Celeste

The Man and the Beard

2012-01-22T14:47:00.000-07:00

For those of you who haven't seen Brandon lately, he's been looking more and more like this guy:

Today we decided to rid of the excess hair on the face.

Before we began, Brandon wanted to get a picture of the thickness.

Then he trimmed it up all nice.

We started off with a Biker Beard.

Brandon forgot about the mole on his chin and forgot to be cautious. Ouch!

Brandon was feeling ska-licious, so we went for the big chops and mega-soul patch!

All he needs now is his trumpet.

Not sure what to call this one. Maybe just "The Awesome One".

Finally... The 'stache.

Ahh!! He's too sexy!

Reading a little Bronte..

And Dracula! with a nice glass of Chateau Lafitte (1787)

So posh.

This Life is Not a Chick Flick!

2011-06-30T13:56:00.000-06:00

Which is actually a good thing..

(Disclaimer: Most of you probably already know all of this. It's just what's been on my mind, and I wanted to figure out how to say it. Besides, I figure it's been so long since I updated this that no one will see it anyway.. So here we go!)

Reasons (referring to the title):

1--One "Happy Ending" will usually invite another problem.

In movies, there's the typical story line we're taught in Elementary school. There's the intro, the rising issues, the climax, and the resolved ending. From there on out it's blue skies and sunshine! It's pretty satisfying.

In LIFE, it's not that simple. Unfortunately.

As soon as one issue is resolved, another will undoubtedly arrive. It's supposed to be that way. We aren't supposed to be comfortable in this life. It's how we learn, adapt, grow, mature, and prepare for the life after this one! Isn't that marvelous?!

2--One person's "love" is another persons.. something else.

This is a new realization for me, and it makes me ridiculously happy.

In movies, after two people fall in love they seem to know exactly how the other person feels, their actions are natural, and they almost always get married after a year or so. It seems almost thoughtless.

In LIFE, it's a little different.

Love means so many different things to EVERY SINGLE PERSON.

It's tough to explain, but I think this quote says it best:

"Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have" (Author Unknown)

I guess what I want to say is this: Don't expect too much from the people you love. My mom always says "Give 90%, Expect 10%".

If you don't have preconceived notions of how your darling and dear should treat you, you can't be disappointed. And it's more likely they'll surprise you with their own unique and fabulous way of showing how much they care about you.

It makes me feel fabulous when I realize that my relationship with my fiance is COMPLETELY new and unique.

3-- Even love takes HARD WORK.

In movies, after the main character falls in love, all the issues fall away. They can live in a happy stupor for the rest of their lives.

In LIFE, I feel like my life is FINALLY beginning!

It's going to be awesome.... and extremely hard.

I get to share the rest of my life with someone who wants nothing more than to be with me. That's probably the greatest feeling in the entire world.

However, our respective lives have been COMPLETELY different up to this point. It's going to be a struggle to mesh them together, make compromises and sacrifices, until we can finally get to the point where we know every minimal thing about each others quirks and preferences. I'm excited for that. :D

Also, it's much easier said than done to be completely selfless.

That's definitely something I think I'll always need to work on. For now, I'll start with my fiance. I'll focus on putting his needs and desires before my own. After I master that I can move on to the rest of the world.

I absolutely LOVE this time of my life. It's stressful, exhausting, and a little bit scary. But I love to feel like I'm progressing. I love that my selfish time is over and I can learn how to use my life to serve others. Yippeeeee!!!!

Also, if anyone knows of any nice, inexpensive apartments for rent in the murray/midvale area, will you give me the info? Thanks. :D

Ode to Brody

2011-02-04T22:59:00.000-07:00

'member this super-rad guy?

Due to my idiocy.. I ran into one of these bad boys about a week ago:

And now the Brode-ster looks like this:

So I sold that little dude to the Insurance-Man.

And bought myself one of these:

I figure the only places I really need to go most of the time are to the Credit Union down the street or Trax down a different street. (Besides, I'll be insured on my parent's car for emergencies.)

Don't worry, I haven't completely lost it. I'm thinking I'll look for a car new around September.

Anyway, I needed to publicize my gratitude to Brody for being so good to me. All in all, I really enjoyed our time together. I hope things turn out well for you.

Jeff Dunham

2011-01-29T10:11:00.000-07:00

My Co-worker and I were just talking about the crazy people that come into banks, and we had this thought:

Does Jeff Dunham take his puppets to do his transactions? And if so, are they on his account?

I'll bet Achmed the dead Terrorist would be a nightmare to help.

Soap Box

2011-01-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

I hope you aren't sick of this topic, cause it's something I'm pretty passionate about.

The following are some excerpts from

Collin McGinn's

"Whe Not Be A Bad Person?"

(I know I won't be writing these in thechnically correct ways, but I don't really care... so you shouldn't either.)

Beauty and truth are often linked with goodness as the supreme values: these three commodities are what the world should contain more of. I am happy to go along with these noble sentiments, but I would add that beauty and truth are bound up with goodness in inextricable ways, as follows.

A good person is a truthful person: habitual deceivers are not good. And truthful not only to others but to themselves: they seek out and respect the truth for their own consumption, not fooling themselves about where the truth lies. She who loves goodness also loves truth.

Less, obviously, beauty has a close relation to goodness. Many beautiful works of art are suffused with moral goodness, in ways that are hard to disentangle from their beauty; but more to the point, goodness of character is itself a form of beauty-- what we might call 'moral beauty' or 'beauty of soul'. The character of a good person gives aesthetic pleasure. A bad person, by contrast, has an ugly character, a soul we find it repungent to gaze upon. I think this is why we like to hang the pictures of those we admire, while we find it hard to stand the sight of the wicked. Thus goodness partakes of beauty. Indeed, given that not everyone can be physically beautiful, goodness of character affords one of the few other ways of exemplifying beauty. Nor does it require special talents of great labour, like being musically or poetically gifted. In a sense anyone can be morally beautiful, though not anyone can exhibit musical or literary beauty. This is because moral beauty is more an affair of the will than other kinds.

So if you want to make up for a lack of looks, you don't have to become an opera singer; you can simply become a decent human being.

The face of a good person is apt to radiate the virtue within, thus acquiring a beauty it would not otherise have; while the face of a bad person will tend the reflect the innter ugliness and be repellent to the gaze. Look at the expression on a face, notably when in repose: it can say a lot. This is not of course a simple matter of plain physical ugliness being the measure of a man's badness-- far from it. It is a much subtler thing than that, though one that most people can recognise when they see a clear instance of it (I mention no names). A physically ugly face can give off moral beauty, and a physically beautiful face can be marred by inner corruption. Nor, of course, is it easy to judge a person's character from her face, and major mistakes can be made, but with experience it is a skill that can be developed. Attend to the smile, the play of the eyes, the indefinable aura of the overall expression. Naturally the older a person gets, so that their face has had more time to mould itself to their soul, the easier it becomes to read their character from what begins at the neck and ends at the crown. I often think that a certain sort of tightness in the face is a suspicious sign.

So, if you are still wondering what reason you have to be virtuous, there is this reason at least: you don't want to end up looking even less attractive than you do now!

I think one of my favorite things about this article is how much he focuses on recognizing the moral beauty of others.. instead of the typical "focus on becoming morally beautiful". I think it's good to put effort into the way you act and look, but it's even better to look for the good in others.

Anywho. Be good, look good.

Think, Feel, Do

2010-12-27T10:49:00.000-07:00

I miss being a kid.

When we were little, our parents got us some tapes with those awesome "we're trying to teach your kids right and wrong but in a fun way that they'll love" songs.

One of our favorites was the "Think, Feel, Do Polka".

It went a little something like this:

"You think it. You feel it. You do it. It's that Old 'Think, Feel, Do Polka'"

Truly inspiring lyrics.

Sarcasm aside, it's a great principle. How do you expect to stay lazy if you're constantly thinking about exciting, active activities? Or.. maybe the opposite is more in tune with your situation. How do you expect to be an energetic, exciting person when all you can think to do is watch T.V. and sleep?

I've always liked to take it one step past "doing" .. into "becoming". Kind of like Aristotle's famous quote, "You are what you repeatedly do". How often does that principle apply? For example, if you're thinking beautiful thoughts, will that eventually make you a beautiful person? I feel like I've talked about this before..

Lately I've been considering the potential people take so casually. We can literally become anything.. thanks to plastic surge and hair-dye. (just kidding... kind of.) Obviously to do so, you need to set goals. But I think the easiest way to adjust to that ideal image of yourself is to imagine it. Pretend your character is already what you want it to be. Act as if you were that person. Dress like them, eat like them, exercise like them, and talk like them. Eventually you'll be that person without having to try! Sure, it's easier said than done. But it's worth a shot. :D

Yay for life!

Holi-daze

2010-12-03T21:17:00.000-07:00

I'm the stickler that doesn't listen to Christmas music till after Thanksgiving.

I don't watch Christmas movies anytime other than December.

I don't even do my Christmas shopping till the last minute.

It seems like every year after Christmas I regret all the things I didn't do.

"Oh, I didn't listen to this Christmas album!"

"I forgot about this amazing Christmas movie and now it's too late!"

"I didn't get such-and-such a present!"

(Okay, honestly, I've never really felt bad for not getting somebody a present unless they get me something and I'm unprepared. I just don't like spending money, okay? Here, have a cookie.)

I get so psyched about the Holidays throughout the whole year.. and then when the time comes, I'm rarely in the mood to party-- festive style.

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

Why wouldn't I?

I think I just need to embrace it. I'll go buy some fancy-shmancy sweaters like the ones old ladies wear. Better yet, I'll make some... and they will have bells and lightbulbs sewn on.

Here's a truly awesome Christmas-esque picture to get me into the spirit of things.

(yeah, I googled "awesome Christmas" to find that.)

Emotion

2010-11-28T17:51:00.000-07:00

"We are all fools in love"

-Jane Austen

In my opinion, there are two sides of emotion.

1-The beautiful emotions that help you recognize beauty in the world.

2- The awful emotions that get the best of you.

We're going to start with number 2 so that this post can end on a happy note.

Infatuation, jealousy, pride, pity..

As Jane so accurately points out, these emotions can make us look pretty idiotic.

If I had a nickel for every time I'd done something I'd known was idiotic and had done it simply because I felt like it... I'd have a lot of nickels.

Better yet, if I counted the number of times I'd made somebody angry, confused, or annoyed JUST because I was having a down day, it would probably be an astronomical number.

Emotion and reason tend to be enemies.

I think one of the greatest signs of maturity is a persons ability to ignore their emotions and do whatever is most reasonable.. which is probably why girls that whine aren't taken very seriously.

I'd always thought that I had good control over my emotions.. but lately it seems to be the case less often than I would like.

NUMBER ONE!

Compassion, awe, admiration, peace, attraction, respect, happiness...

These emotions tend to work in our favor.

I've never regretted a day in which I've had a smile on my face for no apparent reason.

The same can't be said about a scowling day.

These are the emotions that I crave to create in the world.

aaaand.. discuss!

Dream

2010-11-08T09:46:00.000-07:00

I don't think there's any way possible that I can prepare you for this awesomeness... so we're just going to dive in.

Me and a buddy were just getting on I-215 when our engine started smoking. We pulled over to the side of the road and opened up our hood to see what was going on. Considering the fact that I have absolutely no knowledge about cars, the mechanics were ridiculously simple in my dream. There was a long cord with a metal hook and the end and I was supposed to stick it inside a metal tube to fix the problem. I stuck it too far and when I pulled it out, it was on fire. I freaked out and then my shoe caught fire. It hurt. (Isn't it crazy that even though it didn't happen, my brain still registered pain?)

We struggled to think of a solution when our car still wouldn't start. A nice lady pulled over to help, but she seemed stressed and anxious.
"The fight starts at 5:55.. you guys have to get out of here!"

We had no idea what she was talking about, and our confusion showed on our faces.. but she didn't expound.

"They're coming!" She screamed and sped away.

We looked at each other and noted the mirrored expressions that matched our emotions. Then we looked at the freeway and noticed no one was on the road but us. A strange sound began and continually grew louder and louder.It was a mixture of strange humming and thumping.. Then we saw the horde of slow moving cars and marching people inching toward us around the curve of the road. We started to get nervous and tried to walk quickly in the opposite direction, but it seemed that even when we started running they were moving faster than we were. As they came closer we noticed the gray pallor of their skin and the dead look in their eyes.

They were zombies.

They seemed not to notice us immediately, so we tried to fit in. As they swarmed around us, we looked straight forward, moved with the flow of undead. Eventually they split-- some took an exit, others continued forward. We were rushed away into the exit. Somehow we escaped the masses and ran into a gas station bathroom.

"What are we supposed to do?!" I cried to my friend.

No response.

That's when I noticed the greenish bite mark on his neck.

I ran as fast as I could, trying to find a safe haven. Looking around as I run, I notice the zombies have begun to fight amongst themselves.

I run into another gas station and lock the door, and as I do so I hear a whimper.

Behind the cashiering station I see a familiar, warm-looking face.

She sees that I'm not yet a monster and runs to me, tears running down her face.

"What do we do?!" She cries.

I reply in a flat voice, "We have to fight."

(Side note-- you know how things change in dreams? Well, by now the "zombies" are a weird combination of vampires, zombies, and just creepy-looking people. They're just as easily killed as humans, no special tools necessary. By now I've also come to the knowledge that the only way to survive is to be the last man standing.)

We decide to get a car. Luckily, there just happens to be a super fast, super awesome kind (not in existence in real life) right in front of the gas station with keys in the ignition. Unfortunately, there's a group of the "changed" people right in front of the door. We decide to go for it, swinging at as many of the changed as we can along the way. We make it to the car, but we've noticed that both of us have the dusty pallor.

We've changed.

Fortunately, we're still intelligent beings and we decide to work together to the end. More than 2/3 of the changed are dead now. We just have to outlast them.. and two gray heads are better than one. We sit in the car for a few minutes, trying to comprehend what's happening and maybe think of a strategy. That's when I notice the arsenal embedded in the front and back ends of the car.

Suddenly we're shooting at the crazies like there's no tomorrow (which I suppose is the truth for one of us).They're falling around us like leaves in the autumn. We know we're attracting all of them to us with the noise we're causing.. these are curious beings. We're down to about ten of the changed left when the car of awesomeness runs out of juice.. so I turn on the ignition and decide to finish them off with skill and finesse.

We're speeding away quickly, and I check my mirrors to make sure my plan is working. Affirmative, they're all getting in super-awesome cars, chasing us down. I let off the acceleration a little, letting them catch up. I turn to my partner in crime. "Open up the glovebox and pull out the flamethrower!" (Obviously, I didn't need to find out if there was a flamethrower.. a car this awesome would undoubtedly have one.) By now the first of the three cars has caught up. They ram our side, and my friend cautiously rolls down the window. Thinking we have something to say, the other car does the same. When we have a full view of their faces, she blasts them with her weapon, and all three inside are finished.

Knowing the other two cars would have seen this, I have to think of something new to finish them with. That is, until I notice that they're battling it out on their own. It's a cruel battle, much like a game of chicken. Neither of them swerve, and the explosion of both cars shakes the ground. My friend and I are the only ones left.

We turn to each other with looks of dread and terror on our faces.

"How should we do this?" I ask.

Suddenly her face turns hard and my terror rises exponentially.

"Like this"

She points the flamethrower at my face..

And then I wake up.

Money

2010-10-27T09:22:00.000-06:00

I wanted to write a big rambler about the woes of dealing in money.. but this song by Josh Wilson pretty much sums it up. Take a little listen and (hopefully) you won't regret it.

(Also, I apologize for the messiness, but I couldn't find it on playlist.com and I'm too lazy to try and make the video prettier.)

Babbling.

2010-10-07T16:06:00.000-06:00

Here's one of those posts I know you all love-- the rambling type.

These are the kinds I tend to write when I have a lot of repeating thoughts that I can't seem to figure out inside my little head. Typing them out and trying to make them understandable for other people helps me a lot.

First order of business is General Conference.

I have to admit, I didn't connect with as many talks as usual this conference. There were one or two that answered questions I had, but the majority of the time I found myself thinking, "This is a great story".

One of the few that did stick out to me was, along with the rest of the world, President Packer's. However, at first I was perplexed at the response it recieved. While I was listening it seemed that it was the talk that was written especially for me. It was exactly what I needed to hear. It was full of love and pleading to make a greater effort to return to the Father in Heaven that loves and created me. For that, I know that Pres. Packer is a prophet, and I stand by whatever he preaches to be truth. I had to listen to it a second time to realize how it could offend those who may believe differently. I understand that it may seem like ignorance. I don't want to debate about it, so please, if you disagree with me, don't post a comment on my blog. I WILL DELETE IT. I'd love to hear your opinion about the matter, so give me a call or shoot me a text. However, if you say anything rude, hurtful, or insulting to MY beliefs, I will discontinue the conversation.

Secondly, I want to talk about a little realization I've had recently. You know the saying "It's the thought that counts"? Well, I disagree. I've decided that the things that mean the most to me are so impactful because of the effort involved. Whether it be a tighter hug, a little note, or a smile, it makes a world of difference. Imagine hugging someone that you like. Hugging them is pleasant enough, but when the embrace is tightened a little, your heart warms and a smile will appear involuntarily. At least, that's how it is for me.

