...my life is practically a case study of this fact!
And not just the 'good luck' kind of encouragement...real, true, sincere compliments and 'I know you can do this!' kind of stuff. Where when they say, 'I believe in you', they really mean it and you know they really mean it.
My middle and high school orchestra teacher Ms. Dollahon was one of those for me. She knew I could be better. She pushed and prodded and encouraged and challenged...you know, it's her fault I am still in music. I really try and be like her (I fail quite often, more often than I realize I think at this) in challenging people to be better than they are, especially when it comes to music.
Walt Disney (one of my favorites) said the following:
Boy, what a great quote...
We all need encouragers...people who strengthen, inspire, raise you up (to quote the Josh Groban song)...even the Savior, when in the Garden of Gethsemene, was weighed down with the unimaginable pain and anguish of the atonement, had an angel there to strengthen Him. We have need of a 'Comforter' in this life...Christ made it clear that He would send one...obviously encouragement is needed...
Karma...what goes around comes around...if you want an encourager, be one! Next time someone tells you their dream, don't shoot it down with 'and if it doesn't work out'. As long as it isn't morally wrong, why not encourage it? And LEAVE IT AT THAT...And they will survive if it really doesn't work out...they know the risks...they are sharing the dream because they are human/scared/unsure/insecure/whatever and are looking for good wholesome encouragement...not shoot-downs. And you know what...MORE often than not, they DO succeed. And they will love/like/care for you all the more for believing in them! Don't be a 'well-poisoner'...be a life enricher!
I am reading a book by John Maxwell (never heard of him before) called 'Encouragement Changes Everything', and as I am reading this I can absolutely say this is true! It does change everything...my life is practically a case study of this fact!
And not just the 'good luck' kind of encouragement...real, true, sincere compliments and 'I know you can do this!' kind of stuff. Where when they say, 'I believe in you', they really mean it and you know they really mean it.
My middle and high school orchestra teacher Ms. Dollahon was one of those for me. She knew I could be better. She pushed and prodded and encouraged and challenged...you know, it's her fault I am still in music. I really try and be like her (I fail quite often, more often than I realize I think at this) in challenging people to be better than they are, especially when it comes to music.
Walt Disney (one of my favorites) said the following:
There are three kinds of people in the world today. There are 'well poisoners,' who discourage you and stomp on your creativity and tell you what you can't do. There are 'lawn mowers' - people who are well- intentioned but self-absorbed; they tend to their own needs, mow their own lawns and never leave their yards to help another person. Finally, there are 'life enrichers' - people who reach out to enrich the lives of others, to lift them up and inspire them. We need to be life enrichers, and we need to surround ourselves with life enrichers.
Boy, what a great quote...
We all need encouragers...people who strengthen, inspire, raise you up (to quote the Josh Groban song)...even the Savior, when in the Garden of Gethsemene, was weighed down with the unimaginable pain and anguish of the atonement, had an angel there to strengthen Him. We have need of a 'Comforter' in this life...Christ made it clear that He would send one...obviously encouragement is needed...
Karma...what goes around comes around...if you want an encourager, be one! Next time someone tells you their dream, don't shoot it down with 'and if it doesn't work out'. As long as it isn't morally wrong, why not encourage it? And LEAVE IT AT THAT...And they will survive if it really doesn't work out...they know the risks...they are sharing the dream because they are human/scared/unsure/insecure/whatever and are looking for good wholesome encouragement...not shoot-downs. And you know what...MORE often than not, they DO succeed. And they will love/like/care for you all the more for believing in them! Don't be a 'well-poisoner'...be a life enricher!
Monday, February 8, 2010
On the fly...
I tested out my cooking skills on a couple of kids tonight...I made Chicken and Rice (really putting myself out there) WITHOUT a recipe! I couldn't even tell you how much I used of everything...but these were the ingredients:
About 6 chicken tenderloins, cooked by my and shredded mostly by a 3 year old
1 Spanish onion (never used one before)
BUTTER...not too much though...
1 can cream of celery soup
garlic powder
thyme
sage
tarragon
water
It was yummy...the 11 year old boy asked me to teach his Dad how to cook it...pretty high compliment in my book...the 3 year old girl kept saying she didn't like it, and yet she kept eating it, so I am taking it as a big hit...
The only thing I misjudged was how much liquid I needed...I partially cooked the rice earlier, but not completely, and they needed more liquid than just that can of celery and the cup of water I used...I actually had to add it halfway through cooking the casserole in the oven...thankfully it wasn't a bust!
Woot for me and the cooking skills...it was nice to test them out today...tomorrow, spagetti and meatballs...I got some ideas online for ingredients for the meatballs, but again, no definite recipe...
About 6 chicken tenderloins, cooked by my and shredded mostly by a 3 year old
1 Spanish onion (never used one before)
BUTTER...not too much though...
1 can cream of celery soup
garlic powder
thyme
sage
tarragon
water
It was yummy...the 11 year old boy asked me to teach his Dad how to cook it...pretty high compliment in my book...the 3 year old girl kept saying she didn't like it, and yet she kept eating it, so I am taking it as a big hit...
The only thing I misjudged was how much liquid I needed...I partially cooked the rice earlier, but not completely, and they needed more liquid than just that can of celery and the cup of water I used...I actually had to add it halfway through cooking the casserole in the oven...thankfully it wasn't a bust!
Woot for me and the cooking skills...it was nice to test them out today...tomorrow, spagetti and meatballs...I got some ideas online for ingredients for the meatballs, but again, no definite recipe...
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