Summer Bucket List

Since finals are three weeks away and I have a billion projects due before then and nothing else better to do, Rylin and I have spent the past several days creating our bucket list for the summer. Needless to say, it is amazing and you should all be jealous. Observe:

1. Go on a Hike a Month
2. Have a BBQ
3. Outdoor Concert
4. Late night Milkshake Run
5. Bonfire
6. 24 inch Club
7. Bike Ride
8. Watch a SUNRISE
9. Watch a SUNSET
10. Go Star Gazing
11. Random Person Date
12. Picnic
13. Adventure on the Farm
14. Road Trip
15. Get a sunburn
16. Swim A LOT
17. Buy a new outfit
18. Garage sailing (spelt wrong, thanks to Rylin)
19. Random Act of Kindness
20. Color outside the lines
21. Ultimate Frisbee
22. Monopoly
23. Drive inn Movie
24. Hit 5 temples
25. Make a Movie
26. Take 1000 pictures
27. Outdoor movie
28. Make a T-shirt
29. Finger paint
30. Bowl a 150
31. Eat somewhere new
32. Go Golfing
33. Dance in the rain
34. Watch a Scary Movie
35. Watch a Period Movie
36. Make Flubber
37. Snow Cones
38. Try Gelato
39. Make Popsicles
40. Friendship Bracelets
41. IKEA Hide-n-Seek
42. Fly a Kite
43. Pizza Night
44. Ridiculous Sunglasses
45. Build a Fort
46. Hike Mt Timp

Forty-six things in all! Now, I just have to survive the next few weeks so that I'm alive to have all the fun when it's actually time.

A Weekend in Verse

Friday after the gym I's at S106

Stephen doin' a Russian to English poem fix.

Made me think to myself: "Poem writtin' could be fun!"

So now I's gonna tell you what with my weekend I've done.

So like I said, Friday night I chilled with the boys

Sat doin' my homework; Rylin making bracket noise.

Told him to try talking 'bout somethin' besides Madness.

He didn't. I tried to hide amused gladness. 

Sat mornin' woke-up and said: "What the heck! Is this snow?!"

Turned to Ems askin': "Rex Lee Run...should we go?"

She didn't care so I said: "How 'bout we stay."

Gave it more thought, moaned and we got on our way.

At the race we saw boys from N104

Alex, McKelle, Scott and many, many more!

Our toes:cold. Hands: numb. But all made it through

When we went across the finish line I gave a "Woo-hoo!"

Walked home. Cleaned clothes. Lazed around for a bit. 

Looked at my homework and figured I'd do it.

So I went on a date with 'ol Harold B. Lee

Stayed there for hours then went home with some glee.

Forgot about homework the rest of the night

Watched ward talent and ate an ice cream delight.

Started "Aladin" but too tired to stay

I went off to bed, then woke-up to new day.

And then, Sunday came and was filled with lots of meetings and an awesome church service and delicious FHE dinner and making cinnamon rolls with friends. It was too busy and tired to rhyme, but that's okay. Sometimes, ya' just gotta forget about the rules and take a day to do things your way. That's how my Sunday went, and it was awesome.

I love my life.

To Drink Your Food?

Dummest. Idea. Ever. I love food way too much to ever give it up for some stupid liquids. With liquids, we would miss the texture. The chew. The crunch. The bite. Are we so lazy that we don't want to take the few extra minutes to have that experience? Or are we too busy to take the time to pause in our day and spend time with those we love over a plate of food? As busy as I am, eating is one of the only things I am willing to take the time for. I love food too much.

Letters

Photo taken by the one and only lovely Scott

Dear World, Guess what? I gots a new haircut! (It's secretly my way of rebelling against the world and regaining control of my life.)

Dear Alicia and Sarah, I had fun chilling and talking about life this morning. Even though it left me tired, the conversation alone was worth it. We should chill and talk about life again sometime soon (though maybe not so early next time)!

Dear Bethany, Thank you so super much for going to get ice cream with me tonight and for letting me dump all my crazy thoughts out on you. The conversation helped me to feel like I wasn't alone and that someone else understands me. I've always thought you were pretty fantastic; tonight proved it.

Dear Sweet Sauce (aka: ward boy's intramural football team), I enjoyed going and watching your game last night. I know I'm not much of a cheerleader, but I hope you know I was rooting for you the whole time. Way to be awesome.

Dear Rylin, We totally rocked our study session in the library last night. Way to be champs.

Dearest Christopher, Don't get any ideas.

Dear S106, You have no idea how much I have appreciated the warm way in which you have welcomed me into your apartment over the past week. You are all find men. And I mean fine men!

Dear Kent and Marina, I'm so super glad I got to see you tonight, even though it was just for a little bit. You never fail to make me smile.

Dear Scott, Thanks for talking this afternoon for a couple of minutes about life. Talking to you always makes things seem brighter, even when they're already shinning.

Dear Professor Hutchins, You are definitely one of my favoritest teachers I have ever had ever. You make dusty, dry literature seem like Harry Potter book 8. Thank you for your amazing example, easy-going attitude, enthusiasm, knowledge, teaching and all-around awesomeness. I hope I can be a teacher as cool as you someday.