Third, I want to discuss towel size.

It's ridiculous. When I was little, towels were the right proportion for my body. Why can't they grow at the same rate that I do? I'm tempted to buy a blanket-sized towel. If those don't exist, I'll sew 4 towels together. I want to be encompassed in warmth when I get out of the shower, pool, lake, whatever. I don't want to rub my skin off with a rag and then attempt to cover my body with it.

The fourth order of business is the weather.

I was chatting away with a quite attractive someone about the way Utahns are never pleased with the weather. Naturally there are exceptions.. like me. I love all types of weather. But generally, the public is displeased with whatever the sky decides to do that day. For example, it's been a relatively warm Autumn this summer, and I've only heard one or two positive responses about it. On the other hand, if it were a normal or even slightly chillier than normal Autumn, the world would be utter chaos. People would raid coat stores, they would light houses on fire just to stay warm, etc., etc.. Okay, wait. Maybe not that extreme. BUT there would be a heckuva lot o' complainin round these parts. You can't disagree (or i'll kill you).

Fifth is my hair.

Should I dye it darker? It's been a while.

Sixth is my fam.

I love them. I love them lots and lots. They are the reason I'm so awesome. (seriously.)

With Chris and Paul in NJ on their adventure that's called "Life".. it makes me realize how much I really love 'em. Also, it makes me realize how AWESOME it is that I get to be with them FOREVER AND EVER.

Older picture.. I think it's right after Eric's Homecoming.

That is all.

Myspace Gems

2010-10-01T00:21:00.000-06:00

Myspace.

I spent SO much time there.

One of the beauties I found whilst re-visiting my Jr. High life was the following list. It's pretty darned similar to some of the things I write on here. I guess I haven't changed much. I love to think about things I love.

Heeeeere we go! My Natural Highs (or things that automatically make me feel good) are:

1. Lake Powell.

2. Laughing so hard my stomache hurts.

3. Stars.

4. Playing in the rain.

5. Playing the trumpet

6. Getting mail.

7. Playing music that fits my mood and singing insanely loud along with it.

8. Doing a mass cleaning in my room, only to watch all the clothes and crap pile up again.

9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.

10. Layers. Whether on cake or in clothing.

11. Shakes. Only good flavors.

12. Foot massages at Lake Powell.

13. Laughing with my family. Especially those times when none of us can stop. My moms eyes water, my stomache hurts, someone snorts, etc.

14. A deep conversation. Usually about religion, but can be otherwise

15. Trying to comprehend uncomprehensible things.. like eternity.

16. Talking about my siblings. Sorry if it's annoying, but they're my favorites.

17. Painting. Painting clothing, paper, wood, a wall. Whatever.

18. Making someone smile.

19. Reading for a whole day.

20. Cooking. Sewing. All that mom stuff :)

21. Being around a person who, whether joking or not, will never say anything rude to you,or about anyone else.

22. Being called gorgeous, pretty, beautiful, instead of cool, cute, or hot.

23. Waking up early, thinking it's time to get up.. and then realizing i have 3 more hours to sleep.

24. Dressing up in strange outfits and walking somewhere, and then watching peoples reactions.

25. Watching good shows with my family.

26. Wrapping up in a blanket, putting a hood on, and hiding from the world...just for a moment.

27. Arby's and Noodles and Co.

28. Waterskiing!

29. Watching the sunRISE.

30. Learning something i know i'll use.. like.. how to make a really good dessert, etc.

31. Flying Dreams!

32. Hot chocolate.

33. Learning a really hard piece on the piano or trumpet.

34. Swings. This one should be higher up on the list.

35. Climbing Trees.

36. Designing a dress and loving it.

37. My family.

38. Music.

39. The song "Armor of God"

40. Scaring or surprising someone. Also Being Scared or surprised.

41. Singing with the family.

42. Waking up early and feeling wonderful the whole day.

43. Those little crushes that never go away.

44. Thinking/dreaming about the future.

45. Being complimented.

46. Rigoletto, haha, cheesy. i love the music.

47. Back Scratches!

48. Payday!

49. Doodling in a boring class.

50. Smiling at old mistakes, smiling for future possibilities

That was fun. :)

Oh, here's another little blurb. It was under the "Who I'd Like to Meet" section. I guess I took it a little too seriously, but it still resonates with my values in relationships. Here it goes!

Anyone with standards the same as (if not higher than) mine. Anyone who knows what I'm going through, who can share my pain, who can comfort me, and who can help me feel peace. Anyone who can make me feel comfortable with myself, and not make me feel like I need to change to have them as a friend. Anyone I can trust with my deepest, darkest secrets.. (since I have so many.. haha). Anyone who's willing to stick with me through it all, and not just when i'm having good days. Anyone who watches Seinfield, who eats when i eat (haha.. that's a personal pet peeve of mine), who doesn't have to ask if they can have a drink of water, but isn't rude or impolite. Anyone who can tell what I feel by looking at my expressions. Anyone who compliments me when I look hideous. Anyone who simply wants to be my friend for being my friend, not for the social status. Anyone who will let me help them, and in turn can help me.

Just for the sake of entertainment, here's long-haired, copper-top Celeste!

Silly Struggles.

2010-09-24T18:49:00.000-06:00

Starting a new job is.. difficult.

It's not just having to learn new procedures and routines..

For me, it's how ridiculous I feel every time I mess up.

I know it's not expected for me to know everything by the end of the week.. but I can't help but wish I did.

I keep reminding myself of the first week of driver's ed. I was overwhelmed. As pathetic as it sounds, I was so concerned with checking everything constantly. I couldn't ever remember which pedal was gas and which was the brake. I felt flustered every time I got in a car. I remember asking my mom once, "Will I ever get used to this?!" to which she calmly replied, "After a month or so, you won't even have to think about it."

It's made me realize how proud I am.

I HATE not knowing things. I HATE being on the bottom of the totem-pole. When they told me we were getting a new teller, I was thrilled... that is, until I found out she was just coming from one of our other branches. I'm still the least-knowledgable person there. haha. It's so silly, but that bothers me to no end.

It brings me back to a quote I heard forever ago.. and I'm too lazy to google it and find out who said it.. but it goes like this: "Comparison is a matter of pride."

Eek. I'm pretty sure for the majority of my life, the only way I've measured my self-worth is by comparing myself to those around me. That's an awful, awful realization. Since I heard that quote, I've tried so hard to recognize my uniquenesses and count them as virtues.. I hate to discover I haven't made it as far as I'd like to.

I really just need to accept the fact that I don't know as much as my coworkers.. and hope they don't hate my constant questions and mistakes.

Don't get me wrong, I'm loving the actual job. Once I get the hang of things, I'm sure I'll be quite content.

Please--tell me I'm not alone!

Letters.

2010-09-16T14:44:00.000-06:00

Dear Attractive Man in the Jeep behind me this morning--
My initial reaction to your good-lookingness was quickly replaced with incredulity at your rudeness. I realize you want me to go faster, but the giant truck in front of me was preventing me from doing so.. and I'm too kind to ride their tail like you were riding mine. Plus, they probably wouldn't have noticed my tiny little black car. Please, refrain from the rude hand gestures in the future. They're only disappointing.

Dear ISACA (standing group at the Lion House)--
I understand that you would like to have a board meeting an hour before your meal is supposed to start, and that's fine. Please don't be frustrated if we have to lean over you to get your table set up. Also, I really am sorry that your meal started 10 minutes late. It took us a while to find your salads. Oh, and in the future, when your server is literally squeezing her way between you and another person, it might be less annoying for you and her if you would move your chair in just an inch or two.

Dear Brain--
We all have our days, so I don't blame you for taking a break today. Please, hurry back from your vacation. I'm struggling without you.

Dear Friend who shall remain nameless--
I've finally realized how selfish and spoiled you truly are. At the same time, your selflessness will never cease to amaze me. (Yes, I know I just contradicted myself.. but it's the truth.)

Dear Rooney--
I've missed you. Welcome back into my life. I'm excited to listen to your newest (kind of old..) album. Let's not take another break like that, k?

Dear iPod--
I've never really thanked you for being so awesome. 6 years and counting. :)

Dear Mashed Potatoes--
I love you.

Oo-de-lalleeeee!

2010-09-07T15:55:00.000-06:00

I'm in a super-duper mood.

From now on, (well.. technically from Saturday on..) there will be no more dealing with silly brides and high school dance-goers for me.

Instead, I will work in the glorious field of MONEY.

I'm seriously excited. I want to learn all there is to learn about banking.

I'm starting as a teller at Health Care Credit Union.

Can I get a "hollaaaaa!"?

This is the male (much cooler) version of me.

Unending Lamenting

2010-08-29T17:32:00.000-06:00

Dear, oh dear. What a strange weekend.

Yesterday I was on my way to work when my loverly sister Chelsey called me. This is sort of what our conversation went like:

Chelsey: " I have three speakers for our ward tomorrow. Would you be willing to be the fourth?"

Celeste: "Uhh.. did you call the right person?"

Chelsey: "Celeste. My sister. My youngest sister. Are you willing to speak in church tomorrow?"

Celeste: "Uhh.. okay!"

Chelsey: "Thanks! If you could speak on the importance of attending our church meetings, that would be great!"

Me, oh my.. what a topic. There's really not much to say! Go to church. It's a commandment. Done.

Buuuut of course, being my silly ol' self, I looked up one quote, called it good for the day and went to Karate Kid (which is a fantastic movie, despite the issues I have with it's name.) Then this morning I woke up around 9:30.. (Sundays are my days to sleep in.).. and realized I had absolutely nothing prepared. Sooo I rushed around in the scriptures, searched lds.org like crazy, and threw together a talk. It went pretty well, if I might say so. :)

Then I went to my friend's ~~homecoming~~ opportunity to speak upon returning home from a mission. Yes, I realize the hypocrisy of me telling people it's important to go to their church meetings only to leave 5 minutes later. It was fun to see some of my friends that I hadn't seen in a while, but for some reason I found myself in a terrible mood. I tried to pinpoint the reason for my pouting.. and after a while I decided that it brought me right back to high school.. which was not something I particularly enjoyed. I mean, I didn't dread going to school everyday. In fact, I quite enjoyed band and lunch.. and even most of my other classes. I just didn't enjoy the social atmosphere. I felt smothered in artificial happiness. I felt like the only time I enjoyed myself was when I was making a complete fool of myself, which I would eventually regret.

Anyhow, I kind of decided I wouldn't go to many more ~~homecomings~~ opportunities to speak. Which is kind of a downer, because I really do enjoy seeing my friends. I just really, really dislike that high school... stuffiness.

Those high school reunions are sure gonna be fun, right? heh.. heh..

Goooo high school!

Nonsense

2010-08-26T19:17:00.000-06:00

I can't really tell you why, but I've been obsessed with this Incubus song:

WARNING

Bat your eyes, girl. Be otherworldly.

Count your blessings. Seduce a stranger.

What's so wrong with being happy?

Kudos to those who see through sickness.

Over and over and over and over and ooh...

She woke in the morning.

She knew that her life had passed her by

And she called out a warning:

"Don't ever let life pass you by!"

I suggest we learn to love

ourselves before it's made illegal.

When will we learn?
When will we change?

Just in time to see it all come down.

Those left standing will make millions

writing books on the way it should have been.

When she woke in the morning,

she knew that her life had passed her by

And she called out a warning:

"Don't ever let life pass you by!"

Floating in this cosmic jacuzzi,

we are like frogs--oblivious

to the water starting to boil.

No one flinches. We all float face down.

She woke in the morning.

She knew that her life had passed her by

And she called out a warning,

"Don't ever let life pass you by..."

I haven't had much to say lately. That's why this poor page has been abandoned. I haven't read anything to expand my understanding of the world.. which is usually when I have the biggest desire to write something.

I HAVE been reading some books by one of my mom's favorite authors, Madeleine Brent. Funnily enough, I was reading the bio about the author.. which is something I hardly ever do.. and found out "she" is actually a man. This was after I'd read a couple of "her" books. I was pretty amazed because of the accuracy with which he writes the woman's typical perspective on relationships, life, and the woman's role in the world. There were a couple of things that I looked back on and realized were a little.. different.. from the usual female opinion.

Anyway, that whole experience made me realize how truly different men and women are. Our perspectives about almost EVERYTHING are so different. I wish I could expound.. but I'm afraid most of the things I would say are pretty stereotypical and even though I believe they are true, I don't want to offend anybody.

Here's the book I'm reading right now. I think the women on the cover are gorgeous. I wish their look were in-style..

AAAnyway. That is all.

Blaaahhh

2010-08-06T13:57:00.000-06:00

My emotions are going haywire today.

I'm so grateful for my family and friends. They are so supportive and loving.
I'm so frustrated with my own stupidity. Sometimes I wonder if my brain is completely functional.
I'm exhausted. I feel like life has required so much energy and effort lately.

Because I'm a planning-type of a person, I'm almost constantly thinking about the future. Most of the time I'm excited for the possibilities, but right now I'm anxious, nervous, hesitant, and worried.

I feel like I've been ignoring things that need desperate attention, and now they're getting back at me by screaming in my face. I need to learn how to handle those stressful, annoying aspects of life with a positive attitude instead of just shoving them under the rug and hoping they'll go away.

In other newwwwsss..

I've been in love with LACE lately. It's so hard to get the right kind though.. most of it just looks tacky.

I want to be this girl on my wedding day..

Ah. I love weddings. Especially when you can tell the bride and groom are mature enough to know what they're actually doing. It's like all the worries about life melt away for a few sweet hours and all that's left are the beautiful possibilities of a life well-lived and an eternity full of love. I get frustrated when girls focus more on the actual wedding than the marriage.. but I'll readily admit that I'm pretty excited for my wedding day.. whenever it may be. haha.

Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.

-Margaret Young

ha-ha-happiness!

2010-08-02T13:49:00.000-06:00

Remember this post? Here goes part dos.

Going to bed early. Like.. Grandma early.
Waking up early and eating a healthy breakfast
The sun and wind on my face
Catching a whiff of myself and thinking, "Hooray! I smell good!"
Throwing my hair in a ponytail to get it out of my face and realizing that it actually looks pretty good.
That moment when I realize I've become accustomed to something that heretofore made me nervous.
Using the word "heretofore" appropriately.
Driving when hardly anyone else is on the road.
Geeking out to classical music.
Clean clothes. Especially when ALL my clothes are clean.
Realizing that I don't care if people think I'm a dork.
Knowing that I AM a dork.
Awkward dance moves.
Finding that I'm okay with letting go.
Watching my savings account grow. (haha.. I'm a little vain, okay?)
Finding that quote that perfectly suits my feelings.

I know I've already put this quote up, but it's the BOMB.

"We need not be let alone. We need to be really bothered once in a while. How long is it since you were really bothered? About something important, something real?"

-Ray Bradbury

On a Religious Note..

2010-07-27T11:21:00.000-06:00

Howdy!

I'm reading The Infinite Atonement by Tad R. Callister.

If you aren't in the process of reading a book right now, you NEED to read this book.

Today, this is the paragraph that struck me.

"If there had been no Atonement, the rising of every sun would be a reminder that for us it would one day rise no more, that for each of us death would claim its victory, and the grave would have its sting. Every death would be a tragedy, and every birth but a tragedy in embryo. The culmination of love between husbands and wives, fathers and sons, mothers and daughters would perish in the grave, to rise no more. Without the Atonement, futility would replace purpose, hopelessness would be exchanged for hope, and misery would be traded for happiness. If there were no Atonement, Elder Marion G. Romney declared, 'The whole purpose for the creation of earth and our living upon it would fail.' President David O. McKay quotes James L. Gordon in this regard: 'A cathedral without windows, a face without eyes, a field without flowers, an alphabet without vowels, a continent without rivers, a night without stars, and a sky without sun-- these would not be so sad as a ... soul without Christ.' The contemplation of such a world as this would be the most despairing thought that could ever darken the mind or sadden the heart of man. But fortunately, there is a Christ, and there was an Atonement, and it is infinite for all mankind."

I've never looked at what life would be like without the Atonement. I've always focused on the possibilities that come about because of it. It's heartbreaking to consider the awfulness of what life would have been like had the Atonement never occured. In contrast, how beautiful it is that we don't HAVE to worry about what that would have been like.

Slight change in subject!

I have to admit that I've been struggling a little with.. life in general. I know that it's expected of people my age to have a hard time deciding what to do with their lives, and I think I'm the epitome of that situation. It's like my brain is in a pinball machine bouncing in a never-ending triangle of "school, career, mission". For the past couple of months, I've been working on the path that leads to a mission. I can turn in my papers in January.

If I'm being completely honest, I'm terrified for my life to move forward. At the same time, I'm bored of my situation. I feel like my progression since high school has been very limited. To be blunt, I've felt pretty pathetic.

Today, I plan to change my mindset. As scared as I am, I plan to make a decision by the end of the day (with a little divine guidance).

Wish me luck!

Bugs.

2010-07-22T20:25:00.000-06:00

Am I the only one who's noticed a dramatic increase in bug population recently?! Ew.

