Come On!

Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof once asks, "Dear God, was that necessary?" I have felt the same way this last week. I had restraint training for work, one of the girls at work wants me fired (which apparently means I'm doing my job well), I have a lose-lose decision to make about things and people I really care about, I completely tore-up my toes hiking through water in Chacos, and my roommates conveniently forgot to give me my letter from the Iron Country Justice Court two months ago so I mostly likely have had a warrant out for my arrest for all that time. Yay for roommates, work, and the general stupidity of life. Just when I think that things cannot possible get worse, the universe decides to prove me wrong. I guess I make it too easy. Regardless, I sometimes wish I could just get a kitten and run away. Far away. Somewhere like...Boston. Yeah. Boston sounds good.

~

I was talking to my dad the other day and it was a very refreshing experience. I told him some of my problems and then he talked about stuff in his life and then gave me this inspirations quote that I would like to share: "Everything will fall into place. Some things won't fall into place and you have to beat them into submission, but eventually everything will fall into place." Interestingly enough I think that if you're doing everything you can, then yes, things will fall into place. Another quote to keep in mind, though, is: "Sometimes good things fall apart so that better things can fall together." Everything will probably eventually fall into place, but it may not be what you are expecting...it will be better.

~

I am working on being positive and confident. My favorite websites include: despair.com, mylifeisaverage.com, gmail.com, and lds.org. I think I'm doing pretty well. :)

~

Just felt like updating. Have a great day!

~

"The price of freedom keeps going up, but the quality keeps going down..." -despair.com

"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." -Anonymous

"If she liked me any more she'd sic the dogs on me." -Curly, Oklahoma!

"Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster man; but soon or late the man who wins is the man who thinks he can." -Walter D. Wintle

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"Nothing is as frustrating as arguing with someone who knows what he's talking about." -Sam Ewing

Heroes

This is an excerpt from a speech I wrote several years ago. God Bless the USA.

In the year 1781, Philip Livingston lost two homes and much of his business profit. Lewis Morris lost his magnificent estate which was sacked and burnt, forcing him to live in poverty for years. Richard Stockton was arrested and subjected to frequent beatings and starvation. John Hart was hunted by soldiers and dogs and forced to hide in caved during icy December winters. Thomas Heyward Jr., Arthur Middleton, and Edward Rutlage were shipped to the stockades in Flordia, where they died. Why am I telling you this? What do these men have to do with you? These men were all signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Surprised? Sadly, these are only a few of hundreds of thousands of people who have contributed to the fight for freedom and go unnoticed. The question I would like to pose today is: do we care? Please forgive my bluntness. But do we care? People who have had parents, grandparents, siblings, or other loved ones fight in wars to protect our country probably appreciate this sacrifice more. But what about the rest of us? If we have no immediate connection to someone who has fought or is fighting for our freedom, then is our responsibility as American Citizens to value our freedom void? No.

But this responsibility is not hard. Men and women have given and are giving everything they have for us. Can't we even find a few spare minutes to reflect on their lives and being truly thankful? Memorial Day, The Fourth of July: are these holidays for drinking and partying it up? No. I will not discount spending time with family and celebrating in whatever form you may choose, but on these days set apart from the rest of the calendar, couldn't we take some time to remember our country's freedom and the price paid for it? Darryl Worley wrote these words in a song: "I just came back from a place where they hated me and everything I stand for; a land where our brothers are dying for others who don't even care anymore." Take a minute. Shed a tear. We owe them that much.

There are people who have died to establish and keep the freedoms we live on today; people like Philip Livingston, Lewis Morris, Richard Stockton, John Hart, Thomas Heyward Jr., Arthur Middleton, and Edward Rutlage. There are people who know these names and others and bow their heads in reverence for their sacrifice. There are people who appreciate their freedoms and use them, not abuse them. There are people who make small, simple efforts every day. These are the people who show that they care.

Will we be one of them?

~

"Just tell us you love us, and never forget. For when we come home, either standing or dead, to know you remember we fought and we bled is payment enough, and with that we will trust: that we mattered to you as you mattered to us." --Anonymous

"Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it Almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me: give me liberty, or give me death." --Patrick Henry

"And may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen." --Samuel Adams

"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country, but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange, indeed, if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated." --Thomas Paine

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mind and Matter

Dr. Seuss was an amazing man. He painted with tar on the side of his house, wrote books that were turned down dozens of times before becoming some of the most popular children's books, and he inspired millions to reach for their dreams. I admire Dr. Seuss, but I must admit that I was a little concerned because of a recent quote I heard of his: “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” I was concerned because although I think this quote has potential for great good, I feel that it also has potential for great harm. I'll explain:

We live in an increasingly troubling world. Problems with popularity and acceptance spread far beyond the frightful high school hallways and reach clear into adulthood now with grown ups being held to a certain standard based on things that don't really matter (i.e. jobs, careers, financial situation, etc.). I have known people who are afraid to do pursue dreams in career fields and hobbies because of expectations others have for them. In short, there are people in the world who never reach their full potential because they are held back by what others might think. In these cases I strongly echo the words of Dr. Seuss and say "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

However, there is another side to this. Let me set up a scenario: A young man (let's call him Bartholomew) has a female friend (let us call her Lucretia) who is blunt on the side of rude. Lucretia is often so blunt as to insult people and talk badly about them behind their backs with spite and a smile. Now, I think we can all agree that gossiping about people is bad; doing so with malice is even worse. So, if that's the case, should Bartholomew tell Lucretia to stop being a jerk? According to Dr. Seuss's quote (when misinterpreted) Bartholomew telling Lucretia to stop expressing how she truly feels would give him the status of someone who doesn't matter in her life. This is the potential for harm. Sometimes, people who correct us in our errors do it not to cripple our creativity or individuality, but to keep us safe, and to help us become the people we could be and not just leave us as we are. A parent who corrects a child does it not to cause pain or to appear intolerant, but to help correct misguidance and give a child every opportunity to grow and progress so that they can become everything they have the potential to become. In these cases, I would tweak Dr. Seuss's quote a bit: "Be who you are and say what you feel, but listen to those who care about you because those who matter mind, and those who don't mind, don't matter." When someone "accepts" you as you are, it isn't always because they care. Someone who really cares about you will take you as you come, but help you move forward. Some of the best friends I've had in my life are the ones who've told me when I've been wrong and when I need to change.

