Pretty N' Pensive

MY (emphasis on my) Piano

2010-12-30T03:37:00.002-07:00

When we moved into our new apartment, we actually had space for a piano. I'm ashamed to admit this, but I obsessed about getting one and threw a temper tantrum or two because people weren't cooperating with me. Okay, so maybe i'm being a little over dramatic. I don't care. After all, this is about getting me my own piano.

Tim and I drove to see several and actually got a free entertainment center out of one visit. But... not piano yet.

My dad is "the piano man." No, not the Billy Joel type, but an actual piano mover, tuner, fixer uper--the works. I didn't think he'd let me buy one from him and I didn't want a piano out on loan, I wanted a piano to be actually owned by me.

Finally, he had one with me in mind and he actually offered to sell it to me. I'm sure he gave me a killer deal, but why should that even matter. I was going to buy my own piano. I would finally be able to practice at home and maybe even teach at home. This was going to be good.

Yup. it certainly was good, is good, and will continue to be good. Ryan, Tim, Dad and a neighbor helped haul it up our ridiculously steep stairs and now it is nestled against my front wall. It's gorgeous and even sounds gorgeous for an upright. I'm in love... :)

My dad videoed the first moments of me playing my new piano in my apartment.

Tour of Our First Apartment

2010-12-30T03:04:00.001-07:00

Below are pictures of the studio apartment that I used in creating a craigslist add for someone to take over our lease because we found a two bedroom apartment for 50 more bucks a month. Enjoy the tour.

Kitchen sink and cupboards.

Another view of kitchen. Grandma Brower gave me
her butcher block which gave us a lot more counter space.

Kitchen oven, fridge, and pantry. We put the microwave on top of the fridge.

this is the front of the apartment building as seen from across the street.

Our living room and dining room. We had afan in the window because

the air conditioning didn't work well. It was sooo hot all the time.

A view coming from the kitchen of our closet space that was to the side of the living room

This view is looking out in front of the closet area toward the kitchen.
Didn't I do a good job with making our little space cute? I miss its cuteness.

looking at our bed from the front door

This would be the front door and our little office which
is at the end of the bed and to the side of the closet space.

Our bathroom door was right next to our bed .

I think our bathroom was pretty cute, too.

There was a lot of storage space behind the bathroom door.
Look at all of the drawers! Oh, and our tub only fit one person.

Cruisin'

2010-12-30T00:35:00.009-07:00

The week we got married, we spent everyday in our new little studio apartment just enjoying each other. At the time we counted that as our honeymoon. Tim's parents had a better idea. They bought us tickets to go on a week long cruise to Mexico.

Mom and Dad Huntsman, Aunt Carla and Uncle Gary, and Tim and I had fun going on vacation together. The airplane flight to L.A. being an exception. I don't know about anyone else, but I was so motion sick that I threw up in the little complimentary paper bag. I feel bad for the guy sitting next to Tim and me. If I were him I would have joined in the yacking. He acted like he didn't see, but he could have been pretending out of embarrassment. I thought for sure that the cruise would make me sick, too, but it didn't bother me one bit. Thank Heavens!

You may be wondering: "How would going on one's honeymoon with one's relatives be fun?" Let me explain. Each couple had their own room and did their own thing a lot of the time, but we did get together to eat, play poker (yup, I learned how to play Texas Hold 'Em on my honeymoon), and/or sight see. I really enjoyed getting to know my new relatives.

We were on the Carnival Splendor. That was the name of our ship. It was massive. If memory serves me right, I think it had 9 levels--my favorite being the lido deck. This was where all the food was... all day long. We'd already payed for it with the price of our tickets which made it a buffet 24/7. Sigh. I miss the lido deck. Also, it had a covering that could come over the top of the ship if we hit foul weather (which was 80% of the time). I didn't get a sun burn or a tan because of almost constant cloud cover.

There were shows in an auditorium like room everyday. There was a karaoke room. There was dancing and gambling. We enjoyed swimming in hot tubs and sliding down slides into the pool. Though, I did not enjoy having salt water go up my nose. The pools were filled with ocean water. It was very green of them, but uncomfortable to my sinuses. Yuck.

On the top deck, they had a miniature golf course. Tim and I played through a few times. There was also a sand bag tossing game of which I was horrible at playing. Tim of course was almost flawless at it, like he is with most games. :)

At night, they'd play a movie on a big screen in front of the patio of the lido deck. Tim and I watched the latest Terminator movie while sitting in a hot tub and then later while laying on beach chairs. Both situations were awesome.