At work yesterday there were at LEAST 10 grasshoppers RIGHT outside the door. Some were even on the door and I had to brush them away from the handle to lock it when I left.

Today I was mowing the lawn and was attacked viciously by fire-bugs and moths.

At Lake Powell there were so many spiders I wanted to vomit when I looked at the docks and I was afraid to sit anywhere until I checked for the 8-legged demons.

Come on seagulls, let's see you do something useful.

This is the ceiling of the houseboat slips. Seriously, this made me cringe. I know it's hard to see.. but they were EVERYWHERE!

*shudder*

Life is Work

2010-07-06T15:35:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, I was talking with my dad and brother after work and my dad asked me to do something in the house. I think it was probably just cleaning a room or mowing the lawn or something, but being stubborn and ornery I said something to the effect of, "I've been working all day!" My dad got a little frustrated and said, "Life is work." At the time, I didn't think much about it. This was my workaholic father speaking-- the same man that wakes the entire family at 6 in the morning with his vacuuming-- so naturally that's something he would say.

A few days later I was, once again, chatting with my bro, Eric. He said, "I keep thinking about when dad said 'Life is work'." We kind of left the conversation at that, but Eric's reminder made me think more about it.

My perspective on life has always been a little bit.. frivolous, I suppose. I usually scoff when I hear everyone talk about how hard life is and how stressful it can be. I get annoyed when people complain because, in my eyes, life is simple as long as you keep an eternal perspective (except for the occasional trial that heads your way). That's just the way I figured I would get through life, until I started thinking about why, in my dad's opinion at least, life was work.

The first reason I thought of was because if you don't work, you aren't going to get very far in life. You have to work for what you want. There are NO shortcuts. If you want a college degree, you have to go to school. If you want a fantastic career, you have to take the steps to get yourself there. No matter what tv shows or books may tell you, you can't make a life for yourself in a week. It comes with dedication, patience, and most of all, work.

After my initial realization, I started to explore other areas of life where work might be considered an essential. My mind went to religion. The type of work required in religion is sometimes hard for me to consider as "work". These tasks, to me, include scripture study, prayer, temple attendence, service.. all the sunday school answers. Scripture study isn't "work" to me, because I love to read. It still takes dedication and an active, ready-to-learn mind. Prayer is something I've had to work hard at. I used to always do "thinking" prayers, never speaking out-loud. I would frequently lose focus and find myself wondering if I had actually ended my prayer. As pathetic as it sounds, I had to work at kneeling, praying outloud, and saying the things that truly needed to be said instead of reciting the usual "prayer-lines". Temple attendence is definitely something I struggle with. Mostly because I hate to go alone and it's tough to find someone that can always go at the same time as me. I miss the Jr. High days when we went every Tuesday morning. Those were good times. It's the same principle as my initial realization. If you don't work hard (in your religion), you aren't going to get very far.

My mind moved to other aspects of life (and continues to do so), and recently it's become difficult for me to think of something that doesn't and will never require work. It was a little disheartening to me. I love to have a light heart and believe that everything will work out in the end. Ironically, I never realized that for things to work out, you had to work at them. I wanted everying to be natural and beautiful without my having to put a lot of effort into it. I imagined that kind of life, and at first I LOVED it. Everything seemed to be perfect. No worries, no struggles, just beauty and comfort. The more I think about it, the more I realize that the things I enjoy most right now are the things I've worked the hardest for. I love to play piano. Has it always been that way? Absolutely not. There were phases when I never wanted to touch those 88 dreadful keys ever again. Thank goodness my mom knew better and kept me going. As vain as this sounds, I love Brody (my car). To know how much time and effort has gone into my little buddy makes it impossible for me to be indifferent about him. I love my family. We work together on building relationships. So basically, what I'm saying is that I don't want ANYTHING unless I have to work for it. I find myself agreeing with my wise dad.

LIFE IS WORK.

(and that's not a bad thing)

Anticipation

2010-06-18T17:53:00.000-06:00

THREE DAYS until I'm HERE.

These are the things I'm MOST looking forward to:

A break from normality and routine.
A break from my friends. (Sorry. I hope that doesn't offend anyone. hehe.. awkward.)
No LIGHT POLLUTION! (I'll get to actually see the stars.)
Chillin with the fam.
It doesn't take me bumming a ride to go on an awesome hike. I can just GO.
I'm going to ski like a demon this trip. I want to get better.
I get to wear my new AWESOME life jacket!
Sleeping outside with the breeze caressing my smiling face.
The sun on my skin.

But MOST OF ALL I look forward to CLEAN AIR!! Especially after today. Here's what happened.

I was on trax on my way to work at the Lion House.. and this man (who I'm sure had a lovely personality) got on who had the WORST stench I've ever had the misfortune of smelling. Within seconds my stomach felt nauseous and my head was about to explode. Then I (finally!) got to my stop and walked downtown, relishing the ability to breathe normally.. but alas, my sense of smell was so sensitive at this point that every little scent made my stomach queasy. I got inside the Lion House and the overpowering smell of (fantastic) food didn't help much. I spent 4 or 5 hours running around with a pounding head and uneasy stomach only to get back on the train with ANOTHER PUTRID MAN (who, again, I'm sure had a wonderful personality.) I was seriously trying to take deep, dreadful breaths to make sure I wouldn't vomit and make it ten times worse for everyone else on the train. Again, when I got off the train I tried to breathe in some fresher air.. but it was polluted with exhaust from the waiting busses and cars. Finally, I arrived at home where, to me at least, the air is scent-free and beautiful.

Cheer Up!

2010-06-09T23:07:00.000-06:00

I haven't had a happy post for a while, and I think it's something I need right now. It's strange, usually when spring gets started I'm constantly in the greatest mood imaginable. This year, I'm stuck in this dumb, depressed-mode. It's kind of driving me crazy. Today I decided I feel much better after I've done something active, like hiking, running, or playing frisbee.

Anyway, for my "positive post", I decided I'm going to list some of my quirks and little factoids.. and hope it will entertain all my faithful readers. Here goes nothing!

My (current) favorite colors are, in order of greatest to least, as follows: red, purple, orange, yellow, green, blue, black, and white.
My (current) favorite gum flavor is Extra Polar Ice.
I have a tiny little bucket that I put my spare change in. When it's full, it makes me ridiculously happy. When it's empty it kind of bums me out. I hardly ever empty it for this reason. Right now it's overflowing.
When I was in elementary school, my parents bought me a starfish skeleton. I LOVED that thing. I wrapped it in toilet paper to try to keep it safe.. to no avail. The arms broke off one by one and eventually I lost it. This Christmas they bought me a new one (along with TONS of shells). It's bright reddish-orange.
I don't like poetry much, but sometimes I like to read the lyrics to Incubus songs and challenge myself to not think of the music while I read through them. Same thing with church Hymns.
In Jr. High I was convinced I was going to be a prom dress designer. I drew dresses whenever I got the chance. I still have most of my drawings. That's the main reason I now work at Modest By Design.
My favorite feature used to by my eyes. In all honesty, they were the only thing I really liked about myself. Now I like most everything. (I hope that doesn't make me sound cocky..)
I keep every kind note I recieve in a shoebox. When I'm struggling with something I pull them out to help remind myself what's really important.
When people ask me what my favorite book is, I rarely tell them the truth. I usually say it's the Uglies series or Stargirl. While I love both of those, my favorite book is called "It's a Happy Thing". It has a list of things that make most people happy (i.e. "the smell of rain") and it also has kids answers to the question "what is happiness?". I (used to) keep it in my car, Brody.
I write letters to my future husband in my journal. This also helps me to remember what's truly important.
I prefer to sleep with a light on, but not because I'm afraid of the dark.
When I was little, I was in Murray Community Dance. I quit after 3rd grade to play soccer. I've regretted it ever since.
One of my favorite movies is "The Lion King". If I watch it by myself I will undoubtedly cry.
I love getting my hands dirty.
I find it extremely difficult to NOT look at stylish people. It makes me feel like a creeper, but I feel like I have to figure them out.
I used to pretend I didn't like flowers cause I didn't want to be the "girly girl". Now I openly admit to liking them. Simple daisies are my favorites, follwed closely by daffodils. Day Lillies were my favorites in high school.
I have two whistles hanging on my bedpost. I don't allow myself to blow them. I thrive on those types of small victories.
One such small victory is when I choose a random person and try to make them smile. I've never failed. :D

Wow. That went on for longer than I had planned. haha. I think you should all comment with one little (happy) factoid about yourselves.

"Those who bring happiness to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves."

-Sir James Barrie

Oops.

2010-06-03T18:33:00.000-06:00

Remember Brody? He's my first true lover.

We share a connection deeper than that of person to person... mainly because he doesn't have a brain and I can control him completely.

Well, today I may have ruined our relationship forever. I was just cruising on state street in the right lane, turned my head to the left to check my blind spot, and didn't notice the giant truck in front of me slowing down to turn right. BAM! "Wait," my brain thought, "what just happened?"

I should have taken a picture of the damage, but I was a little flustered. Poor Brody has the car equivalent to a black eye with broken bones all around the eye socket on his left side. The radiator busted and antifreeze poured out like a thin, green blood. The hood bent into a triangle as if Brody were giving me the look that said, "How could you be so careless?" and my soul wanted to scream back "I'm so sorry! You've done nothing but obey me and steal my money!"

Oh well. He needed a new paint job anyway.

Memorial Day!

2010-05-31T11:35:00.000-06:00

My family has never made a big deal out of Memorial Day. Once in a while we'll have a family bbq or go to the cemetary up in Morgan to visit my Aunt Colleen and Uncle Reed.

Today will be no different. I expect nothing spectacular from today.

Despite that, I love hanging out with my family. We have some hilarious times, some goofy times, and some spiritually awesome times.

Yep. We're awesome.

Love you Mom, Dad, Chel, Eric, Paul, and Chrissie!

Learning Style

2010-05-18T22:36:00.000-06:00

(Above is the main reason this post came to be. I'm tired, so I may post something really idiotic. Forgive me.)

I'm fairly certain this is me.. depsite the small percentage of people that actually learn that way. There are a few things that aren't true.

For example:

I don't get antsy and have to move a lot, but I fidget if I'm in the same position for too long.

I'm not extremely comfortable touching others. I guess I just feel like the more reserved I am, the more my physical gestures will mean when I make them.

I'm not extremely talented sports-wise.. but I'm not awful at them either. If I made more of an effort to be good at them, I'm sure I could.

I'm not hyperactive. At all.

Other than that, it's spot on.

I doodle in church cause for some reason, it helps me concentrate. I'm sure it doesn't help others very much so I try to refrain.

I LOVE to read fiction books in which the author tries to teach you something through the story line. I DEFINITELY learn a lot through my emotions.

The ONLY way I've found I can excel at things I want to is by imitating the work of the people I admire. I don't mean copying them exactly, but I have to have some idea of where to begin before I can change the things I dislike (which I usually change because I've seen someone else do it a different way). This is why I'm convinced I would be a poor writer, because everything I'm ever "inspired" to write is because of something I've read. Same thing for songwriting.

Anyway. It's kind of fun to understand yourself better.. soo.. how do you learn best?

By the way.. thanks Jill for making me think about it. You're awesome. :D

p.s. I'm not sure if this is going to be a long-term phase or just something I'm feeling tonight.. but I'm really annoyed by personalities right now. I'm not sure how to explain it.. but I guess I feel like personality shouldn't be an excuse for someone's behavior. At the same time, I know it's a little contradictory to say that because obviously a person will always be themself.. so I guess I'm frustrated by myself, too. I guess the best word for my mood right now is discontent (definitions 2 and 3).

Prep Time.

2010-05-10T17:39:00.000-06:00

So my dear friend Kylee just did a post about things she wanted to do this summer.

It got me thinking about my Bucket List and the things I've done on it. You'll be happy to know I've accomplished 17/100 things in two years. Oooh. That doesn't look as impressive as I thought it would. Anyway, I decided there are a few I'm going to get done this summer (and maybe fall). Hopefully I'll do more than just these, but we'll see. They are:

9- Hike Mt. Olympus

15- Write a (freaking awesome) song

58- Pretend to be a bum

60- Work in a Haunted House

79- Pretend to be a movie star in public

and

92- Learn Clair de Lune

If you're interested in joining me on any of those, let me know. :)

Here's a picture to brighten your day.

(thanks Despair.com)

Warning.

2010-05-04T12:57:00.000-06:00

If you think the guy in the video of the week has ANY good ideas, you're a creeper.

You should just go turn yourself in to the police.

Ideas he gave:

Tell girls you want to eat their eyeballs.

Act like a child

and

Pretend you're divorcing a girl you just met.

Either he's joking or he belongs in a mental institution.

Just throwing that out there.

Create

2010-04-25T18:14:00.002-06:00

I know I just talked about my desire to improve my talents, and I think this video is beautiful.
I recommend watching it Full Screen. (You might have to click on it and go through the actual youtube page. Sorry I'm not technologically savvy enough to do that for you.. haha.)

Man, I absolutely LOVE the gospel and the hope it gives me.

Enjoy.

Poetry :)

2010-04-21T18:55:00.000-06:00

I've got nothing to rant about today, so here's a poem. I liked it. :)

The Most Beautiful Flower

by Anonymous

The park bench was deserted as I sat down to read.

Beneath the long, straggly branches of an old willow tree.

Disillusioned by life with good reason to frown,

For the world was intent on dragging me down.

And if that weren't enough to ruin my day,

A young boy out of breath approached me, all tired from play.

He stood right before me with his head tilted down

And said with great excitement, "Look what I found!"

In his hand was a flower, and what a pitiful sight,

With its petals all worn - not enough rain, or too little light.

Wanting him to take his dead flower and go off to play,

I faked a small smile and then shifted away.

But instead of retreating he sat next to my side

And placed the flower to his nose

And declared with overacted surprise,

"It sure smells pretty and it's beautiful, too.

That's why I picked it; here, it's for you."

The weed before me was dying or dead.

Not vibrant of colors: orange, yellow or red.

But I knew I must take it, or he might never leave.

So I reached for the flower, and replied, "Just what I need."

But instead of him placing the flower in my hand,

He held it mid-air without reason or plan.

It was then that I noticed for the very first time

That weed-toting boy could not see: he was blind.

I heard my voice quiver; tears shone in the sun

As I thanked him for picking the very best one.

You're welcome," he smiled, and then ran off to play,

Unaware of the impact he'd had on my day.

I sat there and wondered how he managed to see

A self-pitying woman beneath an old willow tree.

How did he know of my self-indulged plight?

Perhaps from his heart, he'd been blessed with true sight.

Through the eyes of a blind child, at last I could see

The problem was not with the world; the problem was me.

And for all of those times I myself had been blind,

I vowed to see the beauty in life,

And appreciate every second that's mine.

And then I held that wilted flower up to my nose

And breathed in the fragrance of a beautiful rose

And smiled as I watched that young boy,

Another weed in his hand,

About to change the life of an unsuspecting old man.

Limitations

2010-04-13T15:22:00.000-06:00

Basically, they're stupid.

(In case you aren't sure what we're talking about, look at the title of the post..)

(If you're still confused, we're talking about limitations. They are no fun.)

There are so many things I want to do. I want to inspire, uplift, and enlighten the world. There are so many things I think I could give to the world. I want to open the cupboard that holds my happiness and dish out a spoonful for everyone who's lacking.

Music.

I'll never tire of contemplating the phenomenon of something we create that can play with our emotions so EASILY. I know I could write a song. I just don't know how to put my emotions into it. I envy those who do. TEACH ME, PLEASE. I crave the ability to share something so personal as my own emotion. I want to find that outlet, that connection to the world.

Art.

I know I'm not the greatest artist in the world. I wish I were. I wish I knew what tones and colors and combinations to use to portray my feelings. I just can't do it. Again, I envy those who can and do.

Photography.

I love the world. It's so beautiful. I love everything about it. I wish I could show the world what I see. I wish I could make people realize how blessed they are to live in this world.

Dance.

I cringe when people say they can't dance. Everyone can dance. Everyone should dance. Everyone should embrace their emotions and MOVE.

Writing/Reading.

I love to talk to people that have that way with words. They have the ability to direct a movie in my mind, but these movies include scents, expressions, emotion.

In the words of the genius Leonardo Da Vinci..

"EVERY OBSTACLE IS DESTROYED THROUGH RIGOR"

I'm getting rid of my limitations.

On a Spiritual Note..

2010-04-07T12:52:00.000-06:00

Holy Cow.

This week has been an emotional rollercoaster like unto the Colossus (at Lagoon..). Highs, lows, and even a few loops.

I don't want to get into specifics, so all I'll say is that it's ridiculous how fast things can change and how intense those changes can be.

It makes me appreciate the consistency of the gospel. Christ and Heavenly Father are constantly there waiting for you to run to them with questions, and to find solace. Any questions or concerns you have can be answered by the scriptures, whether ancient or modern-day.

PRAYER WORKS.

Don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise. If I could talk to every single person one-on-one to try to convince them of this, I would. Since it's not possible, I'll start with everyone who reads my blog. I KNOW it works for me, and it will work for you, too.

The Atonement is pretty incredible. I can't even fathom the wisdom of Heavenly Father and Christ. They came up with the ultimate flawless plan. The beauty of it is awe-some.