Now, unfortunately, the line between these two possible interpretations is thin and individual. The biggest factor here is where the advice is coming from, because the people who care most about you are the ones who care enough to tell you when you're making a mistake. My parents wouldn't be good parents if they didn't correct me when I err...luckily they do. :) I think that if we open our hearts to help we'll find that more people are waiting to build us up then tear us down with their advice. So my advice is this: Listen, learn, grow.

~

"God gave us two ears and one mouth so that we may hear twice as much as we say." --Vaea Enos

"Good things fall apart so that better things can fall together." --Unknown

"If you could taste the words you speak, would they be sweet?" --AEH

"That which we obtain too cheaply, we esteem too lightly." --Thomas Paine

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." --Maria Robinson

Middle Ground

Robert Fulghum wrote a book entitled: All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. One story in the book talks about him going to a kindergarten class and asking all of the kids how many of them could sing. All the hands went flying up. He asked how many could dance. Again all the hands went up. He asked how many could play a musical instrument. All the hands went up almost immediately. He asked the same three questions in a college class. Each time only a few hands went up and only half-heartedly. What changed? Well, quite simply, we grew up thinking that unless we can do everything perfect, we cannot do it at all.

Another sad extreme is when we tell our children that they can do everything well. This is not true. They can do anything well that they would like to, but they cannot do everything well. This is the beauty and purposeful design of the world we live in. We are not expected to do everything well because if we did, we would have no need for other people. We are all given different talents to develop so that we can compliment, not compare each other.

We seem to be caught in between believing that everyone should be able do everything, and you have to be a professional to say that you can do it at all. There needs to be a middle ground.

Sir Ken Robinson, an education specialist from England has an amazing story that, perhaps, can help us move to this middle ground. He talks of a little girl a while ago who couldn't sit still in class. She was fidgety and hyper and couldn't seem to calm down. As a result, her school work began to suffer. Her teachers called the girl's parents and the parents took her to a guidance counselor of sorts to help them figure out what to do. The counselor studied the little girl in class, talked to her, and eventually had a conference with the girl and her parents. He explained to the parents everything he noticed about the girl as it pertained to her schoolwork. Then, he asked the parents if he could talk to them privately out in the hallway. As they were walking out, the counselor turned on the radio to a music station. Once out of the room he told the parents to watch their daughter. Almost as soon as the music was on and they had left she was out of her chair, moving to the music. The counselor said, "There's nothing wrong with her daughter. She's a dancer." It was amazing. Today, in similar circumstances, the girl would have been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, given medication and told to settle down. However, this girl was put into dance school and went on to meet Andrew Lloyd Webber, becoming his choreographer for Cats and Phantom of the Opera in London.

We need to figure out what our talents are, and develop them even though they may not be what we or others may expect. But in that development, we have to realize that we may never be the next Julie Andrews, Bill Gates, or Alfred Hitchcock. We may never be the best of the best, but we will almost certainly benefit one other person at the least.

Odds are that I will never be a great athlete. I may want to be, but at this point, I will probably never get there. It's okay. I can play the piano and the flute, I can draw, paint, and write well, and I have talking mastered. I may never be more than a wife and a mother developing these talents in my spare time for the joy of being able to share them with others, but I do know that I can do these things, in case anybody asks. :)

I am not advocating boasting or bragging. I am advocating honesty. We all know our talents and if you don't, shame on you. Talents go way beyond physical things and we need to seek out our talents and better them so that we can be a compliment to society. Everybody has amazing talents, even though they may be hidden. Someone out there needs your talent. It may be you. And remember, when you're trying to find out what your talents are, don't look at other people. Look in the mirror.

~

"Can we talk about something that makes me sound smart?" --Bruce Henderson

"Unhappiness is best defined as the difference between our talents and our expectations." --Edward de Bono

"Envy is the art of counting another fellow's blessings instead of your own." --Harold Coffin

"Life isn't about perfection. It's about progression." --Unknown

"If you're not failing every now and then, it's a sign that you're not doing anything very innovative." --Woody Allen

"I was put on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I am so far behind that I will never die." --Calvin, Calvin and Hobbes

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"I urge you not to take counsel of your fears. I hope you will not say, 'I am not smart enough to study chemical engineering; hence I'll study something less strenuous.' 'I can't apply myself sufficiently well to study this difficult subject or in this comprehensive field; hence, I'll choose the easier way.' I plead with you to choose the hard way and tax your talents. Our Heavenly Father will make you equal to your tasks. If one should stumble, if one should take a course and get less than the 'A' grade desired, I hope such a one will not let it become a discouraging thing to him. I hope that he will rise and try again." --President Thomas S. Monson

Feeling

Ladies, Gentlemen, and everyone else,

We have a problem: we don't get dressed up anymore, we don't cry as much, and we don't really think about things anymore. In short, we are lacking the feeling and connection in life that used to run rampant over the earth.

Perhaps it is one of the side-effects of this age of technology we live in that has taken some of the simple joys out of life. There used to be a build of anticipation waiting for a letter to arrive by mail, a disappointment when it didn't come, and then a genuine smile no one could take away when it finally came. There used to be family games with everyone sitting around a table or on the floor playing without malicious competition. People used to get excited to watch others display their talents and it didn't matter how good anyone was, it was the company that was enjoyed.

But today we have movies and video games and instant gratification everywhere in our lives. (Again, I must make a frequent disclaimer that most of technology is not inherently bad and is in fact quite useful and wonderful, but it is the over and misuse of this technology that steals away the life from our lives.) We fill our lives with ways to disconnect from the world so much so that we have lost feeling for things that really should matter. We hear about death and destruction and hardly think twice about it; our best friend/sister/etc. just got their pilot's license and all we can manage is a half-hearted "congrats." We can do better than that. I know we can.