The walls in our apartment complex were paper thin which means we could hear everything our neighbors were doing and they could hear everything we were doing. On the other hand, the walls surrounding our room on the ship were soooo thick. We could be as loud as we wanted to be while we watched movies or did other things...if you catch my drift. Sorry, I couldn't help myself. this was our honey moon after all, haha.

Moving on, dinner was to die for. We could order anything we wanted and they would bring it to us in a five course meal fashion. By the end of the week we had grown to really like our waiters. They were a couple of funny, charismatic people. belowt is a video of dinner time on the cruise ship, Our waiters and waitresses did a different dance and song each night. It was very entertaining.

As for see the sights, we had several port days which meant that we could go to shore and explore Mexico. We stopped in Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, and Mazatlan. Each place was jam packed with little kids and old ladies trying to sell you something. Even the taxi drivers were in on it. We had one tell us he would drive us to the playa (beach), but instead he dropped us off in front of Di Jewelers. Eventually we found an honest taxi driver . He took us to a nice pretty much empty plot of beach. There was a little Mexican family playing in the sand, but other than that it was just us. We road the waves as they flushed onto the shore. Tim was more adventurous than I and he went pretty far out and caught some big waves. I was content with being slightly pushed around. After splashing in the water, I ended up getting some shell bracelets and 2 sun dresses from a lady who we suspect was in cahoots with the bar above the beach. Most everyone, it seemed, wanted to sell us something and they know how to work the ethos, too. It is a lot harder to say no to a kid or grandma than a legit businessman for some reason. Tim was really good at bartering, though, so we got pretty good deals.... I think, haha.

Mom Huntsman had bought tickets for her and Carla to go horseback riding in Mazatlan, but for some reason, Tim and I ended up with them. We rode a bus and passed through some really poor looking ghettos to get us to the horses. Surrounding us as we rode our horses were little huts made out of branches and people surviving somehow in boxes and the like. It was an eye-opening experience. This was a completely different Mexico than we saw in each tourist-ville. On the ride, we were accompanied by armed policeman to prevent any harm or robbery from happening to us along the way. We were in the thick of it. Albeit we saw loads of litter and poverty, the land was beautiful, luscious and green. Plus, I got to ride a horse! That, in and of itself, was a party.

In Cabo San Lucas, I had my first experience snorkeling. It was traumatic, let me tell you! I'm not a strong swimmer, first of all. To go along with that, I couldn't seem to master breathing through that tube. I stupidly thought that clasping my teeth around the mouth piece would keep water out. No, no, no, no, no. Clasping my mouth around the mouthpiece would have made more sense. I apparently was a one woman show to everyone on the beach as they laughed at my shrieking and flailing about. Oh, and trying to walking in plastic flippers.... that is difficult. I'm sure that aided in the hilarity of my performance, haha. I can laugh, now, as I look back on this memory, but it was not funny at the time. Eventually, I got the hang of breathing and Tim pulled me along in the water so that I could see some crazy colorful fish. I saw a few and that was enough for me. Maybe one day I'll try it again. Hopefully, I don't epically fail like I did that day.

The moral of this story is that cruises are fantastic and I want to go an more of them (them being plural on purpose). MORE, please. :D

My Timmy

2010-12-29T22:53:00.013-07:00

There once was a boy named Tim Huntsman. I fell in love with him. We got married and are now living happily forever after. The end. :)

We met before Tim's mission at a young single adult sand volleyball activity and we hung out a few times before he left, but we didn't write each other until he was about to come home. When he was finally home, he was trying to decide whether or not he should go back to BYU or stay and attend BSU. Eventually, he came to a decision. He stayed! I'd like to think I had a lot to do with this, though I suppose it doesn't really matter. What matters is that, even though I was nervous about letting another guy (i'd dated some not-so-good guys) into my life, he was patient enough to allow me time to fall in love with him. Tim got home from his mission at a time when I was recovering from some stupid choices that I'd made. I had some trust issues, but he waited it out (it being all the time it took for our relationship to blossom). I'll always be grateful for that.

