Stoned wallabies? Really?
I love this article. But my favorite part is what people said on the bottom. Made my day! Hope it does the same for you. :)
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Cats...?
I'm not exactly sure what the phrase, "The cat's out of the bag" is supposed to mean.
I mean, who puts a cat in a bag in the first place? I think a bag would be the last place I'd put a cat. It's not like any cat is going to go into a bag peacefully.
And imagine what it'd be like to let the cat out of the bag! I'm sure it'd come flying out of that bag like a bat out of hell, claws a blazin'.
In all reality, I do know what the phrase means. But who coined it? Who thought, "Well, I've had this secret, and I finally told people. How could I say that? Hmmm...Got it! 'The cat's out of the bag!' Definitely the best way to put it."
My opinion? Not really.
I mean, who puts a cat in a bag in the first place? I think a bag would be the last place I'd put a cat. It's not like any cat is going to go into a bag peacefully.
And imagine what it'd be like to let the cat out of the bag! I'm sure it'd come flying out of that bag like a bat out of hell, claws a blazin'.
In all reality, I do know what the phrase means. But who coined it? Who thought, "Well, I've had this secret, and I finally told people. How could I say that? Hmmm...Got it! 'The cat's out of the bag!' Definitely the best way to put it."
My opinion? Not really.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Feet
Today I was sitting in the library studying for a test. I was also listening to my iPod. I'd been listening to it for awhile, just sitting there reading through my notes. Then, some movement caught my eye, so I looked down near my foot to see what it was. That's when I found out: it was my foot.
"That's weird." I thought to myself. "I'm not telling my foot to move..."
Not only was my foot moving, but it was moving to the beat of the music that I was listening to. Sometimes I think of things that I know I'll want to blog about, but I know I'll forget them if I don't write them down somewhere, and the most convenient place for that happens to be my phone. This is what I wrote:
Do you ever realize a part of your body is moving, even though you're not telling to, and didn't know until you saw it moving?
I'm not talking reflexes here, kids. I'm talking about major amounts of continuous movement. I sat and watched my foot move for the rest of the song. I wasn't aware that I was telling it to move...the strange thing is that this happens to me fairly often, and not just in my feet (although that's usually where this phenomenon occurs). My best guess as to why it happens is one or both of these reasons: 1) I dance so much that I don't even realize that I'm dancing non-stop, and/or 2) I have been a musician all my life, and I can't help but feel the beat of music.
I'm not really sure if this happens to anyone else...but this is me we're talking about here. The odds of me being abnormal are pretty high. :)
"That's weird." I thought to myself. "I'm not telling my foot to move..."
Not only was my foot moving, but it was moving to the beat of the music that I was listening to. Sometimes I think of things that I know I'll want to blog about, but I know I'll forget them if I don't write them down somewhere, and the most convenient place for that happens to be my phone. This is what I wrote:
Do you ever realize a part of your body is moving, even though you're not telling to, and didn't know until you saw it moving?
I'm not talking reflexes here, kids. I'm talking about major amounts of continuous movement. I sat and watched my foot move for the rest of the song. I wasn't aware that I was telling it to move...the strange thing is that this happens to me fairly often, and not just in my feet (although that's usually where this phenomenon occurs). My best guess as to why it happens is one or both of these reasons: 1) I dance so much that I don't even realize that I'm dancing non-stop, and/or 2) I have been a musician all my life, and I can't help but feel the beat of music.
I'm not really sure if this happens to anyone else...but this is me we're talking about here. The odds of me being abnormal are pretty high. :)
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Lonely, yet never alone
"I know that I am not alone, but still I feel lonely."
That's a line from one of my favorite songs. I've been thinking about the idea of being lonely or aloneness for the past couple of days.
As each of us moves through our lives, we lose people who are important to us, through various means. The Lord brings people in and out of our lives with purpose and meaning, and sometimes it's hard to understand why He would do so. However, we must have faith in the Lord that the trials we have been given in life are for our benefit and learning.