There is grief and sadness everywhere at any given time and there is also happiness and deep feeling happening everywhere at any given time. We need to slow down and really think about things. We need to think twice before saying/doing things that might cause hurt, and we need to think outside of ourselves into how what we do and say affects those around us.

Slow down. Take a minute to really think about things, not simply let things gloss over a shield of apathy. Enjoy the happy moments and remember the sad just enough to savor the dichotomy. Let's prove to the world that we have some feeling left. :)

~

"An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth!" "Very good. Then the whole world will be blind and toothless." --Fiddler on the Roof

"No one will listen." "Huh? I'm sorry did you say something?" --Mulan

"The words tell you what to think, the music tells you what to feel."

"Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the human heart can hold." --Zelda Fitzgerald

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"It's like in the great stories Mr. Frodo, the ones that really mattered; full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn't want to know the end, because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come, and when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those are the stories that stayed with you, that meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think Mr. Frodo, I do understand. i know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn't. They kept going, because they were holding on to something."

"What are we holding onto Sam?"

"That there is some good in this world Mr. Frodo, and it's worth fighting for."

--Lord of the Rings, the Two Towers

The Best and the Worst

In life there are good things and there are bad things (just so you know). Here are a few of the best and worst things from my recent life:

-The best part of playing ultimate frisbee is when you barely catch the frisbee and then you have to do a ninja roll to make sure you don't drop it.

-The best part of not bruising easily is that usually when you do bruise, it is in some place really obscure like on the very tip of your left ring finger.

-The best part of playing certain songs on the piano is being able to finish with a loud, staccato chord and then lift your hands up in triumph.

-The best part of making dinosaur chicken nuggets for dinner is playing with them before you eat them.

-The best part about seeing a doctor is the funny tests he makes you do...

-The best part about wind is...oh yeah, nothing.

-The worst part of reading a book is closing the back cover and feeling like you've lost a friend.

-The best part of singing in the shower is knowing that it doesn't matter if you sing off key.

-The best/worst dreams are the ones that could actually happen.

-"The best things in life are dirty."

-The best part of summer is the warm evenings sitting out on the front lawn/porch/steps drinking a cool beverage and just talking.

-The worst part of summer is the snow. :P

-The best part of the week is a Sunday nap.

-The best part of your life is right now.

Don't waste it. :)

~

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." --Charles Dickens

"This is no time to panic." "This is the perfect time to panic!" --Toy Story

"Wait! This is the best part!" --A Little Romance

"Could be worse." "How?" "Could be raining." --Young Frankenstein

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"Your future hasn't been written yet...so make it a good one!" --Back to the Future III

Perhaps

I have decided that enough is too much. The worlds awaits offering choices on everything: choices of what to eat, where to go, how to dress, and what do say. Somewhere in the future of my life there are dozens of miracles waiting to happen and dozens of experiences waiting to tear me down and build me up again. I do not know what these things are and I hope that some of them aren't what I think they are. But I see an outline forming: a shadow in the distance that almost looks like something. At this point, I can only guess what it is. Tomorrow I may see something entirely different, but I'll keep moving towards it anyway. Who knows, I may be pleasantly surprised...

Do I know what I'm doing with my life? Perhaps. :)

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"It matters not how straight the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll. I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul." --Invictus

The Month of May

I ran into a friend of mine today who was showing off a large bruise on her shin, which she received from running into a small piece of furniture. She said that it had been more than two weeks since the incident and only now the bruise was starting to fade into greenish yellow tints and fade away. I also had an incident that left me with a "bruise." My incident was only last Thursday and involved me jumping off a concrete bench and landing on my knees instead of my feet. Those watching will attest that it was a pretty good show. My knees and my right wrist felt like they were going to bruise over for sure. However, three days later, it is apparent that these injuries have skipped the blue and purple stage entirely and are instead turning greenish yellow and fading away. Three days and my bruises are practically gone from an outstanding accident that probably would have broken bones in another person. My first impulse is to complain about this because I have no injuries to show off. But, I have instead decided to change that opinion and favor this alternative response: basically, I'm Superman's daughter, and very blessed to be so. ;)

~

The month of May for most people is the end of school and the beginning of what is sure to be a splendid summer of fun, sunshine, love, and probably some form of boredom at one point or another. May is the symbolic beginning of summer and a time loved by most people. I repeat: most people. You see, in my family, the month of May has an entirely different implication: work, experimentation, and character building. These things in and of themselves are not awful ideas. In fact, they are great things that are given to people on a pretty normal basis without any help. But, in my family, we help it. In May. The Month of May became (for a few years) a ritual in which my parent decided on a lesson they wanted to teach their children (and work on themselves) and they found an "interesting" way to teach it. The first Month of May was a experiment where we went without all modern conveniences. Yes, I mean ALL. No TV, microwave, computer, and we even turned out the lights for a week at the end. Instead of normal past-times, we played cards, board games, played the piano, read, and baked a lot of pies. Although this month was a tough change from the way we'd been living before, it taught me just how much I can live without, and let me tell you: I can live without A LOT! Over all, the lessons learned from this month are priceless to me now and have helped me in many ways over the last few years. Other Months of May included: Emergency Preparedness Month (in which each week was dedicated to a different kind of emergency we should be ready for: living on food storage for a week, turning off the water for a week and living off water storage, living without electricity for a week, and various other small day-to-day emergency tests) and Good Grocery Shopping Month (which ruled that each person only had $10 a week to spend on food [I must interject that I cheated during this month because I am weak with certain things and I just couldn't stand pretending to be poor]). But these two other Months of May have also helped me with being prepared for and knowing how to deal with emergencies, and also how to be better about buying groceries and saving money.