Dear Taralyn, I'm so glad we have gotten to know one another, sitting together every Tuesday and Thursday for Adolescent Lit and Teaching Writing. Know that all your encouragement, kind offers and words of friendship mean a lot to me. A lot. Thank you for being there.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for slapping me in the face various times over the past couple of days so that I can now start living a happier, more meaningful and fulfilling life. You weren't just talking to the Saints in Kirtland on June 1st, 1833, were you?

7th Grade Basketball

When I was in 7th grade, for some crazy reason I decided to join the girl's basketball team. I think it was probably because the 7th grade volleyball coach convinced me (she was also one of the 7th grade basketball coaches). It was like the precursor to seminary. Because of limited gym space, the 7th grade team got to wake up and have practice around 6am every day. In the winter. When it's dark outside. And cold. And wet. As the season went on, I began to realize how much I really didn't like waking-up at 6am and even more how much I didn't really enjoy playing basketball. I sucked. Our second game of the season I made my first 2 points of any game. They were also my last. As these realities became increasingly evident to me, I decided that it would be a good idea for me to quit the team. I approached my mom to tell her.

"You can't quit," she told me.

"What?! But Mom--I hate it!"

"Too bad. You committed to something, and you're going to see it through."

Needless to say, I wasn't too happy with Mom. Regardless, I did, as Mom "made" me, finish out the season. I don't think I've played a basketball game since then (and that was 8 years ago).

Even though I didn't much appreciate it at the time, today I'm grateful that my mom made me stick to doing what I'd committed to do. I feel like that bit of tough love has made me into a much more dependent, hard-working and responsible person; which I'm grateful for. In a world full of people who think they are entitled to things and who want the easy way out, I think we need a little more tough love. Though it sucks at the time, it makes you into a better person in the long run.

Letters

Dear Alex, I really did enjoy chatting on Thursday night in the library about the randoms things of life. Let's do it again soon!

Dear Ward, Some of you are horrible at roller skating. Just saying. (Don't take it personally)

Dear Ward Groupies, I absolutely loved chillin' outside by the grill late Friday night. It got me super excited for the upcoming summer. Only 5(ish) more weeks!

Dear John Campbell, Thanks for goofing off with me whilst watching "Skyfall" in the lounge super late on Friday night. You made my first James Bond movie watching experience a wonderful success.

Dear Stake Relief Society Presidency, The activity on Saturday morning was a wonderfully huge success. I felt the Spirit and more at peace than I have felt in weeks. I also learned lots of neat tricks and was reminded of lots of super important things. Thanks for making a difference.

Dear Relief Society Sisters, Going to the temple with some of you Saturday afternoon after the activity was the peak of my day. I felt so happy to be there with you beautiful girls. Thank you for motivating me to be where I needed to be that day.

Dear Amelia, I'll make faces at you from across the library any day. Just let me know when you're game.

Dear Amelia, Sarah and Emily, I'm glad we went to get free ice cream on Saturday evening. Roommate bonding time is always the best.

Dear Rylin, I'm super glad times a whole lot that we decided to be friends. It's good to have someone I know I can talk to and be silly/have fun with. We have to keep up this streak of awesome friendship-ness that we've got going here!

Dear Audrey, It makes me happy to see you around our apartment more often this semester than we did last semester. I don't much like living with strangers.

Resisting My OCD Tendencies

I've been studying on the third floor of the library in the No-Shh! Zone lately. Normally, I sit at one of the computers on the long side of the oval tables. Today, I decided to try and sit on the rounded edge or the table instead. Since I sat down, I've been trying to resist the urge to move. I think I really do prefer the straight edge of the tables to this weird, curved one. At first, I tried to talk sense into myself. This spot is fine. I really can sit here. But immediately my brain started to come up with a zillion of other problems with this seat. The keys on this keyboard are stiff and hard to type with. The screen is crooked. The keyboard doesn't line-up perfectly with the computer. I don't like this angle. A sick person probably sat here before me and I'm going to be sick tomorrow for having used the same computer. There could be a glitch in one of the computer cords and if I continue to sit here it's probably going to blow-up and injure me. If I don't move soon I could miss out on a serendipitous opportunity to meet my Mr. Right. Someone else probably really loves this spot and if I don't move, I'll ruin their day.

I tried. Really, I did. "Just wait out writing this blog post and see if it still bugs you," I told myself. Alas, I'm sad to say that my OCD tendencies are still nagging at me and this seat is driving me crazy. I'm off to move over to that straight-edged-table computer seat I've been eyeing for the past five minutes or so. I hope no one sees me move.

Over and Out.

Pets

Mom, Fred, and I

When I was two, we had a dog. Not that I remember, I just hear stories about me loving him to death. He got sick and died not long after we got him. Being two, I didn't really understand this, so I would go out to our backyard and call his name. "Fred! Fred!" Or at least, that's what my mom says I did. Like I said--two-year-olds don't remember much.