One of my very favorite General Conference talks was given this last April by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, entitled None Were With Him. In it, he talks about how Christ suffered alone, for each of us. This is something he says near the end of his talk:
As I find myself lonely at times, I know that I can turn to the Lord. Something else I have learned is that we must consciously choose a way out of being lonely, and not to allow ourselves to wallow in self-pity or despair. Once again, as I have said so many times, and will never stop saying, we cannot wait for our circumstances to change. We must find a way to at least like, if not love, the happenings of our lives.
No longer forward nor behind
I look in hope and fear;
But grateful take the good I find,
The best of now and here.
--John G. Whittier
Another thing I've been thinking about lately is agency, and how our agency and that of those around us effects us all. Often our decisions have an impact on our lives only, at least for the most part. However, on occasion there are decisions made by others that greatly influence our own lives. And again, on occasion, sometimes the decisions made by others aren't necessarily what we want, or what we would have wanted them to choose. How do we deal with this? In Elder Dallin H. Oaks' talk Timing, he gives counsel on how to do so:
I also found this quote the other day:
There is only one way to happiness, and that is to cease worrying things which are beyond the power of our will.
--Epictetus
I won't lie; the past few days have been extremely hard. I don't expect things to change anytime soon, as much as I would like them to. However, as was said in my sacrament meeting today, one of the greatest blessings of affliction is that it will drive us closer to the Lord and His comfort. And I have the greatest example to look toward: my Savior. I'm not sure who said it, but Jesus partook of history's bitterest cup, without becoming bitter. I hope to be able to do my best to follow His example in all that I do, at the same time allowing Him to take me by the hand and lead me through my life, all the while helping me to become a better and stronger person.
That's a line from one of my favorite songs. I've been thinking about the idea of being lonely or aloneness for the past couple of days.
As each of us moves through our lives, we lose people who are important to us, through various means. The Lord brings people in and out of our lives with purpose and meaning, and sometimes it's hard to understand why He would do so. However, we must have faith in the Lord that the trials we have been given in life are for our benefit and learning.
One of my very favorite General Conference talks was given this last April by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, entitled None Were With Him. In it, he talks about how Christ suffered alone, for each of us. This is something he says near the end of his talk:
"Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path—the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. Trumpeted from the summit of Calvary is the truth that we will never be left alone nor unaided, even if sometimes we may feel that we are. Truly the Redeemer of us all said: “I will not leave you comfortless: [My Father and] I will come to you [and abide with you].”
As I find myself lonely at times, I know that I can turn to the Lord. Something else I have learned is that we must consciously choose a way out of being lonely, and not to allow ourselves to wallow in self-pity or despair. Once again, as I have said so many times, and will never stop saying, we cannot wait for our circumstances to change. We must find a way to at least like, if not love, the happenings of our lives.
No longer forward nor behind
I look in hope and fear;
But grateful take the good I find,
The best of now and here.
--John G. Whittier
Another thing I've been thinking about lately is agency, and how our agency and that of those around us effects us all. Often our decisions have an impact on our lives only, at least for the most part. However, on occasion there are decisions made by others that greatly influence our own lives. And again, on occasion, sometimes the decisions made by others aren't necessarily what we want, or what we would have wanted them to choose. How do we deal with this? In Elder Dallin H. Oaks' talk Timing, he gives counsel on how to do so:
"Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ prepares us for whatever life brings. This kind of faith prepares us to deal with life’s opportunities—to take advantage of those that are received and to persist through the disappointments of those that are lost. In the exercise of that faith, we should commit ourselves to the priorities and standards we will follow on matters we do not control and persist faithfully in those commitments, whatever happens to us because of the agency of others or the timing of the Lord. When we do this, we will have a constancy in our lives that will give us direction and peace. Whatever the circumstances beyond our control, our commitments and standards can be constant."
I also found this quote the other day:
There is only one way to happiness, and that is to cease worrying things which are beyond the power of our will.