At the time, I felt sure that my parents were only trying to make life miserable. Now, I can see that they were trying to teach me something valuable that I would use for the rest of my life. In retrospect, not such a bad idea. :)

The point: It's May again, and though I've never really missed the Month of May since I've moved out, I have wondered what I would do for a "Month of May." I know it's a little late to get started, but I have considered it anyway. But in thinking about it, I have come to an interesting discovery: this month has been a time for me to bring together all of the previous Months of May and implant them in my life. I don't have a lot of money so grocery shopping must be done efficiently, I have a lot of time with nothing to do and I don't want to idle around all day watching Bonanza (no matter how good of a show it is), and I sometimes need to be prepared for irregularities. So far this month has been (and probably will be for the rest of the month) a test of how well I can apply these lessons I have learned to my life. My parents have done good and I can prove it. I am probably more ready for anything than anyone else my age. Life isn't easy, but I have have the tools to make it through. It may be hard, but my parents always told me, "You can do hard things."

This month of May I want to prove them right. Life is hard, but I can do hard things.

~

"Life is a storm my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment and be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout as you did in Rome, 'Do your worst! For I shall do mine!'" --The Count of Monte Cristo

"Don't tell God how big the storm is. Tell the storm how big your God is."

"It's only a failure if you can't say what you've learned from it." --Dr. P

"Nothing is impossible until the laws of physics tell you so. Then get a second opinion."

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"A man has to be knocked silly before he comes to his senses." --C.S. Lewis

It's Amazing

It's amazing how much can change so quickly.

It's amazing how much you learn about yourself when you're alone.

It's amazing how much you learn about yourself when you're surrounded by lots of people.

It's amazing how much stress factors into mood and personality shifts.

It's amazing to realize you're not alone.

It's amazing how much you don't notice until you do notice.

It's amazing what you take for granted.

It's amazing how calming summer can be.

It's amazing how beautiful some places are when you look at them right.

It's amazing what a little perspective can do.

It's amazing how much influence Disney movies can have on a bad day.

It's amazing to think of how many billions of people there are in the world, and only one of you.

It's amazing how much you've grown since you last recognized how much you'd grown.

It's amazing how much like your parents you really are.

It's amazing what a little creativity can do.

It's amazing how much you forget.

It's amazing how much you remember.

Face it. Life is amazing sometimes.

~

"Life is easy. Life is hard. But always, life is beautiful." -CEH

"I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it."

"I will love the light for it shows me the way. I will love the dark for it shows me the stars."

"To err is human, to forgive divine." -Alexander Pope

"I've had a lot of problems in my life. Most of them never happened." -Mark Twain

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"I loosened my tie and saw what it feels like to breath/...I took off my watch and found I had all the time in the world." -Time For Livin'

Homework

Here are some lyrics to a song from You're A Good Man Charlie Brown. It basically sums up how I feel about all, well, most homework. :)

~

If I start writing now

When I'm not really rested

It could upset my thinking

Which is no good at all.

I'll get a fresh start tomorrow

And it's not due till Wednesday

So I'll have all of Tuesday

Unless something should happen.

Why does this always happen,

I should be outside playing

Getting fresh air and sunshine,

I work best under pressure,

And there'll be lots of pressure

If I wait till tomorrow

I should start writing now.

But I if I start writing now

When I'm nbot really rested

It could upset my thinking

Which is no good at all.

--Charlie Brown

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"Procrastinators unite! Tomorrow."

Pointlessly Occupied

Disclaimer: If you know you are not included in the "general terms" used below, then you are not among the intended audience of this post, but you may enjoy it anyway. If you know you are included in the "general terms" used below, please pay close attention: I am talking to you. If you are in denial about being included in the "general terms" used below, please dig deep and refer to the previous sentence. :)

The world (the world being a general term) is pointlessly occupied. We are all (all being a general term) so busy doing absolutely nothing. Our time is spent texting, facebooking, tweeting, watching TV, listening to noise with a beat, and brainwashing our minds with various other forms of entertainment that would be fine if used appropriately and in moderation. As it is, they are not. Hence the problem: Our world (world, again being a general term) is consumed with too much and not enough. We have too much pointlessness in our life and not enough fullness.

If your aspirations for the week are to get to the next level of the little game inside your phone or iPod, STOP IT! Of all the hundreds of thousands of possibilities out there for ways to spend your time, you are choosing to hurt what is left of your eye sight, deafen what is left of your hearing, and ignore the things that matter most in life for the itsy-bitsy pixels inside a machine that may or may not be an alien robot waiting to attack you? Really? STOP IT!

Everyone (everyone being a general term) enjoys technology and there is nothing wrong with that. Watching some TV, listening to some music, being on facebook, and even sending an occasionally tweet under the alias of Lord Voldemort are perfectly respectable ways to pass the time. It is only when these things become a driving force in your life that you need to stop and ponder your choices of entertainment. *Definition of "driving force" being: anything that you couldn't/wouldn't live without for more than three days. Again, for those of you in denial: dig a little deeper. :)

But now that we've established that there are some things that need to be cut back, what then do we fill all our new free time with? Let me answer that question with a story:

An aspiring young pianist played at a concert and was receiving compliments after the performance where a middle aged man approached him and said, "Wow. You are amazing. I wish I was as good as you." The aspiring young pianist replied, "Thank you, but no you don't. If you really wanted to be as good as me, you would be." We are all as talented as we really want to be. Granted, there are some cases where we may never reach the goals and dreams of childhood for whatever reason, but how many people (people being a general term) have dreams stored away in a box inside of another box inside of our closet? Now, if your dreams have been put aside as a sacrifice for something better, then I commend your self control and wish you the best. But if your dreams are locked away for no other reason then you think they're only good memories or because you are pointlessly occupied elsewhere, then I urge you to STOP IT! Wipe the dust off those boxes, kill the spiders who have made their home there, unpack your dreams and get going. Someone wise, experienced, and probably dead once said: "Your future is as bright as you faith." It's true no matter what you apply it to. In this case, your dreams are as bright as your faith in yourself. In the almighty words of that beloved satire Galaxy Quest: Never give up! Never surrender! (Or if you prefer, insert your favorite cliche, cheesy, and overused catchphrase from your favorite movie)

Find something to replace the time you (you being a general term) spend pointlessly occupied. Let it be anything you want (reasonably speaking) and don't be afraid of failure. Failure is just a short and sweet way of saying that you're not perfect but that you have room to grow if you will only try again. Failure comes as much from putting everything out and falling as never fully extending your wings. Either one results in a failed attempt, but only turns into a obstacle if you don't get back up and give it all you've got [again].

