Alright, last Thursday I went to Lagoon with some friends. For those unfamiliar, Lagoon is Utah's largest amusement park. It's about a half an hour away from Salt Lake City. While it's no Six Flags, Lagoon is the home to many attractions at varying levels of intensity. Most hard-core coaster lovers would find satisfaction in rides like Wicked and Colossus the Fire Dragon. Others who aren't so keen on going upside down might like the classic Roller Coaster or the Wild Mouse. And, of course there are plenty of rides designed for young children. Lagoon's a good park. It's got something for everyone.
I like intense coasters. I like going upside down, I like steep drops, and I like high speeds. I'll go on anything. Wicked, Samurai, the Rocket (although for full disclosure, I will admit that I do still get a little tense when I go on the Re-Entry part, but I will still ride it and have a good time!)... anything! I'm pretty fearless, and I don't get sick. I'm used to crazy rides.
I say all this about myself because I don't want anyone to think that what I am about to say next is due to an aversion to more high-intensity attractions. I am NOT afraid of Wicked, I am NOT afraid of the Cliff Hanger. Heck, if I had the funds, I'd even try some of those bungee-jumping free-fall things they have on the north side of the park.
BUT, that being said, there is a ride at Lagoon that deserves a heck of a lot more credit than it gets. It's not a coaster, you don't go upside down, and it doesn't even go up that high. Some might even say it's meant for little kids... But don't let any of this deceive you! The truth is THIS RIDE IS AWESOME:
It's called:
The Odysea.
Here's why it's awesome.
First, let's talk about location. Squeezed nicely between the Bat and the Jumping Dragon, two fairly safe and unmemorable rides, the Odysea is located in part of Lagoon that you probably won't come across until midway through your day, after you've gotten through all of the "staples" like Wicked and the Rocket. At this point of the day, you're probably feeling a little tired and listless. "Just give me a ride," you're thinking. "I don't care how intense it is; I'm just hot and tired of walking and waiting in a long line! I'm too lazy for that."
Then, before your eyes, you see it! A giant purple sea monster with one eye, its arms outstretched, rising and falling in unpredictable patterns, clutching what looks like various fish and submarines with riders sitting within them. If you weren't in such a lethargic mood, you might have missed it! But now, seeing as it's a hundred degrees and your feet are tired of walking, you figure that it's worth a shot. Even if the majority of those waiting in line are young children accompanied by parents, you don't care. You get in the short line, lined by a pleasant blue fence adorned with bubble motifs.
Already, even as you are waiting in line, you'll notice the pleasant mist rising from the water surrounding the mechanism. This leaves you already feeling good about your choice. On a hot Utah day, you want a ride that keeps you cool. And while you COULD pick a more popular water ride like the Cliff Hanger or the Rattlesnake Rapids, with long lines and the potential to get absolutely DRENCHED, this ride seems like a safer, more pleasant alternative with a MUCH shorter line. Even as you stand and wait, you catch the mist on a breeze and it feels FANTASTIC. What other ride provides a pleasant misty experience for those simply waiting in line? I say unto you: NONE.
It's your turn to pick a seat. You notice that each pair of seats is nestled within either a fish (perhaps a shark?) or a submarine. You and your best friend take a seat in a submarine, and you notice that it is labeled with its own unique name. Mine was a ship called the Octopus. How pleasant! My ship has a name! I suddenly became the captain of the Octopus. And my friend Kelly sitting next to me was my first mate. And my two friends sitting in front of me, riding a giant shark (named "Sharkie," of course), were my fellow comrades on an epic deep-sea voyage! How exhilarating!
It's at about this point when you discover that the Odysea is an interactive ride. You and your ride partner wield a joystick that allows you to move your vessel up and down. You have the power. You have the choice. Isn't that nice? A ride that provides you to use your own agency for how high you go? If you feel like it, you can take your ship up to its highest height and look at the world below you from a cozy distance. Or you can jerk your joystick back and forth and zigzag up and down, up and down... It's up to you! And that is awesome! What other rides have given you this kind of mobile autonomy??? I say unto you NONE!
But, of course, with great power comes a great responsibility. Since you have the ability to choose your trajectory, you also must face the consequences for making a poor choice in your flight pattern.
You may not notice them at first, but surrounding this great sea monster are several friendly aquatic beasts, their lips pursed, with a stream of water coming out of their mouths. If you managed to notice the happy whale and his spout of water, you may have thought, "Oh how nice! A little spray!"
A LITTLE spray? I think not. Guys, trust me on this, but what may look like a tiny stream of water is actually a massive JET of water that PELTS YOU IN THE FREAKING FACE! And it's not just this whale you've got to worry about. They're EVERYWHERE. There's the whale, the shark, and the dolphins, all shooting water at you! And it's your job to move the joystick and avoid their spray.
This is no easy task. The animals have the power to change their spray trajectory, so one pass might leave you able to rise above the stream, but the next time, perhaps not! Perhaps the next time, you'll make the bold attempt to repeat the motion, but this time, you get HIT IN THE FREAKING FACE by a boatload of water! That whale, he was the worst. His spray path would change on the dime.
Kelly had control of the joystick. I, being Captain, was of course responsible for issuing the commands. But it seemed like with every assumption I made, I was met with the exact opposite result!
"Kelly! WHALE! Go under it!"
"Roger that!"
"Wait... NO! Nevermind! He's spraying low! Kelly! WHALE! Go up! Go up! HIGHER!"
"I'm TRYING!"
"WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT!"
*SPLOOSH*
And then those dolphins. THOSE DOLPHINS. You see a dolphin, and you take note of the path of its spray. It's pretty low, so you obviously raise your vessel to go over it.... Safe, right?
WRONG. What you DON'T see is the other dolphin, sitting directly above the first one, hiding in the tree. It's a trap. There's NO ESCAPE. You hear a cacophony of screams from both Captain and First Mate... then...
*SPLOOSH*
And just as you're trying to recover from the dolphin attack, then...
"SHARKIE!! MOOOOOOOOVE!"
*SPLOOSH*
The first go-around, and one or both of you is already drenched. It's only after you have been soaked by multiple attacks from these creatures that you realize that there are light-up arrows just below the name plaque of your ship... These give you hints about where you could go to avoid the spray. The key to success was in front of you THE WHOLE TIME!
Kelly and I did our best to work together. But there is another tactic. If you have control of the joystick, you could always stage a mutiny against your partner and do your best to get HIM/HER wet. My friend Jeremy, sitting on the inside seat of "Sharkie," tried exactly this. Whenever they approached a spray, he would ignore the arrow's directions and position his vessel so that it would hit his buddy Caylor, who sat nearer to the spray. How diabolical!
But what Jeremy quickly realized was that this game is SO well designed, it doesn't matter whether you're on the inside or the outside: YOU ARE NEVER SAFE. More often than not, the arc of the spray would go just over Caylor's head and hit Jeremy square in the face.
What you hear, in this process, is something like, "HAVE A DRINK, CAYLO--BLLBBPH!"
*SPLOOSH*
Take THAT, you traitor!
What other ride at Lagoon is this deceptively complicated? I say unto you: NONE!