--Epictetus
I won't lie; the past few days have been extremely hard. I don't expect things to change anytime soon, as much as I would like them to. However, as was said in my sacrament meeting today, one of the greatest blessings of affliction is that it will drive us closer to the Lord and His comfort. And I have the greatest example to look toward: my Savior. I'm not sure who said it, but Jesus partook of history's bitterest cup, without becoming bitter. I hope to be able to do my best to follow His example in all that I do, at the same time allowing Him to take me by the hand and lead me through my life, all the while helping me to become a better and stronger person.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Walking
This morning, I was walking to work. I was in a bit of a hurry, because I was slightly late, and also didn't know exactly how long it would take me to get there, seeing as I'd never walked there before. Because of my hurry, I was obviously walking rather quickly.
I saw some EFY boys playing some kind of game, and I discovered that as I watched them and tried to figure out just what it was they were doing, my pace slowed, even if only a tiny bit. But it slowed. I'd taken my mind and eyes off my goal, and it set me back. I realized that I didn't have time to slow down. I didn't have time to stop and see what they were doing.
I can look at this in a few different ways.
First, taking my eyes off my goal. Something I discovered about myself today is that without something to work towards, I am useless. At my secretarial job, I have to enter data every day. All the sheets of data are in separate folders, each dedicated to a different person. There, I have a goal. I know just how much I must complete, and I have a specific time in which I would like to finish this work. I have similar situations with things like classes, other jobs, etc. However, if I don't know how much I must complete, or if what I have to complete is ambiguous, I have absolutely no drive to get any part of it done. Without a goal, I'll never know just how high I can reach.
Second, lately I feel like all I do is rush. I get up early in the morning, but not early enough, so I have to rush to get ready and then out the door, with no breakfast. I work for four hours, and then I rush off to class. After I get out of class, I rush to the next job. I get off work, and then I can finally relax. The sad part is, I'm so used to rushing that I get home and I can't relax because I always feel like there's something I should be doing. I got home today and I was walking back to my apartment from my mailbox, and just about fell over because I was so physically tired. I need to find something that lets me relax.
That's a nice segue into the last point. Take some time. Relax. Live your life. But most importantly, enjoy it.
I saw some EFY boys playing some kind of game, and I discovered that as I watched them and tried to figure out just what it was they were doing, my pace slowed, even if only a tiny bit. But it slowed. I'd taken my mind and eyes off my goal, and it set me back. I realized that I didn't have time to slow down. I didn't have time to stop and see what they were doing.
I can look at this in a few different ways.
First, taking my eyes off my goal. Something I discovered about myself today is that without something to work towards, I am useless. At my secretarial job, I have to enter data every day. All the sheets of data are in separate folders, each dedicated to a different person. There, I have a goal. I know just how much I must complete, and I have a specific time in which I would like to finish this work. I have similar situations with things like classes, other jobs, etc. However, if I don't know how much I must complete, or if what I have to complete is ambiguous, I have absolutely no drive to get any part of it done. Without a goal, I'll never know just how high I can reach.
Second, lately I feel like all I do is rush. I get up early in the morning, but not early enough, so I have to rush to get ready and then out the door, with no breakfast. I work for four hours, and then I rush off to class. After I get out of class, I rush to the next job. I get off work, and then I can finally relax. The sad part is, I'm so used to rushing that I get home and I can't relax because I always feel like there's something I should be doing. I got home today and I was walking back to my apartment from my mailbox, and just about fell over because I was so physically tired. I need to find something that lets me relax.
That's a nice segue into the last point. Take some time. Relax. Live your life. But most importantly, enjoy it.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Trials
Just before I went into class today, I stopped to fill up my water bottle. I was really thirsty, but I waited until I'd finished filling up my water bottle before taking a drink out of it. And then I realized something.
Dogs (and lots of other animals, but we'll focus on dogs for now) have it hard! When I'm really thirsty, I just want to chug water. How difficult to be extremely thirsty, and to have to drink like a dog. That can hardly be thirst-quenching.
I suppose however, that there must be opposition in all things: even for dogs.
Dogs (and lots of other animals, but we'll focus on dogs for now) have it hard! When I'm really thirsty, I just want to chug water. How difficult to be extremely thirsty, and to have to drink like a dog. That can hardly be thirst-quenching.
I suppose however, that there must be opposition in all things: even for dogs.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Sucess!!
