Links and Little Goings-On

There's so much I want to tell you about. But, my discoveries of cool things on the internet pile up until I have to share them, so that goes first.

Cute sad bear children's story and illustrations.

Animation of a toddler.

A blog post of funny pictures and videos. My favorite is the little boy who has a mean look on his face when he blows out his sister's candles.

Faces kids make when playing video games.

Calm pictures of the midwest.

You know how I love crazy public transpo experiences. Check out this one with drunk silver miners and this one with the mother who has a garbage bag, beefsticks, and sprite mixed with breast milk.

My talented cousin is going to be a famous movie star some day!

West Side Story and an awesome version of Romeo and Juliet (with impressive dancing).

I've been enjoying the White House blog, which is not only proof to me of the role of technology in our times, but also a good way of getting me to at least be a good citizen and know what Germany's beloved American president is doing is going on in politics. If you're not an Obama fan, I encourage you to at least read this just to see what he's doing. I was especially interested by this post about women's opportunities.

Mormon young women advice in 1912. "Don't let yourself become constipated." Huh? Whoever let's themself become constipated? How is that even done?

Lips with two different colors of lipstick? I'm still debating. I think if there were ever anyone who could pull it off, it would be Melissa Esplin.

Pretty music performed in Leipzig recently (it was a Sunday so I didn't go).

Magnets on crocs' heads? Can you just imagine? "Hey, Crocky, nice hat." "You've got one too." "What? So that's why those dang scientists tranquilized me."

Doesn't that stink about the collapse of the library in Köln/Cologne?


And now for the things I want to share:

I made tortillas for the first time ever in my life. They turned out really well and they are so easy. I'm not sure why I always thought they were so healthy, though. Lard, flour, salt, and water. Hmm. At least they aren't fried in the pan.

I've been looking for the name of this TV show I used to watch after church when I was little. All I remember is that the main character was a teenage girl whose dad was an alien (she could talk to him through this glass pyramid thing and he never appeared on the show), and she could pause time. Pretty classy, huh? Anyone?

I started a sourdough starter. I was kind of mad that I didn't realize you have to refresh it every day and then after a while, once a week. I don't think I'll be making sourdough bread enough to warrant all that wasted flour. However, it smelled sour enough after one day that I think I can just make a new starter a day or two before I want to make sourdough bread.

I was discussing sports with my favorite English student who also happens to live across the street from me, and she again mentioned that I should see her husband, an orthopedic specialist, about my knee. So, on Friday night I went over to their posh loft that looks out into the park, bringing some corn bread with me (it was too fluffy and crumbly, thanks to some yeast that accidentally got into it, a long story). After some small talk, he asked the normal questions and proceeded to play with my leg asking, "Does this hurt? Does this hurt?" He told me that it shouldn't still be hurting and he might suggest an MRI if it continues hurting, just to be sure that it's not ripped. He said the meniscus was definitely traumatized and that something connected to it was also traumatized and thus the hard, tender part at the top of my shin. He said something else about the sensitivity of the "bone skin"--we never figured out what the real medical term is in English. He said I could try jogging, but if I had a lot of pain, I should stop, but that there would definitely be pain at the start. My leg hurt a lot after the re-examination, so that I had to make sure to sleep without my knee resting on the other knee. The next morning, I went for a very slow, very short jog (the first time since December) and it was okay (even though I wasted at least 5 hours looking at very supportive running shoes and trying to decide if it was worth it to spend 64 Euros at the least--even on sale, shoes are very expensive here--and I did not end up buying any).

I played Oh My Soul Hungered at the Relief Society birthday party while a friend played the violin. It went pretty well. I think I'm getting better at playing with feeling. (A brother here told me I need to work on that and that I should think of my boyfriend. When I said that wasn't possible, he told me to think of the mountains.)

I don't know if I need to pay taxes in America since I've only earned money in Germany and since I have a visa here. Anyone? I'm scared to start the German process. I hear it's super hard, but I can't afford to hire anyone.

Today I translated Sister Dixon's farewell testimony. I only made one mistake (that I noticed, and which I tried to fix but got lost in her starting to talk again). Also today, Mike told me I'm looking skinny and that I should eat something (ha ha) and Sister Werner told me I need to eat more. That's hilarious to me, because I'm still chubbier than I was when I first got to Germany--I know only because some of my clothes don't fit anymore. I have been trying to work out every day and eat less (see my fear of starving post if you don't know why that's necessary). My trick is to drink a lot of water while I'm eating so I feel full faster. But that leads to the nice side effect of needing to pee often.

There are some really cool new investigators, one of whom showed up for an appointment yesterday to have a church tour, and we were both surprised to see each other. She was in my class last year. Her prayer after we talked was beautiful. Some day, a friend of mine will start coming to church with me, and I will be so happy that they can share the joy of the gospel with me.

The sisters promised to cut my hair, but the lady in my ward who promised to bring her scissors forgets to give them to me or forgets them on the days I ask. On Thursday, I needed a change (okay, let's be honest here, it was also to cover a huge zit on my temple--the kind that people see and ask if you bumped your head) so I started parting my hair on the other side, which gave me a nice swept-across-the-forehead look. Ever since, people keep saying I look different (according to the sisters, more German) or asking if I've cut my hair. Here's a nice mug shot for you.

My roommate moved out, so there are now two empty rooms. I opened the doors so that light spills into the hallway. I like how quiet it is, but I'm kind of sad about that roommate being gone. People are now coming to look at the one room besides mine that is still available. We're going to be living with one fridge and no vacuum from now on. :(

I've written 2 pages of my essay. Wahoo. More to come.

I'm excited to hear your comments about any of the above . . . (that means "please leave a comment").