By the end of the ride, you are soaked, disoriented, and dying of laughter. The four of us, grown adults, ended up spending a good ten minutes just standing there outside the exit, laughing. Laughing at each other, about how ridiculous we looked, and how we couldn't outsmart four inanimate fish!
On top of that, I felt like we became better friends in this experience! After the Odysea, I felt a lot more comfortable with these people than I was before. It was as if we had conquered something together. Like we had all overcome an important and life-changing challenge. And we had all grown from it. During the short three minutes of this ride, we seemed to learn several important life lessons: We learned about teamwork, we learned about cooperation, we learned about empathy, we learned how to follow directions, how to appreciate the simple things in life, how to laugh at ourselves. What seems like a simple kiddie ride is actually an intense BATTLE BETWEEN MAN AND WATER-SPRAYING BEAST, and, in a way, it also metaphorically manifests the BATTLE BETWEEN A MAN AND HIS OWN CONSCIENCE!
What other ride at Lagoon brings friends and family together and uplifts you in this way?
I SAY UNTO YOU: NONE!!!!
It was the highlight of our day. And with the right people, this may very well be the highlight of yours, as well.
The end.
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
A sad story.
It's really sad when you see people you knew make stupid mistakes. It's jarring to see my old classmates framed in mug-shot fashion in a news article like this. It's also jarring that they're possibly going to spend some years in prison.
I knew Justin better than Zach. He played the saxophone in the band that met at the same high school he broke into. Wow.
http://burnsville.patch.com/articles/burnsville-men-charged-with-burglarizing-nicollet-junior-high
Listening to: The entire "North" album by Matchbox Twenty. Streaming on itunes!
Things going on today: First Tuesday of the semester. Singers auditions.
Blessings: No class. Computer labs at work.
Learned: The various facets of the human voice.
I knew Justin better than Zach. He played the saxophone in the band that met at the same high school he broke into. Wow.
http://burnsville.patch.com/articles/burnsville-men-charged-with-burglarizing-nicollet-junior-high
Listening to: The entire "North" album by Matchbox Twenty. Streaming on itunes!
Things going on today: First Tuesday of the semester. Singers auditions.
Blessings: No class. Computer labs at work.
Learned: The various facets of the human voice.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Service Story
Yesterday at about ten o'clock in the morning, my house gets a call from an 801-number. When I answer the phone, I hear a young man's nervous voice on the other end saying, "Hey, is this Bishop Johnson's residence? Your church meets at one o'clock, right?" I answer in the affirmative, and then he says, "Well, I'm at the Mall of America, visiting for the day. Do you know the best way to get down to your chapel from here?"
By then I hand my mom the phone, knowing nothing about Minnesota transportation myself. Mom didn't have much more to say either. "That's far beyond our ward boundaries. I don't think there's anyone who could give you a ride. I'm sorry."
Later, after attending a stunning sacrament meeting, I walked into my Sunday School room and sat next to a boy I did not recognize. Sister Duncan, our Sunday School teacher, walked up and introduced herself to him, as she does with all the visitors. He said his name was Brett, and he's visiting from Orem on a band trip.
"Are you the guy who called us this morning?" My mom turned and intruded on their introductions.
"Yeah," he said. "Sorry about that..."
"No, it's fine." She continued, "How did you get here??"
"Took a taxi."
A taxi? Wow. This guy really wanted to get to church. For some reason, I recognized him. I didn't know why. But I had seen him somewhere before. Right before the lesson started, I asked where he went to school. He said BYU. Then, without asking him anything, I just assumed he was a music ed major. I don't know what planted that idea into my head. Maybe I had seen him at the HFAC preparing for a choral conducting test. Or maybe it was just the way he carried himself. Or maybe I just made a wild guess. But for some reason or another, I knew that he and I had the same major. So later, when I had the chance, I asked him what he was studying. "Music education, instrumental emphasis." It cheered me to hear this.
Well my mom, being the bishop's wife, of course invited him and his younger brother over for dinner. I was willing to drive them out to the Mall of America, since I had to visit a friend out in Mendota Heights anyway. They played our piano and sang with us, and we had spirited conversation at the dinner table. Within a few hours, we already seemed like good friends. I promised I'd try to find Brett somewhere when I went back out to BYU, and when he went on his mission, I'd keep in touch. He's a nice guy.
But the punch line here is that they paid 30 dollars -- THIRTY. DOLLARS. -- to pay for a taxi ride down to the Burnsville meetinghouse. Thirty dollars just to go to church. Man alive. That's some serious commitment. But with that thirty dollars, they also got a free home-cooked meal and they made some new friends, thanks to my mother. Moral of the story: Keep your eye open for people like Brett and his brother. Often you will have more in common than you think. Never skip out on a service opportunity. It's a chance to make a friend.
Listening to: Nothing
Things Going On Today: Not sure. It's Monday. I have two days left in Minnesota. I probably should start gathering up my clothes and stuff...
Blessings: A mom who cooks. Old friends.
Learned: There are four instances mentioned in the New Testament of Jesus visiting his disciples after his resurrection.
By then I hand my mom the phone, knowing nothing about Minnesota transportation myself. Mom didn't have much more to say either. "That's far beyond our ward boundaries. I don't think there's anyone who could give you a ride. I'm sorry."
Later, after attending a stunning sacrament meeting, I walked into my Sunday School room and sat next to a boy I did not recognize. Sister Duncan, our Sunday School teacher, walked up and introduced herself to him, as she does with all the visitors. He said his name was Brett, and he's visiting from Orem on a band trip.
"Are you the guy who called us this morning?" My mom turned and intruded on their introductions.
"Yeah," he said. "Sorry about that..."
"No, it's fine." She continued, "How did you get here??"
"Took a taxi."
A taxi? Wow. This guy really wanted to get to church. For some reason, I recognized him. I didn't know why. But I had seen him somewhere before. Right before the lesson started, I asked where he went to school. He said BYU. Then, without asking him anything, I just assumed he was a music ed major. I don't know what planted that idea into my head. Maybe I had seen him at the HFAC preparing for a choral conducting test. Or maybe it was just the way he carried himself. Or maybe I just made a wild guess. But for some reason or another, I knew that he and I had the same major. So later, when I had the chance, I asked him what he was studying. "Music education, instrumental emphasis." It cheered me to hear this.
Well my mom, being the bishop's wife, of course invited him and his younger brother over for dinner. I was willing to drive them out to the Mall of America, since I had to visit a friend out in Mendota Heights anyway. They played our piano and sang with us, and we had spirited conversation at the dinner table. Within a few hours, we already seemed like good friends. I promised I'd try to find Brett somewhere when I went back out to BYU, and when he went on his mission, I'd keep in touch. He's a nice guy.
But the punch line here is that they paid 30 dollars -- THIRTY. DOLLARS. -- to pay for a taxi ride down to the Burnsville meetinghouse. Thirty dollars just to go to church. Man alive. That's some serious commitment. But with that thirty dollars, they also got a free home-cooked meal and they made some new friends, thanks to my mother. Moral of the story: Keep your eye open for people like Brett and his brother. Often you will have more in common than you think. Never skip out on a service opportunity. It's a chance to make a friend.
Listening to: Nothing
Things Going On Today: Not sure. It's Monday. I have two days left in Minnesota. I probably should start gathering up my clothes and stuff...
