pants

I think the walking all over town is working. I purposely brought with me a pair of pants that were too tight (they use to fit). I tried them on yesterday and they fit! And the belt needed to move down a notch! Yippee!!!

ballroom friends

One of my former ballroom dancers, Ryan Di Lello, was on season 6 of So You Think You Can Dance and is now in the touring show of Burn The Floor. I knew him before he married his cutie wife Ashleigh and now they get to dance together. Dave and I went to London on Saturday to check out the show and visit with the Di Lello's, and my other ballroom friend Rosemary and her husband Dave. Even though I live in a foreign country it is funny that I get to see friends from home. I love it. Thanks Ryan, Ashleigh, Rosemary, and Dave. Plus thanks to my Dave for letting me drag you around even though you have a hurt ankle.

p.s. Burn the Floor is AWESOME! If it comes to your town, go see it!

publicize the research

Because my first two PhD projects are online surveys I have to pimp myself and my research out so more dancers and instructors know about it and will want to fill out the surveys. Michael McShinsky has a ballroom blog, so I asked him to put a fb badge on his blog so I can get more publicity. Go check it out! Thanks Mike!

You just might be a grad student if...

I have a T-shirt from when I was at BYU for my Master's degree with a list of things that are typical of grad students. A former dancer of mine who just finished her Master's sent this link from Penn State. It has more on the list than BYU's.

...you've ever brought books with you on vacation and actually studied.

...you consider caffeine to be a major food group.

...Saturday nights spent studying no longer seem weird.

...the professor doesn't show up to class and you discuss the readings anyway.

...you appreciate the fact that you get to choose *which* twenty hours out of the day you have to work.

...you schedule events for academic vacations so your friends can come.

...you hope it snows during spring break so you can get more studying in.

...you find taking notes in a park relaxing.

...you find yourself citing sources in conversation.

...you've ever sent a personal letter with footnotes.

...you are startled to meet people who neither need nor want to read.

...you have ever discussed academic matters at a sporting event.

...you can tell the time of day by looking at the traffic flow at the library.

...you look forward to summers because you're more productive without the distraction of classes.

...you regard ibuprofen as a vitamin.

...you have accepted guilt as an inherent feature of relaxation.

...you find yourself explaining to children that you are in "20th grade".

...you start referring to stories like "Snow White et al."

...you look forward to taking some time off to do laundry.

...you wonder if APA style allows you to cite talking to yourself as "personal communication".

finding stuff

Sometimes I ask people on facebook where to find something or another here in England because I don't know what the English equivalent is. Yesterday I asked where to find a bladder for my Camelbak. I was having lunch with my friend in Birmingham and she suggested this outdoors equipment store next to the restaurant, Cotswold. It even had the real Camelbak brand! It was like going into a REI store.

My next task is to find Twizzlers!

a vase?

I got flowers again. The professor I am housesitting for does not have a vase, so I improvised. What do you think? A blender? Or something else?

Shoes in England

I have noticed that most English people do not know that they need good shoes when exercising. One of the tech's in my department suggested the Birmingham Runner, if you are even near the Birmingham area then you need to get your shoes from them. They video tape you walking on a treadmill to check your gait and figure out which shoe is best for your feet. I made Dave go and get new shoes and they found the perfect Brooks for him. It was my birthday present to him.

You can check out my last shoe blog here.

Three months

I have been in Walsall for 3 months now. I've moved 3 times. Been to London, Lichfield, Colne, Wolverhampton, Cannock, Birmingham, Southport, Blackpool, and Nottingham. My first survey is in Ethics approval. I already have a church calling, 1st Counselor in the Young Women's. Travelled by foot, car, train, and bus. Finally opened a bank account. And...I started dating someone. One of the Utah Mormon things is if you hold hands with a boy you owe your roommates M&M's and if you kiss you owe ice cream. My favorite ice cream is Ben & Jerry's is peanut butter cup and my favorite from the BYU Dairy is rootbeer.