As many of you know I have been called to serve a mission in the Arizona Mesa mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I will be speaking English and my service begins on September 3, 2008 and will end sometime in March 2010.
While on my mission I will have very limited computer time reserved for e-mailing family. As a result this blog will become dormant for the next 18 months.
For those of you who will be starved for the written word of Tomoser be sure to mail me. My mother has made a mission Web site for me while I'm gone at Sister Sarah Tomoser's Missionary Web site.
If you would like to know more about the church and what I will be preaching to the people of Arizona, please visit mormon.org.
I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church and look forward to sharing my testimony of it with the people of Arizona.
I'm grateful to have had you as a part of my life thus far and hope to continue that friendship. I wish you the best in all of your future endeavors, whatever they may be and wherever they may take you.
Signing off until March 2010 this is Sister Sarah Tomoser with t-minus 2 hours and 5 minutes until I report to the MTC.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Cool Item: the Jimi Wallet
Just found out about the Jimi Wallet. (Check out the demo) They are a very green, recycled wallet that looks really slim, trim and awesome. If I had a reason to buy a new wallet right now for me or someone else I'd certainly be tempted.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Olympic Memories of the Past and Current Frustrations
The Olympics has entered my life again and I couldn't be happier to have this international event part of my last month before going on my mission.
I love the Olympics, always have. The first summer Olympics I remember was in 1992, I was 5. My brother Stephen was almost two and who also shared my love for the 'Lympics (Yee-mpics) as young Stephen called it. (We still call it the 'Ylmpics among my family, gotta love those familyisms.)
A cherished memory of mine is watching the women gymnastics in '92 with my then small family with overwhelming childhood enthusiasm. Before the final landing was "stuck"my brother Stephen and I began competing in our home-style 'Lympics. Walking along the edge of the coffee table for the balance beam, cartwheeling in the open area in the family room for the floor competition and somersaulting into the Lazyboy for the vault. All ending with a dismount with arms raised to the sky, with smiles on our faces.
Fast forward 16 years later and my love and enjoyment for watching the gymnastics competitions in the Olympics is still strong. Unfortunately that enjoyment is often also thwarted by spikes of extreme frustration with the judging system.
I feel just awful for our United States female gymnasts. My family and I have audibly expressed my frustration as Alicia Sacramone, Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liuken have all experienced heartbreak due to undeniable judging errors.
The only girl from China who actually looks over 16, Cheng Fei, practically kneeled on her vault landing and gets the bronze. Where Alicia Sacramone stuck both of her landings and gets fourth place.
Shawn Johnson is slighted in the floor individual competition when, although small, visible errors are evident in Romania's Sandra Izbasa who took home the gold. Leaving Shawn Johnson, who lives just a couple hours away in Iowa left with a silver.
Finally the most recent demonstration of the U.S. getting slighted was tonight in the Uneven bars competition.
First let me go over the current way of judging. Recently the judging of gymnastics has been changed and the "Perfect 10" of old no longer exists. Before the routine begins the judges determine the degree of difficulty of their score. After the gymnast competes they are judged on their execution. The highest and lower scores are removed leaving the final score. Also there can not be a judge and a competitor from the same country. Leaving the judges to be from fairly weak gymnastic countries, such as South Africa, Brazil, New Zealand, et. al. to determine the scores.
Nastia Liuken did a fantastic job with only one minuscule error (her legs separated slightly). Whereas HE Kexin of China (who I swear must be 12) had in my and the opinons of the commentators more visible errors. Nevertheless Nastia Liuken and HE Kexin received TIE scores.
Heads began to turn trying to remember what is done in a tie with the new system. In addition to the standard of removing the highest and lowest scores (seen in red), the next lowest score is removed (seen in green). Leaving only the scores of 3 judges to determine the winner.
Not only did Kexin HE receive a higher score than she should have, because of this poor tie breaker system Nastia left with a silver when she fully deserved a gold.
Despite these frustrations, I still enjoy watching the gymnastics and hope the poor judging will cease with the beam competitions tomorrow.
What are some of your favorite Olympic memories from this Olympics or others? Frustrations? What remaining event are you looking forward to the most?
I love the Olympics, always have. The first summer Olympics I remember was in 1992, I was 5. My brother Stephen was almost two and who also shared my love for the 'Lympics (Yee-mpics) as young Stephen called it. (We still call it the 'Ylmpics among my family, gotta love those familyisms.)
A cherished memory of mine is watching the women gymnastics in '92 with my then small family with overwhelming childhood enthusiasm. Before the final landing was "stuck"my brother Stephen and I began competing in our home-style 'Lympics. Walking along the edge of the coffee table for the balance beam, cartwheeling in the open area in the family room for the floor competition and somersaulting into the Lazyboy for the vault. All ending with a dismount with arms raised to the sky, with smiles on our faces.
