Friday, December 21, 2012

wise words from a wise woman

people are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
forgive them anyway.
if you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish motives;
be kind anyway.
if you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
succeed anyway.
if you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you;
be honest and sincere anyway.
what you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
build anyway.
if you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
be happy anyway.
the good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
do good anyway.
give the world the best you have and it may never be enough;
give them your best anyway.
in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
it never was about them anyway.

mother theresa

<3 tutus on the subway

Sunday, December 16, 2012

mission

mission papers officially started!

yep. stoked!

<3 tutus on the subway
aka "sister rasmuson"

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

tell us how you really feel

Hi professor!
I just finished taking the final for calculus 125 and am not sure how I was expected to do well on that exam. I'm saying that to be rude, just honest. I have been doing well in the class so far this semester and got an 89% and 90% on the midterms - which compared to what I have heared seems to be pretty top notch, I'm happy with it - and was confident in how I would do in the class this semester, until I took this exam that is.
I know you're awesome at math so, maybe for you (or whoever wrote this exam) it's wildly simple to calculate 4(12)^4 or add, subtract and multiply extremely long equations with weird numbers in your head without even breaking a sweat, however it's definitely not for me. I sincerely wish I had this skill, I'm rather disappointed that I don't especially when I compare myself to those who clearly do!
You see, I studied a great deal in preparation for this exam and felt awesomely confident that I would nail it at least as well as i did on the others, and then I got to experience the great pleasure which is certain failure while sitting in the Javits building earlier today. However, I don't believe that I was alone, which is comforting. You see, when I walked out of the exam, after an hour and a half of trying to figure out how I could go from so confident to wanting to curl up Into fetal position and have a nice long cry, I noticed that not only were a great deal of my classmates taking an excruciatingly long time to complete 5 problems, they seemed to want to have a nice cry as well. like I said, it's comforting to know that I wasn't just stupid and therefore alone in this situation.
I have spent a great deal of my life considering being a teacher myself but I have come to realize, after this exam of course, that it just isn't the career for me, I say this, not because I apparently am awful at calculus but because I have always truly believed that teachers want their students to succeed but as that clearly isn't the case; I guess my optimistic heart and I will just have to do something more suiting and realistic like professional hockey or sleep studies perhaps.
If I may be frank, professor, I just don't think that that exam was fair. It didn't test what I had studied on the practice exam, sure technically they were the same types of problems but the skills were incomprehensibly different than the ones I used while I was studying. I would have surely done just as well had I never shown up to class or studied as I did with all the work I have done leading up to this point in the semester. I only wish I would have known that in advance because I would have really enjoyed sleeping in or getting a job to fill that time that I spent in and doing work for this class.
Since leaving the exam, I have heard people call it a "weed-out" course. I am disappointed in that fact because I didn't have to take this class but chose to because I wanted to learn more math, isn't that why I pay thousands of dollars a semester, to learn more, not to be set up to fail? or so I thought. I guess for now I'll just count my blessings that although what is bound to be an awful grade will show up on my transcript for all graduate admissions offices and future employers to see, it will not affect my GPA at my lovely home university that I will return to after my interesting exchange here.
Despite your apparent heartlessness I have enjoyed working with you this semester and hope you enjoy the holidays!
Mikayla

Anyone else agree?

<3 tutus on the subway

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

its that time of year

its that time of year again...

nope, i'm not talking about the holidays, i'm talking about finals. yay... wait. boooo!

as you can tell i am stoked that finals season has dutifly rolled around again - or reared its ugly head, you decide.

i have of course put off studying until the last possible moment, aka today because both of my finals are tomorrow (awesome) and clearly am getting a lot accomplished by updating my blog, yep, it's really cementing in how to conjugate irregular verbs in about a million different ways...

but, such is the life of a college student.

some things are helping me to get through the day...

 clearly what i would do if i was at the library right now.
my stress reduction kit :) its really helpful.
while writing my dance paper (yes, they exist) i drank some delicious hot chocolate complete with candy cane and whipped cream. it was wonderful. (ps just changed my background to something a bit more christmas festive)
because obviously.

good luck with finals brave soldiers!
but to those of you who do not have to take finals

hehe

<3 tutus on the subway




Friday, December 7, 2012

t minus one week

that's right ladies and gentlemen, i am going home in just one week.  i can't wait to be home with my family for 6 whole weeks. of course during that time i'll basically be working nonstop but it'll be worth it, my friends.

