Maybe someday...

With seven kids in your family it's pretty much guaranteed that something of great significance will be happening at any given moment in time. Most recently, Stephen and his cute little wifey graduated from BYU-Provo.

Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve was the special guest speaker at their ceremony, which was fantastic. He talked about a great many things. You know, the usual graduation topics - success, confidence, perserverance, etc. Then he got to the topic of decision-making. This was most interesting me. Why? - hmm...could it be because I'm the world's worst decision maker?

Anywho, there was one thing he said that caught my (and my mom's) interest. He talked about those who make decisions despite their circumstances, and then those who make decisions based on their circumstances. Today, many of us make decisions based on what is going on in our life. When we make a plan, or set a goal, and it doesn't happen we often dismiss it, thinking, "Well, this was going on at that time, I just couldn't get to it. I'll wait for things to settle down." The reality of life is that it really doesn't settle down. Things don't just "calm down". Life doesn't get quieter, but our ability to function and excel in the midst of chaos increases if we choose to live life to our full potential and let our choices dictate our life, and not our life dictate our choices.

I've decided that I'm a chronic circumstantial decision maker. As far as long term goals? - not too many. Seriously. I don't think it's because I don't have anything that I want to achieve or do. I just expect life to come to me. I want to be catered to. A trip to Europe? Someone will ask me. Performing on Broadway? The opportunity will present itself at some point in time. FALSE! It won't! I have to make it happen! Instead of expecting things to happen, I need to expect, plan, that they won't happen. Unless I make them happen.

So...now the trick is applying. Some things are so much easier said than done. : )

A post is born!

So...in latest news: I chopped my hair. I'm a little fairy now. It was a somewhat spontaneous decision. I think the conversation went something like this:

Me: Guys, I'm getting my hair cut on the 27th and I'm UBER excited. Should I keep the length and just get a maintenance cut? Or should I cut it short?
Jon: Well, how short are we talking?
Me: Um...idk. Shoulder length? Maybe shorter. ... ...What if I got a pixie cut? Like a boy?
(mixed comments)
Me: Hmm...I'm feeling brave. Maybe I'll do it. I think I will.

Granted, I talked a lot to my sisters and some choice friends about it after that, but the more I thought about it, the more I liked it. So...I did it. Here are the results:

Taking this many pictures of just me, by myself, in my room, definitely brought back memories of myspace days.

So yesterday we also went to the beach! My first trip of the year! Oh so exciting! & It was a BEAUTIFUL day! Blue skies, 80 degrees and just a slight breeze. It went something like this:

 It was a perfect first trip. Although...the water was amazingly cold, so we didn't really go in and swim. This might be a first for me. I'm kind of a water baby, and usually if there's water, I'm in it. But, I just wasn't feeling that ambitious yesterday. It's fine. I'll go next time. But, it was a gorgeous day.

Also (maybe the best part of my day), I got to spend some QT with my g-mama. What did I do with this lovely lady, you may ask? Well, we watched Young@Heart, of course! My uncle Jerry, my Grandma's youngest son, might be one of the most brilliant men I know. Naturally, this also makes him one of the most hilarious (and ridiculous) men I know. Out of the goodness of his heart, he sent my Grandma a documentary about a chorus of singing seniors, and, while it was super entertaining, I'm still trying to figure out if it was a joke or not.

"A choir full of senior citizens? What's so strange about that?" you ask. 

Well...nothing really, I suppose. Except for the fact that they sing songs like this:

Oh, yeah. ...They're rockin'. We learned about how they were formed, how and when they practice. We were informed about their personal lives, and they're health issues. It was all pretty standard choir protocol, minus the fact that, well, they're old, and that a fourth of them died in the course of a couple weeks, some right before concerts. It was a night to remember, most definitely.

But, all joking aside, this group is made up of some amazingly strong people. It was inspiring to see the gumption they all had to be willing (and able) to get up and go to the practices, focus on, and learn the music, and then truck it, false teeth and all, to a concert hall to sing in front of hundreds of people! 

Moral of the story? - Life gets tough, and it usually doesn't get any easier. So just remember, the show must go on!