Blessings: A mom who cooks. Old friends.
Learned: There are four instances mentioned in the New Testament of Jesus visiting his disciples after his resurrection.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
The Bona Fide Bride Guide
Breaking News...
My roommate got engaged this week.
And then another friend of mine got married yesterday.
A lot of people in my life are finding their soul mates these days...
My soon-to-be-roommate Courtney claims to have a curse put on her where all of her friends get married within months of knowing her. I've seen evidence of this. Within a few short weeks of knowing my roommate Chantelle, Courtney was witness to her engagement and was even present at their recent sealing. Courtney has countless other stories that follow a similar vein. While BYU is already a hot place for many to find a spouse, Courtney seems particularly prone to falling into peoples' lives at the cusp of their matrimonial fulfillment. It's odd.
Despite her curse, I have yet to find myself a suitable match for marriage since I have known Courtney, and it's been almost a year. This fact leads me to believe that I have successfully avoided the marriage curse. However, in circumventing the eminent engagement that should have happened due to the curse, I'm afraid I picked up the curse myself. Now it seems like everyone I know is getting married.
Or at least getting boyfriends. My roommate Sammie is a prime example. She found her boyfriend behind the counter at Taco Bell. We -- that is, Courtney, Sammie and I -- went on a spontaneous adventure to that haven of precious non-wheat goodness (Courtney's top restaurant criteria) and Sammie was drawn to the friendliness of the boy behind the counter, whose plastic nametag donned the title ANDREW. After a brief exchange while waiting for our nachos to be prepared, Sammie decided she'd give him her number and ask him out sometime. As we left the Taco Bell, she lingered behind to talk to Andrew and... Welp. The rest is history. This guy behind Taco Bell happened to be exactly what Sammie wanted. Wouldn't be surprised if they got hitched someday.
Then there's my former roommate Amoray, who was engaged already when I moved in to Omni 172 with her. She had a splendid reception last month, and is now a happy newlywed with her spouse Nathan. My final roommate, Alicia, was the one who just got engaged this week to her boyfriend Josh. And then there's Esther and HER Nathan, due to get married at the end of August. (YIKES that's not that far away....) And my friend Jason just tied the knot. And my coworker, Jen, should be engaged any day now, I think. All over the place, new connections have been formed between people I've known for years, but never imagined that they'd one day find each other and decide to spend the rest of their lives with each other. It's a little cray-cray.
Of course, Courtney also has pretty decent contact with most of the people I know at BYU, so maybe she is the one responsible for all the marriages and I'm just a victim by association. But maybe that's just the way BYU is wherever you go. Curse or no curse, people get married all the time. It's a fact of life.
Time has played a nasty trick on me. One minute, I'm in High School and marriage is this dim light in the distance within a dark tunnel. Suddenly now it's this freak show of neon and sparkles that's RIGHT ON TOP OF ME and I feel like at a marriage-rave or something. And I, of course, feel pressured to join in this drug-trip that's called love and find myself a dance partner who is equally high on the idea of eternal companionship. And I know that one day the climax of this trip will be fully realized in a white dress and lots of flowers.
But the catch is that all this crazy love-drug stuff I see now is gonna change again someday into this glowing candle flame that -- while useful, beautiful, and powerful -- needs to be protected and fueled by hard work and patience. Marriage, contrary to popular (Mormon) belief, isn't the answer to all of life's problems. It's not just a day-long thing. It's forever. Or at least a lifetime. I need to be careful not to get too carried away with all the schmaltz and glamour of weddings.
Yeah, I dream. I literally have dreamed about my proposal hundreds of times. In my dreams, it's taken place everywhere from a romantic garden, to a stage in front of thousands of people, to my bathroom. Yes, I do wonder what my dress is gonna be like and what my colors are gonna be and who's all going to be there and where it's gonna take place. Amoray has told me that it's never too early to start preparing, and I agree. Discovering your options isn't a bad thing. Asking for feedback and exploring what's out there is definitely good. But what I must keep in mind is the fact that marriage -- eternal marriage, especially -- is not about the wedding day, but about the years, decades, centuries, millenia that come afterwards.
Moral of the story: There's no hurry into eternity. It's better to wait and buy yourself a lasting, durable survival candle than a dinky multi-colored kid's flashlight -- even when it is on sale at the front of the store for a buck-and-a-half. For marriage, it's better to get the 100-watt, long-lasting bulb than one of them flashy disco lights with all the spinning colors. Those things last like five minutes, and you can't even see what you're doing in the meantime! Forgive all these stupid luminescent analogies, but marriage needs to provide the light that makes things clearer, not more confusing. So don't jump to grab the first shiny thing you see. Don't marry for the sake of marriage. Marry because you love someone, and he loves you back.
I congratulate all of my married/engaged friends who have recently found new lights for their lives. I don't mind the Courtney Curse. I like watching people I love find happiness in their lives through the greatest form of companionship. I'm sure they have made good decisions and have been guided by the Spirit of the Lord -- that ultimate source of light -- that the decision they are making is the right one. They have a wonderful time ahead of them. Marriage is great. It's my ultimate goal. But while they have been offered that wonderful blessing, I haven't yet. I haven't found that special someone to share my life with. I've had opportunities, but the Spirit hasn't given me the go-ahead yet. But I really don't adopt that always-the-bridesmaid attitude some single girls embrace. Being single doesn't mean God loves me less. It just means I need more time to learn some things about life and about myself. Young single life is a great opportunity and, let's be honest, it doesn't last forever. So in the meantime, I'll reap the benefits of my curse by attending lots of receptions and eating lots of cake. Being single never tasted so sweet.
Listening to: "Sweet Spirit" from the Sons of Provo Soundtrack. (Trust me, I'm not listening to this song for any particular reason related to the topic of marriage. It just happens to be on my Sunday playlist and it just came on...)
Things Going on Today: I visit Polly, my last Sunday here in Minnesota for a long time, I reckon.
Blessings: Marriage, wedding receptions, old friends.
Today I learned: Well it's morning, so I'll tell you what I learned yesterday... The songs "Tonight Tonight" by Hot Chelle Rae and "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus have the same chord progressions.
My roommate got engaged this week.
And then another friend of mine got married yesterday.
A lot of people in my life are finding their soul mates these days...
My soon-to-be-roommate Courtney claims to have a curse put on her where all of her friends get married within months of knowing her. I've seen evidence of this. Within a few short weeks of knowing my roommate Chantelle, Courtney was witness to her engagement and was even present at their recent sealing. Courtney has countless other stories that follow a similar vein. While BYU is already a hot place for many to find a spouse, Courtney seems particularly prone to falling into peoples' lives at the cusp of their matrimonial fulfillment. It's odd.
Despite her curse, I have yet to find myself a suitable match for marriage since I have known Courtney, and it's been almost a year. This fact leads me to believe that I have successfully avoided the marriage curse. However, in circumventing the eminent engagement that should have happened due to the curse, I'm afraid I picked up the curse myself. Now it seems like everyone I know is getting married.