After months of spending almost every waking moment together (watching movies, doing homework, going to school, attending institute classes, going to church, eating scrumptious triple-decker pb and j sandwiches, playing and singing music, talking on the phone until the wee hours of the morning, hanging out with friends and family... and the list goes on) we went on a stroll from Riva Ridge Way (the street he lived on) to Reutzel Dr (the street I lived on... yes we were neighbors growing up and didn't even know it). We continued walking down Ruetzel while we held hands and talked. I don't remember what we talked about, but our chit chat isn't the point of this story. The good stuff is coming up, though, I promise. Anyways, we walked and walked and walked and when we reached Rushmore Way. Tim got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I thought he was joking at first and asked in awe, "Are you serious?" Only seconds later, positive that my boyfriend was wanting to become my fiancé, excitement burst from my heart to my mouth and I literally screamed "YES!!!!"

We kept our engagement a secret for one day. Well actually, I think we each told one person. He told his sister and I told my nephew, Gabe (he couldn't talk at the time so I knew my secret was safe with him). Other than that, we wanted to have a day of bliss just to ourselves.

The next day, he came to pick me up for a car ride. On the way to somewhere (I was clueless), Tim told me about his experience in the temple. I'm not going to go into details about that, but you can know that it made me bawl tears of joy. I couldn't stop crying. I felt so loved and wanted. This engagement felt soooo right! Tim was planning on driving to the volleyball court where we first met and officially proposing (ring and all) there, but he felt bad about continuing to drive as I was crying. Instead, he pulled over and whipped out the ring. Again he asked me to marry him. This made me cry even harder. :) Hugs and kisses happened... it was a beautiful moment... and then we went to show and tell to our parents and everyone we could think of.

The only other day in my life that was better than the two days I've just described would be our wedding day.

We were married in the Boise temple on the 27th of March 2010. Family and friends came to the ceremony and witnessed us being sealed for time and all eternity. There was not a dry eye in the room. The spirit was so sweet.

I now get to be with my best friend for ever--learning and growing. I'm the luckiest girl EVER!

My Version of "My Father's Hands"

2009-10-09T02:01:00.003-06:00

My father is the man

Who has loved me

All my life.

Since before I can remember

He's worked hard for his

Family and wife.

Though his body has been through

A day of pain and bombard,

When he played upon the piano

There were times when he played just as hard.

I loved to see

My father's hands

Zealously climb up and down

The keys.

In my heart

The more I wished

To be like him

And do all I could

Just to please.

"Why do you play the piano so much?"

"The more I play

The better I get

And the more fun it is

For every finger to touch."

My father's hands

Have taught me

To work hard and yet

To have fun.

So now when I play

the piano

And feel my fingers run.

I think of

my father's hands

and I am thankful.

Writing

2009-10-09T01:49:00.004-06:00

I love to write...I love to write...I love to write...I love to write...I love to write...I love to write...

My hands move swiftly.

Scratching with a pen, I write

Lovely words of fantasy.

Alive in ink on the sheets.

I love to write...I love to write...I love to write...I love to write...I love to write...I love to write...

On My Swing

2009-10-09T01:22:00.002-06:00

Chilled mountain forest

Encircles my body, I'm

Breathing it all in

Winter

2009-10-09T01:15:00.003-06:00

Snow is falling everywhere

Kids are playing without care

Christmas trees and gifts that please

People skating on ice

I think winter is nice

!!! My Life is Grand !!!

2009-10-09T01:08:00.005-06:00

My life is grand

I am extremely lucky

Optimistic

Happy

gladitude

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Smooth

Romantic

It shall be lovely

Interesting

Today is the day

Refreshed

Excited

Joyous thoughts

Escape from the world

Growing in love

Never ending

A Diamante

2009-10-09T00:58:00.003-06:00

Violin
Carved, Varnished
Tuning, Playing, Improving
Bridge, Strings, Scroll, Pegs
Practicing, Vibrating, Performing
Strong, Beautiful
Voice

Terrible Tuesday

2009-10-06T19:46:00.006-06:00

3 March 2007

So, I hate Tuesdays just because they are prodigiously long and obnoxious (for me and my retarded schedule), but this week's was trashcan worthy. No, WAIT...that isn't disgusting enough. I'd say it was dumpster or landfill material...perhaps even toxic waste would justify a good description.

And it came to pass...
I started my morning in a manic/cranky manner, as usual. But during my morning blah, I had several thoughts that went something like this: "self, just wear glasses." In response, though, I went on to think, "that's retarded. I'll be fine," + ended up pushing the reoccurring idea to the back of my noggin'.