Fast forward 16 years later and my love and enjoyment for watching the gymnastics competitions in the Olympics is still strong. Unfortunately that enjoyment is often also thwarted by spikes of extreme frustration with the judging system.
I feel just awful for our United States female gymnasts. My family and I have audibly expressed my frustration as Alicia Sacramone, Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liuken have all experienced heartbreak due to undeniable judging errors.
The only girl from China who actually looks over 16, Cheng Fei, practically kneeled on her vault landing and gets the bronze. Where Alicia Sacramone stuck both of her landings and gets fourth place.
Shawn Johnson is slighted in the floor individual competition when, although small, visible errors are evident in Romania's Sandra Izbasa who took home the gold. Leaving Shawn Johnson, who lives just a couple hours away in Iowa left with a silver.
Finally the most recent demonstration of the U.S. getting slighted was tonight in the Uneven bars competition.
First let me go over the current way of judging. Recently the judging of gymnastics has been changed and the "Perfect 10" of old no longer exists. Before the routine begins the judges determine the degree of difficulty of their score. After the gymnast competes they are judged on their execution. The highest and lower scores are removed leaving the final score. Also there can not be a judge and a competitor from the same country. Leaving the judges to be from fairly weak gymnastic countries, such as South Africa, Brazil, New Zealand, et. al. to determine the scores.
Nastia Liuken did a fantastic job with only one minuscule error (her legs separated slightly). Whereas HE Kexin of China (who I swear must be 12) had in my and the opinons of the commentators more visible errors. Nevertheless Nastia Liuken and HE Kexin received TIE scores.
Heads began to turn trying to remember what is done in a tie with the new system. In addition to the standard of removing the highest and lowest scores (seen in red), the next lowest score is removed (seen in green). Leaving only the scores of 3 judges to determine the winner.
| G |  | Kexin HE | 7.70 | 9.30 | 9.10 | 9.10 | 8.90 | 9.00 | 8.90 |
| 16.725 |
| S |  | LIUKIN Nastia | 7.70 | 9.00 | 9.30 | 9.00 | 8.80 | 9.00 | 9.10 |
| 16.725 |
Not only did Kexin HE receive a higher score than she should have, because of this poor tie breaker system Nastia left with a silver when she fully deserved a gold.
Despite these frustrations, I still enjoy watching the gymnastics and hope the poor judging will cease with the beam competitions tomorrow.
What are some of your favorite Olympic memories from this Olympics or others? Frustrations? What remaining event are you looking forward to the most?
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
I Make Lists: NYC Restaurants
Some of you may know, many of you do not know but I like to make lists. Some more odd than others. Of course I make To do lists but there are other odd ones, a couple being a list of all of the cars I've driven in my life and the airports I've been to. Most of the time I never share these lists, not to be secretive but I don't think anyone else would get any pleasure out of them. But I've decided to share one that is perhaps of greater interest to those who followed my NYC adventures and to anyone who may go there in the future.
I've bolded some of my favorites and ones I would say shouldn't be missed, if possible (sorry about the PRSA Silver Anvil Awards) and linked to previous posts if possible for more detail about my experience.
Almost every single place I ate was fantastic, the only one I would make a point to steer people away from and that was Stop 125.
Per the servers suggestion at Stop 125 I got a Jamaican Jerk Chicken. The Chicken was shredded with so much FAT, I couldn't tell what was fat and what was chicken! It was like a Russian Roulette with your taste buds and I quickly stopped playing the game. I just can't get my head around how the server would recommend that dish to me! I'll stop venting now.
What restaurants have you been to in New York on my list? What were your thoughts? Or any recommendations for the Mesa area, appropriate for a missionary?
I've bolded some of my favorites and ones I would say shouldn't be missed, if possible (sorry about the PRSA Silver Anvil Awards) and linked to previous posts if possible for more detail about my experience.
PLACES I'VE EATEN IN NEW YORK
Restaurants
Harry’s Burrito (2)
Ollie’s (3 or 4)
Café Lalo
Carnegie Deli (4)
UN Cafeteria (3 or 4)
Dinosaur BBQ
The Little Place
Hot and Crusty
Francesco’s (2)
Junior’s
Burrittoville (3)
Paula's Pizza (By Yankee Stadium) (2)
Galaxy Diner
Grimaldi’s Pizzeria
Max Brenner
Applejack Diner
Famiglia’s (2)
Grey’s Papaya
Taste of
Mama
Carnegie Hall Catered Reception
PRSA Silver Anvil dinner
Tom’s Delicious Pizza
Stop 125
H&H Bagels
Zabar’s
Tasti-de-lite
City Pie
City 75
Majestic Deli Café
1050 Bar and Restaurant
Chevy’s
Applebee’s in
Two Boots
Café Napoli (Little
Tom’s Restaurant
International House Cafeteria (?)