Let's break the cycle. One, two, three, go.

~

This has been a public service announcement. You're welcome. :)

~

"Go. Live your dream." "I will." "Your dream stinks, I was talking to her." -Tangled

"No one can go back and make a new beginning, but anyone can start now and make a new ending." -U. N. Known

"Fifty years from now when you're looking back, don't you want to be able to say you had the guts to get in the car?" -Transformers

"Give everything you have, all the time, and you will have a lot fewer regrets in life."

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"Doubt is a luxury we can't afford anymore." -The Incredibles

21

As I pass the threshold of another year I have become determined that every year must bring about a collection of wisdom that has accumulated over the course of the last 365 days. And so, naturally, I sat down to ponder what I had learned over the course of the last year and as I did so, I became completely distracted by the copious amount of changes that have happened in my life, direct and indirect:

Flashback... (in no particular order)

My parents moved to Hawaii

My sister got remarried

I read the entire Harry Potter series in three weeks (not easy, you try it sometime)

I certified as a phlebotomist and worked as one for three months

I lived in Hawaii for a summer

I've been on a plane 4 times

I've taken two trips to Logan

I've seen three shows (two plays, one movie) twice (each time within 24 hours or less)

I got a new phone

I've started standing firmer against stupidity (in a good way)

I've not be as bad as procrastinator as last year

I finally made a right choice

I found a whole list of things I want to do

I reconnected to the gospel

I realized that I have a long way to go

I learned ALOHA

I've successfully memorized a couple dozen new songs with which to annoy people

I found/stole the best chocolate-chip cookie recipe ever

I made new friends

I moved to a new house with new roommates and new experiences

I took my Debate team to State, where they took 3rd place overall as a team

I smiled more

I complained as much as always ;)

I've tried harder to do what's right

I've started asking better questions

I've stopped rising to an argument (it's kind of like the first step towards patience for me...)

My parents gave me their old piano

I got a job on campus

and...

I'm a whole year older.

~

Eventually, my pondering bought about the recollection of lessons I have learned. Here are some free words of wisdom from the last year of my life:

1. Wag more. Bark less.

2. If for a while is seems the harder you try, the harder it gets; take heart. So it has been with the best people who ever lived.

3. Not forgiving is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

4. Never pick a fight with an old man; if he's not in the mood to fight, he'll just kill you.

5. A man has to be knocked silly before he comes to his senses.

5. It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.

6. He/she can who thinks he/she can.

7. Angels don't always have halos and wings; sometimes they are disguised as perfect strangers and our closest friends.

8. If you have no other qualities, you can succeed with love alone.

9. You can't be perfect today, and you can't be perfect tomorrow, but you can be better today and you can be better tomorrow.

~

Well, it is the passing of another year of my life. Twenty one years. I can now legally gamble, drink, and rent cars..........yeah...what's so great about turning 21 again? ;)

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"Life will either grind you down or polish you up; it all depends on what you're made of."

Originality

I am taking a class this semester on Literature and Film--mostly adaptations of literature to film. However, based on discoveries in that class, I would like to point out that there is very little originality out there folks. Now, that's okay; I don't particularly care because I like classic stories and if they're good, why not reuse them in a different way? But I find it very amusing because when you find other stories' plots imbedded in new stories, it makes for an interesting discussion about originality...of which there is very little apparently.

Please follow the link below and enjoy the 35 second clip that illustrates this concept masterfully. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8CD6tI21Cc&feature=related

There is very little out there that can be called original, but why moan and complain and criticize? I think we should just learn to enjoy a good story wherever it is used well. But, of course, we should also make comparisons wherever we can if for no other reason then to annoy and irritate our friends and family. :)

~

"It is great cleverness to know when to conceal one's cleverness." --Francois de la Rochefoucauld

"It's not denial. I am just very selective about the reality I accept." --Calvin

"Vanity working on a weak mind produces every kind of mischief." --Mr. Knightly, Emma

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"Well, remember what you said, because in a day or two, I'll have a witty and blistering retort! You'll be devastated THEN!" --Calvin

Love in My Heart

I have done a lot of thinking lately (perhaps too much) and I have felt disheartened because I feel like I have so far to go. In recent reflection I believe some of my sadness comes from a false impression that everything has to be done at once instead of gradually, one piece at a time. After this realization, the biggest questions I had was: where do I start? The following quote is long, but I believe it is a wonderful place to begin:

Love in My Heart

"I will greet this day with love in my heart. For this is the greatest secret of success in all ventures. Muscle can split a shield and even destroy life, but only the unseen power of love can open the hearts of men and until I master this art I will remain no more than a peddler in the market place. I will make love my greatest weapon and none on whom I call can defend against its force. My reasoning they may counter; my speech they may distrust; my apparel they may disapprove; my face they may reject; and even my bargains may cause them suspicion; yet my love will melt all hearts liken to the sun whose rays soften the coldest clay.

I will greet this day with love in my heart. And how will I do this? Henceforth I will look on all things with love, and I will be born again. I will love the sun for it warms my bones; yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit. I will love the light for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars. I will welcome happiness for it enlarges my heart; yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul. I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due; yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge. I will greet this day with love in my heart. And how will I speak? I will laud my enemies and they will become friends; I will encourage my friends and they will become brothers. Always will I dig for reasons to applaud; never will I scratch for excuses to gossip. When I am tempted to criticize I will bite on my tongue; when I am moved to praise I will shout from the roofs. Is it not so that birds, the wind, the sea and all nature speak with the music of praise for their creator? Cannot I speak with the same music to His children? Henceforth will I remember this secret and it will change my life.