If ye go contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye withdraw yourselves form the spirit of the Lord, that it may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom's paths...
Lo and behold, my contacts decided to give me havoc. Throughout the day, I couldn't see and was unfocused in my classes. There was no point in my being in class (since I wasn't getting anything out of it) so I headed to the ladies room.
Basically... I attempted to rinse out my devilish contacts. Apperently, I failed miserably. I plopped them back in and moved 'em around, trying to get them to adjust. There must have been a piece of makeup or eyelash in the one, though, because my eye began to scream at me (metaphorically speaking, of course. I am glad that body parts can't really communicate, it would be freaky). I then proceeded to trashing the lenses.

And there was wailing and gnashing of teeth...
I-- being a retard-- remained in the bathroom, going through toilet paper like no other, because my eye spasm decided to invite my sinuses to the show. I was naively hoping that the pain would cease. Finally, ("here [she] come[s] to save the day") a girl of brilliance assisted me to the building's main office. I was blind, by this point, and in tremendous pain. I told them my situation and was led, like a dog on a leash, to the health and wellness center. It turns out that I had managed to scratch my cornea. It took like two hours for them to tell me this (after a junk-load of useless questioning) and I was then sent home to endure the rest of the day. It was disgusting. We hit a traffic jam and with my lack of sight, combined with the stop/go situation, things were "Mmmm good", only not. I became car-sick and vomited all over the car. :(.

Later that night, Bro. Durrant and my poppy gave me a blessing. It was very comforting (physically and emotionally). I love the priesthood. <3. style="font-style:italic;"> Words of advice = Don't hurt your eye; it is not fun.

Seven Reasons for a Season

2009-10-06T19:31:00.004-06:00

I'm glad it is finally getting cool/cold outside. I love the fall!

Reason One =
There are lots of deep colors-- shades of a sunset. It is interesting how death can be so beautiful. After all, that is a majority of what this season is-- lots of dying leaves and plants; but, as morbid as it may seem, I love it! Anyways, I love this season for more reasons than a fascination with death... If you 're gonna die, though, you might as well go out with color, haha.

Reason Two =
The trees finally get a chance to sleep! I know how much I love to sleep and can only imagine that a rest for them has to feel fantastic. I forget how grateful I should be to be able to take a good long 8 hourish nap every night until September and October show up and I'm reminded that trees have to wait many months for a break.

Reason Three =
It is harvest time! Squash, pumpkins, zucchini, and etc. are big and deliciously ready for me to devour!

Reason Four =
I get to where coats, jackets, scarves, hats, gloves, sweaters, and the like! I like clothes, especially when it comes to fall and winter fashions and accessories! This is stereotyped as being extremely girly, but what can I say to that? Hmmm... I'll say that it probably has something to do with my vain streak, haha. Also, I'm of the opinion that I can be girly if I want to-- especially since I am a girl.

Reason Five =
Reverting to a mental image of dead leaves... um... I can jump into big piles of them! :)

Reason Six =
It is the beginning of "the holidays."

Reason Seven =
It rocks enough that, from the bleachers in my head, I can almost hear mini Brookes cheering with glee: "Give me an F! Give me an A! Give me a set of L's! Go, Fall ,go!" ;)

Colors!

2009-10-06T19:29:00.001-06:00

My favorite color is yellow, but if you were to put two objects-- a yellow one and a green one-- before me, I'd tell you that I prefer the green one. I love the way the color green makes my eyes stand out. This may be a completely vain attribute of me, but there ya have it. I have a vain streak... who doesn't? If I prefer the color green, in most cases, why isn't green my favorite color? Well, let me explain myself. I love the brightness of yellow. It reminds me of sunshine and the idea of such spunky and yet beautiful warmth makes me smile. I want to be bright, spunky, and beautiful just like it. Plus, from a printer's perspective (not that I am or ever have been a printer, haha), yellow is the color that gives life to all other colors on the printed page. It is a wonderful color! What else can I say? Probably a lot, actually... :)

???

2009-05-19T14:22:00.005-06:00

Life is changing before me
The unknown staring me in the face

My plans I've accomplished
it's another fork in the road

where do I go?
What should I do?

So many choices!

Tools for the Trials of Life and the Negative Thoughts that Tag Along

2009-05-13T00:00:00.001-06:00

Life, for most people in the world, consists of stress and busy schedules. Everything we do occurs at top notch speeds. The activities we engage in, the shows we watch, the music we listen to, the commodities we buy, the relationships we have/want seem to fly by at rapid tempos. We are easily upset if something seems to be taking "forever" to happen. I know that I have, on more than one occasion, stood in front of the microwave cursing my pre-cooked burrito for taking too long to get warm. Pathetic, probably, but it just shows how much a part of a high-speed society I really am.