Or at least getting boyfriends. My roommate Sammie is a prime example. She found her boyfriend behind the counter at Taco Bell. We -- that is, Courtney, Sammie and I -- went on a spontaneous adventure to that haven of precious non-wheat goodness (Courtney's top restaurant criteria) and Sammie was drawn to the friendliness of the boy behind the counter, whose plastic nametag donned the title ANDREW. After a brief exchange while waiting for our nachos to be prepared, Sammie decided she'd give him her number and ask him out sometime. As we left the Taco Bell, she lingered behind to talk to Andrew and... Welp. The rest is history. This guy behind Taco Bell happened to be exactly what Sammie wanted. Wouldn't be surprised if they got hitched someday.
Then there's my former roommate Amoray, who was engaged already when I moved in to Omni 172 with her. She had a splendid reception last month, and is now a happy newlywed with her spouse Nathan. My final roommate, Alicia, was the one who just got engaged this week to her boyfriend Josh. And then there's Esther and HER Nathan, due to get married at the end of August. (YIKES that's not that far away....) And my friend Jason just tied the knot. And my coworker, Jen, should be engaged any day now, I think. All over the place, new connections have been formed between people I've known for years, but never imagined that they'd one day find each other and decide to spend the rest of their lives with each other. It's a little cray-cray.
Of course, Courtney also has pretty decent contact with most of the people I know at BYU, so maybe she is the one responsible for all the marriages and I'm just a victim by association. But maybe that's just the way BYU is wherever you go. Curse or no curse, people get married all the time. It's a fact of life.
Time has played a nasty trick on me. One minute, I'm in High School and marriage is this dim light in the distance within a dark tunnel. Suddenly now it's this freak show of neon and sparkles that's RIGHT ON TOP OF ME and I feel like at a marriage-rave or something. And I, of course, feel pressured to join in this drug-trip that's called love and find myself a dance partner who is equally high on the idea of eternal companionship. And I know that one day the climax of this trip will be fully realized in a white dress and lots of flowers.
But the catch is that all this crazy love-drug stuff I see now is gonna change again someday into this glowing candle flame that -- while useful, beautiful, and powerful -- needs to be protected and fueled by hard work and patience. Marriage, contrary to popular (Mormon) belief, isn't the answer to all of life's problems. It's not just a day-long thing. It's forever. Or at least a lifetime. I need to be careful not to get too carried away with all the schmaltz and glamour of weddings.
Yeah, I dream. I literally have dreamed about my proposal hundreds of times. In my dreams, it's taken place everywhere from a romantic garden, to a stage in front of thousands of people, to my bathroom. Yes, I do wonder what my dress is gonna be like and what my colors are gonna be and who's all going to be there and where it's gonna take place. Amoray has told me that it's never too early to start preparing, and I agree. Discovering your options isn't a bad thing. Asking for feedback and exploring what's out there is definitely good. But what I must keep in mind is the fact that marriage -- eternal marriage, especially -- is not about the wedding day, but about the years, decades, centuries, millenia that come afterwards.
Moral of the story: There's no hurry into eternity. It's better to wait and buy yourself a lasting, durable survival candle than a dinky multi-colored kid's flashlight -- even when it is on sale at the front of the store for a buck-and-a-half. For marriage, it's better to get the 100-watt, long-lasting bulb than one of them flashy disco lights with all the spinning colors. Those things last like five minutes, and you can't even see what you're doing in the meantime! Forgive all these stupid luminescent analogies, but marriage needs to provide the light that makes things clearer, not more confusing. So don't jump to grab the first shiny thing you see. Don't marry for the sake of marriage. Marry because you love someone, and he loves you back.
Listening to: "Sweet Spirit" from the Sons of Provo Soundtrack. (Trust me, I'm not listening to this song for any particular reason related to the topic of marriage. It just happens to be on my Sunday playlist and it just came on...)
Things Going on Today: I visit Polly, my last Sunday here in Minnesota for a long time, I reckon.
Blessings: Marriage, wedding receptions, old friends.
Today I learned: Well it's morning, so I'll tell you what I learned yesterday... The songs "Tonight Tonight" by Hot Chelle Rae and "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus have the same chord progressions.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Home is where the Start is.
Sometimes it's really sad to come home after being away for a long time; so many things have changed. Some changes have been good, some changes have been bad, and some have just been -- well, changes...
I'd say a positive change I've seen in Minnesota since I've been here last has been in my own neighborhood. These past few months, they've been re-paving the cul-de-sac that leads up to my humble Minnesota abode. I've been receiving updates from my parents and siblings throughout the process, and while it apparently has been a pain in the neck for my family to have the road all torn up in front of their house, I have come at just the right time to take a look at the finished product. All that's left to do is to re-sod the lawn right next to the curb and to sweep off all the leftover dust. The road is clean and straight and wonderful. It was a renovation long overdue.
There were some changes made inside my house, as well. I suppose it had to happen eventually, but I was very surprised to come home to find that my parents had given my bed away to the Burnsville missionaries. My room is no longer mine anymore; my sister, Ellen, has her own room, spruced up with fun decorations. All my effects left behind have been pushed into one drawer in the dresser or back into the corner of the closet. Sighing with defeat, I accept the fact that this change just had to happen. I don't live here anymore. I'm here to visit my family on vacation, and as a guest, I sleep in the guest bedroom with its hide-a-bed sofa. I have no clothes of my own here, so I live out of a suitcase and borrow any necessities from my sister.
Yesterday I visited some friends I knew from high school. That was an eye-opening experience for me. We went to Perkins and then just hung out at someone's house until 12:30 at night. Everyone's doing fine, I think. They all have big plans for the future: graduation, basic military training, work, school, families. It was great catching up with them, and exchanging gossip about others whom we've had the chance to interact with. But as conversation went on I realized how much these old friends of mine have grown up -- and in some cases, how much they haven't. They're making their own choices now, and many of those choices will have a very big impact on their future. People I used to have very high opinions of have suddenly been humanized, in a weird sort of way. They're making choices I don't agree with. Their lifestyles are now very different than mine. We no longer have many things in common with each other. It sort of makes me sad.
I don't blame myself for their actions. Really. That's one thing I think many may assume. I do not mean to say that I have shirked any duty or committed any sin of remission towards them. But part of me wonders if I am also a victim of time. Do people look at me the same way I look at them? Different, wavering, changing in my standards and morals? Have I changed? Should I have changed? How could my actions and behaviors and beliefs change others around me? What mistakes have I made that cause others to look at me differently? What mistakes have I made that cause me to look at myself differently? These are hard questions for me to ask myself, and sometimes I don't want to hear the answer.
Seasons of time change. I can't still be wearing a huge winter jacket when the summer sun is shining its ferocious heat on my life. That seems counter-productive. I need to shed my old life completely and embrace the things that never change. To be perfectly honest, I would be happy never personally visiting Minnesota again. I don't think it's worth going back to something that has completely disappeared. I love my old friends and I wish the best for them, but I think my opportunity to be a good influence in their lives has ended, and we have no more to offer each other.
Moral of the story: Change is hard. Change is very hard. But it's necessary.
Listening to: "Somewhere" by Emily Brown
Things Going On Today: I visit my friend Ingrid, I watch Harry Potter 6, and I read Middlemarch. (Almost done!)
Blessings: Family, a God that doesn't change.