A bit ago, I blogged about creeping under someone's umbrella, not really ever planning to do it, since I already have my own umbrella. Well, today it rained. I came out of the building in which I have church, and stood just under the eave, umbrella open and ready, waiting for the crosswalk to let us go. Then all of the sudden, my personal bubble was being invaded. I looked to my right, only to behold a guy who I did not know, but who was standing uncomfortably close to me in order to stand under my umbrella.
At first I was irritated. Who does he think he is, standing so close to me? He was literally touching me. I didn't know him! How dare he! And then I realized: this was my dream come true! Someone had finally done what I had always wanted to do, but didn't think anyone would actually do. Thereafter, I gladly shared my umbrella with him. Sadly, we parted just after we crossed the street, but those two minutes together may or may not have changed my life. I never found out his name, but to whoever he is: thank you.
At first I was irritated. Who does he think he is, standing so close to me? He was literally touching me. I didn't know him! How dare he! And then I realized: this was my dream come true! Someone had finally done what I had always wanted to do, but didn't think anyone would actually do. Thereafter, I gladly shared my umbrella with him. Sadly, we parted just after we crossed the street, but those two minutes together may or may not have changed my life. I never found out his name, but to whoever he is: thank you.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Trip to Arches!
So, I went to Arches National Park this last weekend to camp and hike. It was great fun!! Here's a few pictures!
This is Cory, Colin, me, and Kaylee at the north window.
So, Colin somehow got the idea for me to do his hair in a bunch of little ponytails...don't ask me why. This was the team who worked together to do it: Cory held Colin's hair back for me, and Kaylee shined the light on his head so I could see what I was doing.
This was the finished product. Oh Colin...haha
This is Seth and Kaylee and I at Pine Tree Arch.
This is the whole group that went at Landscape Arch!
I swear, Seth climbed everything there. This is one of the many (he's the one way up at the top) places he climbed up and people way down below were taking pictures.
This is the whole group at Delicate Arch. This is the one you see in pretty much every picture of Utah...ever. And it's on the license plates. The hike up was so hard. Uphill the whole way, and hardly any places to rest in the shade. But it was worth it.
Everything about the trip was so beautiful. This was my first experience in a Utah National Park, and we've got lots more trips planned for this summer. I'm stoked!!
One thing I thought about on this trip though, was pictures. We took lots of pictures, and I've been lots of places where there are lots of other tourists, every one of them taking tons of pictures. And I realized--how many peoples' pictures have I been in? How many peoples' memories will I unknowingly be a part of? It's just so strange to think about...just a thought.
This is Cory, Colin, me, and Kaylee at the north window.
So, Colin somehow got the idea for me to do his hair in a bunch of little ponytails...don't ask me why. This was the team who worked together to do it: Cory held Colin's hair back for me, and Kaylee shined the light on his head so I could see what I was doing.
This was the finished product. Oh Colin...haha
This is Seth and Kaylee and I at Pine Tree Arch.
This is the whole group that went at Landscape Arch!
I swear, Seth climbed everything there. This is one of the many (he's the one way up at the top) places he climbed up and people way down below were taking pictures.
This is the whole group at Delicate Arch. This is the one you see in pretty much every picture of Utah...ever. And it's on the license plates. The hike up was so hard. Uphill the whole way, and hardly any places to rest in the shade. But it was worth it.
Everything about the trip was so beautiful. This was my first experience in a Utah National Park, and we've got lots more trips planned for this summer. I'm stoked!!
One thing I thought about on this trip though, was pictures. We took lots of pictures, and I've been lots of places where there are lots of other tourists, every one of them taking tons of pictures. And I realized--how many peoples' pictures have I been in? How many peoples' memories will I unknowingly be a part of? It's just so strange to think about...just a thought.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Words
I just spent a fair amount of time reading the blog of a girl I do not know. I don't even know where to begin.
