Time wasting.

We all do it. Maybe I'm just prejudiced to the ways in which I do it. Most of my time-wasting is spent listening to music, Facebooking, playing Nonograms, or generally just not thinking about what I'm supposed to be doing (usually homework). Currently, I'm blog writing to waste time.

Maybe I just don't like being part of fads. I only ever read Twilight because I was on a camping trip and hadn't brought anything to read with me, and someone had it with them. But something in me just refuses to do everything everyone else is doing (Harry Potter excluded), even if it's entertaining. For example, there's a website called "My Life is Average." These kinds of websites have been springing up all over the Interweb, where there is a common theme (F My Life has people who have crappy things happen to them, Makes Me Think has people who have inspirational or ironic things happen to them, etc.), they're all set up to look exactly the same, only with a different color scheme. For some reason, these sites have become very popular, especially among high school and college students.

And I just can't bring myself to read them, at least not consistently. I read FML for a little while. I read a few MMT's, and I'd spent a fair amount of time on MLIA. But, while they may be slightly entertaining, I have no desire to use them to waste my time. Perhaps it's the idea that some people can and do waste SO much time on these sites that makes me not want to.

Am I a time-wasting snob? Should I be worried about my prejudices toward these things?

I don't think so. I have enough with my current time-wasting habits, like blog writing, to worry about the *potential* time wasters. At least you get something out of it. :)

Stupid things parents do that actually work

I realized today how many stupid things parents tell their children to do. I'm not talking like, "Hey little Jimmy, see how fast you can run at that wall" kind of stupid thing, but things to make their kids feel better, or be entertained, etc. These are a few examples from my life:

Child: "My (insert body part) hurts."
Parent: "Count to 100."
This never did anything to make me feel better, but by the time I finished, it usually didn't hurt anymore, or at least as much.

Parent: "(Name of child), go get me (insert needed object). See how fast you can go; I'll time you!"
Child goes to get object, usually rather quickly in order to "make good time."
However, this soon turns into,
Child: "Mom, I'm gonna get (object). Time me and see how fast I go!"
Downside: parents never actually time their child. But at least the kid thinks he or she is super fast.

This one's a little more situational. I remember when my brother got the Chicken Pox. He had one particularly itchy spot on the top of his head, and my mother tried many things to keep him from scratching. In the end, she gave him his teddy bear and told him to scratch the bear where he itched (on the top of his head). I don't know why this worked, but I'm assuming that it did. How do I know this? Because when I got the Chicken Pox, my mom did the same thing to me, and I remember not feeling so itchy.

These are just a few examples of experiences I'm sure we all had as children, without which, our childhoods would have been bleak and painful.

I like to...

I attended a "home ward" today, and I realized something during the testimony meeting.

For 99% of children who get up and bear their testimony, each will say the exact same 6 words to start off the testimony.

When I was little though, I always thought we were supposed to say

"I like to bear my testimony."

Not

"I'd like to bear my testimony."

I don't know when it was that I realized that you were supposed to say the second instead of the first, but was I the only child who had this misconception?

My Confession

Alright, I'll admit it:

I have an addiction...

to music.

Just about every night, I get ready for bed about midnight. However, I don't usually get to bed til about 1. Why? I'll be listening to music, and I'll just want to hear one more song. Then another. Then another. I just can't stop. And the next thing I know, I've blown an hour playing solitaire whilst singing along to my favorite songs.

Besides the sleep I lose, though, I'm not so sure that this addiction is such a bad thing.

Through your eyes

Do you ever wonder what you look like to other people?

I mean, sure I've looked at myself in the mirror a few times. I know what I look like when I'm looking at me.

But what about when I'm not looking? I think if I ever had an out-of-body experience and saw myself walking down the street, I might not recognize me. I don't know what my mannerisms are: how I walk, how I speak, the way I move my hands when I talk, etc. Well, kind of, but only how they look and sound while I'm me.

When I was little I always used to wish that I could spend a day in someone else's body. I don't know why, but I always imagined spending a day in the life of my sister, Jenni. I don't know what it was that made me pick her, but I always wished that I could see me through her eyes. But this switching bodies wish wasn't just so I could see what I looked like. In fact, that was a very small part of it. I suppose I'm just (and always have been) very curious as to how everyone else sees the world. I want to know how other people perceive things. I want to know how situations that affect me one way affect them. If you know me, you know I'm very unique. Does the way I would interpret a situation completely differ from the way another person would? How much would it differ?

Also, I want to know how other people see. Stephen always used to say I was so weird because my pupils are always unnaturally large. I'm pretty sure that my pupils are almost always nearly twice the size of just about anyone else's pupils (anyone else being anyone who is in the same situation and lighting as me). I've never thought it was a problem. I still don't. Stephen has a theory that I can't see color as well as everyone else. I disagree, but I'll never know if I do or if I don't, because I'll never be able to see through someone else's eyes.

This isn't to say that I'm not happy being me. I love being me. But, being me, I'm very curious about...pretty much everything. And this just happens to be one of those things.

Perhaps one day when I get to create my own worlds (keep your fingers crossed), I'll allow people to do that. You can switch bodies with someone for one day, just to see what it's like. I think that would be pretty cool.

A week of happiness and gratitude

I'm always disappointed when I check my friends blogs and they haven't posted lately. Then I realized that I haven't posted in awhile. I doubt anyone really looks forward to the random ramblings of my mind, but why not take the chance that one of you just might?

The problem with posting a blog is that you have to have something to write about. I seem to be lacking a topic, which may or may not be important in this situation.

