Lookin hot!

Well, I've been a busy little bee with my class, which is going well, and my homework, which I should do more of. However, in the midst of all this business, there is always something that comes and makes us slow down. For me that happened last night at work. I woke up and my eye was a little bit goopy, like I had eye bugs, but it cleaned right out. As the night progressed, my eye got really gross and I was excreting green goop and it kind of swelled shut. I had the doctor look at it and he wrote me a prescription. They let me go home from work early and so I went to the pharmacy and got my eye drops. When I got home around 0200 all of my roommates were still awake and said I looked horrible...very nice for them to say...I just can't understand why everyone teases me so much...even at work they were laughing at me. Well, now here we are a couple of hours later and the green goop has stopped, but its still a bit swollen, as you can see. Anyhow, fun stuff, and just so you know, you can't catch bacterial conjunctivitis from my blog, so don't worry about it. You probably can't catch it at all anymore because the secretion of green goop has stopped...so you can't look as gross as I look....hahahaha!

January is almost gone

All six of us who live in the brick house...only the girls are shown, the dogs and boys who normally accompany us will have to make it on a later date.







Well, I've heard that my readers are starving for news....so to all of you, I'm sorry, don't lose hope, life will continue.

Things have been going very well for me. I am teaching again and have a great class full of wonderful students who are anxious to learn the art of the Portuguese language. I also am working at the hospital still and I really do love all of the people that I work with on our unit and yep, I do love being a nurse on the weekends.

I am also getting really excited about my thesis. I am writing about Maria Anna Acciaioli Tamagnini Barbosa who wrote in Macau and have been in contact with her son. I'm getting tons of information and my thesis is forming in my mind. Everything is falling into place and I feel as if this opportunity has been given to me on a silver platter.

So...plans for the future....I'll be going to Portugal in the end of May to do research on my darling Maria Anna and conduct a personal interview with her son Colonel Mariano Tamagnini. In June, soon after returning from Portugal, I'll be traveling to Brasil where I'll be the instructor for the Study Abroad. I'll teach Portuguese 201/211 to those students we take with us. I'm really excited about that opportunity....think of that, I'll get paid to travel....this is the life!

Yep, and that is the news from me. Have a great day!

DONE

I am officially done with finals and my brain has officially left the building. I am going to go relax in Vernal today and hopefully I don't die on the highway there, however, if I do, that's OK too. Maybe next semester I won't try to kill myself again...

FINALS WEEK!!!!

This morning I taught the last class of the semester for my Portuguese class. The students were pretty excited to be done, not because they dislike the class or the teacher in any way, mind you, but because they are ready to be done with the semester as am I. Just a million more things to do before vacation........

A cute comic for all of you....

Finals!!!!!

Well we're coming up on a very exciting time of year. On one hand it is really crazy because everything is due and everyone is stressed out. On the other hand it is exciting to think that in a few short days the semester will be done. This of course has no reflection on how I like the courses that I am taking, it is more a desire for something new and excitement for the new things to come as well as the slight chance of sleep during the break. I do plan on working a lot and so I'm not quite sure how much sleep I'll get, however....what can you do? Not much for sure.

Yep, that's about all I have to say at this point. Also, just a side note, I'm getting really excited about the thesis I'll be writing here soon. I've been doing a lot of research in that direction. Great stuff! Tamagnini rules!

TWEETY AND SYLVESTER

Watch this until Sylvester catches Tweety.
(this is how I feel in relation to my projects)

Thanksgiving, thank goodness!

Just when I thought I would wallow in the pit of despair, we had a couple days off school and I caught up on some much needed sleep. I had all sorts of good intentions to do a lot of homework and get ahead for this crazy three weeks that I'll have, but...I didn't. So, what did I do instead???? Well, at noon on Thanksgiving, I had a great Thanksgiving dinner at my grandparents Jex's house, my parents drove in from Colorado. Then, at 6:00 that night I had another Thanksgiving dinner at a professor's house because I wanted to meet his daughter's fiance and only intended to eat pie, however, since they hadn't yet started dinner.....well, what was I supposed to do?? It was really great food.....


Other things of note: I went Christmas tree hunting for the first time in my life and that was fun. I was reminded of the Berenstain Bear's Christmas Tree where Papa Bear is sure that he can find the best and then they end up going to a tree lot all the same. Anyway, it was a successful tree hunt, and I didn't even have to get very cold as I got to hang out with Sarah in the truck...lucky me!!