Learned: I haven't learned anything yet today, which means I have wasted loads of time.
I'd say a positive change I've seen in Minnesota since I've been here last has been in my own neighborhood. These past few months, they've been re-paving the cul-de-sac that leads up to my humble Minnesota abode. I've been receiving updates from my parents and siblings throughout the process, and while it apparently has been a pain in the neck for my family to have the road all torn up in front of their house, I have come at just the right time to take a look at the finished product. All that's left to do is to re-sod the lawn right next to the curb and to sweep off all the leftover dust. The road is clean and straight and wonderful. It was a renovation long overdue.
There were some changes made inside my house, as well. I suppose it had to happen eventually, but I was very surprised to come home to find that my parents had given my bed away to the Burnsville missionaries. My room is no longer mine anymore; my sister, Ellen, has her own room, spruced up with fun decorations. All my effects left behind have been pushed into one drawer in the dresser or back into the corner of the closet. Sighing with defeat, I accept the fact that this change just had to happen. I don't live here anymore. I'm here to visit my family on vacation, and as a guest, I sleep in the guest bedroom with its hide-a-bed sofa. I have no clothes of my own here, so I live out of a suitcase and borrow any necessities from my sister.
Yesterday I visited some friends I knew from high school. That was an eye-opening experience for me. We went to Perkins and then just hung out at someone's house until 12:30 at night. Everyone's doing fine, I think. They all have big plans for the future: graduation, basic military training, work, school, families. It was great catching up with them, and exchanging gossip about others whom we've had the chance to interact with. But as conversation went on I realized how much these old friends of mine have grown up -- and in some cases, how much they haven't. They're making their own choices now, and many of those choices will have a very big impact on their future. People I used to have very high opinions of have suddenly been humanized, in a weird sort of way. They're making choices I don't agree with. Their lifestyles are now very different than mine. We no longer have many things in common with each other. It sort of makes me sad.
I don't blame myself for their actions. Really. That's one thing I think many may assume. I do not mean to say that I have shirked any duty or committed any sin of remission towards them. But part of me wonders if I am also a victim of time. Do people look at me the same way I look at them? Different, wavering, changing in my standards and morals? Have I changed? Should I have changed? How could my actions and behaviors and beliefs change others around me? What mistakes have I made that cause others to look at me differently? What mistakes have I made that cause me to look at myself differently? These are hard questions for me to ask myself, and sometimes I don't want to hear the answer.
Seasons of time change. I can't still be wearing a huge winter jacket when the summer sun is shining its ferocious heat on my life. That seems counter-productive. I need to shed my old life completely and embrace the things that never change. To be perfectly honest, I would be happy never personally visiting Minnesota again. I don't think it's worth going back to something that has completely disappeared. I love my old friends and I wish the best for them, but I think my opportunity to be a good influence in their lives has ended, and we have no more to offer each other.
Moral of the story: Change is hard. Change is very hard. But it's necessary.
Listening to: "Somewhere" by Emily Brown
Things Going On Today: I visit my friend Ingrid, I watch Harry Potter 6, and I read Middlemarch. (Almost done!)
Blessings: Family, a God that doesn't change.
Learned: I haven't learned anything yet today, which means I have wasted loads of time.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
A Shark...
It's been a while, so I guess I could update the world on what I've been doing these past few days...
Now that the boyfriend is gone to Seattle, I suddenly have more time to focus on homework and reading and sleeping and other good do-by-yourself things. I'm taking two classes this semester -- 4th Semester American Sign Language and Intro to Contemporary Art -- and they've been pretty cool, more or less...
The ASL class turned out to be harder than I originally expected. I spent two or three hours practicing for the first midterm but still only got 79% on it. That's the lowest grade I've ever received on a midterm. Ever. So now I'm all paranoid that I won't get an A in the class. So I'm working hard to get 100 percent on EVERYTHING in that class now.
As for Contemporary art, I think I got a shot at an A. My paper is going to be about Damien Hirst, this guy who dips sharks in formaldehyde as a metaphor of death. I don't quite understand it yet, but I think I will once this paper gets written.
What else? Oh yes, my new roommates. I've sort of latched on to my ROOM-roommate, Sammy, who's from California. She and I have a lot in common and that's pretty cool, seeing as we came from completely different backgrounds and didn't know each other existed before we were set in this room. She is very brave, very musical, and always looking for a good time. I have a feeling she may have the key to unlocking my social single self again. Spending a whole semester with a boyfriend in the ward kind of tunes you out to the rest of the ward population, and now I need to try reconnecting with people. Sounds fun...
Now that the boyfriend is gone to Seattle, I suddenly have more time to focus on homework and reading and sleeping and other good do-by-yourself things. I'm taking two classes this semester -- 4th Semester American Sign Language and Intro to Contemporary Art -- and they've been pretty cool, more or less...
The ASL class turned out to be harder than I originally expected. I spent two or three hours practicing for the first midterm but still only got 79% on it. That's the lowest grade I've ever received on a midterm. Ever. So now I'm all paranoid that I won't get an A in the class. So I'm working hard to get 100 percent on EVERYTHING in that class now.
As for Contemporary art, I think I got a shot at an A. My paper is going to be about Damien Hirst, this guy who dips sharks in formaldehyde as a metaphor of death. I don't quite understand it yet, but I think I will once this paper gets written.
 |
| The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living |
Listening to: The Edge of Glory by GAGA. An amazing song, by the way. Like nothing she's ever done before. Kind of a Springsteen-esque anthem with a dance twist. There's this pretty cool sax solo in the middle that gives it some class, and she soars on these high notes I didn't know she could sing when she came out with the Fame. By the looks of things, this is going to be a pretty good album, methinks.
Things Going On Today: Laundry, no work.
Blessings: Headphones, TA labs, and... sharks.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
30-Day Song Challenge: Day 18 -- A Song I wish I heard on the Radio
Book on Tape Worm's "Shadow Puppets."
It's not the only song by Book on Tape Worm that I want to hear on the radio, but it's the song that accompanies this cool promo video for their upcoming album release.
I know all three members of Book on Tape Worm personally. One of them is my roommate, Emily. They are an amazing band and they're going to be putting out a record sometime this year! I am so excited!! Their music is other-worldly, in a way. It uses an interesting combination of guitar, cello, piano, and profound lyrics that create this dreamworld. Someone once called them a "lullaband," and I would have to agree, Book on Tape Worm writes lullabies disguised as anti-folk ballads. It's a unique sound that I wish other bands would replicate. People love them. You should too.
It's not the only song by Book on Tape Worm that I want to hear on the radio, but it's the song that accompanies this cool promo video for their upcoming album release.
I know all three members of Book on Tape Worm personally. One of them is my roommate, Emily. They are an amazing band and they're going to be putting out a record sometime this year! I am so excited!! Their music is other-worldly, in a way. It uses an interesting combination of guitar, cello, piano, and profound lyrics that create this dreamworld. Someone once called them a "lullaband," and I would have to agree, Book on Tape Worm writes lullabies disguised as anti-folk ballads. It's a unique sound that I wish other bands would replicate. People love them. You should too.
