What did you say?

Is it okay to tease someone because of their "accent"? Is it like teasing someone because they can't spell well?

For instance, what if it's a teacher giving a spelling test and leaving out vowels? I mean, how does one say, "geometry" properly anyway? If someone were to say "jom-e-tree", would it be okay to giggle and/or correct them? I say, "gee-ah-me-tree". Am I correct? If the kids can spell it right, does it really matter? I'm just saying, I don't really know.

I had a Spanish teacher in 9th grade who struggled with a speech impediment. She had difficulty breathing when she talked, so her voice sounded kind of shaky. And here she was, teaching us how to "speak" Spanish. It was ironic.

My French teacher was a true Southern Bell and had the strong accent to go with it. She would say things like, "Bon-zhure claaase. Ko-mo tal-e vew?" I had 2 yrs. of French with her. I felt okay with my French. I never tried it out on a real French person though.

My kids say things like "maow-un" for mountain and "faow-un" for fountain. Where did the "t" go? It's a Utah thing. I tease them for talking like Utahans. "We are, Mom." they remind me. Oh yeah. Just because I'M not from Utah, I forget that they are.

Wear Iy'm frum, they tawk lye-k the-ss. They eat their food with a "fo-work"- (two syllables) and create new words like "ain't" and "ya'll". So who am I to tease anyway?

"RAK" it up to good deeds

I've completed 1 week of my "random acts of kindness" to prepare for Easter challenge. I don't list these to pat myself on the back or anything. Rather, to see what I found to do, and it was quite a variety. By doing these things for a purpose, I had a better attitude, mostly. It made me think more about maybe how Jesus thinks, in some small way. The challenge also made it fun.

Random acts of kindness:

Day 1 Thurs. Feb. 26- I made BaNaNa's bed for her while she was in the bathroom getting ready for the day. I did it cutesy with pillows and stuffed animals.

Thoughts: Mornings are so busy for me. It's hard to take the time. But it made me feel good to do something just for her. I was even more pleased when she noticed and thanked me.


Day 2 Fri. Feb. 27- Today I was asked to substitute for the school lunchroom supervisor. Basically I watch the kids in the cafeteria during lunch, keeping the peace and helping with whatever they need. Well, instead of going home, I stayed and washed all of the tables for the lunch workers.

Thought: At first I was doing this because the volunteer kids that wipe the tables had to leave 10 min. early and I was just filling in. I felt anxious, wanting to get home and get a nap before returning to school. (I teach in the afterschool program.) But then I remembered- ah ha! This could be my RAK for the day! It was funny how my attitude changed and I didn't begrudge the extra 15 min. that I stayed.


Day 3 Sat. 2/28 I helped one of my best friends prepare the ward newsletter.

Thought: Now this was a RAK, but it was also a break for me. It was nice to do some good and hang out at the same time.


Day 4 Sun. 3/1 We had a wonderful R.S. lesson which resulted in lots of emotion and tears shed, and NO tissues. After church was over, I got in my car and saw my box of tissues and thought, RAK. So I ran it in and put it on the podium shelf at the front of the room.

Thought: I almost didn't want to count it, since it was such a little thing, but this is subjective and little things most certainly count. Also, it was fun to do. No one knows. Well, now you know.

Also, I visited a friend who I thought was down today. I saw her in the hall and she was crying. I said, "How's it going?" "Oh, not too well", was her response. Because of this RAK thing, I thought, I could visit her tomorrow and count it for tomorrow. But then I rolled my eyes at myself. Just because I'm trying to perform one RAK per day doesn't LIMIT me to ONLY ONE. So, I went. I brought some muffins and just chatted. She wasn't as down as I thought, but it was good to visit with her.


Day 5, Mon. 3/2 While at Wal*Mart, I collected two stray carts and put them in the cart holders. I almost didn't count it because it was too easy. But there I go limiting myself again. It was a simple thing, now a parking space or two are open instead of blocked, and there's 2 carts an employee doesn't have to track down. Now, why people just leave them when there are AMPLE cart storage places is beyond me, but that's a pet peeve and a possible topic for a different post.


