Owner: Kate and Neil's Awesome Blog URL:http://www.kateandneil.com Join Date: Sat, 15 Dec 2007 12:24:00 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Our blog is about life as recently married 27 year olds as we struggle to make ends meet while trying to save the world and ourselves. Site statistics:Click here
God bless us, every one! 2007-12-23 17:24:56
Hello all friends, family and internet wanderers. Feliz Navidad to all.
2007 has been filled with happiness & wonderful adventures for the Kelly/Ransom family. We started off 2007 being married, which was a first for both of us. So far, so good. We worked and lived in Provo, Utah until April. We then headed off to Guatemala & Southern Mexico for a belated honeymoon tour. We lived on an archeology compound, which looks pretty much exactly what you imagine in your mind when you hear the two words “archeology” and “compound” together. It was AMAZINGLY, INDESCRIBABLY, INCREDIBLY FUN. The foundation was located in San Cristobal de Las Casas in the Central highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. Neil got to organize artifacts, help digitize them and practice his Spanish. Kate got to work very intensively with the young Mormon girls in the area as a youth leader & volunteer with different agencies, including Habitat for Humanity. We made it to several surrounding Read more:every
19 Awesome Things for the 19th of December in No Particular Order 2007-12-20 00:34:40
My submission to present at the Utah Conference of Undergraduate Research was accepted and so now I get to present my senior thesis research the 29th of February at UVSC. I am very excited.
The Rocky Mountain Institute is a great organization started by Amory B. Lovins (I am sure you have never heard of him). Anyway this organization is a giant think tank that focuses on solving environmental problems through advising car manufacturers, businesses, and the government organizations into adopting ultra efficient methods that save them money and the world pollution.
The passing of the new energy bill by congress that requires car manufacturers to maintain a fleet wide MPG average of 35 MPG (the first increase in national fuel economy in 32 years), make the 100 watt incandescent light bulb illegal, and increases the efficiency of household appliances.
Perceptive Pixel is an awesome new technology that allows full touch interaction with a computer. Very cool product and as you will see in Read more:Order
, December
The 10 Canoes and the lessons we learn 2007-12-15 22:37:18 It seems that every time Kate and I go into a movie rental store we end up with the strangest of DVD titles. For example we went to Hollywood Video last night to rent an Indian Jones flick because the Salt Lake City Library’s copy was checked out. We found a copy of the Temple of Doom and Raiders of the Lost Ark, one of which I had in my hand as I walked toward the register. Yet again, I let my eyes wander. Wander right to a shelf with a copy of Ten Canoes peacefully waiting for someone to pick it up. Well I did, decided it looked interesting, swapped it with Indian Jones, and rented it.
In only tell you this story because it happens every time Kate and I rent a movie. We never get what we intended to rent and always end up renting an ultra strange or ultra depressing movie either about naked aborigines or street kids in Romania. I don’t think to date we have ever taken home the intended film we went to the store to rent.
Last night’s film, Ten Canoes, was fun. I like Read more:learn
Repent Ye Repent Ye the Shopocalyps is at Hand 2007-12-14 12:01:11 Saturday night Kate, Kate’s brother and father, and I went to see a movie called What Would Jesus Buy, an entertaining documentary about Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Gospel Choir. Reverend Billy believes the US has lost its soul to consumerism and he and his rag-tag choir are hitting the streets to get Americans to stop shopping during the holiday season. The movie is absolutely amazing, fun, and inspiring. At one point Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Gospel Choir commandeer a stage in Minnesota’s Mall of America and sign anti-consumerist tunes until the mall police expel them. Now that’s entertainment.
This holiday season everyone should see What Would Jesus Buy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGi21YQFjMM
Lyrics to one of their songs Shopocalyps
(more…)
Consumerism, Entertainment, gospel choir, holiday season, mall of america, Media Review, reverend billy, what would jesus Read more:Repent
Neil was born today, hip-hip hooray! 2007-12-07 11:38:11
Neil was born today, in 1980. I, for one, sure am glad.
This is his first passport picture, the beginning of his many adventures.
Here’s to many more. HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEIL!
Adventure
Immigration at its finest 2007-12-04 21:47:36
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7qKD-Ph7ds
.