Well, back to school for me! I'll surface again in about a month. Oh, I'm also excited about this weekend. Our stake is having this great service project on Saturday serving all sorts of widowed, elderly and otherwise deserving people. I'm excited!

busy me, trying to stay out of trouble....

so, i noticed that i hadn't written in a while, sorry about that. life sure is crazy sometimes. i have a couple of projects on the burners right now. the coolest is the service project that i am part of that we'll be doing on the 1st of december. we're going to be serving a lot of individual households, helping them with projects or cleaning or whatever. with a lot of prayers it will all come together. other than that, i'm just working on homework all of the time. oh, the other thing that i managed to do yesterday is to visit 13 different portuguese classes to talk about the brasil study abroad. i felt very good about that although i was absolutely exhausted by the end.

also yesterday i sang in a talent show. it's kind of crazy how i get nervous talking in front of people, but to sing in front of a bunch of people in portuguese isn't too bad at all...maybe because i know they don't understand exactly what i'm saying and so if i mess up, they have no idea. also i just feel a little bit more confident in portuguese i think, at least most of the time.

yep, it's been a busy but good week so far....

oh, just a note, i think i'm going to get braids over christmas break because i liked them so much and they did wonders for my dry scalp and hair...so...i'm excited.

How to Tell You're Not Mom's Favorite

I just got a giggle and thought you might appreciate this one.  Yes, I'm still alive in school, barely.  Hey, what can you do?  Have a great week!

Busy me and Wedding Cake

I have been hearing complaints, that my faithful following is starving for some news of my person and doings... I can assure you that I am still alive, but I'm not sure for how long, or how exactly I'm managing, it's a minute by minute affair. Funny thing, I was thinking on Sunday evening how nice it was to be caught up, but had a little tickle in the back of my mind like I was missing something...I was. Luckily (for those who believe in luck) I was told today by my desk mate that we had a paper due tomorrow...so, as i always say, "No rest for the wicked!" I've got to work on that. I try to keep myself busy to keep me out of trouble, but...well, you know how it is.


A few notes on my latest doings...My cousin and I made a wedding cake for my aunt, she liked it and there was practically nothing left of it when all was said and done. I felt really good about it and next will be doing one for a friend...but not quite yet. It's really fun and I like experimenting with new designs and things. This is now my third real big wedding cake. I feel more confident every time, so the next time you hear of somebody looking for a cake...I just might want to do it.
Other than that...what have I been doing? Not very much, unless you count getting students ready for their finals, getting ready for my midterms, writing papers, working, reading some great literature and all and all becoming a more well rounded person, and not just my lower end. Oh, and I also went standby to General Conference, which was amazing, but I did just standby, I didn't get into a seat in the conference center, next time I'll make sure I have a ticket...it's way too cold to hang around outside.

Today is a great day!

I apologize for being so remiss in my duties to my adoring public (all three of you who faithfully check my blog) I will use the busy excuse only to say that I really have been trying to do everything and it doesn't work as well as I would wish. It does work a lot better than it should, and for this I am so thankful for the blessings and divine help that I receive on a continuing basis. I attended the Women's Conference this last Saturday and the one thing that I really loved was the comment to "pray for abilities equal to your tasks. Then you are the miracle". That's definitely one that I will be using, oh, NOW.

Other fun things...I am so excited for General Conference this weekend!!! I will be attending one of the sessions in the conference center and for that I am grateful and excited.

Concert schedule

I have had a couple of questions recently related to my concert schedule.  I think the best way to answer them is to refer you all to the BYU men's chorus website, I realize that I am not in Men's Chorus and you might all wonder what their schedule has to do with ours...Everytime we have a concert, it will be the mens chorus and womens chorus that performs. (in addition to other choirs at times)  Anyhow, here is the link...let me know if you would like for me to arrange tickets...

http://menschorus.byu.edu/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_cat&catid=14&year=2008&month=1&day=26&Itemid=30

love

ellen

Another week and I'm still alive

Well, you might ask what I've done this week that's of any use to the world...

I would have to reply that I managed to finish a DVD that goes through our very fun trip in Mozambique. That made me pretty excited because it worked out so well.

Other cool things that I've done this week: I made it through and finished all of my homework by the time I got to class. I actually read most of the reading too. I'll tell you that it was extensive. I also have written some pretty cool papers, in Portuguese of course so you'll just have to take my word for it. All in all it was a very good week.

Now I'm off to my weekend job at the hospital being a nurse. It is kind of fun to be a teacher, a student, and a nurse. I sometimes feel like three different people...or one person doing the job of three. Thank goodness for divine intervention!

ellen

Busy Little Bee

Hey all of you faithful blog watchers! Sorry that I haven't gotten around to telling you what's going on, but "let me explain--no, there is too much, let me sum up.."

Labor Day I hiked all 16 miles of Mt Timpanogus on the Timpanoki trail. I was very happy because most of the time I didn't feel like I was dying, which is how I normally feel during those grueling 14ners in Colorado. End of story, I was very tired and slept very well that night.

The first two weeks of school have gone well, I even gave the first test of the term for my portuguese class and they did very well. A's and B's for everyone. I think the lowest was an 85% Yep, pretty cool, could be because they have the greatest teacher...