I will greet this day with love in my heart. And how will I act? I will love all manner of men for each has qualities to be admired even though they may be hidden. With love I will tear down the wall of suspicion and hate which they have built round their hearts and in its place will I build bridges so that my love may enter their souls. I will love the ambitious for they can inspire me! I will love the failures for they can teach me. I will love the kings for they are but human; I will love the meek for they are divine. I will love the rich for they are yet lonely; I will love the poor for they are so many. I will love the young for the faith they hold; I will love the old for their eyes of sadness; I will love the ugly for their souls of peace.

I will greet this day with love in my heart. But how will I react to the actions of others? With love. For just as love is my weapon to open the hearts of men, love is also my shield to repulse the arrows of hate and the spears of anger. Adversity and discouragement will beat against my new shield and become as the softest of rains. My shield will protect me in the market place and sustain me when I am alone. It will uplift me in moments of despair yet it will calm me in time of exaltation. It will become stronger and more protective with the use until one day I will cast it aside and walk unencumbered among all manners of men. And how will I confront each whom I meet? In only one way. In silence and to myself I will address him and say I love you. Though spoken in silence these words will shine in my eyes, unwrinkled my brow, bring a smile to my lips, and echo in my voice; and his heart will be opened.

Most of all I will love myself. For when I do I will zealously inspect all things that enter my body, my mind, and my soul. Never allow my soul to become complacent and satisfied, rather I will feed it with meditation and prayer. Never will I allow my heart to become small and bitter rather I will share it and it will grow and warm the earth.

I will greet this day with love in my heart and henceforth will I love all mankind. I have not time to hate only time to love. From this moment I take the first step required to become a (wo)man among (wo)men. If I have no qualities, I can succeed with love alone. I will greet this day with love and I will succeed."

I think we could all use a little more love. :)

~

"Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will break our hearts." --Robert Fulghum

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." --Proverb (I'm sure)

"If you keep waiting for tomorrow, you will find yourself with a whole lot of empty yesterdays."

"Not because we are able, but because He is." --Lawrence E. Corbridge

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"Success will come when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change." --Unknown

Lighten Up

This is a video of a speech I gave in the fall of 2009. The topic is: Lighten Up. Now, I have watched the video and with a little embarrassment I admit that sometimes I get a little too excited and a go a little over the top, but I was younger then. :)

This is something that I am very passionate about and I hope that you will enjoy it and share it with others!

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"If I fret over tomorrow, I have little joy today." --Llonio, Taren Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander

Bad Day, Good Day, Red Day, Blue Day

I tried. I really did, try. I didn't complain or wallow in sadness for the first half of the day. But it kind of tapered off when suddenly I had so much to do and so little time to do it all.

~

My car battery died this morning. I didn't make a big fuss. I let it go, called my amazing, wonderful, beautiful friend to come and pick me up. She did. I was 13 minutes late for work, but I couldn't change it and I didn't miss an appointment or get in trouble. I worked on my Spanish homework for a little while and made some progress there. I read my assigned talk before institute and I even wrote all of 50 words in my novella. Yay.

Well, then the afternoon came and I realized that I would probably need a new car battery (which I did), I had to pay my car insurance premium (on a car that wouldn't start this morning, mind you), I was in desperate need of a chiropractor, I had a 4-5 page paper to write, no time for FHE, I was hungry because the lunch I made this morning tasted nasty and so I didn't eat it, my ears hurt (because I've been sick), my Debate advisor was trying to get information from me that I didn't have, and I realized that my Spring Break probably isn't going to be a break at all. That, and someone took my bike.

I tried! Really I did! This morning when everything started bad I tried as hard as I could to just let it go and move on with a positive attitude. I did pretty good until the afternoon when everything just started crashing down.

Patience is hard. Now, I did not pray for patience (I am not that stupid) but I saw this as a great opportunity to work on it. Yeah, not such a great turn out. I broke down in front of my amazing, wonderful, beautiful friend and I kind of feel like a moron because most of my problems were not a big deal; they just needed to be dealt with one at a time. I am feeling better about things though. Granted, I'm by no means where I need to be for the week as far as homework, but I'm within manageable limits, for now. If I can just get through Wednesday...

I guess I'm just upset because I've been trying to have a better attitude and it's harder than I thought. I know, everything is harder than you think, except when it's not. I remember the line from Oh, the Places You'll Go! By Dr. Seuss: "Except when you don't. Because sometimes you won't. I'm sorry to say so, but sadly it's true, that bang-ups and hang-ups can happen to you." Yes, then can, and yes they did.

~

But, today was a good day: things are looking up for my parents, my car has a new battery, my insurance premium is paid and I don't have to worry about it for 6 months, my voice is flickering back on, my 4-5 page paper is written (maybe not well, but it's done), my shoes are glued together again, I realized that the "drama" in my life was self induced and completely unnecessary, I finished reading Believing Christ, I have friends who are amazing and cute, and quite frankly, I am a daughter of God who loves me and I have a Savior who died for me. Yeah. Today was a good day.

~

"I've had many problems in my life, and most of them never happened." --Mark Twain

"And will you succeed? Yes, you will indeed. 98 3/4 % guaranteed. Kid, you'll move mountains." --Dr. Seuss

"You're about as happy as you make up your mind to be." --Abe Lincoln

"Let it go." --Indian Jones and the Last Crusade

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"Words and hearts should be handled with care, for words when spoken and hearts when broken, are hardest to repair."

The Best Policy...

I once asked a group of guys what is the best way to tell a guy you like him to see if he likes you too. They said that subtle hints don't work and obvious hints are either missed or come across as annoying. What then is the best way to see if a guy likes you too? I asked. Their collective response? Ask him.

~

I once liked a guy. Shocking, I know. But after a while I had several people prodding me to see if he liked me back. So, I asked him. Granted, it was a little awkward because I was incredible immature, but, looking back, it did simplify things a great deal. He didn't like me back but was still interested in being friends. Things weren't awkward between us afterwards because we didn't let them be awkward. We were friends (and I'd like to think we still are).