With such a society, running as fast it can, responsibilities like family, jobs, and school seem to stack higher and higher. Trying to keep up to par with everything may be difficult and when one falls behind, it seems like there is no way to catch up and the glimmer of hope can quickly morph into a black hole of despair.
Perhaps, you have experienced what I am describing. If you have ever felt like you were drowning in an ocean of stress-overload you probably know what I’m talking about. You are discouraged at yourself for falling behind. You feel mad at the world for throwing so much stress and chaos at you. You feel bad for letting your boss, teachers, and/or loved ones down. You feel horrible about not being "good enough" and then the thoughts begin to make their way in, the negative "just give up" kind of thoughts. "You'll never be able to fix everything or come out on top." "Why are you even trying?" "It is too hard, there’s sooo much to do and not enough time." "There is no hope for a bright future, if you can't handle your life, right now" "You've lost control, stop trying, it is no use."

These thoughts are horrible! They bring with them confusion, doubt, fear, and a disgusting knot in the stomach that forms when a lie is told. This is because these thoughts and thoughts similar to them are lies. Satan, the father lies, wants to destroy us, to make us as miserable as he is. D&C 10: 22 states that: “Satan leads souls to destruction.” And in Moses 4: 6 we learn more about the devil’s evil intentions when we read that: “Satan [seeks] to destroy the world.” He was our brother in the pre-earth life. He knows us: our weaknesses, our talents, our strengths. He knows our great potential and wants us to fail. He, as well as his legions of evil spirit followers, will do all that they can to hinder our progression. Though they cannot read our thoughts, they can whisper evil and degrading things into our minds. If we allow these things to stay, little by little we will fall away from reaching our God-given potential. Steven A. Cramer, in his book, Putting on the Amor of God, states the following phrase repeatedly: “What gets your attention get you.” Negative thoughts (like the aforementioned) have popped into everyone’s head (I know that they’ve popped into mine), but this does not mean we have to keep them there. Even the Savior of the world, He who was perfect, was tempted of the devil. When Jesus had fasted for forty days he went into the wilderness and the devil came to tempt him. In Matt 4: 10 we read the Savior’s response. He commanded: “Get thee hence, Satan…” and like the Savior, we mustn’t allow Satan’s whisperings to stay with us.

We have had and will continue to have challenges in our lives. Satan will continue in his endeavors at feeding negative thoughts into our heads in hope that we will let them linger to torture our souls. Today, though, I want to talk about how we can deal with the stresses of this world and how to replace negative thoughts and feelings with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and hope in His infinite Atonement.
In his talk entitled Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Elder Kevin W. Pearson said: “Challenging times require greater spiritual power” (40). How true that is! The bar has been raised in missionary requirements and it should be raised in our own lives. The standards of the world are progressively falling. We see it everywhere (in the streets, at school in the media, and etc). With so much chaos and confusion surrounding us, we need to do more to protect ourselves from falling right alongside the world; we need to do all that we can to stay close to the Lord.

There are many tools like prayer, the words of the prophets, and temple worship available to help us through the hardships of life. Let’s talk a little bit more about each of these tools. First, we can pray. Heavenly Father is there. He listens to and answers every single prayer. He loves us and wants us to come to Him, to give Him our thanks, to share with him our desires, our heartache, to ask Him for help. In D&C 10:5 it says, “Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work.” Prayer is such a simple thing and yet it is so powerful.

The words of the prophets are another tool. Whether it be President Monson and the general authorities of today or the prophets of old. Messages of comfort and guidance from the Lord are relayed through them to us in church magazines like the Ensign and in the scriptures. This is also a simple thing and so much strength and joy (even answers to prayers) can come from simply reading! I don’t know how many times I have read my scriptures or flipped through talks in the Ensign and had several questions answered or received direction as the Spirit whispered to my heart that what I was reading was truth. Elder Sheldon F. Child in his talk A Sure Foundation pleaded: “Brothers and sisters, if God loves us enough to send us prophets, then we need to love Him enough to follow them. Following the prophets will help protect us against the storms of life and lead us to Christ. [hold scriptures and ensign up] These are words from our Heavenly Father through His servants to me and to you. They can be our guide to surviving and even thriving in these troubled times.