In other news, music is the greatest. It comforts, excites, inspires, intensifies, and pretty much everything else.

Oh, Happy Birthday to my beautiful Mom!! I love her so much. :)

Memory.

2010-03-29T23:29:00.000-06:00

Sooo.. memory is kind of cool.

Sometimes it's a trickster though.

For example. I've said before that I don't remember much from my childhood. The only things I really remember are really significant or traumatic moments. Occasionally I'll remember a feeling I frequently had as a kid.

Other than that all I have to go by to prove that my adolescence actually happened are pictures.

Sometimes I think maybe I don't really remember something I think I did, and I just remember a picture of it.

Then there are instances where I meet someone or I learn something.. and then I keep thinking about that person or thing or skill and I play with it in my mind. I flip it around, look at it at all angles, analyze everything about it, and when time comes to see that person again or I have to show what I've learned, it's completely different from what I remember because in MY mind it's been so bent, squished, and molded into a different shape.

Let's not forget the moments when memory fails us and we're scraping and scratching our brains to the bone. (That sentence sounded less graphic and more possible in my mind.) No matter how hard you try, you can't remember something that's not engraved in your brain. I think most of us will either give up or pretend that we remember something we don't.

I remember an experience I had a couple of years ago. I went to band camp (yeah, yeah.. insert mocking laughter here) and there was a kid there that I became pretty good friends with for the week. We both played trumpet, so we would walk to the campus from the dorms together and we had some really good conversations. After band camp (chuckle) I went back to life as I knew it but every once in a while this kid's name or something he'd said would sneak into my thoughts. Then my Senior year (maybe half a year later) my trumpet-sister, Kellijo, and myself were helping at the all-state jazz tryouts (cause we're awesome like that), and this guy walks in the door! I said "Hey ______!" (Yeah, I can't even remember his name anymore.) and he looked at me and I could see all over his face he didn't remember me.. and he said "Hey, how are you?! It's been a while.." and I kind of laughed and said, "You don't remember me, do you?" He denied it and said he remembered me, but didn't give any specifics or ask any questions so I knew he was lying.

Anyway, after that I thought a lot about how I had remembered it even though it hadn't been a big deal to me, but he'd forgotten our association completely. It was strange to me to see that difference.

I think emotion is a big deal for me. Not that I'm an emotional person (Actually, I very well may be, but for the most part I think that emotion is happy. There are exceptions, though..) but that the moments I remember the most are the ones where I had really strong emotions. For example, I remember being terrified at night-- being petrified under my covers, scared that if i moved I would be attacked by the stranger in my closet. I remember the elation and warmth I felt when I smelled my mom making cinnamon rolls on conference sunday (hint, hint) while I was wearing some of my dad's giant, wool socks. I remember the frustration I felt when Eric would always manage to pin me down despite desperate kicking, flailing, and biting. I also remember getting frustrated when I would lie down at my mom's feet while she was reading and bouncing her foot up and down and I'd get her to stop.. but only for about 7 or 8 seconds. Then the bouncing would pick up again. I remember my terror when I forgot to let go of the rope when skiing. I remember my pride when I was finally able to slalom. I remember my awe when I heard that song and saw that sunrise. :)

whoa. that was longer than I expected it to be.

Perspective

2010-03-17T17:24:00.000-06:00

I love perspective.

I'm constantly realizing that something I've seen previously in such a simple, plain way can change so drastically in my mind.

For example. I was at the Institute Firseside on Sunday and I was close enough to the front that I could see the interpreter for the deaf people. I love to watch these people whenever I get the chance, so I watched her at different intervals throughout the evening. When it came time for the closing prayer, I realized that they probably weren't closing their eyes. It's ridiculously obvious now, but I'd never considered how important sight would be to a deaf person. Now that I think about it, I've definitely taken my own abilities for granted.. even though I've tried not to throughout my life.

I think that's why I enjoy editing pictures so much. There are countless possibilities on how to change little things and make the picture completely different. (That picture up there is my most recent edit.)

I was driving home from the Lion House today and I had my windows and sunroof open on the freeway. It made me realize how much I actually follow the world's ways (not by doing bad things.. I just mean I do things someone else's way because it's the norm.) My hair was flying around my face, I had a giant smile on my face, and I probably looked like a crazy person. Why shouldn't I enjoy the feeling of my hair twisting itself into knots? Why can't I enjoy the sun in my eyes? Why can't I pretend the freeway is a giant rollercoaster? Because people have convinced us that traffic is annoying, other drivers are all idiotic, and we'd all rather be at home in bed than anywhere else.

Wouldn't it be awesome if it was the norm for people to look forward to working or exercising or ANYTHING more than sitting on their bottoms?

Maybe some people do. I know my pappy does. He's my hero because of it.

I'm going to try to change my perspective on life.

Yet another rambler. I feel like this hasn't been very entertaining.. but it's therapeutic for me to write these things out sometimes. My opinion might change in a couple days (or hours for that matter) but it helps me to be able to see things I've considered recently.

Here's a joke for your enjoyment:

Q:What did the 0 say to the 8?

A:Nice belt.

Slight Disappointment.

2010-03-05T17:26:00.001-07:00

I'm obsessed with shakes.

Ice cream in general is AMAZING but nothing compares to the delciousness of a nice sweet, soft shake.

In Jr. High, people would ask me for advice on where to go for the best shakes. I always gave them my top two stops: Take 5 and Arctic Circle.

Oh, the wrethced day when Take 5 went out of business. My warm, thumping heart froze instantaniously when I heard the news, and proceeded to shatter into miniscule pieces.

Fortunately, I still had Arctic Circle. Their magnificent chocolate cookie-dough shake had the ability to locate the tiny pieces of my heart, thaw them out, and squish them back together.

Today my wonderful mother took me and my sister Christine to Arctic Circle and my heart, stomach, and tongue were all anxious to be reunited with their old friend-- chocolate cookie-dough. Being my silly old self, when I ordered I forgot to say "chocolate" so a plain cookie dough shake was on it's way. No big deal, I liked vanilla as much as I like my second-best friend. (haha.. i wonder if anyone will think, "Is that me or [insert name here]?" If so.. don't worry. You're my best friend.) The shake came to me in it's gorgeous, frosted glory.. and I drooled at the sight of the usual dry cookie dough balls on the top. I dug my spoon in to stir the goodness around, and to my immediate disappointment I found a (once again) heart-breaking lack of cookie dough chunks. Instead, there was a pathetic sight of tiny cookie dough pieces mixed into the ice cream. Bitter tears filled my eyes, anger filled my soul, and a frustrated growl escaped my stomach.

No biggie. I'll just have to find a new shake place.

(Wendy's is moving up on the list.. they have great cookie dough "frosty's")

yum.

Update

2010-02-25T12:28:00.000-07:00

HOLY CANOLEY! Time is flying by.

I don't mean drifting by on soft, flapping wings, either. I mean SHOOTING PAST like a friggin' meteor or a spaceship in Star Wars.

Generally, I've been pretty happy lately. I've made some improvements in my life that I've needed to make for quite a while. I'm eating healthier, I'm exercising on a regular basis, and I'm making an effort to be more social.

While I have my happy moments, I can't seem to make my attitude STAY positive. I seem to be in a continuous cycle where I think, "Come on, Celeste. Let's be happy." So I'm there for a few hours, and before I know it I've slipped into the "self-pity, nobody loves me" mindset. It's MADDENING! (I've always liked that word. It's a great descriptor..)

I think my biggest complaint at the moment is that I feel like everyone I meet misunderstands my personality. I try to be "myself" (whatever that means.. how could I be anything else?) but I always seem to give people the wrong impression. I feel like I'm giving them only what they want to see-- the quirky, sometimes funny, slightly-talented girl. I feel like people look at what I can DO instead of how I THINK.. which I feel is more revealing to my character. I get frustrated when people judge me by my actions without knowing of my intentions. Then again, there's the constant argument that a person does what he/she thinks. I think this is true, too.. so I have conflicting opinions. Maybe the truth is that people really do see me for who I am, and I'm over-thinking things--which is probable.

I'm going to look at patterns today for a summer dress. I want it to be really simple. Similar to this one but a higher waist, no bow, and, of course, longer. I'd probably do it in a light blue or light yellow.

When people find out I can sew, they always act surprised. Am I really THAT girl?

Anyway, let me know what you think.

Life is Beautiful

2010-02-17T11:53:00.000-07:00

Valentine's Day is pretty great.

Even when I don't have anyone "special" to celebrate it with, it's fun to see the world giving a little more love than it usually does.

Friday night I wanted to watch a movie (cause that's what I do when I'm bored..) and I was struggling to think of the right one for my mood. Being Valentine's weekend, I wanted it to be at least slightly romantic, but I didn't want to watch a chick-flick. (I've been anti-c.f.'s lately.. not sure why.) It came down to Life is Beautiful and West Side Story. I eenie-miney-moed for LiB.

Um. Hello BEST RANDOM CHOICE EVER. While I've always loved W.S.S... this was perfect for me. I'd kind of been moping around the last couple days thinking about how I hadn't ever really "dated" anyone too seriously. While watching LiB I realized that it's okay, because I'll find someone to make up for all this time I've been by myself.

Guido (the main guy) is incredible. Not only does he stay optimistic in the ABSOLUTE WORST situation possible.. he encourages his son to think positively, too. I know if I were in his situation, I'd be complaining, trying to make fun of the people that were torturing me, or wallowing in self-pity. It wouldn't even cross my mind to try to think of a way to make it a fun situation for those around me. Guido doesn't worry about what ANYONE thinks except his family. He takes risks that could literally end his life for his son.

I need to be more selfless, optimistic, and happy.

(Now for the spiritual moment..)

This morning I was laying in bed and thinking about how I could change the world (yeah, I realize the irony). I thought about the small steps I could take toward making everyone's lives a little bit better. Then I started my scripture study and read Helaman 5:7-8. I can't pick out the "best parts" so here it is:

"7-Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also be written, even as it has been said and written of [Lehi, Nephi, etc.].

8-And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you, which desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not away; yea, that ye may have that precious gift of eternal life, which we have reason to suppose hath been given to our fathers."

Imagine my shame when I realized how selfishly I was thinking! I was literally thinking "What can I do to make people realize I'm trying to change the world?" (because I had been thinking of the Olympics and the fame of the Olympians.. haha.) and BAM! I was shown the error of my ways. I need to be doing good things quietly, happily, and humbly (like Guido).

I love big realizations like that. Especially when it's something I should have already figured out.

Fun Time :D

2010-02-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was fun.

I saw a deer flip and fly (seriously.. at least 10 feet in the air) to it's sad and intricate death. Then I watched the face of the man who killed it. He looked heartbroken.. but I think that was just because his car was busted.

Favorite quotes of the day (yester..day):

"The great thing about music is that when it hits you, it doesn't hurt"-- Anonymous

"Unless it hits you in the face"-- Anonymous #2

"I want to go to Egypt"

"Because of Harry Potter, right?"

"I feel like I could get pregnant from sitting on this toilet."

"Pot isn't bad for you, it's just illegal!"

KilbyCourt.

2010-02-05T11:33:00.000-07:00

Oh, praise Kilby Court in all it's ghetto-ness.

I'll admit, the first time I stepped foot down the dark alley with seemingly nothing but trees and creepers, I was terrifed. It seemed like a place in one of those gang movies where all the murders happen that the cops don't ever find out about. Basically I was about to turn around and run. Thank goodness I didn't! As soon as you go past the ticketbox, the whole atmosphere changes. There's a friendly little fire-pit, fun musicians, and plenty of lighting and happiness to make you feel right at home (not to mention incredible music). :D

I. Love. Kilby Court.

(and I'm going tonight! yeeehaw!)

Beautiful. :D

Just Smile.

2010-01-24T18:13:00.001-07:00

I know I've been posting a LOT lately. Sorry if that annoys you. I just HAVE to say..

The last few days I have been SO down and pessimistic about everything. One might call me a "Debbie Downer". It's really been frustrating me because I can't seem to make myself be positive or happy. I've been trying different things to make myself stay uppity, but nothing has been working.

JUST NOW I remembered a post my friend Ellen did on her blog (which you can see here) about smiling. I thought about how I hadn't laughed as often recently, and thus I hadn't smiled as much. I forced myself to smile. Suddenly my mood has brightened and I feel infinitely better.

Reasons I have to smile:

I'm Celeste Carruth. None of you can say that. (Unless you're my distant cousin who's name is Celeste Carruth... if so, why are you reading my blog?)
For the most part, I like myself.
I have an incredible family. Every single member of my family has unique qualities that I don't think I could live without.
I am a member of the only true church on the earth. How lucky am I?!
My friends respect my opinions and (generally) have the same standards as me.
I'm healthy.
I have quite possibly the softest skin on this earth.
I live in a free country.
I have 2 jobs.
I have hope for the future.
I have the ability to make myself see things the way I want to see them.
I can (and love to) read and write.
Despite all my complaints, there's always food in my house (though it's not always Spaghettios..)
I'm not an insomniac. I can sleep.
I'm talented at several things.

Yep. Life is good.

The Twits.

2010-01-22T15:40:00.006-07:00

A few weeks ago, some friends and I were in our storage room (better know as the "spider room") and I found some books. Among these books were a few Roald Dahl books. Lately I've been reading through these books and sort of re-living my childhood. The Twits was probably my favorite childhood book. :)

Even though I absolutely LOVED The Twits was because of the story line, I'm realizing how incredibly intelligent Roald Dahl is. Every sentence he writes has a purpose. :D

This is probably my favorite part:

"If a person has ugly thoughts, it begins to show on the face. And when that person has ugly thoughts every day, every week, every year, the face gets uglier and uglier until it gets so ugly you can hardly bear to look at it.

"A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.

Nothing good shone out of Mrs. Twit's face."

Isn't that a fantastic proposal? No matter WHAT your features are, you can pick how attractive you are depending on what you think. I absolutely love that idea. I think it's true, too!

I vividly remember going to my cousin's birthday party when I was younger and I met one of the prettiest girls I'd ever seen. She was seriously stunning! (Please understand, I was not attracted to this girl. I just thought that she had perfect features.) After a few conversations, her beauty LITERALLY deteriorated. I remember thinking "Did I really think she was pretty?". Her comments were always bitter, selfish, and rude. I could not believe how suddenly my perception of her looks changed. I'll never forget that.

While it was disheartening to see the negative side of that phenomenon, it validated that the positive side was true, too. It's a hopeful thought that no matter how unattractive someone may seem, I should get to know them before making any decisions about how I feel about them.

...yay.

Thoughts.

2010-01-15T10:30:00.002-07:00

Yes, I've been thinking again.

I'm reading a book that Eric's friend Jeff recommended called "The Glass Castle".

It's a non-fiction book about a woman that grew up in an extremely poor family. It's SO interesting to see her perspective on the things that happen in her life. To her, a father getting drunk is almost a natural part of life. Living in broken down houses with mice and cockroaches is an adventure. Her parents encourage her to think this way. Her mother is especially always giving her perspective on different things.

While I don't agree with the way her parents influence her thoughts (seriously, it seems like brain-washing to me..), I find it interesting how well it works. This young girl keeps the most positive attitude in the absolute WORST situations I could imagine. It's made me realize some things about myself.

I've realized that social norms really, really bother me.

I have realized that as long as I'm happy with the things I'm doing, I shouldn't care what other people think. Despite that realization, I know that I DO care. That frustrates me.

I've realized how hard it is to be a GOOD parent. I already knew they made sacrifices, but reading about how difficult it was for these two parents to provide simple things for their children made it even more apparent to me. Because of that, I've decided that I'm not ready to be a mother.

It's a really great book. It plays with your emotions and changes your perspective. (I should warn you that there is quite a bit of language coming from her father.) Anyway. There are my thoughts.

and the winner is....

2010-01-05T18:34:00.004-07:00

Miss Julie Taylor!!!

Congratulations on being the funniest person alive. Seriously.

If I would have had to guess who of all my friends would make me laugh the hardest, you would have been at the top of my list.

For those of you who don't know Julie, she is the girl you want to marry (if you're a guy, that is).

She's really got it all. Beauty, brains, humor, spirituality, and a work-ethic of a typical Idahoan woman. Every time I see Julie, a smile magically appears on my face. She is THAT awesome.

April 2nd is a pretty cool day. It's Julie's birthday! It's also my birthday! That's fun.

(Please note the date the picture above was taken is only 2 days after April 2nd! That's pretty sweet.)

When Eric and I have our children's version of SNL, Julie will undoubtedly be our first (and frequent) host.

JULIE FOR THE WIN!!!!!!!!!!

Inexplicable Love.

2009-12-29T14:46:00.002-07:00

I've been thinking about things I love without knowing why they appeal to me so much. I shall call these Things I Love Without Reason or "TILWOR" for short.

TILWOR # 1: Music.

Why is it so amazing?! It's just a bunch of different noises thrown together. Somehow those noises have the ability to connect to our emotions and our souls. I boggles my mind.

TILWOR # 2: Back Scratches.