Later that year I found two other boys attractive (not as much as the first, but attractive nonetheless). I was around a group of girls asking these two attractive guys how to let a guy know that you like him. I told them it was easy: you tell them. They laughed because it was easy to "say such things" but no one would ever do it.

I turned to the guy to my right and said, "Peter, I find you attractive." They all stopped laughing and looked from Peter to me and then back to Peter. He didn't say anything so I followed up with, "Just so you know." Peter and I are still friends too.

~

Well, life weaves an intricate pattern. I like another guy now...I think. I'm still a little indecisive, but I am pretty sure I like him. Anyway, I was going to ask him to the girl's choice Sadie Hawkins dance tomorrow, but someone else beat me to him and I didn't have a back up plan. Anyway, this guy was sitting next to me at "free dinner at the Episcopal church" tonight and started making casual conversation. He asked if I was going to the Sadie Hawkins dance. I said no. He asked why not. I told him that the guy I was going to ask got asked out by someone else before I could get to him. And then he went one step further. He asked me who the guy was. I had a split second to think it through. My thoughts (all condensed into 2 seconds of real time) were thus:

I could tell him it's none of his business...but there is no way to say that without sounding childish

I could tell him that I'm not telling...but that would also sound childish

I could make up some guy...but that would be lying and lying is never a good idea

Result: I told the truth.

I took a deep breath, turned to him and said, "I was going to ask you." I looked at him for another second and then continued eating. I could see the shock in his face and I don't know how long it was before it died. He retorted with something like, "Oh. Really?" The casual conversation continued after that without much awkwardness. Unfortunately, I don't know what to do now...

Dating is awesome isn't it?

But my favorite part of the story was that my friend Maria was sitting right next to me at the time and heard the whole conversation. Her jaw dropped about a foot when I actually told him that I was going to ask him to the dance. When he was out of earshot for a few seconds she leaned over and said, "I can't believe you actually told him!" Without thinking about it I said, "Well, he asked. Honesty is always the best policy."

I hope I'm right. :)

~

"Love is beautiful. Love is wonderful." --Ray, Princess and the Frog

"Let's say God puts two people on the earth and they are lucky enough to find one another. But then, one of them gets hit by lightning. Well, then what? Or perchance you meet someone new is that the person you were supposed to be with, or was it the first? And if the two of them were walking side by side did it just happen to be the first one first, or was the second one supposed to be first? And is everything just chance, or are some things meant to be?" --Henry, Ever After

"I won't say I'm in love!" --Meg, Hercules

"Dear God, was that necessary?" --Tevye, Fiddler on the Roof

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." --Maria Robinson

Right?

Just something I've been thinking about lately:

What's right is right, no matter what anyone says. What's wrong is wrong, no matter what anyone says. Now here's the hard part: What's right is right, regardless of who says it and what they do. What's wrong is wrong, regardless of who says it and what they do.

My mom once told me a story about how when she and my dad were starting to become active in the church after a leave of absence. She said that an obstacle came up when there was a woman giving a talk in Sacrament meeting about a topic that my mom knew the woman didn't live personally. My mom struggled with this hypocrisy for a short while before she and my dad talked about it. They decided that it was either going to be about the gospel, or it was going to be about the people. They made it about the gospel.

There are hypocrites everywhere; in every state, city, school, and church. People are not perfect. I am not perfect. I feel that I can safely say that everyone is a hypocrite sometimes. But we can't judge truth by whether or not the people preaching it are practicing it. If someone who lies says that lying is bad, are they a hypocrite? Probably (I don't want to judge). But, are they still right? Yes. Lying is wrong; that much is right. It is a true principle whether it comes from the mouth of a liar or a prophet.

I am tired of people saying that the LDS people are hypocrites. We are no more hypocrites than any other organized religion. The world is full of hypocrites, not just in the LDS church. No one on this earth is perfect; but we should still preach what is right. And yes, we should always strive to practice the truths that we preach, but our lack of perfection will never keep the truth from being right.

~

Questions for today:

Do you search for truth or do you search for comfort?

When making a decision, do you care more about what others think, or about what God thinks?

~

Disclaimer: I am not perfect (by any stretch of the imagination). Anything I say has my permission to be perceived as false and hypocritical by anyone who failed to recognize the point of this post.

~

"Of course you're right, you're always right. And that can only mean that I am wrong." --Lauraine Henderson

"You see, in the final analysis it is between you and God; it was never between you and them anyway." --Mother Teresa

"Failure isn't falling down. Failure is staying down." --Someone

"Judge not that ye be not judged." --Matthew, chapter 7

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"Why am I so bad at being good?!" --Avatar: The Last Airbender

Lost Friendships, Pressed Memories

Over the Christmas break I had the marvelous opportunity to read the Harry Potter series. It was wonderful. When I was bored I knew exactly what I was going to do: I would read Harry Potter. I will admit that although I was not obsessed with the series, I enjoyed the characters and felt enough connection with them to cry when one (or more) died. During the late hours of the night (and sometimes the wee hours of the morning) I was never at a loss for something to keep me occupied. This book series was like a friend who was always there. And then, 4,125 pages later, my friend left me. The parting was bittersweet. The first few days after I finished the series were odd. I was bored more often then usual and I longed to be back in the middle of the series.

But, as always happens with life, I was presented with a new friend a few weeks later: the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Again, I fell for the story and the characters. I watched the short twenty two minute shows whenever I could find (or make) time and sometimes stayed up past when I would have normally to watch the next one after a "To Be Continued..." episode. Again, I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and connected with the characters and their journeys. I had a new friend. And then, last week, I realized that our friendship was drawing to a close. I prolonged the inevitable as long as my desire to find out what happened next would allow. But, in the end, it was over. Another friend gone.