Temple worship is also a source of strength and power in times of need. Elder Richard G. Scott gave a marvelous talk in General Conference last month on this very subject. In his talk he suggested several ways that one can benefit more from attending the temple. Such suggestions include [read out of ensign](44). He also testified that: “When we keep the temple covenants we have made and when we live righteously in order to maintain the blessings promised by those ordinances then come what may, we have no reason to feel despondent”(45). What a blessing it is to have a temple in the very city we live. Travel time is only a matter of minutes and we can be within the walls of the temple, away from the cares of the world. For those of us who are not endowed, we have opportunities several times a week to go do baptisms for the dead. And for the endowed the opportunity is always there. I don’t take enough advantage of this. I get caught up with being too busy or not wanting to sacrifice a few hours of sleep to get up early and go, but I know that when I have gone it has been awesome. The Holy Ghost is strong when I do service in general, but it is especially strong within the sacred walls of the temple, as I participate in ordinances by proxy for those who have gone to the spirit world. If you don’t currently hold a temple recommend, schedule an interview with the bishop to receive one. If you are unworthy to receive one, then get worthy! Again, talk to the bishop, he loves you and is there to help with the repentance process so that you can once again enjoy the blessings of the temple. Attending the temple can strengthen our testimonies and make us more able to deal with the stresses and doubts of the world.

Negativity may crash in from all around us. Circumstance may be treacherous. And with such, doubts and sorrow can crowd our hearts and minds. Even with (ESPECIALLY with) the hard times we are experiencing and/or will experience, we need to remember the many tools that God has provided for us. Prayer, the words of the prophets, and temples are only a few of the resources we have available to us. We have family and friends, home and visiting teachers, institute classes, beautiful and inspiring hymns and music, and other things and people in our lives that can aid us in this earthly experience. Going back to Kevin W. Pearson’s Talk Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, he closed with his testimony that “Because He lives (He being the Savior), there is always hope smiling brightly before us. In a household of faith, there is no need to fear or doubt. Choose to live by faith and not fear.”

I want to close with my own testimony. I know that God lives and loves each one of us. I know that Jesus is my elder brother and my Savior. I know that he lived a perfect life and that if I follow his example I will be blessed. I know that he suffered the Atonement because he loves me and each of us. I know that he experienced all of my pains and all of my heartache. He knows exactly what I have gone through, all that I am going through, and all that I will go through. He died and was resurrected so that we may live again with Him, our Heavenly Parents and all of our loved ones. Life may bring me down, I may be a horrible sinner, but everything will be okay because I know that I am not alone. I know that through repentance, no matter how bad I mess up, I can be made clean; I can be forgiven! I know that Satan is real and that he is doing his best to confuse us, to make us doubt, to lead us away from the blessings that come through living the gospel. Even with the distractions of the devil, even with the stresses of mortality, I know that men are that they might have joy. God wants us to be happy. Times may be hard, but there is no reason to fear. He has provided us with the means to endure. I know that with God we can do and get through anything.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Spring

2009-05-03T00:37:00.004-06:00

It is starting to get warm again! In reality, there are spurts of random cold spells sprinkled with snowflakes, but in general spring is "just around the river bend," as Disney's Pocahontas would say (actually, she'd be singing that phrase... haha).

I forget how much I love the sound of birds, every year. Also, the budding leaves and flowers are soo beautiful. The newness of growth (maybe, it's just the surge of energy from my high protein diet) makes me want to burst into song. If my whits would permit, I'd love to just sing happy spring songs while walking to and from class.

Saturday @ School

2009-05-03T00:30:00.004-06:00

A few years ago I wrote:

This past weekend was a rather weird one. I usually stay at home and catch up on my studies/practicing and then squeeze in some relaxation time. On a spur of the moment thing, though, I ended up hanging out at school all day. Do you know who Adam Neiman is? If not, I highly suggest that you look the fellow up.

So... It turns out that he was giving a studio class and a concert on Saturday. I was pretty much enthused when I found out about this. I attended both and took some great notes. It was very inspirational. He knows his music history, theory and everything in between. I was very impressed and in love with his technique!

