IPA Bingo!

I've become quite familiar with the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) this past year in my English Language/Linguistics classes. In one of my classes today, my teacher had us play IPA Bingo...with Smarties candy! He would give the technical terms and we had to match them with the IPA symbols on our bingo cards. It was a great class day! I am grateful for a fun and intense few rounds of IPA Bingo!

A Good Memory

I am grateful that I have a good memory. I've often taken advantage of this in order to remember people's names when I meet them and to remember my part when performing music in a group. Remembering my part or remembering people's names has, for the most part, been pretty easy for me. This is one of many things I never have problems with. I think it is good to remember what I'm good at when I feel like I'm not doing very well at something else yet. I am grateful that I have a good memory and that I have found ways to make this strength a blessing for me and for others.

Valentine's Day Package

I got a package from home today! It had some clothes from home, some food, and Valentine's Day decorations! I was reminded of the fact that the holiday is coming up. That put a smile on my face. I'm grateful for the early Valentine's Day wishes from my parents. :)

Great Places to Eat on Campus

Today I introduced someone to a great cafe on campus. There are many great places to eat here, if you know where to look for them. I am grateful for the restaurants and shops on campus and close by that offer delicious food at a relatively cheap price.

Been Here Long Enough

I've been at this school for a while, and I mean that as a good thing. I've been here long enough to know where the closest campus printer is that won't have a long line. Little things I know because of experience. The knowledge about the printer came in handy this morning before class. I am grateful to have been here long enough to know the little, useful things about being at this campus.

Church at the Hospital

Today, I joined several of my friends in going to the church service held by the hospital. We came to help run the program of the service. I volunteered to give a brief talk on faith and hope to a group of hospital patients and their families. I won't say it was my best talk, and I was very impressed by a couple of the other talks that were given. But, I remembered that it doesn't really matter how great my talk is compared to anyone else's. What matters is that I was willing and able to help, and I did what I could to help give some comfort to the hospital patients. I am grateful for the opportunity to give a talk at the local hospital.

Having Fun Creating Words

While waiting for laundry, I worked on a language creation assignment for a class. The assignment was to create a certain amount of words for a fictitious language and assign meanings to them. I had so much fun doing it! The assignment appealed to my creative side, as well as to my desire to learn more about how English works. I've still got a little bit of work to do on it, but I don't mind at all. I can honestly say that I've been enjoying all of my classes and coursework this semester so far. However, I don't remember the last time I was engaged in an assignment that was so enjoyable and so mentally stimulating! I am grateful for a thouroughly enjoyable and challenging homework assignment this weekend.

Geocachers

I love how there are geocaches everywhere. Behind each one is the story of the person who put it there. I am grateful for the people who deposit geocaches for others to find.

Window Washer and Catering People

Today I am grateful for the people I saw working behind-the-scenes jobs.

As I walked through the campus library several times today, I noticed a campus worker wiping down the many glass windows in the atrium. Those windows are very hard to reach, so I'm sure it was a lot of work. I'm grateful for his work.

I was at a banquet today for my major, and I really appreciated the good work done by the catering chefs and servers. They kept everything running smoothly regarding the set-up, the meal, and the clean-up. I'm grateful for their work today.

Stage Jitters

I don't remember the last time I ever had true stage fright, but today I had stage "jitters." Even for a small performance or audition, I sometimes feel a bit jittery and slightly nervous. I find it odd because I'm generally confident in my performance. Then I remember some great words I heard while in high school: If you feel nervous, good! That means you care. That means you want to do a good job. I am grateful for stage jitters because even though it can affect the first few moments I have on stage, it is proof to me that the performance matters to me.

Scripture Power

These past couple of days, I've been dealing with a frustrating problem. I prayed about it, asking for the help and guidance I need to move forward with my own efforts. As I read the scriptures this morning, I came across a passage that directly applied to my problem. I was impressed. In my heart I felt assured of what I needed to do. I am grateful for a small yet significant answer to sincere prayer this morning through studying the scriptures.

David Bowie

I honestly haven't seen or heard much of David Bowie. He seems a bit too eccentric for my taste, but I have really enjoyed two of his classic performances: in The Labrynth, and in his Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth duet with Bing Crosby. The Labrynth is rather fun, and the duet with Bing Crosby is unusually delightful. I'm also aware that David Bowie had a birthday this month. So, today I'm grateful for David Bowie.

Scat

Today, I am grateful for scat. In case you don't know the term, scat is a verb that means "to improvise with the voice by using nonsense sounds, usually in the jazz genre." Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong are just a couple of the better known examples of expert "scat-ers." I am grateful for scat because it is another musical tool at my disposal when I'm walking to and from campus with no one to talk to. I like to beatbox and sing. and I throw in some scat (my attempt at it, anyway) if I'm in a bit of a jazzy mood. Basically, I enjoyed taking Snow White's advice on my way back from campus today, but instead of whistling while I worked, I scatted (and beatboxed) while I walked. :)

Mini Golf with My Roommate

I had a good day at school, and I had a great evening as well. A lot was going on tonight and my original plans fell through. I am grateful that my roommate suggested we go mini golfing. I really enjoyed it, and it made my night great. :)

Magicians

I was advertising my club at a club fair on campus today. Across from my table was the magic club. They showed many magic tricks to many people. I was impressed not only with the magic tricks but also the way they presented their tricks. They were funny and witty. I admire those magicians and what they do with cards, balls, coins, rope, small chalkboards, etc. I would seriously participate in their club if I were not invested in stronger interests. I am grateful for performance magicians.