Last Monday I was talking to a friend about how we could be more positive. We decided that in our planners (which actually match, how precious), every day that week, we would write at least one, if not more, positive or happy or good thing that happened that day, or something we were grateful for. Here's my list.

Monday: Today I rediscovered dancing for fun! Not worrying about who I'm dancing with, or who I'll be dancing with at DanceSport, or majorly stressing about my technique was fantastic!

Tuesday: Today I understood most, if not all, of lecture in Physics! Also, I did all of my homework all by myself, which is a big deal.

Wednesday: Today a guy in my dance class who is fantastically good danced with me, and he told me that I was doing really well. Also, I bought a gigantic bag of candy corn. :)

Thursday: Today I saw Sam's (my roommate) play, and it was fantastic. I have a new found appreciation for "The Taming of the Shrew."

Friday: Today I learned Hebrew and Greek dance styles, and it was tons of fun! Also, I saw "Into the Woods," a play that I've been wanting to see for awhile.

Saturday: Today I sat/stood on the second row at the football game! At the game, people had "Cougar Tails," which are basically gigantic maple bars, and one of my friends was drinking a Fresca. After the game, I went to the store and bought doughnuts and Fresca. What a good choice.

Sunday: Today I took a long needed nap, and I got to cross stitch. Also, I discovered a fantastic song called "Beautifully" by Jay Brannan. (Little did I know when I discovered this last night, that I would be listening to it ALL DAY today, and that I would love every second of it!)

I'm not sure if this made me more positive, but I would like to think that it did. I know that I had to put a valiant effort into remembering what had happened in my day, and that I tried to remember all the good things that had happened. What I wrote down wasn't everything by any means, it just was the highlight of the day. Either way, I know it made me happier to spend my time thinking about how happy I can be.

:)

Get Through It

These first two weeks of school have already been incredibly hard. Not only do I have the stresses of school (which have increased tenfold from every semester I've ever had), but there's a lot going on in my personal life as well. It's hard to concentrate on school (my roughly 6-10 assignments due every week) when I've already got so much going on in my head. However, as many of us have experienced, one of the blessings of trials is that they drive us closer to the Lord, and sometimes closer to those around us. I've experienced a few very close friends becoming distant, one even completely non-existent in my life. It hasn't been easy, but it's taught me to appreciate and to grow closer to the ones I still have, and also to learn how the people you didn't know can very quickly become good friends.

One thing that has really helped me lately, actually, was reading through some of my old blog posts. Not like I think I'm a really talented writer or anything, but I have had some insights that remind me where my priorities need to be, or that I need to look at some things in a different light.

Also, the making of my new blog could not have come at a better time. Really truly, if I need to smile, all I have to do is go to that site. :)

Lastly, I found this quote the other day, and I found it very comforting. So, I'll share it with you.

"No matter how difficult the problems that surround you, the Lord knows how to resolve them. As you exercise faith, doing what you can, He will help you handle those things within your capability. He will bring into your path priesthood leaders who can counsel and advise, friends who can give you support, and parents who can provide answers. Through the avenue of prayer and the path of inspiration, He will help you know what to do. It is a process that takes time to master, but knowing that it exists should give you great comfort as you face the difficult decisions you must now make in life."
--Richard G. Scott

Here goes

So, I've made a new blog. Not one to replace this one, but it has a different idea behind it. It was inspired by a girl from work-in fact, I'm pretty much copying her. But imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Basically what it is is a collection of pictures, quotes, and anything else I want to put on there of things that make me happy. If I'm having a rough day and need to smile, I just look at these things. And I think I'm ready to share them.

It's still a work-in-progress, but I figure that I should share my happiness with others. Enjoy. :)

dragonsanddinos.tumblr.com

Moving around

I recently moved into a new ward. Along with the change of apartment, living situation, and roommates, there comes a new ward: full of new people, who are full of potential to be your close friends.

I don't know if it's just because I'm so physically close to my old ward, but I find myself...tired of the new ward situation. It's not that I don't like to meet new people; that's not true at all. But there's just something about being with a person who already knows you. When I go to visit my friends from the old ward, I don't have to remind them of my name, or tell them my major and where I'm from (unless they're Stephen Anderson, who managed to know me for nearly a year and even date me, and somehow not know what my major is).

I know that if I never talked to anyone new, I would never have old friends, but that doesn't make it any easier. I think I go through phases with wards. My Freshman year I was a complete recluse, but then Jerusalem allowed me to get to know everyone (probably because we all lived together). When I got back from Jerusalem, I was a total recluse again and didn't know anyone in my ward. The next year, I decided to be super social, and I was good friends with pretty much everyone in my ward. Now I'm at this year, and I don't want to fall into the recluse stage of my life again. As much fun as it was...yeah it actually wasn't that much fun. Looks like I simply have to force myself to endure through the small talk, and perhaps, once again, I can find some best friends in this new ward; surely, I will.

This situation reminds me of a song I learned in choir in elementary school. It goes a little something like this:

Make new friends,
But keep the old.
One is silver
And the other is gold.

Dragons

I realized today that there are just some things that I will never understand:

The fact that we live in a 3 dimensional world, space-time is in a 5th dimension, and there are 10 dimensions (that we know of). I can't even imagine a 4th dimension, let alone 10.

The time-space continuum in general.

Why it's so easy to forget the things you want to remember, and so easy to remember the things you want to forget.

Why some people just rub you the wrong way, no matter how hard you try.

Feminists.

Vegetarians.

PETA.

How my love for dance and my talent in the area don't seem to correlate with one another very often... :/

Why I keep staying up late to write blogs when I have class at 8 AM three days a week.