Monday, March 14, 2011
30-Day Song Day 5 -- A Song that Reminds Me of Someone
Steely Dan -- Almost Gothic
Listening to: That's All
Things Going On Today: Slept in, so I didn't get to work until around 9, had a drunk time with Jen, and went to classes.
Blessings: The Internet, Scriptures, and good friends who make me talk things out.
Listening to: That's All
Things Going On Today: Slept in, so I didn't get to work until around 9, had a drunk time with Jen, and went to classes.
Blessings: The Internet, Scriptures, and good friends who make me talk things out.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Aminals
I went to the zoo yesterday with my favorite people...
I saw a lot of animals...
My friend, the creepy owl...
This is a lizard, not a snake. Cool, huh? I learned something!
Some had incredible senses of fashion...
Including Emily's friend Madison, who had amazing shoes.
I especially liked hanging out with my cousin Aubrey, who is obsessed with all things that possess giblets.
I worry sometimes, though, that she will break the glass cages and devour the poor rodents within.
"In order to think predator, you gotta be predator."
Listening to: School House Rock
Things Going on Today: Dinner at Academy Arms 1, Game night in Academy Arms 12 and 13, church
Blessings: A torn up knee. I don't have to work tomorrow!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
From college
Some cool stuff I've found since I've gotten to BYU...
A Picture I took at my Bishop's house. I was so bored.
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/435679/paparazzi-live.jhtml#id=1620606
Lady Gaga at VMA'S. A stunning performance.
A picture Devin took of a Balloon at a BYU game. I only went to one Cougar game, myself, and while I was there, he kept making fun of me about how I seemed to be more interested in the floating balloons than the game. The next game he went to, he took this picture for me and sent it to Ashley's phone, along with the text "Show this to Helena. It's a balloon."
You can hardly even see it. But I appreciate the thought.
Then there's a little poetry...
I've had this obsession with mirrors lately. How much truth do they reveal, and how much to they have to teach me about myself and my mission in life?
A mirror
Is just glass
It can lie, can't it?
I look down at my hands
(I have hands?)
Who am I?
"be yourself"
well...
who is it?
is it me?
or the girl in the mirror?
or am i her?
the girl he sees?
Who am I?
that's not the question.
I know who I am.
I'm Hannah.
I have hands.
And eyes -- (both inside and outside)
to view my reflections.
I can see who I am.
I know who I am.
It's who I want to be...
That's the bigger question.
A Picture I took at my Bishop's house. I was so bored.
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/435679/paparazzi-live.jhtml#id=1620606
Lady Gaga at VMA'S. A stunning performance.
A picture Devin took of a Balloon at a BYU game. I only went to one Cougar game, myself, and while I was there, he kept making fun of me about how I seemed to be more interested in the floating balloons than the game. The next game he went to, he took this picture for me and sent it to Ashley's phone, along with the text "Show this to Helena. It's a balloon."
You can hardly even see it. But I appreciate the thought.
Then there's a little poetry...
I've had this obsession with mirrors lately. How much truth do they reveal, and how much to they have to teach me about myself and my mission in life?
A mirror
Is just glass
It can lie, can't it?
I look down at my hands
(I have hands?)
Who am I?
"be yourself"
well...
who is it?
is it me?
or the girl in the mirror?
or am i her?
the girl he sees?
Who am I?
that's not the question.
I know who I am.
I'm Hannah.
I have hands.
And eyes -- (both inside and outside)
to view my reflections.
I can see who I am.
I know who I am.
It's who I want to be...
That's the bigger question.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Gifts:
\/Katie Livingston: bracelet made from pink/blue butterfly beads and a pipe cleaner. Simple, yet sweet
Emily Broich: How about a nice poem by keats written on a pretty sheet of paper with nice calligraphy?
Ellen: Something musical... maybe a necklace?
Jess Stover: A comic strip!
Laura: A short piano sonata
\/Zach o'connor: a turkey!!!
Rachel: Paint a picture
Maggie: CD full of good free the61 music
Rachel Barker: An acrostic poem on nice paper
Charmaine: A box. :D
Chris Nelson: plastic spoon doll. :D :D paint it nice.
Sam: Decorate a Notebook
Emily Broich: How about a nice poem by keats written on a pretty sheet of paper with nice calligraphy?
Ellen: Something musical... maybe a necklace?
Jess Stover: A comic strip!
Laura: A short piano sonata
\/Zach o'connor: a turkey!!!
Rachel: Paint a picture
Maggie: CD full of good free the61 music
Rachel Barker: An acrostic poem on nice paper
Charmaine: A box. :D
Chris Nelson: plastic spoon doll. :D :D paint it nice.
Sam: Decorate a Notebook
Thursday, May 7, 2009
MEMORIES
Memory is nothing more than the past's transluscent ghost,
And yet memories are also things I hate the very most.
For memories bring back tears that, never again, should fall.
I often go back inside the cavern of my mind
Trying hard to remember what I've left behind
But sometimes I wish I couldn't remember at all.
Some shine as clear as crystal, sending waves of fear and dread
And some are thin as smoke -- like a fog inside my head.
For some reason, it's the happy ones that I cannot perceive.
These tiny glints of feeling give me reason to believe
It's the memories you have that show the past is never dead.
I see into the past... back to that blessed place
I see a special moment... see a blessed face
And I wish with all my heart to be back there.
Back to the arms of home, and its vague, but sweet carress.
I try to forget it, but I see it nonetheless.
I can't help but reminisce and say a prayer.
I pray I'll see that day again, the hope we'll reunite,
For the pictures in my head to be focused, clear, and bright.
And all amongst the agonies, regret, remorse, and pain,
With every happy memory, a hint of hope remains.
It's the hope of the future that, in this tunnel, shines a light.
And maybe I won't ever see those images I save
And I'll live my life just wishing, and trying to be brave.
Perhaps I'll see that face once more when I have passed through death.
It's for those wondrous moments that I'd give my every breath.
It's the memories I keep that help me not fear the grave.
THIS PLACE
Just one day inside this place
Brings smiles of joy across my face.
For it is here I found a trace
of something goodlike old, dark wood
And now I've learned to love this space.
Every corner, every wall
I can anticipate your call
and though you're often not there at all
I hear your voice
Like soft white noise
Echoing in every hall.
It seems you're in this air I breathe:
The atmosphere I must not leave.
These toxins oft make me believe
You're not away
You're here to stay
Your arms around me like a wreath.
The ground I place my feet upon
Is ground you've graced for oh, so long,
And though I know that you are gone
Your soul is there
In ever chair
In every voice, I hear your song.
And when I leave this memory here
And the pictures grow unclear,
I hope your face shall still appear
Within my dreams
On moonlit beams
And in my heart be always near.
Memory is nothing more than the past's transluscent ghost,
And yet memories are also things I hate the very most.
For memories bring back tears that, never again, should fall.
I often go back inside the cavern of my mind
Trying hard to remember what I've left behind
But sometimes I wish I couldn't remember at all.
Some shine as clear as crystal, sending waves of fear and dread
And some are thin as smoke -- like a fog inside my head.
For some reason, it's the happy ones that I cannot perceive.
These tiny glints of feeling give me reason to believe
It's the memories you have that show the past is never dead.