Somebody famous once said that "You know you have read a good book when you turn the last page and feel like you have lost a friend." It seems that I have lost many friends (some of them repeatedly). But, these friends are like flowers on the side of the road. Seeing them and smelling them is wonderful, but eventually we have to keep walking; we can't stay there forever. But we can cut them, and press them into our memories for as long as we'd like. "Goodbye may seem forever. Farewell is like the end. But in my heart? A memory. And there, you'll always be" (Fox and the Hound).

I'm so glad that I have such a love for reading and the watching of good, wholesome, child-like (not childish) shows. Boy! am I a nerd. :)

~

"A man who does not read has no advantage over a man who cannot read." --Mark Twain

"Seek ye out of the best books." --Scriptures (somewhere) :D

"When you come to the last page, close the book." --Chinese Proverb

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"How can you read this? There's no pictures!" --Gaston, Beauty and the Beast

Work

Some years ago, I can't remember when precisely, my father was talking about work. For those of you who know my father, or have heard me talk about him to the point that you think you know him, this is not an odd topic of conversation. My dad is a firm believer in hard work and has striven to ingrain this message in his children. I now relate the following story to evaluate his efforts:
In Relief Society on Sunday we were talking about work. I shared the thought that my father had two philosophies about work that surfaced several times through my life: 1) Hard work will cure almost any pain, and 2) You can work mad or you can work happy, but you still have to work. Some of the girls were obviously skeptical of this advice. But, the next day was FHE and we were going to play Volleyball. When I got to FHE I had a bit of a stomach ache (might have been the three gallons of cocoa I had) and I wasn't too excited about playing. But, I remembered what I had said the day before in Relief Society and I played anyway. Within twenty minutes, I had forgotten about the pain (which had, in fact, subsided) and the game became much more fun. My roommate Candy was aware of the pre-game stomach ache and about 30 minutes into the game she asked me if I was okay. I explained that I was feeling better. Another girl around us asked if I had been feeling ill. I explained that I had, but that I've been better since I started playing. She answered back by saying, "Wow. I guess your dad was right after all." This remark indicated to me that she hadn't believed the advice yesterday, but today, after seeing it in action, she came around to the idea of considering it. It's progress. :)
~
Now that I have expressed how wonderful work is, I would like to clarify. Hard, manual labor is good; work that requires an abundance of how-to knowledge, a steady hand, and wearing scrubs is good; tedious, mind-power-necessitating, work is the root of all unhappiness in my life. :) I have found that I really don't mind manual labor (most of the time), but I really don't like busy work. Yes, I am talking about homework mostly. I don't like it! Give me a shovel and a ditch to dig or the anticubital region of someone's arm with rolling veins any day over some silly, illogical, fill-in-the-blank questions in Spanish. Just sayin'. :)
~
"What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger."
or "What doesn't kill you makes you wish it had."
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
or "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and he'll have to buy a boat."
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
or
~
Today's Featured Quote:
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to hide the bodies of those people I had to kill because they ticked me off."

A pleasant day of working to everyone. :)

The Answering Machine

"You have reached the voice mailbox of Amy Almost Melanie Elizabeth Henderson. I'm sorry I missed your call, but if you leave you name and number, and a brief message as your own risk, I'll return your call as soon as I feel like it. Thank you."

I would think that this message would be sufficient for any person of average intelligence to understand. But no. No, after I have painstakingly thought of a voicemail greeting that is not offensive, mostly professional, and still showcases my own personality amidst the essential elements of the greeting, the phone, in all its wisdom, sees fits to add:

"Record your message after the tone. To send a numeric page press 5. When you are finished recording you may hang up, or press one for more options. To leave a call back number press 3 now."

You would think that after more than ten years of this, we wouldn't need an annoying recording of a mechanical woman's voice telling us how to do it. And, if I may point out, the original home answering machines didn't have any such instructions after the recorded greeting. So, it seems that we're digressing. We started out not needing any instructions, and now we need instructions repeated just to say our name and phone number after a beep. You've got to love technology and the "progress" of society. :)

~

Appropriately, here are some of my favorite answering machine messages:

1) "This is ______'s cell, and here's a rhyme for you. I guess that I'm not here right now, but you know what to do. You can call me back later, or leave a message too. So leave you're name and number and I'll get back to you."

2) "You have reached the _________ home. Do dah. Do dah. Leave a message at the tone. Oh do dah day. Might be gone all night, might be gone all day, but we'll call back when we get home. Oh do dah day.

3) "Hi this is ______. Either I can't come to the phone or I just don't want to talk to you, so leave a message."

4) "This is you-know-who. I am you-don't-know-where. Leave a you-know-what, you-know-when."

5) "We are the Borg. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. But we're not home right now. So, leave a message and we'll assimilate you later."

6) "Hello. I'm ______'s answering machine. What are you?"

7) "You have reached _______'s answering machine. If you don't know what to do from here, chances are I won't want to talk to you anyway."

~

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." --Albert Einstein

"Thou shalt not scowl." --Brother Petersen

"If you see me comin' better step aside.

A lotta men didn't. A lotta men died.

One fist of iron, and the other a steel.

If the right one don't a-get you, then the left one will."

--Sixteen Tons :)

~

Today's Featured Quote:

"The written word is all that stands between memory and oblivion. Without books as our anchors we are cast adrift, neither teaching nor learning. They are windows on the past, mirrors on the present, and prisms reflecting all possible futures. Books are lighthouses erected in the dark sea of time." --Gargoyles

Duck

When my dad was a little boy he had a stuffed turtle. His dad, however, told him that it was a duck. My dad, eventually, believed him and to this day the stuffed turtle (which he still has) is a duck.

Well, this last summer I really started liking ducks, uh, I mean, turtles. I got a turtle ring, and a turtle necklace, and I adopted every turtle I saw while snorkeling. But I'm a good mom and I let them go their own way. :) Anyway, this last Christmas break--not on Christmas, mind you--my grandma gave me a little stuffed, plush, green turtle. For one of the first times in my life I didn't have to think twice about a name. I named him Duck. :)