The words are actually pretty unpleasant, despite how pleasing the actual experience is. Why is it that scratching the back is so much better than scratching anywhere else? (Actually, I have to say I reeeeeally enjoy forearm sctratches... is that weird?)

TILWOR # 3: Bubbletown.

I hope some of the people I associate with have stumbled upon this game and found it as entertaining as I do. It's not even that much fun to play, it's just addicting! I do like the faces that some of the bubble.. head.. things.. make. Yep. Funny.

TILWOR # 4: Peeling off dried up products from the containters they come in (i.e. glue, hairspray, mouse.. etc.)

I don't think I need to expound on this one. it's pretty self-explanatory and I don't know how common it is for somebody to find it entertaining..

Umm.. I have a new idea for posts. The person that leaves a comment with a joke that makes me laugh the hardest gets a post dedicated to them next week. haha. Let the battle for hilarity commence!

Sometimes I Hate Sarcasm..

2009-12-12T13:14:00.003-07:00

Most of the time I love that I live in Utah. It's gorgeous here and we have all different types of weather! This last week or so... I have HATED it. I can't get warm.

This morning my parents left on a Hawaiian cruise.

For one week they will be relaxing, swimming, tanning, surfing, scuba-diving, eating, playing, and basically having the time of their lives.

I do a lot for my parents. I let them borrow my car and laptop sometimes, I tell my dad when he's being annoying so that he doesn't embarrass himself, and sometimes I even clean my room. Even though I do all this, they still don't feel the need to return the favor and they decide to go on a cruise without me! Can you believe it? I mean, even if it is their present to themselves for their 25th wedding anniversary, shouldn't they celebrate it with their children? I mean, they owe that to us, don't they?
*sighhh* I just want to be warm.

(hehe.. just kidding. I'm actually really excited for my parents. Oh, and WEEK LONG PARTY AT MY HOUSE!)

Oh, What a Wonderful Feeeeeliiiing..

2009-11-20T09:29:00.003-07:00

I've been thinking lately about things that make me feel good. Here's a list! :D

Just shaved legs + lotion
Putting on headphones and brushing hair out from between them and my ear. (this is one of the strangest ones.. haha)
Compliments from strangers
Compliments about things that I don't find impressive
Letting my hair down after it's been up for long time
Putting on MY clothes after wearing a uniform
Tight shoelaces
Smiles from kids
Making people laugh
Arby's, Ice Cream, and Chocolate
Blasting the songs that speak to my soul
Imagining people doing bizarre things
Singing with the fam
Reading my Patriarchal Blessing
Just-after sore muscles. Like.. tired muscles? I hope that makes sense
Not wearing eye makeup so that I can rub my eyes
Catching a glimpse of myself in a mirror and liking what I see
Dancing in the mirror (come on, we all do it)
Reading something that your brain has been trying to figure out (this one is hard for me to explain. Usually this is gospel related, but sometimes it can be philisophical)
Reading or seeing something that changes my perspective on life
Intelligent conversation
Being with somebody that doesn't have to fill the silence
Being extremely tired and able to go to sleep without feeling guilty
Talking to people who love me
Helping somebody with anything
Forgetting stereotypes
Giving money/food to hobos
Watching the people I love excel at something
Finding a new author who's work I enjoy
Feeling productive
Driving a just-washed car
Wearing aviators-- everybody should own a pair
Playing a song from memory for the first time
Finding a new friend that understands sarcasm

I know there are more. Maybe I'll do one of these every couple of months. :)

Plastic in Motion

2009-11-12T11:20:00.002-07:00

They are making a movie about Barbie. Not one of those cartoons we've all grown up with. A movie with REAL people. I think that's kind of cool..
Anyway. That's her the girl who's going to play Barbie. She's gorgeous, don't you think?!

I'm doing a speech on the controversies of Barbie in my Comm 1010 class. There are some really hilarious ones, some that are a little ridiculous, and some that make you want to smack people. All in all, I'm really enjoying putting this speech together. I think it will be entertaining for my class.

In spending so much time with my childhood friend, I've realized that I've verbally abused her in my teens, and I wanted to take some time to formally apologize.

Barbie, you did a lot for me. You allowed my imagination to blossom. You helped me develop my own picture of an ideal life. You helped me decide what was important in life. You made me recognize the importance of being an individual, instead of trying to be the "ideal" woman. You helped me to learn how to take care of my home (because of that grill-thing.. that was downright foul after a couple weeks). You made me want to take care of my figure. :D

So, my dear friend Barbara. I'm sorry for talking about you behind your back, allowing Eric to rip of your heads (and rip off Ken's leg so that he could pretend it was a hotdog), and abusing you in so many different ways. Thanks for always being there for me. Despite your perfect looks and the jealousy all girls feel toward you, you are a true friend.

Haha.. I can't decide if I was really being serious or mostly sarcastic.. I mean, I really do feel bad for all the neglect and cruelty Barbie faces not only from me but from most teenage girls. She can't help looking perfect! In fact, I'm pretty sure that if she DIDN'T look the way she does, girls would have no interest in playing with her in the first place and she wouldn't be nearly as successful as she is.. which is probably why the pregnant Barbie faced so much criticism.

On the other hand, I feel bad for the girls that make it their goal to look like her, because it's impossible. I mean physically, there's no way Barbie could exist with the proportions she has. Her waist to hip ratio wouldn't allow menstruation. Her ankles wouldn't support her weight. The company claims they make her with those proportions so that the clothes are easier to make, causing the doll to cost less.

Basically I loved playing with Barbie when I was little, I didn't care that I didn't look like her, and I don't mind that I don't look like her now. I'm pretty sure it all comes down to how confident you are with yourself.

SNL Lawrence Welk

2009-10-27T17:40:00.000-06:00

best video ever made. :D

Love and Marriage.

2009-10-16T15:29:00.003-06:00

Portrait of Jane Austen, reportedly drawn by her sister, Cassandra Austen

I hope that song is now stuck in every head that reads this title.

I've been reading Jane Austen novels lately, and I was reading a little about her background, and I came across this little quote from the novel "Mansfield Park"

"I pay very little regard... to what any young person says on the subject of marriage. If they profess a disinclination for it, I only set it down that they have not seen the right person."
--Jane Austen

Just to be clear, we don't know exactly what Jane Austen's personal views were on marriage because in her books, the characters have such different views it would be impossible for her to have all of those opinions. HOWEVER, we do know she did not believe in marriage without love because of what she wrote in a letter to her niece, Fanny Knight, who had asked for advice about a serious relationship. Austen told her that "having written so much on one side of the question, I shall now turn around & entreat you not to commit yourself farther, & not to think of accepting him unless you really do like him. Anything is to be preferred or endured rather than marrying without Affection".

I love that in the first quote it seems obvious she believes there's somebody out there for everyone (even if it is just her character's opinion). It seems optimism is rare when it comes to relationships. I'll be honest, I have a similar reaction when people give me negative opinions on marriage. I think my reaction is natural because of the church and because I know why we are here, and how necessary marriage is for the plan of happiness.

I decided today that I'm not going to be anxious about getting married. Although being a mom is all I've ever wanted to do, I decided I'm going to have a backup plan. I've been very selfish with my time and efforts thus far in my life, and I'm going to change.

(In cause you're gullible, she's being sarcastic in the following quote, taken from the novel "Sense and Sensibility")

“All I want in a man is someone who rides bravely, dances beautifully, sings with vigor, reads passionately, and whose taste agrees in every point with my own.”
—Jane Austen

Life FTW!!

Life as of Late

2009-09-19T19:05:00.003-06:00

Started at the Lion House. I'm working as a banquet server. Lovin it so far!

I've played at a couple of the Murray football games because Wilson is battling leukemia and their student teacher is clueless. Figure if I can help at all, I should. (If interested in doing a light the night for Wilson, join the group on Facebook.)

(It's creepy how many pictures there are of Murray on the internet because of David.)

Seriously, I will NEVER tire of Arby's. :D

Simple shoes. I've been seriously considering a purchase of them.

I
Can't rave about this series enough. If you haven't read them yet, GO READ THEM NOW!

Best Oreo's EVER! Love Halloween time for this reason.

and... that's all. :D

Ghosts.

2009-09-12T17:55:00.002-06:00

Apparently there are ghosts in that picture.

It has officially been decided that ghosts now rank 3rd in my list of petrifying things. (Dolls are #1, followed closely by dogs.) Seriously. I can't imagine anything worse than being seen by something you don't know exists. I guess what really scares me are the possiblities of why they exist. What are their intentions? Do they have any? If so, do they involve me?

I had to sleep on Chel's floor last night. I couldn't drive the thoughts of invisible beings leering over me. Finally at about 3:45 I decided to ask my dad for a blessing. I fell asleep in about 15 minutes.

Gracious, I love the gospel. Without it, I'd probably be insane by now.

Blatherskite

2009-08-27T13:31:00.004-06:00

Yes, Blatherskite is a real word. Yes, it applies to this post.

The skeleton of Jeremy Bentham is present at all important meetings of the University of London.

Slugs have 4 noses.

Owls are the only birds who can see the colour blue. (Really? How do they know that?)

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

The present population of 5 billion plus people of the world is predicted to become 15 billion by 2080.

More people are killed each year from bees than from snakes.

Coca-cola would be green if it weren't for food coloring.

Honey is the only food that does not spoil. Honey found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs has been tasted by archaeologists and found edible.

What is called a "French kiss" in the English speaking world is known as an "English kiss" in France.

When a peacock makes a noise, it is called a "scream". For Magpies, it is a "chatter".

In the weightlessness of space a frozen pea will explode if it comes in contact with Pepsi.

Every three days a human stomach gets a new lining.

The name Wendy was made up for the book "Peter Pan."

A monkey was once tried and convicted for smoking a cigarette in South Bend, Indiana.

Not all polar bears hibernate; only pregnant females polar bears do.

Serving ice cream on cherry pie was once illegal in Kansas.

Colgate faced a big obstacle marketing toothpaste in Spanish speaking countries. Colgate translates into the command "go hang yourself."

Emus cannot walk backwards.

Some octopuses have been known to eat their arms off when they are exposed to stressful situations.

The youngest pope was 11 years old.

Ramses II, a pharaoh of Egypt died in 1225 B.C. At the time of his death, he had fathered 96 sons and 60 daughters.

Okay, I'm done. That was fun, wasn't it?

Seriously?!?!

2009-08-15T13:03:00.002-06:00

Dear, oh dear, do I hate hypocrites.

Warning: This letter is extremely personal and mostly my ranting and raging about something unimportant. If you are easily annoyed by emotions, DO NOT READ. Consider yourself warned!

I'll admit I can be rude sometimes.. all in jest. I wouldn't ever intentionally hurt somebody's feelings. Whenever I've gotten the slightest impression I've offended someone, I've done everything I could think of to make it right.

One boy in particular got offended multiple times by the jokes I told (please understand, they weren't dirty or inappropriate.. just very sarcastic), and each time I apologized (sometimes, I'll admit, I found the things I was apologizing for ridiculous, but because he was offended I really had remorse and I was sincere in my apologies.) I tried to be just as nice to him as I was to everyone else I knew, but for him it wasn't enough.

Then he left to college and I had other friends. We didn't talk for a while. When he came back after the school year, a bunch of us were hanging out and it seemed pretty normal. Then he left on his mission

A few weeks ago, a number of my friends were doing this thing called "Project:Happy" in which we would do everything we could to make those around us happy. I decided I would write letters to all those who had influenced me the most in my life, and this boy was included in that group of people. I wrote a very heartfelt, sincere letter apologizing yet again for my sarcastic behavior in high school (which, by now, was more than a year and a half prior) and thanked him for being patient with me.

I got a letter back today that started out with him telling me he was sick of forgiving me and didn't know if he could do it anymore. He told me he had been ready to forgive me when he came back from college but that he "felt anything from welcome. Not only from [me] but the entire group. But [he] expected more from [me]. For some reason [he] always had" He explained that he was "letting go of [his] grudge" but that he'd given up on our friendship. At the end of his letter he told me about a dream he'd had in which we argued and I told him he couldn't keep a grudge against me, and he told me he could do whatever he wanted. I then reportedly said "'lots of people look up to you. I thought you were better'". (I'll confess, the dream sounds pretty accurate to what would happen if I were to talk to him now.) He said that that dream had bothered him to the point where he felt he needed to write me and clear the air.

In the end, I ended up more hurt and annoyed than I had been before I'd written my letter. I thought about writing him a letter pointing out all the fallacies in his "clearing of the air", but I figured he should be focusing on his mission and teaching those around him. I'll let it go. I won't write to him again, I probably won't go to his homecoming. I'll stay out of his life, which seems to be what he'd prefer for me to do.

I just had to vent.

Chicken Nuggets

2009-08-10T17:18:00.002-06:00

I just found that the smell of Chicken Nuggets makes me nauseous. To the point of gagging.

I find that incredibly sad, because I love to eat them. I guess I'll have to go with the whole "Noseplug" technique..

Prophet of God

2009-08-04T17:22:00.003-06:00

I'm reading a book called The Story of the Book of Abraham. It's pretty fascinating, although it moves pretty slowly. Once in a while you come across a gem.

The following is an article from the New York Herald dated April 3, 1842.

This Joe Smith is undoubtedly one of the greatest characters of the age. He indicates as much talent, originality, and moral courage as Mahomet, Odin, or any of the great spirits that present infidel, irreligious, material, ideal, geological, animalmagnetic age of the world, some such singular prophet as Joe Smith is required to preserve the principle of faith, and to plant some new germs of civiliation that may come to maturity in a thousand years. While modern philosophy, which belives in nothing but that what you can touch, is overspreading the Atlantic States, Joe Smith is creating a spiritual system, destiny of the race.--Joe believes himself divinely inspired and a worker of miracles. He cures the sick of diseases-- so it is said--and although Joe is not aware of the fact, we have been informed by a medical man that his influence over nervous disorders, arises from a powerful magnetic influence--that Joe is a magnet in a large way, which he calls a power or spirit from heaven. In other respects Joe is a mighty man of God-- possessing large stores of human nature--great shrewdness, and as he has taken the management of the Mormon newspaper organ, the "Times and Seasons" into is hand, we look for many revelations, and some curious ones too, pretty soon.

We certainly want some such prophet to start up, take a big hold of the public mind--and stop the torrent of materialism that is hurrying the world into infidelity, immorality, licentiousness, and crime. Professor Lyell, Richard Adams Locke, Dr. Brisband, Master Emmerson, Prophet Brownson, Horance Greely, and all the materialists of the age, ought to take a leaf of common sense out of Joe's book.

How awesome is that?! To see someone back then that wasn't a member of the church, but still recognized something good.. that gives me so much hope!

The following is a very similar article from the Dollar Weekly Bostonian that Joseph Smith quoted in the aforementioned "Mormon paper" called the Times and Seasons.

Joe is decidedly the greatest original of the present day. He carries all before him when he undertakes an enterprise--knows no impediment--and never halts in his course till he has accomplished his object. His post, at the head of the Mormons, is a conspicuous one, and in a few years of such advancement as he has met with for the past year, will give him a numberless host of followers. We should not be surprised if Joe should become as omnipotent as ever the Pope was in his pamliest days. He is a genius--and a rare one--and all the armies of Satan, should they confront him in a solid phalanx, would be sure to meet with sore discomfiture, if not with complete annihilation. The true philiosoply of goaheadity--the quintessence of concentrated moral and spiritual energy--fears no combat--and although we cannot say it exactly courts danger, it never flies from the post of duty on its approach.--We have so high an opinion of Joe Smith that we intend to open a correspondence with him in order to acquaint ourself with all his secret springs of action, and thus get all the secrets of his success, public and private, worldly and ecclesiatical.

The chapter from the recently recovered Book of Abraham, and the unique cut which illustrates it, on our outside, has occasioned us some expense; but we care not for that so long as we please out patrons, which we mean to do at all hazards, trusting to the good sense of the most enlightened public in this, or any other universe, for suitable remuneration.

Yep. That's awesome.

August Apples.

2009-08-01T17:34:00.006-06:00

Gotta have the sticker on there.

Holy Canoley, it's already August??

Hard to believe, I say.

Goodness Gracious. This past month I have needed to mature a lot.

I keep having the same realization over and over again. It goes like this: "Oh, wow. I'm not as grown-up as I thought I was."

I hate those moments.

Work is slow, so I'm looking for a second job. Woohoo..

I've cut into my savings quite a bit lately. I need to put a lock on my credit card pocket.

I've been low on energy lately, too. It's frustrating to me. I need to start the whole "Apple a day" thing. (Though I probably won't eat an apple every day. It will probably just be something as nutritious as an apple... cause I really don't think eating an apple every day of your life could be healthy. It's the whole "too much of a good thing" arguement. I tried to find a website dedicated to the disadvantages of eating apples, but apparently no one has thought of any yet. Anyway, here are some benefits of eating apples-- http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com/AppleBenefits.htm Here are directions on HOW to eat apples--http://www.wikihow.com/Eat-an-Apple Here are a bunch of quotes about apples--http://www.quotesdaddy.com/tag/Apple Here are some things to do in New York (aka the "Big Apple" hehe..)--http://www.walkingoffthebigapple.com/2009/07/25-great-things-to-do-in-new-york-city.html and this is a picture of an apple, in case you aren't sure what an apple really is.--http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q320/celestial24/apple.jpg) Yeah, I just need to eat healthy.