I see into the past... back to that blessed place
I see a special moment... see a blessed face
And I wish with all my heart to be back there.
Back to the arms of home, and its vague, but sweet carress.
I try to forget it, but I see it nonetheless.
I can't help but reminisce and say a prayer.
I pray I'll see that day again, the hope we'll reunite,
For the pictures in my head to be focused, clear, and bright.
And all amongst the agonies, regret, remorse, and pain,
With every happy memory, a hint of hope remains.
It's the hope of the future that, in this tunnel, shines a light.
And maybe I won't ever see those images I save
And I'll live my life just wishing, and trying to be brave.
Perhaps I'll see that face once more when I have passed through death.
It's for those wondrous moments that I'd give my every breath.
It's the memories I keep that help me not fear the grave.
THIS PLACE
Just one day inside this place
Brings smiles of joy across my face.
For it is here I found a trace
of something goodlike old, dark wood
And now I've learned to love this space.
Every corner, every wall
I can anticipate your call
and though you're often not there at all
I hear your voice
Like soft white noise
Echoing in every hall.
It seems you're in this air I breathe:
The atmosphere I must not leave.
These toxins oft make me believe
You're not away
You're here to stay
Your arms around me like a wreath.
The ground I place my feet upon
Is ground you've graced for oh, so long,
And though I know that you are gone
Your soul is there
In ever chair
In every voice, I hear your song.
And when I leave this memory here
And the pictures grow unclear,
I hope your face shall still appear
Within my dreams
On moonlit beams
And in my heart be always near.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Prom was AMAZING!
I had the best time ever at prom! From the amazing meal, to the limo rides, to grinding with all my friends (blush), to the great music, to my cute sophomore date, to watching prince caspian at a friend's house until 4 in the morning afterward. It was fantastic.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
The Secret Garden
Well, the Secret Garden is now officially over. And I feel absolutely nothing. Really, while everyone else cried, I just sat and watched. It's not that I wasn't sad or anything, I just didn't quite feel like it was totally over. I mean, I'd still be seeing all these people for a while, and I didn't really like being in this show anyway. Things just aren't the same now. I don't know. I'm writing a poem about it and hopefully that will make more sense than this ridiculously useless post.
I wish I could write about mundane things that happen to me and make them sound really pretty and interesting. But I really am at a loss for ideas nowadays. I feel like I'm writing just words and not actual thoughts and messages to the world. I don't want to change the world or anything, I just wish people could read my stuff and be able to think, "That is one intelligent individual." But right now all these letters I'm typing are like pointless. Ugh.
I wish I could write about mundane things that happen to me and make them sound really pretty and interesting. But I really am at a loss for ideas nowadays. I feel like I'm writing just words and not actual thoughts and messages to the world. I don't want to change the world or anything, I just wish people could read my stuff and be able to think, "That is one intelligent individual." But right now all these letters I'm typing are like pointless. Ugh.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Alright, an Eventful Fourth...
I saw "Get Smart" with Thaddeus and the Redhead yesterday.
It was funnishly uncomfortable.
I loved being with him. With her. With both of them. They're both EXTREMELY nice people, which is why they work well together, I think. Anyway, Thaddeus picked me up and we drove out and saw the movie. Afterwards we decided we could still catch some fireworks. So we went up to a parking ramp and looked out along the horizons of our town and watched about six displays at once. They were far away, but we heard them.
Then we decided the stars were awful pretty that night, so we went out to a feild by my old Junior High School and we just laid down and watched the stars. The big dipper was out that night. That was the only constellation I recognized... And I saw it first. That was probably my favorite part of the night.
Then we went to the Redhead's house. We were going to watch a movie, but we couldn't decide on one, so Thaddeus simply played the guitar and we talked and joked around a bit. Thaddeus is very ticklish. So am I, but they never cared to see if I was. They were so cute, it made me want to go jump out of a window. Not die, necessarily, but do something that would take my mind off of it. And it takes something as extreme like jumping out a window to get my mind off of things like this. Does that make me a weird person? I think lots of people feel that way, they just don't want to admit it...
I felt like the thumb in a mittened hand. While Thaddeus and Redhead were enjoying themselves together, I felt a little like I wasn't supposed to be there. But they did seem very hospitable. Redhead talked to me a lot.. we have a lot in common. That's one thing I hate. Whenever I do something, Thaddeus always says things like, "Redhead does that too." And I wish I could say, "WELL I'M NOT REDHEAD, SO QUIT COMPARING ME TO HER ALL THE TIME!!"
Look at this, this entry is beginning to sound like my diary. Excuse my rants. On to more important things:
Anyway, time now for your traditional helena movie review on "Get Smart." Highly recommend it. It's got enough action and suspense, but it's also absolutely hilarious! The actor who plays Max is so silly... But he's so serious as he's being silly, it's even more silly! And this was probably Anne Hathaway at her best as well. My only problem: We never find out Agent 99's real name, and that annoys me. We know Max is Max, but who's Agent 99? Anyway, there are also some slams at the president in the movie. They're not bad, but you know what they're trying to say. So that added some extra political humor that I think some of my readers might enjoy.
Speaking of readers, I'm wondering if I should share this blog with anyone else in my friendship circle. My only thing against it would be all the personal stuff I've shoved in here. Like the beginning of this entry. But, at the same time, it's not impossible to remove this personal stuff, and if my readership widens enough, those who don't know me personally will never know who the people of which I speak are. Even those within my social circle might have a tough time with some of them, although just about everyone knows who Thaddeus and Redhead are. I didn't give them those nicknames to prevent people I know from understanding who they are. The purpose of these nicknames is to make sure that if there are any creepers out there, THEY won't know exactly who they are. I'm rambling now.
It was funnishly uncomfortable.
I loved being with him. With her. With both of them. They're both EXTREMELY nice people, which is why they work well together, I think. Anyway, Thaddeus picked me up and we drove out and saw the movie. Afterwards we decided we could still catch some fireworks. So we went up to a parking ramp and looked out along the horizons of our town and watched about six displays at once. They were far away, but we heard them.
Then we decided the stars were awful pretty that night, so we went out to a feild by my old Junior High School and we just laid down and watched the stars. The big dipper was out that night. That was the only constellation I recognized... And I saw it first. That was probably my favorite part of the night.
Then we went to the Redhead's house. We were going to watch a movie, but we couldn't decide on one, so Thaddeus simply played the guitar and we talked and joked around a bit. Thaddeus is very ticklish. So am I, but they never cared to see if I was. They were so cute, it made me want to go jump out of a window. Not die, necessarily, but do something that would take my mind off of it. And it takes something as extreme like jumping out a window to get my mind off of things like this. Does that make me a weird person? I think lots of people feel that way, they just don't want to admit it...
I felt like the thumb in a mittened hand. While Thaddeus and Redhead were enjoying themselves together, I felt a little like I wasn't supposed to be there. But they did seem very hospitable. Redhead talked to me a lot.. we have a lot in common. That's one thing I hate. Whenever I do something, Thaddeus always says things like, "Redhead does that too." And I wish I could say, "WELL I'M NOT REDHEAD, SO QUIT COMPARING ME TO HER ALL THE TIME!!"
