How Fat is too Fat to Bend Like a Pretzel??

I’ve made it through a week of BYU classes. It doesn’t look like it will be too bad—it’s just that it’s a short block so everything is crammed into 7 weeks. I really like my two teachers and my fellow students who are all young enough to be my kids and very smart and hard-working. I know how to work hard, too, though.

Speaking of hard work, grades came for last semester. In Macroeconomics, Humanities, and Business Statistics, I got an A. In Business Law, I got an A-. That last test did me in. So my overall GPA at UVU is 3.95. That’s probably not going to happen at BYU so I’ll enjoy it while I can.

About a month ago, I applied for Federal Financial Aid and was awarded a Pell grant. But in order for it to be retroactive to last Fall, I have to be an enrolled student at UVU during the term when the money is distributed. So I registered for a 1 credit class, Power Yoga, second block summer term. I haven’t taken one “fun” class the whole time I’ve been at UVU so this will be interesting. My muscles are scared, though. I’ve never done Yoga before. Anyone have any tips to offer me? Sinda, Melody, Julie, Sheila, come take the class with me! If only I had Ben’s flexibility (my grandbaby, Richard and AesaLina's boy). His other grandma said she’s never seen anyone that fat that can bend like a pretzel. After my yoga class, maybe I’ll claim the title from him?

Things I Know For Sure

When I was 18, I knew a lot more than I do now, nearly 30 years later. I hadn’t made any mistakes yet or dealt with any difficult situations. But life and its joys, experiences, trials, and difficult circumstances have taught me that I really don’t know very much of which I am certain. Here is my “Things I Know For Sure” list. If it sounds preachy, please know that I am preaching to myself. I purposely left out religious convictions, though I have some which I hold near and dear to my heart. But they are things I can’t prove to anyone else in a literal, tangible sense. I leave them to others to find out for themselves. Come have a personal conversation with me for that topic. :-)

Kathleen Holmes Compton May 2, 2011

Things I Know For Sure

1. We only have control over our own actions, not anyone else’s.

2. Self-pity is useless, destructive, and, therefore, selfish.

3. We are often the answer to other people’s prayers.

4. Only Love is real. (I didn’t make this one up. It’s the title of a book by Brian Weiss.)

5. We reap what we sow, also known as Karma. Some things happen to us because we have a debt to pay and a good attitude is key to discharging said debts. (see #2)

6. If I died tomorrow, two things would be important to me; (1) relationships with those I love and (2) the level and quality of knowledge I gained.

7. Kindness matters; the same is true for unkindness. They both have a ripple effect. (see #5)

8. When you feel down, counting your blessings will bring you back up.

9. There can be no real joy in life without gratitude. If it’s not in your nature to feel gratitude, practice every day.

10. Everything puts out a vibration, including words, thoughts, and feelings. (All atoms are protons with spinning electrons, even rocks. See the research of Masaru Emoto on water crystals.) You can make your environment brilliant and full of light.

11. Eat your carbs before 2 pm. You’re gonna have to trust me on this one :-). It DOES say “things I know for sure” at the top. (Okay, okay, I’ll temper this one with ‘if you’re a woman and in my age bracket or above’.)

12. “Jealous friend”, “critical friend”, “insensitive, demanding friend” or similar variations are oxymorons. Be kind and civil but direct your energy instead toward those who love you easily.

13. Any time you compare yourself to others, it is a form of jealousy; if, when you are doing this comparing, you think you are better in some way, it is pride. If you think the other person is better (smarter, prettier, luckier, etc.), it is envy. These comparisons and the emotions that accompany them are ALWAYS destructive in the long run. They are also universal so don’t kid yourself that you don’t feel jealousy, envy or pride at times. Knowledge is the first step in overcoming the temptation to indulge. I’m going to try to stop going there, but old habits die hard.

That’s all I know for sure at the moment. But life will teach me more and I will add to my list later. kathleen

Long day

So my internet has been out for about 3 days and I have tons of homework that needs to be done and submitted online for my new classes. It's been very inconvenient. The Digis tech was here this morning for 2 hours working on it. Finally when I bought an $80 router from him, he was able to get us back up and running. He told me I could run to Walmart and get a $30 one but I didn't have time for that today and I can't wait any longer to have internet access or I'll flunk my classes.

As soon as he left, I grabbed my cap and gown and ran out the door to check Nathan, Joy and Sam out of school so they could go to my graduation. We got to UVU 45 minutes before I was supposed to check in, fought our way through the crowd, found Melody (what did we do before cell phones??) and by the time I figured out where to check in, I was very near the back of the line of approximately 300 business school graduates. We filled out our card so the photographers can contact us, then lined up. It was way too hot with all of us crammed in the hallway until we snaked around to the other side of the auditorium. Someone had propped open a door letting in freezing cold air and we stood for about 30 minutes waiting. I felt vaguely like a gladiator in the bowels of the Coliseum, waiting my turn to go into the arena. And somewhere between the house and arriving there, my tassel disappeared. Sigh-best laid plans. When it was over, Melody was thoroughly annoyed with her younger siblings. Later, Nathan asked me which of my kids was the brattiest and if any of them weren't bratty. Sorry to say, Nathan, you were all bratty.

When we got home, my ex-husband was waiting to take the kids for the weekend. Not sure he believed me that the internet was down and I didn't get his email saying what time he'd be there. I have rarely talked to him face to face for almost 2 yrs. He doesn't look good; he looks haggard, tired and old. I hope he finds what he's looking for. I hope I do, too.

graduating, sort of

I am graduating from UVU on Friday April 29 with an Associate of Science in Accounting degree. Yea! I've got my cap and gown and everything so I can set an example for my little kids...and not so little kids. But I started classes at BYU yesterday so it's not really a break. School is like doing laundry. No matter how much you do today, there are more assignments coming, more classes coming, more semesters coming. I went to my I Sys 201 class yesterday and M Com 320 (writing for business) today. Somehow, I thought Spring term started Wed. but it really started Tues. Apr. 26 so I missed the first day of M Com. Now I have a lot of catching up to do, which includes starting this blog, starting a twitter account and a lot of reading and writing. There's no time to rest - yet. I'll have Summer term off - my first break in two years.

I left the house this morning at 7:20 am - plenty of time 'cause, you know, there's easy parking at BYU right now. Wrong! There was a Women's Conference and I was competing with all 80,000 of them for a parking space. I barely made it to class on time. This is why I always leave sooner than I "need" to, according to chronically late people.