Uhh.. I can't think of anything else to talk about.. Sorry! I'll post more this month than I did last month. Hurray!

Goals:

Eat healthy.
Help around the house a little more.

Quote time!

"I'm not smart, but I like to observe. Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked 'why?'"

-Bernard M. Baruch

"The apple blossom exists to create fruit; when that comes, the petal falls."

-Kabir

Mountains and Awesomeness.

2009-07-14T16:38:00.008-06:00

Please meet Jill. She is awesome. We drive places. Places like mountains.

We hiked to the top of this one.

This is the sun. It is awesome, too.

Jewel. Ay!

2009-07-07T13:59:00.006-06:00

Sorry I'm late on updating this month. hehe...
Not much to say.. so I guess I'll just post some pictures. :D

Stacey, Taylor and I had an awesome photoshoot a while back. This was my favorite edit. :D

I've been missing the Madness tons lately. Here's to amazing friends! (I feel like I should say something about Jill here. She is hilarious, awesome, gorgeous, and she came to me exactly when I needed her! Go Jill! Sorry I don't have any pictures of you yet..)

The Tree and rock

Tree, Rock, Water, and Sky. I still don't think I'm finished.
Probably my favorite part. The reflection.

I Guess I could talk about why I did a tree on a rock in the middle of nowhere..

Why a tree? I've always liked trees. I like most plants, but flowers are overrated and I feel like trees aren't as appreciated as they could be. I mean, think about all they do for us! They give us shade, let us climb all over them, and we can string up hammocks or tire swings! Who doesn't love a good tire swing? I did read a story about an evil tree a while back, and I know sometimes they cause hardships when they fall through ceilings and whatnot.. but I think the majority of the time they are our protectors, helpers, and friends. :D

Why a rock? I've always loved the idea of being able to do something that everyone thinks is impossible. I think that sometimes people can be ignorant of all the incredible things we're capapble of doing just because it seems like it wouldn't work. I guess that's why I wanted the tree to grow on a rock instead of normal land or something. Also, I've always loved the doctrine of having a "sure foundation" so it seemed appropriate.

Why the middle of the ocean? This one is a little harder for me to explain. I can be pretty antisocial at times.. so I think that had a little to do with it. Also, I liked that this tree didn't need help from anyone to grow except the water, sun, and rock. Again, it's kind of the "against all odds" theme again.. Yep. That's all.

Tell me what you think I can improve! There's still something missing, I think.

Goals:

Second job.. (sigh..)
Eat healthy
$1 a day!!

Quote:

"When things of the world crowd in, all too often the wrong things take highest priority... Satan has a powerful tool to use against good people. Fill their lives with "good things" so there is no room for the essential ones."

-=-Richard G. Scott

iPhone3GS

2009-06-30T13:33:00.003-06:00

I'm pretty much in love with this guy :D

Wordle.

2009-06-13T10:58:00.003-06:00

Thanks to Larissa for this one. :D www.wordle.net
It's probably one of my new favorites. The possibilities are endless!

It takes the words you use on your blog (or in this case.. my myspace. Yeah. I'm cool) and makes the words you use the most often the biggest. I didn't even CHEAT! So.. I feel pretty good right now. Go play around with it! It's a party.

More..

2009-06-03T13:54:00.004-06:00

Sorry about all these posts. Apparently that last picture wasn't the best of my dreads. They are quite "hairy", as Jake would say. ;) I'm hoping this one is a little better. If not, you'll just have to see me in person.

Gosh, I love editing. I love trying to capture the most emotion possible from any given moment. The only thing that I'm getting sick of is editing pictures of myself. Anyone want to have a photoshoot with me and allow me to mess with the pictures? It would be mucho appreciated.

June, Baby!

2009-06-02T14:59:00.003-06:00

Well, I did it.

See?

Not extremely noticeable.. but perfect for me. I'm loving them! Thanks to both Christine and Chelsey, who spent about an hour each working on them. It took me about 6 hours to finish, and then today I've had to fix them quite a bit. They got really frizzy from playing in the rain and being washed. I really need a crochet hook to get the loose hairs, and I haven't found one yet. No worries, though. I'm not giving up. :D Seriously, I think everyone should get dreadlocks.

Also, I was going to try to put my skydiving video up, but I'm not as computer-saavy as I need to be in order to do that.. Sorry. If you want to see it, call me up and we'll watch it. Basically, it was the best experience of my life. If you have the opportunity to go (and can afford it) DO IT. Totally worth the time and money. I might even go again.

I've been thinking a lot about modern miracles.. and I've realized how often I fail to recognize God's hand in things. Even when bad things happen to us, it's comforting to know that He's watching us and knows what we can handle. :)

All my friends are leaving on missions. Very bittersweet. I'm excited for them, and I'm REALLY excited for my life to keep progressing.. but I'm realizing how little of a social life I have.. and now that I'm noticing, I want to fix it right when everyone's gone. I guess that means I need to make some new friends.. (sigh).. Meeting people is so hard for me. I hate talking.

Have an awesome month!

Goals:

Less spending money on food
Be Happier

Quote:
Creativity arises out of the tension between spontaneity and limitations, the latter (like the river banks) forcing the spontaneity into the various forms which are essential to the work of art or poem.”
-Rollo May

Locks.

2009-05-29T13:40:00.003-06:00

I think it's almost time for me to cross off number 16 from my Bucket list. For those of you who haven't memorized it... #16 is "Get Dreadlocks"

Now, let's be realistic. We all know I'm not going to give up on personal hygiene (which, by the way, hardly anyone does when growing dreads). I'll probably only do it for a month or two. Which means I can't go about the traditional methods. I heard Elmer's glue works for Mohawks. Would I be completely retarded to try in on my own head for dreadlocks? If it doesn't work out, I've done my research and it looks like it will wash out fairly easily. Sooo.. opinions, people. I need your opinions. (Okay, I'll be honest. Even if every single person that reads this says I'd be stupid to try it.. I'll probably do it anyway. Woohoo!!)

Oh, and these are the longest dreads in the world (Probably.) No one really knows because apparently there are some religions where you can't let anyone see your dreadlocks.. including your own spouse. Pretty interesting, eh? Oh, and I read somewhere that Samson had dreadlocks.. which isn't really that hard for me to believe! I should go read that story...

Thanks for your time! :D

May I?

2009-05-02T11:32:00.003-06:00

Hellllllooooooo! (Jerry Seinfeld style)

It's MAY!! Woohooo!!

Today started off with a pretty cool rainstorm.. but I found myself wishing for lightning and thunder.

I think the most exciting thing I can say this month iss.....

In 21 days, this will be me.

I can't even contain my excitement. If you were near me.. you'd be able to hear the smile on my face. It would probably sound something like electricity.

Everyone keeps telling me how nervous they would be if they were in my postition.. but I'm not nervous at all! It's probably due to the fact that I haven't thought much about what I'm actually going to do..

Also, I'm ALMOST DONE with my wall! I'll put up a nice long display of the process. Except it might not be very long.. considering i've only taken a couple pictures.

May is my NO CHOCOLATE month this year. Let me tell you, after one day I'm already struggling. Especially last night at Maddi's party.. there were delicious looking brownies right in front of me.. and the smells coming from those things were glorious. You should all be proud of me, though, because i didn't partake of the goodness. I stuck with the fruit flavored tootsie rolls instead. haha..

Anyway, that's pretty much all I have to say at the moment! Hope you all enjoy yourselves!

GOALS:

No chocolate
Exercise
Scripture Habits.. (I've been lacking in that department.)

QUOTE:

I have to thank Christine for this one. She wrote it in a letter to me once, and I loved it.

"No one can have the influence you have been prepared to have on all who come within your sphere of influence. Without question, no one can fulfill your foreordained mission. No one can do what you were sent here to do. No one." --Sheri Dew

Ready?

2009-04-27T22:10:00.004-06:00

Are you all getting super exciting for May's update?

Sorry I haven't had much to say..

I've been very....

Content.

Ay, pruhl?

2009-04-01T10:33:00.002-06:00

Hello Friends!

April's a happy month.

Apparently Mother Nature is playing her own April Fool's joke. It's like "Oh, April's supposed to be a spring month? HA! April Fool's! Here's some snow!"

In my institute class this morning, my friend Brevin and I decided that it would make even more sense for the snow to be bright green or something, just to top it off.

Well, I'm happy anyway. Why, you ask? Tomorrow's my birthday! I just love birthdays... even though my family has never really made big deals out of them. I mean, sure, we've had a couple surprise parties and fun presents.. but usually us kids never got each other presents, and we never really do anything too exciting. I love the way we celebrate. :)

Anyway, tonight is my party!! If you're my friend, come! It's at 401 East and Vine Street. It's a combined party with two other girls in my ward, Julie Taylor and Laci Wilson. Our birthdays are all on the same day! How cool is that?! (Oh, and a little shout out to Stacey's mom (who's got it goin on) that also shares my day of birth!) 7-11 p.m. Should be fun! Bring food if you want it, bring fun if you want it!

(I love the movie Over the Hedge.. mostly because of the music. Go Ben Folds! But you have to admit, those animals are hilarious!)

So. What's new in my life? Well. IIII'M painting my room today! FINALLY!! I'm hoping to get most of it done. So happy. So excited! I've been putting it off forever. I'm doing it!

This is going to be a short one, cause I'm listening to my dance mix and it's making me want to get up and do something. Thanks for reading!

Goals!

Finish my wall
Notice other people's good traits before their bad ones.
Write a song! (gulp..)

Quote time!

(Lucky you! There are 3 quotes today)

"Confidence in nonsense is a requirement for the creative process."-=--M. C. Escher

"Don't be afraid of mistakes, there aren't any"-=-Miles Davis

"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong."-=-Joseph Chilton Pearce

Posting Frenzy

2009-03-26T20:24:00.002-06:00

Don't worry, this will be a quick one also. In fact, I was going to wait and post this on my quote time for April, but I just can't keep it to myself. I'm reading "Antsy Does Time" by Neal Shusterman, one of my favorite authors.. because he is constantly writing about moral dilemmas. Anyway, in this book the main character, Antsy, is talking to one of his classmates who decides to tell Antsy he only has 6 months to live. In the following, Antsy is describing what he's always thought about death.

"Option one: It turns out you're less of a miserable person than you thought you were, and you go to heaven.
Option two: You're not quite the wonderful person you thought you were, and you go to the other place that people these days spell with double hockey sticks, which, by the way, doesn't make much sense, because that's the only sport they can't play down there unless they're skating on boiling water instead of ice, but it ain't gonna happen, because all the walk-on-water types'll be up in heaven"

He continues, but that's the most quotable part of the section. Anyway. Good author! My favorite of his so far is "Unwind", but if you're going to read it, be prepared to be a little creeped out. He takes strange situations and tries to make them normal. Actually, he's pro at making them seem normal.. so it will mess with your emotions a little. :) Good times.

Quickie!

2009-03-24T08:30:00.002-06:00

Hi again!

I didn't want to post too soon after that last one.. cause I think it was probably my most useful post so far. However, it's been brought to my attention that not all of my followers are LDS! If I ever mention something church-related that you don't understand or want to know more about (i.e. Baptisms for the dead), I would recommend contacting your local LDS missionaries. If you aren't a people person, then I would recommend visiting the following websites: www.mormon.org gives some good explanations of our basic beliefs, and www.lds.org can give you more details. Hope I've helped!

p.s. The stake talent show was last night. I think it was the best we've ever played! Right before we played, I was adjusting the mic stand and it smashed the stretchy skin between my thumb and pointer finger.. pretty painful, but I didn't get blood on the drum, and I think I played better! Yay.

Another List

2009-03-23T16:57:00.002-06:00

About a week ago I had some friends over at my house. My friend Maddi and I were all sorts of bored, so we went into my family's crawl space to have a look around. Lo and behold, we found many things to occupy our attention. Among those things was the most amazing list I'd ever seen. It was entitled "Bean's Awesome List of Stuff to Do". My brother's friend, Bean is hilarious, which you can observe if you continue reading. So Bean, if you're a reader (which I doubt).. many thanks for this incredible list that I'm sure I will use many, many times. Here it goes!

*should be done before any of the following activities

4-wheeling

Airsoft

Badminton

Balloon volleyball (air)

Baptisms for the dead

Bar-B-Que

Baseball

Basketball

Bike Ride

Board Games

Bob for apples

Bowling

Bubble-blowing contest (soap or gum)

Build a snowman

Bunko

Burn CD's

Butt-balloon popping game

Buy Bean random (but still cool, good, and most likely expensive) gifts

Call Bean* (most important)

Camping

Candlelight dinner

Candy Bar games

Card games

Chalk people

Chug contest

Climb Mt. Olympus

Color

Croquet

Dance (or walk, and/or sing) in the rain

Dancing

Dodge-ball

Donut Falls

Dot game

Drag State

Draw a picture

Draw comics or comic books

Dress up ridiculous date

Drink from a fire-hose

Drive around

Eat breakfast foods for any other meal

Eat cereal by candlelight

Eating contest

Eat various fruits with whipped cream on them

Endure to the End

Face-painting

Film your own movie

Finger paint (actual or edible paint)

Fishing

Fix Bean's car

Flour-penny ind

Fly Kites

Follow random people in their car

Football (tackle, touch, or flag)

Formal date for no reason

Freeze cars

Frisbee-golf

Gamble

Give Bean random (but still cool and good) gifts

Glow Sticks (use them for anything, it's fun)

Go caroling, even if it's not Christmas

Go for a walk

Golfing

Go to a cabin

Go to a concert

Go to a lake

Go to Europe with Bean (girls only)

Go to the mountains

Go trick-or-treating, even if it's not Halloween

Hale Center Theatre

Halo

Halo tournament

Hiking

Hockey (street, field, ice, or broom)

Hot air balloon ride

Hot tub

Hypnotist

Ice-blocking

Ice skating

Jell-O wrestling or fight

Jet skis

JUG ((Hi, Celeste here. I can explain this one if you're really that interested))

Kick ball

Kidnap your date

Lagoon

Lift weights

Look out (and make out) spots

Magic tricks/show

Make and host a game show or talk show

Make a practical joke video (like Candid Camera, Jamie Kennedy Experiment, or Punked)

Make Candy Bars (see below)

Make cookies, brownies, etc. (preferably for Bean)

Make dinner (see above)

Make homemade ice cream (see above)

Make Out (see above) (boy/girl only please..)

Marshmallow Fight

Movie (house, theater, drive-in, outside projector, in a pool, etc.)

Mud wrestling or fight

Munchkin

Night games (capture the flag, sardines, hide and seek, etc.)

Nintendo (suckle, etc.)

Nutty Putty Caves ((Celeste again.. apparently this has been shut down. soo.. don't plan on going)

Off-Broadway Theater

Paint a picture

Pajama Party

Parking Lot Dance

Picnic

Pillow Fight

Pimp Date

Play around in a store (hide and seek, etc)

Play computer

Play "Name That Smell"

Play on a playground

Play chess downtown

Play tag (any variation)

Play with little kids

Puppet show

Put cars on blocks

Racquetball

R C Willey (free hotdogs, pizza, and drinks)

Read a book

Reenact the war in heaven

Ride a tandem bike

Roast Marshmallows

Rock-climbing

Rollerblading

Rugby

Run

Run through Sprinklers

Saran Wrap cars

Scavenger Hunt (objects, video, audio)

Sculpt stuff (play-dough, mashed potatoes, etc.)

Sing songs (karaoke, guitar, piano, etc.)

Skiing

Sledding

Sleep over

Slip-n-slide

S'mores

Snowball fight

Soccer

Softball

Stickball

Stretchy stuff

Surprise people with breakfast in bed (early)

Swimming

Take Bean on a date (girls only)

Teen Olympics

Tell ghost stories

Tell jokes (about ducks)

The random people what they're doing (i.e. "you're walking around carrying a plastic bag with things in it that you probably purchased at the local convenience store!" or "You're mowing your lawn" or "You're walking your dog!" etc.)

Temple Square ((I've always wanted to do this some time other than the winter)

Tennis

Theme Date

Tic-tac-toe

Timpanogas Cave

Toe paint

Toilet paper people

Ultimate Frisbee

Visit Homestarrunner.com

Volleyball

Wake Boarding

Walk-off

Water-balloon volleyball

Waterfight!

Waterskiing

Wiffleball

Work out

Wrestling (real or "professional" with made up names and stuff... i.e. El Ni~no)

Write a song

Write Bean a letter on his mission (or any other missionary)

Welp, that's all. I suggest printing this off, because I don't know about you, but I always find myself trying to think of things to do. Yep. Hope you enjoyed it!

RESULTS!

2009-03-03T12:50:00.002-07:00

So, I'd say the Talent show went fairly well...

We made it to the Stake talent show! Hooray!

So.. for those of you who missed it... you have another opportunity to show your support!

And Adam.. Nope! I actually borrowed Richard's.

yay!

Charm. or March... mixed up.

2009-03-02T11:03:00.002-07:00

Hi!

Happy Green Month!

I like March. I like it for the same reason I like February! It's almost my Birthday!