i was having a really hard time writing my talk for church. this was a new concept for me because giving youth talks was a total breeze but now i'm feeling the pressure to be all grown up and stuff.  its a very different feeling...

but then i watched the christmas devotional done by the first presidency. (click here to view it) regardless of your beliefs, you should watch it because it is all just about the spirit of christmas - and president eyring's anecdote about the perfect gift for his son was actually really funny. it got my right into the christmas spirit and will work for you too, i promise. so i'll give you another chance to click here and watch it because it will be so worth an hour of your time (watch it in pieces if you don't have a full hour)!

i am getting a good way through my talk at this point, my primary lesson and studying are, however, another matter...

some photos of my life lately...

 look carefully at the stickers on her case... see some familiar logos, utah skiers?
 lunch date with felicia. fun but sad because she is graduating and not going to be in my dance classes any more :(
 obviously this is felicia and i shopping.
and i just always laugh at this!

<3 tutus on the subway

ps- do you ever loose you contact in your eye? because it happens to me and it hurts! as a matter of fact, it just happened to me while i was writing this so i am wearing my glasses now...

adorable. i know. :)

Thursday, December 6, 2012

the holidays

i love the holidays. who doesn't?

there's no school, you hang out with your family, eat a ton, everything is prettier, give and get presents... its just a blast all around.

really what i can't wait any longer for is to go home! i want to so bad! i want to see my fam.

i have to do so much before i go home though.... finals are lame. and i have to speak in church on sunday on top of everything else (which i am honestly not looking forward to).

wish me luck!

i am loving nyc at christmas time however:
 the rockafeller christmas tree.


<3 tutus on the subway

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

les miserables

my favorite thing ever: les miserables.
favorite movie, broadway show, story...= les miserables. every time.
so excited for the new movie this christmas!

thanksgiving

this thanksgiving was not what i planned...

my sweet roommie invited me to her house for thanksgiving and i was going to go until i decided to be nice to someone who didn't deserve it and rude to someone who did...

long story short: one person didn't have any plans for thanksgiving and i felt bad so i didn't go with my roommate and then it didn't work out with them so i then had no thanksgiving plans, or anyone to spend it with. did i mention that all this happened on tuesday?

well, y'all know me well enough to know that a couple of sets of plans falling through is not enough to stop me from having a fabulous time. i certainly wasn't just going to depressedly sit in my apartment all weekend, now was i?

a trip to the city was the obvious solution.

it was not what i planned but i still had fun at the parade and 5 broadway shows (ok, one of them was off-broadway). yep you read that right. loved it!

some pics from my weekend (on instagram too!):

 elevator to the fantasticks (staring aaron carter=10-year-old dream come true!) but i think i'll just take the stairs...
 nyc public library. decorated for christmas the day after thanksgiving.
 chicago! rush ticket on the front row!
 a little black friday shopping at anthropologie!
 rockafeller center!
 ny pizza for lunch and dinner, obviously.
my playbill pile-up from the weekend!
some pics from my weekend (on instagram too!):

Monday, November 19, 2012

favorites

i love me some broadway. i finally got to go back to nyc this weekend and oh how i have missed it.

because of stupid frankenstorm i haven't been to the city in so long! can i just tell you how much i love it? because i do. the culture is just so... well, me. it is truly wonderful.

i went to complexions contemporary ballet performance. they are always wonderful. they also travel a lot so if you get the chance to see them anywhere, do!

i went to my favorite place in all of the city: lincoln center. i don't know if i have mentioned this before but it really is my favorite place. everything thing that i love is all in one place: the manhattan temple, julliard, lincoln center theaters (aka: nyc ballet, the philharmonic, broadway's war horse). with all of that, why wouldn't i love it?

then... best part! chaplin: the musical!!!!!! SO amazing. go see it if you ever get the chance. three words: black and white. i won't tell you how they do it, you'll just have to go see for yourself and please do! its awesomeness is unexpectedly wonderful. and i can't say enough good things about it.
some broadway playbills. i have quite a stack growing on my desk recently.
randomly, i really love this quote so enjoy!
<3 tutus on the subway

Saturday, November 10, 2012

guilty pleasure

dear friends,
i have a problem.
this probably won't come as a shock to most people, but i'll state it anyways:
  i. love. pinterest! 
so much.
it's becoming a bit of a problem because i could spend hours on it. and i sometimes do... especially when i am in the library and should be studying. but that's another problem all together.
anyways, i want to share a little inspiration and maybe a little humor with you today. get ready.