When I was in kindergarten, we got a fish tank. This, I remember. I remember going to the store and looking at the fish through the glass and thinking they looked so awesome. I remember thinking that it was strange that some of the fish ate each other (cannibalism, anyone?). I remember thinking that the "sucky fish" was my favorite because it's the one that lasted forever and didn't die.

When we moved to Washington, we gave up the fish and tank and since then, my life has been pet-free. When I was little, I really, really, really, really, really wanted a dog or a hamster or an anything, but we remained pet-less. And really, that's okay. I was fine with the idea of visiting my friends' pets for an hour or so and then being able to go home without having to worry about all the unpleasant parts of having a pet. Course, now Jessica, Abby, and Kate are trying like crazy to have my parents get them a dog. I doubt they'll cave in.

Daughters in My Kingdom

One of the most powerful book I've ever read is "Daughters in My Kingdom." The first time I read it, I read it because Sis. Beck, who was at the time the General Relief Society President, was coming to speak to the girls in my stake and she asked us to read it. I did, but it didn't really do much for me. Then, last summer, our Relief Society decided to read it together. Because I wasn't distracted with homework assignments and huge to-do lists, I was able to really focus on it this time. It was absolutely amazing. I loved reading this book so much because it gave me real, strong, admirable role models to look up to. The following is part of a letter I sent my friend while I was in the middle of reading the book. I think it sums up my experience reading the book fairly well:

"I’ve had such an amazing experience reading DIMK. I think that Heavenly Father told me to have the Relief Society read the book mainly just because I needed to read it. I’ve only gotten through a third of it, but already it has better strengthened my testimony of Relief Society than any other talk, scripture, or manual ever has. Relief Society is awesome. And the women of the church are even awesomer. I used to always feel so disconnected from Relief Society because I felt like it was so old and stuffy. Reading this book, however, has helped me realize that, like I said earlier, the women of the early church weren't pushovers. I admire their courage and testimony and strength. This book has given me the right kind of role models to look up to. Not the skinny, worldly kinds we see in the movies and the magazines. No. These women knew God, and wanted to follow Him. They served and served and served and never stopped. They loved their families and let the God-given female desires they had lead and guide and motivate them. They weren’t ashamed to want to have kids and to nurture and love and…well, to be feminine.

Not going to lie—I’ve kinda grown up my whole life a little afraid? Embarrassed? Against the fact? that I’m a girl because girls can be annoying and obsessed with silly things like makeup and clothes. I like running around and getting dirty and doing ‘boy’ things. Also not going to lie—I’ve never liked the stereotype of the girl who comes to college just to get married. And for a while I felt like saying that I was—am—excited to have kids and a family made me feel like I was a part of that stereotype. This book, however, has taught me that being a girl isn’t about the hair and the makeup and the frills. It’s about taking care of a family. And it’s a good thing to want to take care of a family and that I shouldn’t be ashamed of the feminine qualities God has given me. These women weren’t, and as such, they had a greater capacity to love and serve those around them and to be just plain amazing. They weren’t ashamed to be who God made them to be. They were women—and happy and proud of it! I want to be like that, and reading this book is helping me to be more like that. I have not a doubt in my mind that it was inspired by God. I’m so grateful that we have leaders who are awesome enough to seek out Gods will and to follow it so that we can benefit from their efforts."

Boomboxes

This is a picture of the boombox I had!

When I was young, boomboxes were the coolest things. Ever. I remember going over to my friend Alix's house when I was in first grade and listening to Backstreet Boys and Nsync while jumping on her bed and dancing and singing along all because she had a boombox. It was pretty serious business. We were pretty serious business. That's how cool you got to be when you had a boombox in your room.

I didn't get a boombox until the next year for Christmas. At least, I'm pretty sure it was the next year. Second grade. I walked out that Christmas morning and there it was, in all it's grey, bulky, metal and plastic electric glory. This was it: my ticket into the cool club.

Okay, so I didn't really think in terms of trying to get into some "cool club" or anything, but I did deem myself pretty awesome for now owning my very own music playing device.

Anyways.

Sitting next to the boombox (my boombox) were my very first CDs. I got the soundtrack for the movie Shrek, with cool songs like "All Star" and "I'm a Believer," and a CD of a Christian girls  group named Zoe Girls. It was awesome. The whole boring grey exterior wasn't working to well for me, though, so I decorated it with rainbow heart and peace sign stickers. On the power button, I put a yellow smiley face.

Just three years after that the world was introduced to the iPod, but I stayed loyal to my boombox. My collection of CDs continued to grow, with music from "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrects" (which got stepped on one day when left out on the ground at Grandma Sorensen's...we went to WalMart the next day and bought a new one), the "Lord of the Rings" soundtrack, and the "Pirates of the Caribbean" soundtrack (I kinda have this thing for soundtracks). At night, I would press the "sleep" button and then drift off to sleep while listening to "Pride and Prejudice" or the song "Fairy Dance" from the 2003 "Peter Pan" soundtrack.

I have since moved on from my cool boombox and CD days and now buy everything I listen to with a click on Amazon or iTunes and then upload it to my iPod. I think, though, that there will always be a special place in my heart for big music-playing hunks of plastic. They are, after all, the ultimate ticket into the thirteen-years-ago second grader's cool club.