McDonald's (?)
O'Neal's Restaurant
The Shake Shack
Numerous Hot Dog, Shish Kabob Vendors
Other
Haagen-Dazs
Buttercup Bake Shop (2)
Europan (3)
Gelato Shop Ferrara’s? (Little
Caffe Palermo (Little Italy)
Pinkberry (3)
Coldstone
Serendipity
Starbucks
Magnolia Bakery
Numerous Pineapple, Italian Ice Vendors!
Almost every single place I ate was fantastic, the only one I would make a point to steer people away from and that was Stop 125.
Per the servers suggestion at Stop 125 I got a Jamaican Jerk Chicken. The Chicken was shredded with so much FAT, I couldn't tell what was fat and what was chicken! It was like a Russian Roulette with your taste buds and I quickly stopped playing the game. I just can't get my head around how the server would recommend that dish to me! I'll stop venting now.
What restaurants have you been to in New York on my list? What were your thoughts? Or any recommendations for the Mesa area, appropriate for a missionary?
Monday, July 14, 2008
O! What a Concert: Feist
The newspaper is a wonderful thing.
Saturday morning I woke up and headed to the kitchen, poured myself a bowl of Honey Buzzers and searched for the newspaper. I realized that no one had gotten it from outside yet and delicately hopped across the recently wet pavement in my PJs. Delicately grabbed the partially drenched paper. Despite the drenched state of the day's headlines, I opened the paper and eyed the front page. In the left side column a select few words stood out: "Feist tonight...in Memorial Park."
Yes, it was Feist. Yes, it was free. I knew had an exciting Saturday evening planned.
My brother Stephen who had just gotten back from EFY came with me despite being quite exhausted from his week at EFY. I'm really glad he came because we had a lot of fun and although I would have gone by myself, but it was nice to have another fun concert we've attended as sibs under our belts.
The evening began with performance by "The Good Life" an Omaha band and Juana Molina from Argentina. Both were good, I was a bit more impressed with Molina though. Just as the sun fell behind the trees the main event began...
Feist was splendid! It was amazing to see her live. She is very good live, further proving she is a impressive vocal artist worthy of the previous Grammy nominations and Juno award she won.
Some of my favorite parts of the concert included when I left my exhausted brother in his lawn chair and went up to the front. By doing this I was able to better see the images projected on the screen. They had 1-2 girls who were manipulating the images projected on the screen, later revealed to be "shadow mistresses." (Just think of that listed on your passport, occupation: shadow mistress.) They had various cut-outs projecting birds or clouds, transparent colored fans and the coolest was when they had paint or pudding or some shape able semi-solid which one of the "shadow mistresses" manipulated to help tell the story of the song, "The Water."
Overall an overwhelming Tomoser thumbs-up. If you get a chance to see Feist I totally recommend doing so.
Saturday morning I woke up and headed to the kitchen, poured myself a bowl of Honey Buzzers and searched for the newspaper. I realized that no one had gotten it from outside yet and delicately hopped across the recently wet pavement in my PJs. Delicately grabbed the partially drenched paper. Despite the drenched state of the day's headlines, I opened the paper and eyed the front page. In the left side column a select few words stood out: "Feist tonight...in Memorial Park."
Yes, it was Feist. Yes, it was free. I knew had an exciting Saturday evening planned.
My brother Stephen who had just gotten back from EFY came with me despite being quite exhausted from his week at EFY. I'm really glad he came because we had a lot of fun and although I would have gone by myself, but it was nice to have another fun concert we've attended as sibs under our belts.
The evening began with performance by "The Good Life" an Omaha band and Juana Molina from Argentina. Both were good, I was a bit more impressed with Molina though. Just as the sun fell behind the trees the main event began...
Feist was splendid! It was amazing to see her live. She is very good live, further proving she is a impressive vocal artist worthy of the previous Grammy nominations and Juno award she won.
Some of my favorite parts of the concert included when I left my exhausted brother in his lawn chair and went up to the front. By doing this I was able to better see the images projected on the screen. They had 1-2 girls who were manipulating the images projected on the screen, later revealed to be "shadow mistresses." (Just think of that listed on your passport, occupation: shadow mistress.) They had various cut-outs projecting birds or clouds, transparent colored fans and the coolest was when they had paint or pudding or some shape able semi-solid which one of the "shadow mistresses" manipulated to help tell the story of the song, "The Water."
Overall an overwhelming Tomoser thumbs-up. If you get a chance to see Feist I totally recommend doing so.
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