The post-to-be

Basically, I'm a huge pansy and, although I hardly did anything today, I'm pretty darn tuckered out! So here's for news to come! -

Beach

Chopped hairs (& I mean CHOPPED)

Young @ Heart (AKA hilariously awesome)

Pictures and stories to come. Promise. : D

Sometimes I feel like a baby...

Of course, I'm not really a baby. I mean...physically. But in this vast space of time we call "eternity", I really am just a child! & let me tell you something - I definitely have been feeling that!

Do you ever wish you were someone else? Had someone's way with words, someone's sense of humor, someone else's ability to go for hours on end with seemingly no effort at all... this is me too much of the time. We all want to be better than we are. It's a natural part of life. If you're not noticing weaknesses, you're probably just being. Which is fine. For a while. Then it gets stagnant and all your friends move on and you're stuck in high school. Which is also fine. I guess. Some people learn a lot in high school. Especially over the course of seven and a half years.

Anyway, enough on that...

Wishing to be someone you're not is so...how do I put this eloquently...STUPID! You'll never ever, no matter how hard you try, be anyone but you. Sounds simple, right? Of course! But how many times do we compare ourselves to those around us and think,"Man...if only..."

Sometimes my dad likes to tell me things about myself that I'm pretty sure he makes up. They sound really good though, so I'll pretend they're true because they help fulfill the purpose of this blog. My dad says that I'm the kind of person who admires qualities about people, but doesn't spend time envying or coveting those qualities. (Silly dad.) This is the kind of person I want to be someday.

That being said, here's my new goal: don't wish; admire and become.

& THAT being said - while I was writing this my ear started (and still hasn't stopped) ringing, so I stuck a Q-tip in it, and it reminded me of the scene in Better Off Dead when Lane sticks Q-tips up his nose, and ears, and in his mouth, and then his dad walks in...

I would put up a clip but, well, it doesn't exist.

Until next time.

It'll never get old

Perfection.

I won't fall out of love...

I get really sad when artists who used to be underground get really big. Of course, Ingrid is UH-MAZING & her music deserves to be heard by the world! It's nice when an artist I've fallen in love with is known by everyone else. That's not the part I hate. What I DO hate is that she doesn't really have any small intimate concerts that only cost, like, 8 dollars to get into. 

 

Sigh...

 

Oh well. I still love love LOVE Ingrid. & she's not a sell-out. Big plus.

Let's hear it for the boys! ...& the girls, too. Duh.

Let's talk about Seattle.


Seattle is a beautiful city. GORGEOUS. BUT, you know what makes it even more wonderful? - Spending a week there with these guys:


Today, as I was running around little ol' Rexburg trying to fit in a million last minute visits to some of the greatest people on the planet, I had some really good chats with some really grand people (Becca Price *cough cough*). I realized something...  I have been incredibly blessed to have amazing friends! Really, I got lucky. I cannot tell you how many (many) times my friends have been there to pull me out of some terribly uncomfortable times. A lot of those times I was just throwing a massive pity party for myself, but regardless,  they were still so understanding and so empathetic. I can't think of one single thing I've done to deserve any of it, but I am so grateful every day for every single one of them in my life.



I love you guys. Thank you. From the very heart of my bottom.

Musics

<3 It's like a little bit of sunshine in musical form.

We dry hands!

These crack me up. Don't ask me why. They are just so...strong. 

Uh...

   

I have realized something...I am an incredibly awkward person. It's something I accept. I've even come to love it. 

Tonight I realized something else. I spend most of my time with other really awkward, loud, and rambunctious people.

I don't know how to be with normal people. 

I feel really uncomfortable around them. My sense of humor is sometimes...a little less than understood. My nature is...a little more than quiet. 

This is something I've realized. Fixable?...perhaps. Does it need to be fixed? We'll see. 

That is all.

Just some loves

Me n Jason...we go way back...to like...seventh grade. It's true. I have a special place in my heart for Jason Mraz. He doesn't get as big of a spot as Billy Joel, but he does have a place.

I just love him.

If I had a bucket list...

...this would be on it.

Oh, for fresh

There comes a time (or maybe times) in our lives when a new leaf must be turned. You reach a breaking point.

Well, consider it reached. 

There comes a time. And the time is NOW.

I'm ready.