every dang time.
something i think about often.

yay for missions and hunger games!

why i love ellen: we believe in dance

because broadway is boss and so right


my life motto. seriously.

by bestie and me
obviously something i would do ;)
BOTH! ;)
who is surprised that i have in fact danced in the rain? no one? good. y'all know me well.

i have the same question every time i watch this movie

i was really going to only include 6-ish... but then i got looking on pinterest and remembered how boss all the stuff is that i have on there... if you don't follow me yet - or worse don't yet have a pinterest (gasp!) - that's okay, we can still be friends... as long as you click here instantly!
making this brought some extra smiles to my day and i hope reading it did the same for you!
wishing you a lovely day!
<3 tutus on the subway

Friday, November 9, 2012

bucket list

yolo
a phrase i have been thinking a lot about lately. you only live once. its always been true. so how does that effect me? to me yolo doesn't mean making decisions like getting a tattoo but living your life to the fullest.. taking risks, trying new things, living the width of your life not just the length of it.
the reason i have been thinking so much about this is because i know that i am so blessed to have every day that i do but i don't feel like i am doing enough with them. currently i am living the length of my life only.
this prompted me to dig up my handy dandy bucket list. i will accomplish everything on that list so hold me accountable!

get my picture taken in a tutu on the nyc subway (read my blog name?)
go to school out of state
graduate from college
live in new york
dance professionally (no one should be shocked by this)
go skydiving
learn to snowboard
attend julliard
backpack through europe (with my bff)

do humanitarian work in africa (also with my bff)
be a backup dancer for a famous singer (aka justin beiber)
write a book
kiss on the empire state building
read the rory gilmore book list (gilmore girls is awesome)
dance under the eiffel tower
walk on the great wall of china
visit machu picchu (again because once just wasn't enough)
watch the ball drop in times square
study abroad
become a disney princess (belle is my favorite)
serve a mission
become fluent in a second language (besides scarcasm of course)
swim with dolphins
ride an elephant

release a floating lantern at a festival of floating lights (full tangled style)
adopt
learn to surf (hopefully be taught by some cute surfer boy)
have a house on the beach
complete a marathon (why? i don't know but it would be cool to say i did)
be in two places at once (a walk to remember flashbacks anyone?)
watch baby turtles hatch (the last song... i really like nicholas sparks obviously)
go on a hot air balloon ride (since there are no magic carpets, this is the next best thing. there will be singing)
go skinny dipping in the ocean (come on, you want to do it too)
visit greece (just like my fav, mamma mia)
ride a horse on a beach
kiss josh hutcherson (obviously)

make a wish at the trevi fountain
see the great pyramids
date a british boy (the accent!)
master a musical instrument
own a pair of louboutins
have a library in my house (i told you belle is my favorite)
eat basically everything in italy
shop on black friday
put a padlock on lovers bridge in paris then throw the key in the water
see the northern lights
ride a gondola
get into the ocean with sharks
go sailing (charlie st cloud... i think yes)
be a dallas cowboys cheerleader (again, obviously)
join the peace corps.
take dance classes in nyc
go to the louvre
elope
live happily ever after (princess remember)

did i miss anything? whats on your bucket list?
<3 tutus on the subway

Thursday, November 8, 2012

oh, hello snow

last week a hurricane, this week a nor'easter... oh, what will next week bring?
i am used to snow, its what my town (and whole home state) is known for. "utah: greatest snow on earth." what i am not so used to is the wet. most of the time the snow is dry back home, here it is a nasty slushy mess... not so lovely, especially when it soaks through your boots...
i do love all winter clothing though: hats, boots, scarves, gloves; whats not to love about that?
i have missed a lot of days of my 30 days of thanks on the blog (not that i haven't been thinking of things i am thankful for, i just haven't been writing them here) gotta catch up:
4. power and heat. people here still don't have it and its getting cold.
5. time. i have had a lot more time on my hands to be filled with things other than classes and school work lately and i am loving finding things worth while to do with it.
6. stony brook dance program. no, it is not big. no, it is not filled with the most technical dancers nor the most experienced dancers. no, it is not the most well established program i have ever seen. but what it does have is a place in my heart. without my dance classes i would not have made the great friends that i have, i would not have gotten the opportunity to improve so much as a dancer and i wouldn't even be staying in new york next semester. the dance program here, its kinda boss.7. layers. i refuse to wear a winter coat until the week of thanksgiving (its just too early before that!) but that doesn't mean i haven't been bundling up, goodness knows i get cold so easily. so i have been layering big time this week. leg warmers are my new best friends. i haven't lost any limbs thus far to frostbite so far so i think i am doing ok.
8. little blessings. they are really the ones that so often go unnoticed but can mean the most when you do find them.
stay warm!
you don't even see all my layers! leg warmers = friends
<3 tutus on the subway