One month from today, I'll be 19! That's pretty exciting. I'm ready to get out of my teen years.. even though I'm sure I'll miss them later in life.

So tonight Eric, Chelsey, and I are playing in our ward talent show. We're playing the Wedding Song by Colors. We struggled to come up with a name for ourselves.. so we decided on "A Girl, a Guy, and Another Girl." I'm proud to admit.. this was my idea. haha. Unfortunately, I think they decided I'm the "other girl". I can understand, though, which makes it even more sad. I'm playing the djembe, which Jason so proudly pointed out I was pronouncing wrong.

Whatever.

I'm excited though! I get to show off my rhythmic skills and sing at the same time. Woohoo!

I'm going to start painting the wall today. I've drawn the design, which I think is the easy part. I'm really nervous about painting.. cause it's never been my forte. I'm definitely the kind of person that needs an eraser.

I've started to do things that really scare me. It's so exciting! I have played the piano and sung along (loudly) while other people were listening. I'm playing an instrument I can't pronounce on stage. I'm painting my wall! I told Katie I'd go skydiving with her! I'm talking to strangers.. and I'm even starting the conversations! It feels good. I'm very happy.

Also, I've been exercis(z)ing more. (Spelling is more difficult lately.) My mom got the wii fit for Valentines.. and it all started with that. I just want to run, jump, skip, hike.. do everything! That also feels good.

I want to start cooking more often. I want to find my own recipes. I want to learn all my mom's recipes. I want to do more Mom stuff.. like.. cleaning, crafting, serving, cooking, sewing.. etc.. I just want to get better at all those things.

All in all, I'm really happy with who I am right now.. even though there are still things I need to work on. I think if there weren't things to work on, I would be very unhappy. :)

That's all I've got! Have a wonderful day/week/month/year/decade.. etc.

Goals:

Daily Scripture Study
More Cooking
More Cleaning
Smile more!

Quote!

"You know, when you stop being frightened, time really is on your side. And you can just go on being you. "--J.D. on Scrubs.

Vampires.

2009-02-06T10:27:00.003-07:00

So I love editing. I put this one up on Facebook and my sister dubbed it "Celeste Cullen".

If it's that easy for me to make myself look like a Cullen, why didn't ANY of the characters in the movie look like one? Ridiculous.

Urgh.

2009-02-02T10:38:00.002-07:00

I know I just posted yesterday, but I've got something to say again.

I think Parking Tickets are the dumbest thing anyone has ever come up with, and that's including all those dumb inventions in those Strange Japanese Inventions books.

So annoyed.

But in happier news, we had an awesome lesson in institute today. :) I'm in the class "Parables of Jesus" taught by Scott Forsythe and I am LOVIN it to death. Anyway, the parable we talked about today was Matt. 20, where the Lord of the Vineyard hires people throughout the day and in the end pays them all the same, even though some of them have struggled the entire day while others have worked for just an hour. Mostly we talked about those who worked through the "heat" of the day. We talked about what that means to us-- what is our "heat"?

We decided that our "heat" was opposition. Especially right now with the whole Prop 8 controversy, the church needs to be strong in it's beliefs. We talked about a talk that Neal A. Maxwell gave in 1979 called "A More Determined Discipleship" I was going to pick out bits and pieces, but it's all good, so I'm going to put the whole thing on here.

"Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presdiency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had 'never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional, or political life.' This is hard doctrine, but it is particularly cital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ... Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted... This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simple because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. Resistance to abortions will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened... Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face or prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy,on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees pit forth their leaves, 'summer is nigh'. Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat."

I think the reason I loved this so much was that he gave us warnings. It's frightening to know of all the things that will undoubtedly come. But at the end he gives us some incentive to go to work. He tells us that we are the hope of the world. We need to bring in our fellow men (and women) out of the heat and into the refuge of the Savior. :)

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy that as much as I did. Have a wonderful day/week/month!

Ferbrurary

2009-02-01T19:18:00.003-07:00

IIIIt's Singles Awareness Month! Besides that little fact, I like February. Weather's getting warmer... and it's almost April! (Kind of..) Which means it's almost my Birthday!! Woot, woot. I'm super excited to be 19. Mostly so that I won't be the youngest in the YSA group. Hehehe... yep. That's exciting. Being the youngest was nice, I'll admit. It kept the creepers far away and the cool guys didn't worry about leading me on or anything. Buuut.. having people that are younger than me will give me some authority over somebody! hahaha.. just kidding. but not really.

I wish I could give you all some good news about my wall, but the truth is I haven't gotten past the white paint yet. It's not that I don't want to do it, because i DO, most definitely. I'm just worried that I'll do something that I'll hate and have to start all over. That would be no bueno. Especially since I'm paying for the colored paint.

So at the moment, the SuperBowl is going on.. and I'm EXTREMELY dissapointed in the commercials. Not only are they stupid and not funny, but they're gross! Come on, America. Let's have some class. But the SuperBowl provides a good opportunity for family bonding and delicious food. MMhm.. can you say drumsticks, meatballs, funeral potatoes, Gorp, brownies, homemade ice cream, and chips and dip! Woohoo, that's what I say. Hurray.

Also, two hours of the Office tonight. Holy Hannah! So excited. So very excited. Unfortunately it interferes with Ward Prayer.. which I've been to every week since I joined the ward.. but... i think The Office takes precedent, so I hope they don't miss me too much. Fortunately, we might have movie night here.. which means I don't have to travel. Good news there.

(wow, that was a nice touchdown.)

Speaking of Valentines.. (what?) I'm going to SANTA BARBARA!! Leaving on the 13. :) Do you know what that means? This is my 2nd Valentines Day in California. I'm loving it! This is the perfect time for a vacation. Plus, I get to see my awesome, awesome sister play Lacrosse. (I think Eric is probably more excited for this than I am, which is saying something. I only say that because apparently there are 22 girls on the team, and the only one that isn't single is our sister.. woohoo!) Anyway, I'm pretty excited for that. I am LOVING the sunshine lately. I will spend a couple hours laying in front of our windows, just absorbing. haha, it feels fantastic. I would DEFINITELY rather die of heat than cold. and I'll say that in the summer, just to prove that it's not because it's cold right now.

(haha, i keep getting distracted. darn SNL.. those guys are hilarious. I recommend Gilly)

What else can I ramble about? hehehe. Oh, I know! I've been having the strangest sensation today. Certain things will make me think of something, and then just a splitsecond later I can't remember what it was it reminded me of, but I still have the feeling the thought gave me. It's happened so many times today, and it's really fuh-ree-king me out. Anyone else ever had that happen?

Annnnd.. now for the grand finale. Larissa, this one's for you. You are the bomb! I am constantly being impressed by your many, many talents and your willingness to learn more! You are hilarious, as your blog proves, and I find myself wishing all my friends knew you so that I could share the happiness you bring with everybody! You are INCREDIBLE. :)

(oh, and you're cooking skills are top-uh-notch.)

Alrighty, that's it!

Goals:

Daily Scripture Study!
Optimism!

Holding my tongue.

Quote:

"Personally, I mistrust all handsome men. The superficial pleasures of this life come too easily to them, and they seem to walk the world as though they themselves were personally responsible for their own good looks." -Roald Dahl in Galloping Foxley

(Just to make myself clear.. I don't agree completely with that quote. I do trust some handsome men, but it's easy for me to see what he means. I love reading other people's thoughts.)

Mural.

2009-01-15T09:05:00.003-07:00

Alllllrighty. Here's the deal. My dad told me that I could paint a mural on my wall. :) This is something I've always wanted to do, so i'm REALLY excited about it. The only problem is that I'm not sure which picture to use for the main idea... so i need some help deciding! Here are the options: Numba One

Numba Two

Numba 3

Numba 4

Numba 5

Annd.. Sorry to Stacey, but i would crop you and your sista out of Numba 5. hehe. Soo.. let's get some votes on this! Please!
:)

oh, what a day.

2009-01-09T20:28:00.001-07:00

Does anybody else have days in which all you want to do is sing your heart out?

Today is definitely one of those days for me.

Music is the flavor of life. :)

two thousand and nine.

2009-01-05T11:20:00.002-07:00

Whoa, Nellie. It's a new year.

I was cleaning out my backpack and thinking about what resolutions i would make... when i found a loverly thing i'd forgotten all about. In health last year, my teacher had us all write lists of 100 things we wanted to do in our lives. I figured that was a good enough resolution. I read through it and giggled a few times.. and i was pleased to find i'd done one or two of the things. Anyway, I'm going to put it up and I hope you all enjoy it.. and maybe even write your own lists. :) Here we go!!! (Oh, and these aren't in any sort of order.. )

Get married.
Have kids
Make someone else's wedding dress.
Take a ballroom class with husband (and possibly with kids)
Get a banana seat bike with a basket
Ride in said basket with a huge prom dress and hubby pedaling in a suit.
Get a black eye
Break a bottle
Hike Mt. Olympus
Run a marathon
Be in a movie
Learn how to say the alphabet backwards
Get an old Beamer and fix it up
Go to Africa
Write a freaking awesome song.
Get dreadlocks
Be a rollercoaster critic
Have an art room in my house
Get (fake) Henna.
Bum-wars! (Ask if you really want to know.)
Invent a non-water shower
Live in Cali or Mexico
Set a world record
Go to prison (not behind bars..)
Make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich
Be in a crew
Find a geode
Be in advertising
Be a photographer
Make a bomb
Umm.. this one's a little personal. hehe..
Skydive
Be on the cover of (any) magazine
Throw a brick through a window
Fire someone
Hit a pedestrian (not... hard..)
Become a ninja
Get past a bouncer
Make a seatbelt belt.
Ride in a helicopter (check!!)
Go to a fashion show in Europe
Perform a song on stage(check!!)
Have a car with a sunroof (check!!)
Spend a day in silence
Learn Italian (fluently)
Learn how to ride a longboard
Have a swing in my home
Hot tub in a snow storm
Donate to/start a charity
Pull awesome pranks on people
Set at least one couple up
Fall in love
Go on a safari
Have a song dedicated to me
(stolen from Walk To remember) Befriend someone I strongly dislike
Shoot the Tube
Roast Mallows in broad daylight
Pretend to be a bum
Play tunes for spare change downtown
Work in a haunted house
Run through a giant field of flowers
Write a book
Ride in a pedal-boat
Save a life
Buy a house with cash.
Make homemade butter (prefferably in a churn-thing)
Build a treehouse
Hunt for UFO's
Wear rainbow eyeshadow for a day
Ride in a hot-air balloon
Befriend someone who's terminal
Learn to cut hair (well)
Air Chair!
Learn to do a standing backflip
Wear only skirts/dresses for a month
Moonwalk like a pro
Convince someone my name is Travis and never tell them the truth
Learn to keep my room clean
Pretend to be a moviestar in public
Own a business
Pull an all-nighter
Learn Sign-language
Work in a preschool
Motivate people!
Fly.
Have a living funeral
Have pizza at my wedding reception
Smile for a whole day :D
Win a contest
Copyright a color
Have a star named after me
Learn Clair de Lune
and Rhapsody in Blue
Get a Hole in One!
Pet a Lion.
Swim in the Azores w/ family
Maky my dad eat an olive
Go a day(at home) without looking in the mirror
Scuba dive
Die. :)

(Umm.. I would do goal time.. but.. yeah.)

Quote Time!

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment." -- Jim Rohn

More Winter Goodness.

2008-12-16T10:37:00.002-07:00

Have you ever seen anything more beautiful in your LIFE?!

I didn't think so.

I was even happier to find that they weren't making fun of it or anything. It's really just Christmas songs played Weezer style. I love it. I LOOVE it. :)

(also.. Am I the only one that finds a beautiful, intricate, expensive dress in a size 28 ironic?)

Goals!

Figure life out.
Live that life
Love my family

Quote Time!

"When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them. "

-Confucius

December Fun

2008-12-11T15:27:00.003-07:00

Wow. December already?
It's already time to go shopping for other people? I guess that's a good thing. I'm a big fan of holiday cheer. What bothers me is that it doesn't last all year...
I wanted to talk about a book series written by Scott Westerfeld. It's called the Uglies Series. I'm not going to talk about the story line, because I want everyone to read it. I just want to talk about how it makes me feel. It's my favorite series EVER. Trust me, that's saying a lot. I basically live at the library. I'm always looking for a good book to read. But this series makes me feel great about myself when I read it. It's the kind of feeling you get when you where a new perfume/ cologne, or when you wear a new dress, sweater, (nude) nylons or some sweet ballet flats. It's the feeling that makes you want to take pictures of yourself on your own camera with a sweet mini tripod so that everyone can see how great you look. It's the feeling that makes you wish you had some drawing paper and pencils or paint so that you could try to capture that feeling and have it forever. Anyway, i recommend that series. :)
You know what else I love? Music. Yeah, i know everyone else in the world does, too.. but that doesn't stop me from loving the feeling I get when I find a new artist or when Dan shows me a new band on his sweet new iPod (wishful thinking?).. Yeah. Music is a major part of my life. Not only cd's or mp3's.. but playing music on the piano is fun, too. I wouldn't mind having a few more piano books of my favorite artists.. like Mae, Regina Spektor, The Hush Sound, The Format.. etc.
I also like projects. I've been obsessed with photoshop lately, because it gives me something to do. I've been thinking about checking out some DIY books from the library for ideas on new projects i could do.
I like Winter. I don't like being cold, though, so I have to wear socks almost constantly, preferably some ankle socks or those socks that are the same on the toe and the heel.. those are cool. I do like the interesting designs on some socks, though. They're kind of fun to show off. The only problem with them is that you have to wear pants.
Skinny Jeans are weird and not flattering, especially the ones that look like blue butter you've spread thin over your legs. Gross. The ones that are just a little loose are cute, though.. as long as they don't hug your ankles to the point of cutting off your circulation. I still prefer comfortable skirts over pants, though.
Anyway, this has been a good rambling letter, don't you think? It's always a good feeling to get your thoughts out onto something you can see. Do you think that's why I've always kept a journal? Drawing is kind of the same thing, but not as convienient or straightforward as a journal.
Thanks for reading!

Celeste's Adventures. :D

2008-11-22T19:42:00.008-07:00

Hello Everybody!!

I just have to say that I've had a wonderful week. :) There's no particular reason. I've just been very content with my position in life. Anyway....

Last Saturday Karen Millet and I had a little adventure. Working with prom dresses made me miss the chances i had to wear them, so we pulled out our old formals and wore them to Arby's and Albertson's.. mucho fun.

We were hoping to get some questions and funny reactions.. but we only had two questions. At Arby's one older man asked if it was prom or something and we just smiled at him and said no. He laughed and walked away. Then at Albertson's there were a couple people I knew from my ward and they asked why we were all dressed up. We looked at them all confused and said "what do you mean? we aren't dressed up.." and they laughed.. hesitantly.. and then kinda walked away. haha, it was great. I'm attaching pictures at the end of this.. I didn't really get any good ones, but hopefully you'll enjoy them anyway.

Other than that I've been working on my research paper for my English Class. It took me forever to decide on a topic. I ended up doing it on Emma Smith. So far I like it.. but I'm not sure how to finish it. I want to talk about her second marriage, but there's not a ton of info out there, because apparently she preferred keeping her life private, which I can understand. Anyway, it's been incredibly rewarding to do my paper on such a faithful woman.

Lately I've become obsessed with Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. I bought the music yesterday and I keep watching parts of it. I just like the idea of focusing on the villian instead of the hero. It was on the air during the writers strike, and for no-writer's involved, I'd say they did an incredible job. Anyway, I recommend it. The URL is in my time-wasting sites section. :)

I need more books to read. Any suggestions?

I really need a new picture face.

Steve didn't get all dressed up. I guess it's not something guys get excited about..
Aw, Karen. So cute.

At least Steve ate with us..

Karen should go into modeling, don't you think? Especially with that coat.

And... apparently I eat kinda fast. mmmm.. Arby's.

So apparently.. granola bars are frozen foods these days.

I wanted this penguin. I'm so glad karen didn't encourage me to buy it.

Yeah.. I don't think Karen realized I was taking a picture.

Anyway, that was a fun night. Goals!

Do either something that scares me or something I've never done before every day.
Wear more clothes that I like.
Keep my room clean! (I actually haven't been doing too bad at this lately.. but i could still do much better. )
Serve others more.
Try not to get annoyed at little things. :)

Quote time!

"We need not to be let alone. We need to be really bothered once in a while. How long is it since you were really bothered? About something important, about something real? "

-Ray Bradbury in Fahrenheit 451

Stuff You Can Read..

2008-11-03T21:20:00.006-07:00

Hello friends! (hopefully you're all friends and not random creepers..)

Here's the deal. It's November.. and I've got to make another addition to my blog. The only problem is I don't have much to say, cause not a lot has changed since the last time I wrote.

I do have pictures I can put up.. but they aren't very exciting. Except a couple.. yeah. I'll go get my camera and load those babies on here.

Alright, so all of these are from earlier this evening.. First I went to Lundy's house because it's his birthday today.. which calls for the world-renowned Lundyburgers. I don't think I'm supposed to tell the world how to make them.. but I have pictures, so you can see for yourself.