From what I can gather, this girl is 24, unmarried, fat (her words, not mine), and completely and utterly unhappy. Why is she unhappy? From what I've read in her blogs, it is because not only is she unmarried, but she's completely undesirable and un-dateable. She keeps an official tally of how many dates she's been on, and it's "embarrassingly low." There were four posts on her blog: one about a completely failed date (her first, and "not her fault that it was so bad"), one about her failures at cooking, another about another completely terrible date (also, probably "not her fault"). And then the fourth was dedicated to describing the characters in the book Pride and Prejudice, and how every girl in this world can associate herself with one of the main female characters. For those who aren't familiar with the characters (and with this girl's description of them), a brief synopsis:
-Jane: the eldest sister, meek and beautiful, but not vain.
-Lizzie: headstrong and beautiful, also not vain. Both Jane and Lizzie attract men like flies to..well, you know.
-Mary: plain, untalented, and doomed to forever be a spinster. Unnoticed by all men because of her plainness, and...well, I'll just give you the girl's words: "And since beauty (or "hotness") is the only thing guys really care about, she is often left out in the cold."
-Kitty: pretty, boy-crazy, and vain. Also, a follower--she does whatever her younger sister, Lydia does.
-Lydia: the youngest of the sisters, boy-crazy, stylish, fashionable, and beautiful: and she knows it. Lydia attracts men, partially because she practically throws herself at them.
Her next statement is rather depressing:
"I am a modern Mary Bennett. I feel like I do have talents and interests, which I try to develop, but in the end, I am plain, and thus undesirable. So I am stuck here, living alone with my parents and family. And I don't see it changing anytime soon."
Wow. I can't believe that someone could possibly be so...self-loathing, perhaps? Bitter, definitely. This woman has to be one of the most depressing people to be around, ever. And this is not because of her personality, and *certainly* not solely because of her looks. Why, do you ask?
Because she cannot see any good in herself.
If she wonders why guys do not like her, perhaps she should stop looking in the mirror and start reading her blog. Someone so cynical and bitter about her life, her looks, and herself has decreased her attractiveness exponentially. I find it hard to believe that a guy has never liked her. She simply refuses to believe that she could possibly be desirable.
I have wanted to write this post for a couple of days, but haven't. And surprisingly, this blog was what prompted me to write. The purpose of this post is not to criticize this girl, although she does need help. My purpose in writing is this: if we do not like the circumstances we have been given, we can either wallow in our misery, or create the situations that we want.
First, I think something that has a huge effect on our lives, and not just in situations like this, is our attitude. Life isn't about the situations that are given to us; it's how we react to them. You can choose your attitude at all times. Someone cannot make you mad, you choose to be. And on the opposite end of the spectrum, someone cannot make you happy without you first consenting to let their actions affect you in that way. You choose your reaction, and then you live with the consequences of your reaction.
Second, we cannot be passive. If you don't like something, do something about it! Don't sit around and wait for someone else to take the initiative to do it for you. It may never get done. Be your own person. Act for yourself. I'm not saying to act in all your selfish desires, but remember that you control your life. Be the person who recognizes that, and uses it to his or her full advantage.
As a college student, I see both ends of this spectrum. I see people who don't try in classes, and complain when they get bad grades. How quickly the world owes them something, when they happen to be a noncontributing zero. But I also see those who actually try. They make an effort, and often, see their efforts rewarded. As always, there are those all in between, but I think it's the outliers who make the difference.
Be the person you want to be. Take control of your life. And most importantly, have fun with whatever situations you are in. Once again--your attitude is the key.
*Note: don't think that I'm an expert at this. It's simply something I've been thinking about lately.
From what I can gather, this girl is 24, unmarried, fat (her words, not mine), and completely and utterly unhappy. Why is she unhappy? From what I've read in her blogs, it is because not only is she unmarried, but she's completely undesirable and un-dateable. She keeps an official tally of how many dates she's been on, and it's "embarrassingly low." There were four posts on her blog: one about a completely failed date (her first, and "not her fault that it was so bad"), one about her failures at cooking, another about another completely terrible date (also, probably "not her fault"). And then the fourth was dedicated to describing the characters in the book Pride and Prejudice, and how every girl in this world can associate herself with one of the main female characters. For those who aren't familiar with the characters (and with this girl's description of them), a brief synopsis:
-Jane: the eldest sister, meek and beautiful, but not vain.