Day 6, Tue. 3/3 It was a busy day and the only RAK was, I suppose, fairly typical of a "Mom". I helped Red Pepper pick up her room before bed. I don't know how "random" that is, since I do it often. Nor do I know how "kind" it was, since I griped about how slowly she was going. But, oh well.


Day 7 Wed. 3/4 Two today: I took a backpack, which was left on the playground at school, to the "Lost and Found" and later, I stopped the car as I was driving out of a parking lot, to pick up a plastic bottle, which I took home and put in the recycling bin. No deep insights on this one.


Okay, so far so "good". Hopefully I can keep this up!

How many of these did you know?

My sweetheart posted 25 things about himself and challenged his readers to do likewise. I always find it interesting how much I don't know about people, so I thought you might enjoy learning some new "stuff" about me...

My very favorite treat is Oreos and hot chocolate.

I used to collect stamps and Mad Magazines. I still collect rocks.

I've never broken a bone.

I got my ears double pierced while serving a mission in Brazil, and my companion got hers triple pierced. (This was pre-one-piercing-said-our-prophet days.) It was a companionship thing.

I hated that my parents smoked, so I used to steal their cigarettes and do experiments with them. I would make weird concoctions with them and place them in my window sill and record observations.

I used to be a dancer. I took 6 years of ballet, jazz, and tap.

I love to collect miniatures, esp. if they have working parts or are a tiny version of the real thing.

I have never water skied.

I love hiking and bike riding.

I'm passionate about the music I listen to.

I have never been in a play although I've always wanted to. (Roadshows don't count).

I love lipsinc "shows"- like for a ward activity or a fun family night.

I have scoliosis.

I speak both Portuguese and Pig Latin fluently. But I can't speak Portuguese Pig Latin.

Inspired by a book I read in 5th or 6th grade, I've dreamed of going to Australia and meeting a real aborigine. I've been to every (populated) continent BUT Australia.

When I was 4 I saw my first hot air balloons and I promised myself I would ride in one before I die.

I plan on living to 100.

My first real kiss was with a boy who was a year younger than me, while we were on a nature walk.

I hunger for eloquent, tangible flavors of prose. I love words and things which are well written.

I have always truly admired people with exceptional talents, intelligence, and creativity and love to be around them.

I struggled with depression for 2 years and over came it.

I was sealed to my parents with my brother the day after I got home from my mission. I had always felt somewhat like an orphan until that day.

I saw my first "real" boyfriend at my 20th high school reunion. I was worried because I had broken up with him because of religious reasons and he held it against me all through high school. Well, he gave me a kiss before he left the reunion, and that part of my soul was mended.

Deep down I'm a perfectonist and am very competitive. I have to fight the tendancies of both.

If I could have one super power it would be that I could read other people's thoughts and feelings, that I could control time, and that I could visit others in their dreams. (I guess that would be three.)

So, what are you doing for Easter?

One of my favorite blogs, and the one that started me blogging, is this one: http://mom2my6pack.blogspot.com/. (If you read it, you will totally see similarities between her and me.)

Anyway, she had this great idea. Easter is just 40 odd days away and now is Lent- a time to sacrifice something. But, instead of sacrificing something, she had a different idea:

"...So, if you're looking for something to do to prepare for Easter, consider giving to others in some small way for the next 46 days."

Random acts of kindness seem to be a theme among my friends. (For example: this one or that one ) But I've yet to get on board. Until now. I'm going to try and do one random act of kindness each day until Easter. I think it will be a fun, and do-able way for an "I'm so busy- I can only blog after midnight" person like myself to honor my Savior and maybe put a little more MORE into my Easter.

Then she continues, "And think about the reason why you're doing it as you act. Oh, and blog about it too! Tell everyone what you're doing and leave a link to your blog in the comments here so everyone can check it out!"

So I'll be blogging about it too. Join me if you would like. I'd love to hear about your experiences, even if not "daily", but something here and there.

This is good.

It's worth the time. So, just grab a snack, sit back, and enjoy:


Validation. How important is it? Food for thought.