Moleskine

If you're not familiar with the name, Moleskine is a company that makes high quality notebooks of all kinds. The other day I bought a Hobbit-themed Moleskine notebook, and I used it a bit today for an assignment for my Tolkien class. I am grateful for high quality notebooks. Whenever I see one, I have a desire to fill it with my best work. Really, I am grateful for notebooks in general. The act of handwriting my thoughts and my work is, to me, a very pleasurable hobby.

Misty Mountains

There has been snow on the mountains here for a little while now. I don't know exactly what it was about today but the mountains were incredibly gorgeous this afternoon! It was a monochromatic display of pure white with shades of light grey mixed with a thick layer of clouds. It was quite a sight. The image of those mountains reminds me of the dwarf song in the first Hobbit movie, "Misty Mountains." I'm grateful for today's display of snowy, misty mountains.

Work Unseen

These past couple of days, my apartment complex had issues with the internet. I don't know exactly what the problem was and I don't know exactly how it got fixed. But, I know it works now and I am very grateful for that. I am grateful for the people that had a hand in fixing a complex-wide internet problem. They get paid, but they probably don't get enough thanks from the beneficiaries of their labors.

Knowing Enough About Dancing

I remember a sermon I once heard on the topic of developing faith and conviction in the teachings of Jesus Christ. The basic idea was this: You don't have to know everything; you just need to know enough. Enough to help you progress and move forward in your understanding of what is true.

This principle applied to a situation I was in today. I was at a Latin dance with a few friends, and one friend didn't know much about Latin dancing. I didn't know much beyond the basics, but I figured it would be enough for both of us to enjoy the party. Once my friend started to get the hang of it, we had a lot of fun dancing and watching others dance. I didn't know everything or even a lot about Latin dancing, but I knew enough to enjoy it and to help other people enjoy it. I am grateful for what I know (about dancing as well as in general) because it has always helped me move forward and improve myself.

Etymology: Humble = Ground

I love my major, English Language. I am in a couple of fantastic classes in which I learn about the history of English words and meanings and sounds and so on. Sometimes, the etymology (the history of words) can be fascinating and inspiring. I learned in class today something significant about the word humble. The word is derived from the Latin word humus, which means ground and earth. My professor remarked that a person kneeling in prayer is showing their humility to God, that they recognize that they are "from the dust of the earth" compared to God's divine attributes. Yet, God still loves His children and wants to help them reach their full potential.

What a fascinating insight into a common word! When I pray, I will remember this meaning of the word humble. I am grateful for an increased knowledge of etymology and the great insights I receive about the English language.

Butterbeer

Ah butterbeer, a sweet non-alcoholic beverage from Harry Potter's world. There are real butterbeer recipes out there, and one of my friends has one. She had a Harry Potter-themed party today and served butterbeer. I think it's great to be able to live the world of a beloved book series just a little bit. :)

New Classes: The Possibilities!

The first few days of the semester are, of course, generally devoted to talking about the syllabus of each course. I am grateful for these first few days of classes! Hearing the plan and the outcomes of the course gets me excited about the possibilities for the new semester!

"That Was Kind of You"

I saw a campus official shoveling snow away from the path this morning, and I briefly thanked him for his work. A few moments later, a girl stopped me and asked, "Hey, did you thank that man for his work?" When I said I did, she replied, "That was kind of you." As she walked away, I thought how nice it was of her to give me those few, kind words.  I am grateful that I was caught doing something kind today. :)

Candy Canes

My roommate is sharing some candy canes he has left over. I am grateful for the flavor, unique shape, and symbolism (the shepherds who visited baby Jesus) of candy canes. :)

A Day of "Nothing"

Much like most of my holiday break, I've had a pretty relaxing day today because I had nothing scheduled and school doesn't start until next week. Part of me felt that I've been really lazy, sleeping in and playing video games with my roommate. For the most part, I've been doing nothing. But, it will be a while before another day like this comes up again. So, I'm grateful for a day of "nothing."

No Ginger Ale on the Plane

Every time I travel on a Delta flight, I ask for ginger ale and Biscoff cookies when the snacks and beverages come around. They make a lovely combination! This time, they were out of ginger ale and my second choice, Sprite. So I got water with my Biscoff cookies instead. Though I was slightly disappointed, I was actually grateful to have water this time. I've been working on drinking more water anyway. Granted, a small change in beverage wouldn't amount to much in the long run, but I appreciate the reminder of my heath-related goal. I'm grateful that I had water instead of ginger ale on the plane today.