I was also able to go to a study group in preparation a test. I think it helped, but I'm not sure. I guess I'll have to wait until the grade is posted. I'd go to all the study groups that are provided, but they seem to be at unsuitable times (for me anyways). I have no form of transportation to get me downtown on the weekends and in the evenings (usually). I am stuck at school from 8 in the morning until 9ish in the p.m., on Tuesdays. Even if a study group is on that day (which never happens), it would probably be during one of my classes. I laugh, because so is life.

And that I concludes my recap of a Saturday @ school. :)

The ThreeTravelers

2009-05-03T00:25:00.003-06:00

Awhile back I wrote:

My 33 year suitor (this is just a nickname for a friend of mine), is goin' to china to teach English. Isn't that awesome? I am quite jealous, and yet happy for the guy. He needs some excitement. Maybe he'll have a fling with some foxy Chinese lady. After all, romance has a sense of excitement... I suppose.

Also, in the realm of travel...My brother, Ryan, is headed to Thailand-- this summer. He went there on his mission, and wants to take "the beautiful Robyn" (his wife) back with him to do all that fun stuff that was prohibited from him, as a missionary. I wish I could hitch a ride with them. I want to travel the world! There are so many beautiful places to see and wonderful things to do. 'Tis a shame that we can't live forever or at least have enough time/money to see and do everything.

Farris Wheel Phobia

2009-05-03T00:21:00.000-06:00

My mom is deathly afraid of heights and yet at lagoon, a few years back, we persuaded her to go on the Farris Wheel with us. She was doing just fine-- focusing on her happy place and white-knuckling some bars-- until my cousin decided to "cure her of her phobia." He figured that if he pried her hands form the bars that she'd suddenly realize there was nothing to be afraid of. This plan didn't work, in the least, and the poor woman lost control. It was not pretty, and I do not recommend disturbing a person's happy place... uh... EVER.

I'm sure that a group of people coming off a ride with a hysteric woman was quite the sight. I can just picture an impressionable little kid seeing us and thinking to himself, "Golly! That ride must be horrid." For all we know my mom's scene could have made a whole litter of little children deathly afraid of Farris Wheels.... and the phobia is passed on.

More Than a "I'm good"

2009-05-02T22:26:00.002-06:00

Do you ever get tired of simply asking how a person is doing to only get the reply, "I'm good." I think years go by and a lot of my "friendships" only extend to small talk and how-di-do's. It seems sad to waist so much time, this way, when I could be getting to know people better. There are a lot of people in the world. Can you imagine what it would be like to know all of them? Wouldn't that be something? I heard once that there are only two people in the world--those whom you love and those whom you don't know. I find it awesome and amazing to think that Heavenly Father knows everything about everyone and loves us all. I hope I get a chance to get to know all of my heavenly siblings and learn about their earthly experiences, in the eternity. Fascinating!

Essential Oils

2009-01-28T22:15:00.007-07:00

Below is a speech I wrote for a COMM 101 class. It was my ticket into the BSU Speech Showcase.
Citation was added later... if interested, though, all of the info came from a book mentioned in the intro paragraph.

Topic: Essential Oils
Type of Speech: Informative Speech
General Purpose: To inform audience about Essential Oils
Specific Purpose: To make listeners aware that they can heal themselves.
Thesis Statement: Essential Oils are and have been a powerful healing tool.
Organization: Star Pattern

Introduction:

Picture yourself in Egypt, long ago. You are a robber, in King Tut's tomb looking for valuables. Piles of precious metals like Gold, and mounds of beautiful jewels are at your grasp. Pushing these objects out of the way, you head for a set of 50 alabaster jars filled about 350 liters of oil. After transferring the oils from the original heavy containers into lighter bottles, you and your comrades excitedly leave with your mother-load of valuable oils-- oils that are worth more than all of the ancient pharaoh's riches combined. What kind of oil would be worth more than that much gold, you might be wondering? Well, today, we are here to inform you about this. These oils are modernly known as Essential Oils. The ancients used and cherished them and so can you and I. Through Reading the beginning of Gary Young's reference book Essential Oils: Integrative Medical Guide, we have come to better understand what essential oils are, the history of essential oils, and how essential oils should be used. Because we found this book to be full of extremely interesting information, we thought we'd share what we learned with you. All of the following information comes from the afore mentioned book, which means that if you have any questions, along with asking us you can find answers on your own!