Other fun things: I got into Women's Choir and so I'll be singing Tuesday morning in the devotional. Pretty neat. I'm pretty stoked about it. I now have to memorize a whole lot of music.

I have my own office with a desk and computer and everything. It's pretty exciting, which is good because I spend a whole lot of time there...

I'm not sure if I'm forgetting something, like I said, there is too much so I would only be summing it up. Yep, good stuff. I do apologize because I had hoped to write sooner. I was going to include pictures of the hike and stuff, but they didn't end up getting to me and I decided that I didn't have more time to wait, so here is the news from ellen's office without pictures.

ellen

News from the Palmers in Singapore

My dear friends the Palmers are serving as public affairs missionaries in Singapore and one of Jane's projects was featured in an article in LDSLiving magazine...Here is a copy of the article:

Little Hats, Big Hearts
Knitting Hats for Premature Babies
by Meagan Brady
Sunday, August 05, 2007



When her husband’s job called for a temporary move to Singapore, Sandy Simiskey knew exactly how she would pass the time. “I knew that I would need something to keep me busy during those two months,” she explains, “so I brought a couple of crochet hooks and a bit of yarn with me. Little did I know just how busy I would be crocheting and knitting preemie hats and encouraging nice ladies to do the same.”
Soon after arriving in Singapore, Sandy discovered that because of a high percentage of premature births, many hospitals in the area had a great need for the baby hats she crocheted in her spare time. Sandy organized a group of Relief Society sisters from the Toa Payoh ward to knit or crochet hats for the babies and deliver them to local hospitals. As her two-month stay stretched to more than eighteen months, Sandy’s hobby grew into a service project spanning at least ten countries.

The Relief Society sisters soon had more hats than the hospitals in Singapore could handle, so they looked for other hospitals in need. “We expanded to other countries by contacting other senior missionary couples. We found a great need in other Asian countries and the hospitals were most appreciative” says Elder Palmer, a missionary serving with his wife at the Asia Area Public Affairs office in Singapore. “No goals were initially set. We just wanted to fill a need at hospitals in Singapore. However, it is turning into wonderful service project, building testimonies and friendships, and blessing the lives of premature babies all over Asia.”

As part of the expansion, several of the hats were sent to the Philippines. “Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came bearing bags and bags of knitted hats for babies and asked if our baby patients would benefit from them,” recalls Dr. Socorro Mendoza, Chair of the Department of Neonatology at the Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila. “I am not sure how they found out that we needed them.”

Hospitals use the hats to help premature babies conserve body heat. “The hats will contribute to their warmth and therefore calories for heat maintenance will be conserved and used by the body for growth and weight gain instead,” explains Dr. Mendoza. Conserving body heat is so beneficial that some hospitals resort to using the toes of men’s socks as hats, or even to wrapping the babies’ heads in plastic wrap.

The surprising growth of the service project prompted a local newspaper in Singapore to write a story about the project—a story that elicited interest from several members of the community. “We have been to the JTC government office to teach the secretaries and administrators during their lunch hour,” explains Elder Palmer, “and our key contact there asked us to come and next teach cooking classes after tasting the homemade treats we brought to the class.” Students in local schools are also participating in making the hats.

So far, more than five thousand hats have been crocheted or knitted and delivered to hospitals in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, Cambodia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines. An ever bigger success, however, has been the friendships that have been formed among those working on the project. “The Relief Society women are developing new friends and camaraderie with ladies of other faiths,” says Elder Palmer. “We have women of all walks of life coming to our church building to be taught. This project is an easy, comfortable way for people to learn about us, and we learn so much from them.”

Sandy Simiskey and her husband are returning to the United States shortly, but she won’t soon forget the time she has spent in Asia. “I am so grateful for the great opportunity that I have had here in Singapore to meet and get acquainted with so many nice ladies,” she says. “I now have over one hundred and fifty new friends.”

End of Vacation

I realize that I haven't written in a while and I half-way apologize. I know you must all be dying with sadness because you have gone more than a week without knowing my every move, and that is enough to make anyone sad. Anyhow, I was on vacation. I went home...to Colorado. Actually I went to both of my Colorado homes. I first stopped off in Arvada and saw my families and went hiking and just relaxed and talked and enjoyed being around my friends.


I then went to the other side of the mountains and enjoyed the beautiful scenery on my way to my parents' house. I really like the new house they are building. The brick just got finished and it looks great!! I am so excited for them. I had a good time. I really needed the break, and now I'm raring to go. I started today orientation for my teaching assignment. I'm getting more and more excited every day. Should be fun. I also am getting worried because I will have a lot to do this semester!! Is it possible to do it all??? We'll see as the story unfolds...the saga that is ellen's life.