Believe me.. I know. Don't ask me how it's possible to eat that.. cause I honestly don't know. I've never tried. This is Dan's. hehehe...

And here, Dan proves it's not only possible to shove it in your mouth... (and I'm too lazy to turn it the right way.. just tilt your head.)

But he can swallow it AND get it all over his face, too! How impressive!

(And I don't think he'll ever forgive me for putting that beautiful picture of him on my blog for all the world to see.. but I think it's worth it.)

After Lundy's I went to my ward's FHE.. where the surprised us with a service activity. It was actually kind of fun.. We had a list of things we were supposed to do for people.. and my group should have won but Chelsey's group cheated. (and I know I'm being a sore loser.. but if I feel like I deserve something, it's hard for me to let go. haha..)

After we returned from serving.. we had root beer floats, which were delicious.

Other than that, I swear nothing has happened in my life. Yesterday we went up to Morgan to visit our grandparents and aunts and uncles and all.. It was interesting. I think my family is starting to realize that I'm not mute and I tell jokes pretty well.. so they keep asking me to quote Comedians.. (Demetri Martin in particular. Careful what you watch of his.. he's a potty-mouth.) Anyway, I quoted for them for a while and then my grandpa took me to his computer to show me his funny videos.. haha. They were pretty good, I have to admit. I recommend this one : www.peteyandpetunia.com/VoteHere/VoteHere.htm

Anyway, while he was showing me these videos, I heard some interesting noises coming from the room next to us.. and I found all of my cousins. I think the average age for my cousins on my mom's side is 3. Okay.. so maybe the maturity level is around there.. even if the actual age is a little higher. Anyway, they were playing a game that my friends call the "Animal Game" where you pick an animal and if someone calls your animal the person in the middle tries to hit you before you say another person's animal. It's really a fun game, so i thought I'd join them. I realized too late that my cousins are all sadistic and wanted to hit each other as hard as possible with the newspaper we were playing with. It was kind of ridiculous.. but funny to watch. My animal was porcupine.. which is a difficult word for Morgan folk.. so my animal didn't get called much and I enjoyed the entertainment. It made me realize how incredibly mature my siblings and I were compared to them. (At least from what I remember... hehehe... I'm sure others would beg to differ.)

Alright.. So i'm looking for a new job. Modest is cutting back hours.. and I want to work. Also, money in my savings account would be nice. Any ideas? I applied at a pre-school photography place.. but I don't think I'll get that job. She wanted a lot of experience and I'm only just out of high school.. yeah. Anyway. That's kind of what I'm looking for. Something I enjoy but won't be extremely easy (and thus, boring). Something I can learn from.. etc. Yeah. I just want a new job.

Also.. I'm starting to realize how boring life is at the moment. I mean, it's not like I don't do anything, cause I do. I have a church calling, I play frisbee, I hang out with friends. Life is just predictable, routine, and boring. I'm getting the urge to go backpacking across Europe or something. I just want to do something crazy and for myself. This sounds stupid, but I want to do something that people don't think is smart. Backpacking, for example. Everyone kind of thinks that people that don't save their money or do things without planning are flakey and dumb or whatever, but I think sponteousness is cool. The ability to do something for fun or just pure enjoyment is what everyone aims for in life, isn't it? So.. i think it would be exciting and rewarding. But I'll probably never do it.

I need ideas for my research paper. I want to do something dorky like ninjas, pirates (thanks anna), nasal spray, etc.. Something I can laugh at and enjoy learning about at the same time. Any ideas?

GOALS:

I'm going to try harder to enjoy the situations I'm in
I'm going to try to meet new people by intoducing myself.. which is really hard for me.
I'm going to make some cool dinners for the fam.
I'm going to decide what I want to do for the next several months.. school, work, etc..
I'm going to be more patient with family.

Quote Time!

(one of my all time favorites. And trust me, this isn't supposed to be morbid or creepy.)

As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well spent brings happy death.

-Leonardo da Vinci

2008-10-24T17:37:00.002-06:00

Look how good I'm doing!! Two posts within a week of each other! ( I think.. maybe not. ) I have some fantastic news! I don't have to bum rides off my parents anymore! I got a car!!!!!!

Yeah... I got a car. It's a Honda Prelude (obviously). 1991. 185,000 miles. Yess...

My dad says it's only a couple years away from being a classic. I say it already is.

My favorite feature: the sunroof.

I've always wanted a convertible.. but i guess this is good enough for now.

Look, Chris! The hubcaps are in perect condition!

and the antennae goes down!!

*sigh*..

Check out my awesome sound system! Obviously, this car is per-fect for me.

Driving... my mom likes to stick her fingers in front of the lens. :)

Ahh... in all it's glory.

and now for the moment you've all been waiting for.

the prelude's name is....

Brody.

Random Goodness

2008-10-18T23:43:00.011-06:00

Alright.. I'm just not too good at keeping up on this little website. I think this one needs some serious pictures.. or people will stop reading! Oh no!! Alright, so let's see what I can pull together.

Remember that date I took Taylor on and Maddi took Steve? If not.. scroll down and read all about it. Well, here are the results...

Maddi's a superb person.. but i can't say the same about her driving. Something about the way she never watches the road is a little terrifying. (just kidding madda-rad!)

I think Taylor was getting a little hungry.

Alright, so resorting to cannibalism might mean that he's more than a little hungry.

Of course, Steve is just happy to be there. Or surprised... i'm not sure which one he was going for.

and there's my excited face. sideways.

I would have taken pictures during the actual battle.. but then i wouldn't have been able to participate! This is the aftermath. I'm pretty sure i got it the worst.

and steve's only a little creepy.

yep. that's my date. he was really happy about the paint on his face. He practically begged me to wipe some more on there!

the madness. She got it pretty bad, too.

and the stevie-b. and maddi. she's just got to steal the spotlight. oh, and a little slice of taylor, too!

yeah... so that was a fun night. I was going to put up the other pictures of the night Eric and I carved pumpkins.. but those are all on Facebook, so you can probably check them out there. Let's see...

I'm not sure what else to talk about! I could always go on a rant about why people bother me.. but I don't want to make myself mad right before I go to bed. That would make for unpleasant dreams.

Oh yeah! I had an awesome flying dream last night. I have them frequently, but this one was better than most. I flew to this crazy place.. I think it was probably the same country as Neverland (unless Neverland IS a country... anyone know?). Anyway.. it was like a mix between Peter Pan and Lord of the Rings. and now for a little math lesson...

PP+LOTR=basicallythebestdreamever

I think that's self-explanatory. For those of you who don't know.. I think Peter Pan is the most attractive cartoon character EVER! The one and only reason for that opinion is.. he can fly. I mean, there are other cartoon characters that can fly.. but who fantasizes about flying off into the sunset with Dumbo? Not me. Also, I think his red hair is kind of cool. Plus, he has an awesome life. And he fights pirates.

Anyway.. I wanted to talk a little about dreams, and I'm hoping I get feedback on this. Can anyone else control their dreams? I can, and I love it. That's why I have flying dreams all the time, cause while I'm dreaming I think "I want to fly in this dream" so i start running fast, throw my arms out, and I'm in the air. I'm a little worried that someday I won't be sleeping and I'll try running straight off a cliff or something.. and fall to my death. That would be horrific. Also, my dad says he dreams in black and white. Is that true for anyone else?

Oh, and I think sleepwalking/talking is the CREEPIEST thing ever. Christine will hate me for saying this, but she mumbles a little in her sleep. That's not what freaks me out. I seriously cringe when people speak in complete sentences in their sleep. And I'm pretty sure if I ever saw someone sleepwalking I would scream my head off and run... or pee my pants.

The strange thing is snoring doesn't really bother me. As long as it's not the kind of snoring that sounds like a jackhammer inside my skull, I can fall asleep to it easily. In fact, I find it soothing. haha, does that make me weird?

Alright, so this has been a rambling-type blog. I think that's how the rest of these are going to turn out, cause I'm a big, big fan of ramblers. Unless they talk about stuff I really could care less about.. (i.e. sports.. other people.. etc.) Yep, yep. GOALS!!

I will.. be a better friend.
I'm going to learn more about being an Entreprenuer. It sounds like my kind of thing.
I will work harder to keep my room clean! (I think that's been a goal on every single post.. but I'm really going to do it this time!)
I'm going to.. work on my photography and photo editing.

woohoo! It looks like I've got a bright future ahead of me. :) I'm excited to meet my future self.

QUOTE TIME!!

"So act that your principle of action might safely be made a law for the whole world. " -Immanuel Kant

(meaning..before you act, decide what the world would be like if everyone acted the way you plan to. If it would be a better place, then do it!)

After the Dark Ages..

2008-09-12T09:11:00.003-06:00

Alright, so it's been a while since I've made any additions to this loverly page. I should probably change things up, too, but for today we'll just talk about what I've been up to.

I started college about a month ago, but I'm pretty sure SLCC can't be considered diving into the college experience. It seems just like high school except there are 40 year old men that like to brag to me about how drunk they were when they did their homework. (Okay, there's only one of those.. and let me tell you, he's a creeper.) I also started a new job! I'm working at Modest By Design. I thought I'd be loving this job, that it was right up my alley. Unfortunately, I don't like having to learn everything about it, and dealing with ornery mothers or brides is not the most pleasant thing ever. However, I do see myself enjoying it once I get all the procedures and everything down, and once i start to memorize the merch.

Time for a new paragraph! Maddi and I have gone on a couple dates, and I have pictures I was going to put up, but Maddi has my camera, so I'll post those later. On one date, I took Taylor Cox and she took Steve Barton. We went to Noodles and Co. and then we took them to my dad's practice green at the golf course and we attacked each other with paint. We looked so awesome after that that we took many pictures of ourselves and then went to Smith's to watch the reaction people gave us. Generally, it was that of admiration, which was kind of a bummer, to be honest. On another date, Maddi took a boy she knows.. I believe he's in her ward or something. He brought a friend to be my date, and his name was Clint. (Maddi's date was named Ben) We went to Albertson's and bought stuff for dinner, which was homemade mini pizza's. Then we went back to Madder's house and made them and played many games! We played.. Chinese Checkers, Badminton, Rock Band, and Boxers or Briefs. Then we pulled out Maddi's lappy and showed each other hilarious videos. (Mainly Barats and Bereta, but others, too.) They were cool guys, really easy going and funny. Also, though you could tell they didn't want to do some things they did them anyway, and we had a lot of fun. :)

Other than that, not much has been going on. I got my wisdom teeth out a couple weeks ago, and I was puffy and bruised for about a week. I got my new laptop yesterday, and as many of you know, it resulted in the loss of ALL my music, but fortunately my friend Dan gave me a lot of what i had, and more. So I'm happy! It was kind of like Spring Cleaning, where you pull everything out of your dresser (or iPod in this case) and decide what you still wear (or listen to). Also, I joined the University 30th ward.. which is much different than a family ward, so it's also taking some adjusting. I do like it, though. People are hilarious, and i love to make fun of the awkward ones, which probably isn't the best thing a person could do, but at least i get a good laugh out of it. :)

GOALS!
-Clean my room.
-Decide to be happy every day!
-Do my hair crazy a few times.
-Buy some new clothes.
-Eat healthier!

Sorry it's been a while! I'll try to be better at that.

JUNE

2008-06-05T11:53:00.002-06:00

Okay! It's time for this month's addition to my lovely life. It's June! Hooray! Mostly Spring, but everyone calls it a summer month anyway!

I graduated. :) It's over! I still haven't comprehended it.. and i don't think i will until i actually start going to college classes.. which will be in the fall, at SLCC. I don't know what I'm going to study, so I'm going to get my generals done. I've thought about elementary education and art.. and music.

So last Saturday I left for powell for my sr. trip, with a bunch of my friends. That first day there were only ten kids there, which was about a third of all the kids. (I guess 'kids' isn't the best word, but i can't think of another word for what we are.. hehe) We got there around 8 or 9 and we checked out the houseboat.

the houseboat. You might think it's weird that I'm putting this into a new paragraph, but you'll understand once you read it. This houseboat was unlike any other i'd ever seen, and i've seen some pretty incredible houseboats. The owners name was Jeremy Johnson, i believe. He's the cousin of Nate and Adam Ruben.. if you know them. This guy is one of the most interesting guys i've ever met. He's 32 years old and he's a multi-millionaire. This houseboat was HUGE. It was basically a hotel-boat. There were 5 bedrooms, all with their own bathrooms, and one more bathroom besides that. There were 4 levels, including the basement. The basement had a GARAGE. The garage could hold two of those jet boat things.. which we also were able to use. The main level seated 27 people comfortably. There was this giant TV that connected to his iTunes... which was basically the entire iTunes store, movies and music. The second level had a nice sitting area and there was an area where a kitchen was being built.. but wasn't built yet. We kept most of our bags on that level.. and they weren't in the way. haha. The last level was basically for laying out. there were quite a few lounge chairs.. and that's pretty much it. However, he wants to build a helicopter pad.. but he has to reinforce the houseboat so it doesn't crumble when he lands. Which leads me to my next story....

The helicopter. I WENT ON A HELICOPTER RIDE!! IN LAKE POWELL!! Trust me, if you ever have the opportunity to do that, DO NOT pass it up, because it was the most incredible thing i've ever seen or done. We flew over rainbow bridge and landed at hole in the rock.. hiked for a little while, and then flew back to the airport. All the time we listened to 80's music, and it kicked face. I loved it.. and i want my own helicopter some day.. haha.

The rest of the trip was about as normal as it can get when you're staying on a 5 million dollar houseboat. I skiied 3 times, but only the first two were decent. I wakeboarded.. which i'd never done before so i was pretty proud of myself. We tubed, swam, played card games, watched a few movies, and ate. of course. :) Yesterday, as we were headed home, there was a lot of wind, and unfortunately we left before another group, and apparently we made it out in the nick of time, because a rope on the houseboat snapped and the houseboat ended up beached. I'm not sure what will happen to the houseboat, so i'll keep ya posted. The other group had decided to stay another night, so hopefully right about now they're packing up and getting out of there. Another group of people invited them onto their houseboat for the night.

I apologize for not having any pictures of my trip, but I didn't take my camera. I figured anything i wanted pictures of other people would take, which they did. I will have those pictures later, and maybe I'll put a few up.

Oh, one other thing people might find interesting.. David Archuleta came and vacationed with us! Even though it was a sr. trip and he's a junior.. we figured he wouldn't get to go on a sr trip and most of his friends are sr's anyway. He stayed on the houseboat the whole time and never once got in the water. :) What a cool kid. Anyway, here goes my list for this month:

I want to keep my room clean!
I want to make.. money. haha, for college.
I want to work harder on a life plan.. i.e. college, career, mission.. that kind of stuff
I want to get better at guitar and piano.

Well, short list this month.. but that's all i've got. Thanks for reading!

Sunscreen

2008-05-16T18:06:00.002-06:00

Okay, so my siblings found this song.. i believe it was chelsey.. and i always loved the message. I encourage you not only to read it and enjoy it, but imagine yourself doing every single thing it says to. Then go out and do it! :)

Everybody's Free (to wear sunscreen)
Mary SchmichChicago Tribune
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '97... wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be IT.
The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.
I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.
You are NOT as fat as you imagine.
Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing every day that scares you.
Sing.
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts, don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.
Floss.
Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself.
Remember compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch.
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't.
Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone.
Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't, maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't, maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself, either. Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's. Enjoy your body, use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.
Dance. Even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.
Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.
Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for good.
Be nice to your siblings; they are your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography in lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.
Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen.

The beginning of the BLOG

2008-05-03T14:19:00.003-06:00

Well, I'm finally doing it. I'm starting a blog. I can't believe I'm doing this. It's just another waste of time. Maybe in like, 5 years it will come in handy, when my siblings all live in different states, but right now we all live under the same roof, so i feel slightly ridiculous.

So I graduate this month. Wait, I want to type that again. I GRADUATE THIS MONTH! Yes! High School is almost done with me! That's really exciting news. I'm so ready to meet new people and have new experiences. Hooray!

Christine is engaged. She is almost done planning her wedding, and it's two and a half months away. Can you believe it? She's crazy cool. I'm pretty sure I'll plan my wedding the week before it happens. Heck, I'll probably meet my husband the week before I get married! (Joking...)

I think, at the end of all my blogs, i want to do something interesting. (okay, so really i hope my whole blog is interesting..) I think i'll do a wish list of sorts.. like, a "things i wish would happen this month" or "things i'm going to try to do this month" That sounds like a good plan, right?
here it goes!

I want to graduate. :)
I want people to realize that I like them to be honest, whether they think i'll like what they say or not.
I want to find a sanctuary. (no offense Chris, but sharing a room with you is the most difficult when i'm having a bad day)
I want to eat better. That's a big one, trust me.
I want to exercise on a regular basis.
I want to feel like people love to have me around.
I want to start to learn Rhapsody in Blue on the piano

I'd say that's a pretty good list for a month.. so.. now i'll leave with a quote. Considering my biggest news...

"You're alive. Do something. The directive in life, the moral imperative was so uncomplicated. It could be expressed in single words, not complete sentences. It sounded like this: Look. Listen. Choose. Act. "
Barbara Hall, A Summons to New Orleans, 2000