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

"so much better"


and... play!
y'all know i love me some broadway. so what better than to choose a broadway song to describe my day? brilliant right? so please enjoy "so much better" from the musical legally blonde (elle woods just found out that she got the very prestigious internship from her professor).
BIG news, friends! you ready? the whole world knows that i have been stressing about getting into performance dance ensemble for next semester. it is a by audition only dance class and only 15-20 dancers get chosen for it each spring semester and guess who got in? me! i don't mean to brag or act like i am so cool because i got this or anything, but i am just too excited not to say anything! this class is basically the whole reason that i am staying at stony brook next semester so it is kinda a big deal to me and will give me some great performance experience for my hopeful career as a dancer.
can i also just say (of course i can, its my blog and i can say whatever i want) that i am so excited for next semester?! literally taking 4 dance classes - ballet, performance dance ensemble, afro-brazilian, and choreography - and will be loving all of the crazy, sore, tired, exciting moments!
i just love dance. we'll leave it at that.
<3 tutus on the subway

Saturday, November 3, 2012

abby's ultimate dance competition

"dance moms isn't a guilty pleasure. its a way of life." -scott (bestie dance friend)
yes, scott. yes it is.
i adore me some dance moms but since i haven't had a tv and i don't watch any shows at all since i have moved to ny (except glee of course) i didn't even know that abby lee had a new show! i can't believe that i have been missing out on this for so long! i also can't believe that my little sister who pretends to be my friend hasn't told me that she has been watching it. all season! how very rude of her i think.
naturally i went a little cray and watched the whole season using my father's direct tv account online. those mommas be crazy! its so dramatic and wonderful! and i am not even a fan of reality shows in general.
of course i had to send my mom my commentary on the whole thing - when i lived at home i would just yell it up the stairs but even though i can yell really loud, it doesn't quite carry all the way back home to utah... so i texted it today.

continuing with the theme of thanks for the month of november, you won't be surprised when i tell you that what i am thankful for today is abby lee miller... she is so boss. i love her and wish i had a dance teacher like her when i was growing up. i would have hated her but i would be a much better technician today which would be totally worth it as i am trying to make a career of dance and technique is kinda important... i have spent too many lazy days this week (thank you hurricane sandy) and i sure enjoyed this lazy day full of dance moms!
<3 tutus on the subway

Friday, November 2, 2012

30 days of thanks

hello blog world! it is now my favorite month because of thanksgiving. i love thanksgiving for so many reasons but mostly because i love food and hanging out with my family and thinking of all the things i am thankful for because it makes me happy.
i saw on a good friend's blog (hope smiling brightly which you should check out because its pretty boss) that she was saying all the things that she was thankful for this month. since she is wonderful and i want to be wonderful too, here i will be including all the things i am thankful for all month long, one a day for 30 days... since i missed yesterday, i will be writing 2 today:
  1. my family. they were supposed to come visit this weekend and my dad was going to run the nyc marathon but stupid frankenstorm came and ruined lots of things including my chance to see my family. 
  2. my safety. stony brook university was basically in the perfect position for the storm and the campus was virtually unscathed while all the surrounding areas were hit pretty badly. my prayers go out to all those in much worse situations than me.
this week we haven't had any classes because of the hurricane and although i have appreciated the break, i have just been so bored! also i have no car and have been cooped up on campus and in my apartment all week. i might go crazy! please enjoy a few pictures depicting this week's boredom.
 my roommates and i ate a TON of treats (the baked goods were gone before pictures could be properly taken)
 tanuf and anna took it upon themselves to make okra for dinner tonight and my laziness greatly appreciated it.
basically my day... sleep late, eat peanut butter sadly with a spoon, pretend to run, read, play on pinterest, read, discover a app for editing photos which is boss.
<3 tutus on the subway