Best Headlines of 2006

I'm a sucker for corny plays on words...

The YEAR'S BEST (actual) HEADLINES OF 2006:

Crack Found on Governor's Daughter
Imagine that!

Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says
No, really?

Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
Now that's taking things a bit far!

Is There a Ring of Debris around Uranus?
Whaaat??

Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
What a guy!

Miners Refuse to Work after Death
No-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-sos!

Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant
See if that works any better than a fair trial!

War Dims Hope for Peace
I can see where it might have that effect!

If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile
You think?!

Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures
Who would have thought!

Enfield ( London ) Couple Slain: Police Suspect Homicide
They may be on to something!

Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges
You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?!

Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge
He probably IS the battery charger

New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
Weren't they fat enough?!

Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft
That's what he gets for eating those beans!

Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
Taste like chicken?

Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
Chainsaw Massacre all over again

Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors
Boy, are they tall!

And the winner is....

Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead
Did I read that sign right?

v>

Well, I'm done with class for another semester/block, whatever you call it. Good news! I did get an A in Chinese. Maybe it wasn't an A+, but I worked hard for it and I feel like I learned a thing or two, about learning and about Chinese. Anyhow, I also think that I got A's in the 4 other classes that I was in. Note to self, don't take 5 classes on the block. Basically, I am looking forward to this weekend. I am going on a little road trip to Denver-ish to visit all of my great friends. I do miss them a lot over here in Utah. It ought to be fun, even if it's not restful, but hopefully it will be a bit restful as well. Yep, that's my story, oh, and the fact that my i-pod now has 6.7 days of songs on it...maybe that's a bit excessive... Oh well! I do enjoy listening to whatever I want to whenever.

Off to bed with me!

ellen

Still alive, busy, and tired.

I'm sure everyone is wondering if I am still alive...the answer is yes. I am in the midst of finals and for this reason I have not had time or energy to let you know what's going on in my life. I only have a couple more things due and then it's all over!!! Then I think I'll go and sleep. Oh, the one other thing that I allowed myself because I was working so hard is Eclipse. I'm not sure if all of you have had the chance to read Stephanie Meyer's series that starts with Twilight. It's about vampires and other mythical creatures. Basically this human girl falls in love with a vampire...it's a love story, and I liked it. Anyhow, the third book just came out and I allowed myself a study break to read it. I probably should do things like this before or after finals...but I seem to do it right in the middle. I do like to have my hand in about five million things at once...more fun that way.

Ellen Thompson: Professor of Languages

So, as incredible as it may sound...they are going to let me teach a college language course all by myself. Meaning that I am the only teacher, not that I have to invent the curriculum etc. I am really excited and scared at the same time. I already do have a lot of materials prepared from the language instruction class that I am taking, so that will be a big help. I have decided that I will refer to myself in class as Dona Elena, a name with a little bit of ummph and respect. I'll let you know how it proceeds, but I think that I will really enjoy it and will strive to be great. Teaching is one of the things that I do love to do and I can see myself being very happy doing it. Funny link: Why learn a foreign language??


Also, a little side note, the service project did very well. We had about 100 single adults show up and we served 6 schools and the public library. At each school there was a different project, for example: At Rock Canyon they cleaned windows and did weeding/etc. There was another school that also had windows done. One had the participants pruning rosebushes and at yet another they covered books. The library was also very excited to have us there as they had just finished a variety of projects as well as the summer reading program and had had various holidays interspersed and consequently had fallen behind on their shelving and sorting of books, we helped get them ready and organized for the back to school. Overall, it worked out very well. The custodians of the various schools couldn't say enough about how grateful and excited they were. One school actually let us know that they had positions available, so I guess they liked our work. We had breakfast and lunch for the participants and really I feel like it was a great success. Also it is a great relief to be done with it. I love it when a plan comes together.

So, that is the update on my crazy life...The Lord continues to bless me and sustain me through all of my many activities. I know that alone I would fail, but as Paul notes in Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
Ammon mentions in Alma 26:12 "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."

Harry Potter!!!

Just a little shout out to all of you Harry Potter fans: I really liked the end of the great story. I have to say that J.K.Rowling did a very good job of making the story interesting, which is difficult at the end of a 7 book series. I appreciated the deeper view at the characters Snape and Dumbledore. I feel as if the plot is the same as would be found in an adult book, but the wording is digestible, it slides right down so to speak. There is something to be said for that kind of brain candy. Basically I am a fan. Oh, on another note, the epiloge reminded me of that sickening twist Disney movies always seem to take...the one that makes the watcher/reader want to find the nearest garbage can. I might even warn against reading it. Basically you find out that those you thought would get married do and they continue...I think the presence of devoted people who are more than fans, but are on the verge of obsession influenced this great writer to put that silly addendum... Personal opinion. Yep, now on to homework....