The Latino Comedy Project has tons of extra-funny videos on their site. This is a parody of the movie 300. No matter what side of the immigration debate, or border, you stand on… this is hilarious.
hilarious videos, immigration debate, latino comedy project, Mexico, Political Issues
Musical Uncle Santa Snowglobe 2007-12-03 00:04:33
You read that right. It really does exist, the MusicalUncleSanta
Snowglobe was won fair and square by Neil and I at a Christmas Curry party we went to this weekend. As you can see from the picture, it is much like your average Santa snowglobe, with the glaring irregularity that this Santa clearly favors kiddies born in the US of A. From the picture you cannot however, see that the globe produces the tune “God Bless America.”
This item is not a gag. It is a legitimately marketed product that was purchased, donated to a charity auction, and brought to us by fate’s loving delivery. While it presents many conundrums, the principal one for us is whether to put it up at Christmastime or for Independence Day.
And, that’s right folks, just as you might expect it’s Made in China.
christmas, Consumerism, Entertainment, god bless america, snowglobe
Kindness 2007-11-30 14:14:37 I have created a new category of Kindness
on this blog. I tend to rant on the blog and only have ideas about what to write when I am angry. I hope to fill this new category with kind acts of others.Today I went to a meeting at an elementary school where some of Neil’s newly arrived Somali children attend.  A teacher told me that all the children have jumped in to be their friends and help them adjust. Even though one little 2nd grade Somali boy only knows the words Yes and No the kids invite him to play soccer every recess. They watch over the Somali kids and guide them around.What a great selfless act by these little people on the West side.Â
Kindness, work
Big Box Facts 2007-11-24 13:33:54 My pal Ash cares deeply about many things. She quite a passionate person, and the one who organized the “Shop Outside the Box” parade. She is not only passionate, she is articulate and not afraid of cold-hard facts and substantiated evidence for a cause. Please read her article that touches on the factual sins of Big Box stores. You may be particularly interested if you have every asked yourself the question, “What’s so wrong with shopping at Wal-Mart?”
Consumerism, Environment, Political Issues
Unsanitary ol’ love 2007-11-23 13:09:23 We went to see the film Stardust with my little cousins yesterday after our feast. At the dollar movies, the crowd only having paid $1.50 for their ticket instead of $8 or more, feels free to maintain a running commentary. Towards the end of Stardust the female protagonist, Claire Danes makes a speech about love. She assigns love a long list of adjectives by saying, “that it can be unpredictable, unexpected, uncontrollable, unbearable…” My cousin Archer, who had been covering his eyes for all of the parts of the movie he considered romantically “gushy” muttered an addition to the un-list, “unsanitary.”
Good ol’ unsanitary love. Archer is wise beyond his years.
Entertainment
Bling Compensation 2008-03-09 18:44:46 All persons located in the United States who purchased any diamond or diamond jewelry between January 1, 1994 and March 31, 2006 may be eligible for money back from DeBeers. Beginning in 2001, Plaintiffs in several states filed lawsuits against De Beers in state and federal courts alleging that De Beers unlawfully [...] Read more:Bling
, Compensation
The good ship lollipop 2008-03-08 11:50:28 Despite Neil’s earnest last-ditch attempts to convince me to fly to Thailand, Mexico, Cuba and finally Calgary for medical tourism for my surgery…. I still went ahead with it in the good ol’ US of A. The tonsillectomy went well, as far as I can tell. I was out the entire time. Until they woke [...]
T-minus 24 hours 2008-03-06 11:13:19 The procedure has been described to me by adult tonsillectomy veterans as more painful than, “3 natural childbirths,” “blunt-force stab wound,” “Broken nose,” “broken arm,” “any injury you can possibly sustain.” So, as you can imagine I am very excited for my upcoming weeks of recovery. Apparently your nerve endings in your throat must increase exponentially [...]
Jane Goodall is Coming to Town 2008-03-02 23:30:32 I can’t wait. This Tuesday evening, I am going to a speech and book signing by Jane Goodall, one of my childhood heroes. I actually listened to her two times before while attending the International School of Kenya. Her work in the Gombe Stream National Park has always fascinated me. I mean, she was the [...]
Mail for Sale 2008-03-01 23:21:39 We have added a new page. “Mail for Sale” (see also tabs above) is a listing of items that you can buy and we will send you in the mail. We will really do them. It will be a sound investment.
Jason Dilworth is really fun and creative. He inspires us. (We’ll do Jason for free [...]
Things for sale that I will mail you 2008-02-29 17:13:22 If you give me $1,266 I will go to an EZLN community in Chiapas, Mexico and send you a genuine, handmade rebel doll (don’t worry, I’ve been there before, I know where to go). I will send it from there.
Thank you Jason for alerting us of this genius.