Look at this, this entry is beginning to sound like my diary. Excuse my rants. On to more important things:
Anyway, time now for your traditional helena movie review on "Get Smart." Highly recommend it. It's got enough action and suspense, but it's also absolutely hilarious! The actor who plays Max is so silly... But he's so serious as he's being silly, it's even more silly! And this was probably Anne Hathaway at her best as well. My only problem: We never find out Agent 99's real name, and that annoys me. We know Max is Max, but who's Agent 99? Anyway, there are also some slams at the president in the movie. They're not bad, but you know what they're trying to say. So that added some extra political humor that I think some of my readers might enjoy.
Speaking of readers, I'm wondering if I should share this blog with anyone else in my friendship circle. My only thing against it would be all the personal stuff I've shoved in here. Like the beginning of this entry. But, at the same time, it's not impossible to remove this personal stuff, and if my readership widens enough, those who don't know me personally will never know who the people of which I speak are. Even those within my social circle might have a tough time with some of them, although just about everyone knows who Thaddeus and Redhead are. I didn't give them those nicknames to prevent people I know from understanding who they are. The purpose of these nicknames is to make sure that if there are any creepers out there, THEY won't know exactly who they are. I'm rambling now.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Today, Dreams, Dake, Thaddeus, and Music.
I did a lot today.
Well, sort of. I slept in a lot because, as you may know, I stayed up really late last night. But when I got up, I showered, practiced my pit music, mowed the lawn, massaged my grandmother's back, and clean up a little.
I am very tired now.
My friend Thunderchild has been talking about dreams she's had. I, for one, have not had many dreams these days, which is sort of depressing. I used to have dreams all the time. I'd write them down and share them with my friends and analyze them. But now there's nothing. I wake up every morning with nothing but the morning on my mind. My friend Dake told me that you are guaranteed to have dreams if you imagine a blue cloud/liquid flowing to the back of your head. Something about chokras or whatever.... Dake's been very weird these days. He likes ouija boards and auras and stuff like that. Not quite the stuff I'm into. We are very different people, but everyone says we'd make a cute couple. He told me he liked me before asking me to prom, and ever since then I've felt sort of awkward around him. But that just might be because wherever he is, Thaddeus is usually close by. And with Thaddeus comes feelings of uncertainty and anxiousness about everything.
I love Thaddeus with a passion I don't think is good for me. It's so hard not to love him when he comes up to you during a get-together and just sits and talks to you and listens smiling as you rant about Legally Blonde, Gerard Butler's eyes, and other sappy romantic girly stuff he cares nothing about. It's hard not to love him when he calls five minutes after you leave his house and asks, "You know the way back home, right?" it's hard not to love him when he simply smiles at you for no apparent reason. Okay, now I'm getting very sappy and this whole post is going to become a waste of time if I don't put in something meaningful...
I've made an interesting discovery these past few days. As a Mormon, I am a firm believer of honesty. In fact, one of the requirements to attend the temple is to be "honest in your dealings with your fellow men." All your dealings. Mostly, I think I'm pretty good at it now. Sure, I tell a white lie once in a while, but when I do I usually catch myself and change it. I also don't cheat or take other people's things...
or do I?
The other day I was sitting in a parking lot waiting for my mom, listening to my iPod. I looked down at the song, and then I realized, "Wait a minute. I burned this song off of the CD belonging to a friend of mine. I didn't pay for it. Does that mean I STOLE the song?"
After serious thought, prayer, and after talking to parents, church leaders, and friends, I have decided that yes, burning music that was not yours in the first place into your own music library is a form of dishonesty. It's stealing, whether illegal or not. At this moment in time, I'm a little bit hypocritical because I have not gotten rid of this questionable music yet. it's SO HARD... I've gotten so used to having these cds, I don't want to just drop em now. I mean, all my My Chemical Romance CDs were burned copies of my friends' cds. Half my Nightwish, half my within temptation, all my three days grace, motion city soundtrack, matchbox 20, lifehouse, the fray, and then theres all those mixes people randomly have given me. heck, even some of my CHURCH music is burned!!!! I think for my birthday I'm going to ask people for Itunes gift cards and cash, so I can rebuy those cds. I don't feel ready to do it. But isn't real obedience doing things you don't want to do? This is the hardest sacrifice I've ever had to make for my church, and I'm still not totally sure that it's a sacrifice I simply HAVE to make.... I'm probably ranting, now. And absolutely everyone I've talked to has said that it's okay to own such music... but just because everyone SAYS it's okay doesn't mean it IS okay, right? I'm so torn!!!
One things for sure, I'm not getting any sleep tonight... it's already past one. darn it.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Trek Friends
Gotta tell you about a new guy I met this week on the Trek.
I'll call him the Mormon boy and he's so SWEET!! He told me I had a great spiritual gift of a good voice and he talked to me so much!!! And for once, he's a guy who's actually in my grade that I can see for a whole 'nother year!! Yay!
Other boys I met while on the trek:
The Songwriter, who is... obviously... a songwriter who loves church as much as I do. he's really nice, but is going to BYU next year. Too bad.
The Tickler. yes he tickles me a lot. I really think he likes me, actually. Which is funny because I don't necessarily HUMUNGOUSLY like him. I like the attention he gives me... plus he's really cute. But he talks about only things HE knows about... whether or not I care. I don't quite know what to think of him.
Mr. Every Hour -- a guy who has some problems in life, but was willing to go on the trek and I really admire that.
Be Still My Soul -- A guy in my company who is a recent convert who I also deeply admire. he's huge, but he's so sweet!!
some girls:
there's this girl named leslie who I won't bother renaming because she's moving soon and I won't see her again.. But she's also really cute and she really made me feel special on the trek.
The Roommate: What a cool girl. I was once really jealous of her but now I see the real her. She's strong and caring. Her dad is getting baptized! I'm so excited for both of them!
There are so many other friends I can hardly name them all! I loved this trek so much!!!
Once again... the Mormon Boy is SO cute!!!!
I'll call him the Mormon boy and he's so SWEET!! He told me I had a great spiritual gift of a good voice and he talked to me so much!!! And for once, he's a guy who's actually in my grade that I can see for a whole 'nother year!! Yay!
Other boys I met while on the trek:
The Songwriter, who is... obviously... a songwriter who loves church as much as I do. he's really nice, but is going to BYU next year. Too bad.
The Tickler. yes he tickles me a lot. I really think he likes me, actually. Which is funny because I don't necessarily HUMUNGOUSLY like him. I like the attention he gives me... plus he's really cute. But he talks about only things HE knows about... whether or not I care. I don't quite know what to think of him.
Mr. Every Hour -- a guy who has some problems in life, but was willing to go on the trek and I really admire that.
Be Still My Soul -- A guy in my company who is a recent convert who I also deeply admire. he's huge, but he's so sweet!!
some girls:
there's this girl named leslie who I won't bother renaming because she's moving soon and I won't see her again.. But she's also really cute and she really made me feel special on the trek.
The Roommate: What a cool girl. I was once really jealous of her but now I see the real her. She's strong and caring. Her dad is getting baptized! I'm so excited for both of them!
There are so many other friends I can hardly name them all! I loved this trek so much!!!
Once again... the Mormon Boy is SO cute!!!!
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