-Lizzie: headstrong and beautiful, also not vain. Both Jane and Lizzie attract men like flies to..well, you know.
-Mary: plain, untalented, and doomed to forever be a spinster. Unnoticed by all men because of her plainness, and...well, I'll just give you the girl's words: "And since beauty (or "hotness") is the only thing guys really care about, she is often left out in the cold."
-Kitty: pretty, boy-crazy, and vain. Also, a follower--she does whatever her younger sister, Lydia does.
-Lydia: the youngest of the sisters, boy-crazy, stylish, fashionable, and beautiful: and she knows it. Lydia attracts men, partially because she practically throws herself at them.
Her next statement is rather depressing:
"I am a modern Mary Bennett. I feel like I do have talents and interests, which I try to develop, but in the end, I am plain, and thus undesirable. So I am stuck here, living alone with my parents and family. And I don't see it changing anytime soon."
Wow. I can't believe that someone could possibly be so...self-loathing, perhaps? Bitter, definitely. This woman has to be one of the most depressing people to be around, ever. And this is not because of her personality, and *certainly* not solely because of her looks. Why, do you ask?
Because she cannot see any good in herself.
If she wonders why guys do not like her, perhaps she should stop looking in the mirror and start reading her blog. Someone so cynical and bitter about her life, her looks, and herself has decreased her attractiveness exponentially. I find it hard to believe that a guy has never liked her. She simply refuses to believe that she could possibly be desirable.
I have wanted to write this post for a couple of days, but haven't. And surprisingly, this blog was what prompted me to write. The purpose of this post is not to criticize this girl, although she does need help. My purpose in writing is this: if we do not like the circumstances we have been given, we can either wallow in our misery, or create the situations that we want.
First, I think something that has a huge effect on our lives, and not just in situations like this, is our attitude. Life isn't about the situations that are given to us; it's how we react to them. You can choose your attitude at all times. Someone cannot make you mad, you choose to be. And on the opposite end of the spectrum, someone cannot make you happy without you first consenting to let their actions affect you in that way. You choose your reaction, and then you live with the consequences of your reaction.
Second, we cannot be passive. If you don't like something, do something about it! Don't sit around and wait for someone else to take the initiative to do it for you. It may never get done. Be your own person. Act for yourself. I'm not saying to act in all your selfish desires, but remember that you control your life. Be the person who recognizes that, and uses it to his or her full advantage.
As a college student, I see both ends of this spectrum. I see people who don't try in classes, and complain when they get bad grades. How quickly the world owes them something, when they happen to be a noncontributing zero. But I also see those who actually try. They make an effort, and often, see their efforts rewarded. As always, there are those all in between, but I think it's the outliers who make the difference.
Be the person you want to be. Take control of your life. And most importantly, have fun with whatever situations you are in. Once again--your attitude is the key.
*Note: don't think that I'm an expert at this. It's simply something I've been thinking about lately.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Lessons
Things I learned today:
1. A packet of Top Ramen is 78% of your recommended daily sodium intake!! Wow.
2. Buying a head of lettuce is much more cost effective (and stays good longer) than buying one of those pre-made and mixed packages.
3. There are wonderful people in this world who will do you favors, even if they do not know you (and also if they do).
4. I would love to cross the equator--to the southern hemisphere. I want to know what it's like to see the sun in the northern sky.
5. Well, I didn't learn this, but I had just another confirmation: I love the Gospel. The Lord has blessed my life in so many ways, and I can never thank Him enough for everything that I've been given. :)
1. A packet of Top Ramen is 78% of your recommended daily sodium intake!! Wow.
2. Buying a head of lettuce is much more cost effective (and stays good longer) than buying one of those pre-made and mixed packages.
3. There are wonderful people in this world who will do you favors, even if they do not know you (and also if they do).
4. I would love to cross the equator--to the southern hemisphere. I want to know what it's like to see the sun in the northern sky.
5. Well, I didn't learn this, but I had just another confirmation: I love the Gospel. The Lord has blessed my life in so many ways, and I can never thank Him enough for everything that I've been given. :)
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