Kate wants to adopt 2008-02-26 07:39:35 So, I left my job at the IRC. The demands on my time, family life, and sanity were too much for the pay I was receiving. Although I will truly miss working with refugees, this Monday was the first in months I’ve enjoyed. Yesterday I had an interview with Friends of Great Salt Lake, an environmental organization trying to preserve the [...] Read more:wants
, adopt
Forget Castro, viva California! 2008-02-20 22:35:23 We drove to L.A. this past weekend in a 15 passenger van. Here’s a shot of the glorious vessel. This vehicle brings new meaning to the phrase “unsafe at any speed.”
We drove down with my Disneyland-bound family… but ended up skipping out on the “happiest place on earth” for the beach. We rented beach cruisers [...] Read more:Castro
, California
Viva Castro: We will miss you. 2008-02-19 09:45:59 So I just heard that Fidel Castro
has stepped down from the Cuban presidency and parliament is in the processes of electing a new president. That came out of left field, I was 100% sure he would stay in power until the day he died. I think he is doing the right thing and [...]
What’s more American than a trip to Disneyland in a 15 passenger van? 2008-02-13 23:52:41 So Kate and I are going to California in a 15 passenger van bound for Disneyland
. We pray we will be able to jump van before we hit the Disneyland parking lot. You may think we are over zealous consumers taking the most inefficient vehicle we can find, but the truth of the matter is [...] Read more:American
Follow Up to Inquiry Conference Presentation and Jane Goodall Speech 2008-03-13 17:41:09 Okay, so last week I presented my senior thesis research at BYU’s Inquiry
Conference (mentioned in a previous post). Everyone said I did well, although I feel I did better the week before when I presented at the Utah Conference for Undergraduate Research. If you are bored enough to want to watch my presentation then [...] Read more:Speech
Vote for our future 2008-03-19 00:04:59 I was accepted to Southwestern Law Schoolin L.A. They gave me a scholarship for $8,000. So, now, since I have only heard back from 3 schools, the choice is between L.A. and San Diego. Vote in the comments which you would prefer. I am calculating all kinds of things like cost of living, law clinics [...]
We’re on the downhill slope! 2008-03-17 13:46:58 The tonsillectomy diet is over! Well, nearly over. I am on day 10 of recovery & on Saturday I took my first departure from an all-baby food diet and ate solid food for the first time. It was glorious, gloriously painful, of course. I have also switched from my delirium-inducing prescribed narcotic to Tylenol as [...]
DON’T stand by your man 2008-03-19 23:58:08
I have volunteered at a battered women’s shelter in Provo, and now at the YWCA in Salt Lake. According to statistics it takes the “average” women 7 times of running away to actually stay away from her abuser permanently. 7 times! It’s no wonder these women are struggling in a culture of oppression and slight-handed [...]
Found Magazine 2008-03-22 12:56:32 This note was found stuck in a library book called “How to Get Into Law School.” It’s particularly hilarious to me.
If you’ve never been to Found Magazine
’s website, I suggest you go. It is a hilarious collection of objects people randomly find. This lovely little note was found in the parking lot of the University [...]
Stuff white people like 2008-03-25 12:56:00 This Stuff white people
like website is hysterical. As a white person, I can really identify with many of the items on the list. While I’m sure a list entitled “Stuff Black People Like” would be considered racist, this one is just too funny to pass up.
Ultimate fighting for kids 2008-03-27 17:12:15 This is when I begin to doubt universal suffrage.
HOW is this not considered child abuse? Read more:Ultimate
Miss Teskie 2008-03-29 00:41:24 Last weekend we had a “Miss Teskie” farewell bonfire for our friend Ash. She is going to work for Nader in DC and to save this nation from the corporate tyrants.
This explosive tradition was discovered by Peter Ransom as a child in Kenya. While starting a fire with candles, Peter and a friend noticed that the wax [...]
A sick commentary on our “Healthcare” system 2008-04-01 20:51:07 Oregonians are now using the lottery to determine who will qualify for the state’s healthcare program. Life and death is now determined by the Lotto. If this isn’t a sign that our healthcare system is SICK, I don’t know what is. Read more:commentary
, Healthcare
Adventures with Jim Kelly #1,045,905 2008-04-01 23:37:42 So, Jim found a red Ford F150 pickup in a small junkyard off I-15 in Willard, Utah. Apparently he memorized the mile marker and on a return trip exited the freeway, found the owner of the truck, and convinced him to trade it straight-up for a working, but probably not for long, BMW. About a [...] Read more:Adventures
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