Body:

First, what exactly are essential oils? Essential oils are liquid substances distilled from different types of plants. Enfluerage is the name of the oldest form of this process. Along with Enfluerage (which is just the smashing of plants and then mixing the ground bits with olive oil or animal fat) there are many ways of extracting oil from plants. Other ways of distilling oils are soaking plant parts in boiling water or alcohol, and steam distillation (which is the process in which steam goes through plant material and when the steam is condensed the oil separates out). These may seem easy enough, but sometimes it may take a whole shrub just to make one drop of oil! Each oil has its own extreme chemical make-up. Because of this, each has a unique purpose. Some oils like lavender smell good and can have calming effects. Other oils like peppermint and balsam fir can give nourishment and oxygen to cells. Some like lemon, frankincense, and oregano are good at killing bacteria/viruses, and etc. And, also, several oils, like citronella and geranium repel insects. Basically essential oils are substances that can be used by applying to the skin, by taking with food and drink, and/or by breathing in their aromas. They are substances that can better a persons emotional and physical state.

Moving on, we will now talk about the history of Essential Oils. Essential Oils have been around for a long time. In fact, there are records from about 4500 B.C. that talk about oils being used for religious rituals (like embalming) and healing. There are many examples of civilizations that have used essential oils. Along with using oils in the usual religious and healing ways, Egypt (one of the first known civilizations to have produced and used oils) also used them to make cosmetics (eyeliners, eye shadows, perfumes, and etc). Other examples of oils throughout history are as follows:

1. Napoleon is said to have loved cologne that was made of neroli (among other oils). He liked it so much that he ordered 162 bottles of the stuff!

2. After the crusades, oils and essences made of oil were popular substances that were brought back from Jerusalem to Europe.

3. Hildegard of Bingen, a famous nun from the 12 century, wrote a book about how she used herbs and oils for healing in her convent.

4. There are more than 200 references to oils in the Bible (which is used as a historical reference for this speech). Here are a few instances:

1. The three wise men brought gifts to the Savior like Frankincense and Myrrh (both of which are essential oils).

2. In Exodus, God told Moses to blend certain amounts of different oils (i.e. myrrh, cinnamon, calamus, cassia, and olive oil) to create a particular holy anointing oil.

3. Also, in the 12^th chapter and the 3^rd verse of John, oils are mentioned. It reads: "Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment."

Oils were rediscovered in th late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. In 1907, a group of scientists, including Dr. Rene'-Maurice Gattefosse' (the father of modern aromatherapy), started studying oils. Gattefosse' later wrote a book about the studies he had conducted and in his book he told a narrative about how he had burned himself in a lab explosion. He said that described his experience with applying lavender oil to his burns. In doing so he said he was able to increase his body's healing process. Eventually knowledge about Essential Oils spread and in WWI hospitals used essential oils because of their cleaning/healing abilities.

The study of essential oils has continued and today scientists are working on finding cures for HIV, AIDS, Ebola, and etc.

Continuing on to our final topic, we will now discuss how to use essential oils properly. Though Essential Oils aren't very popular here in the United States, they are commonly used in places like the Middle East, the Orient, and Europe. Aromatherapy (or the study of essential oils) is even a class taught in school. How do one know if one needs an oil or not? There is a simple test that we'll call an aura test. This test can also be sued with other substances like the food we eat or medication we take. First, a person must chose a bottle of oil (or whatever it is that you want to test). Second, that individual must place the bottle in both hands and hold it in front of his or her stomach. The stomach/naval of the body is thought to be the center of the body where the body's aura is located. If an individual holds an object next to his or her aura and asks his or her body whether or not he or she needs the object the body is supposed to respond. If the body needs the substance, then the body will move towards it. On the other hand, though, if the body doesn't need the substance, the body will move backwards and away from the object. And if the body pulls sideways, the body doesn't really care one way or the other. Once you've established whether or not you need the oil, you should skin test yourself. Though your body says you need an oil it is better to be safe than sorry. You never know; your skin might be allergic to an oil. Once you have determined the oils that work for you, you can then use the oils. There are several ways to use oils. Massages, treatments of acupuncture and acupressure, warm and cold packs, and baths and showers can all be enhanced with a few drops of a desired oil. Even the nutrition of food can be increased, if the cook adds a few drops of oil, while dish is being prepared.
According to the book, applying different oils to different places of the body can help different issues. As you can see with our visual aid, if you rub different oils into various parts of the foot, you can help various parts of the body. The same thing is true about our ears—rubbing oils onto different parts of the ear can assist healing with different parts of our bodies and with different emotional issues.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, Essential Oils or oils made from plants and used for healing have been around for a long time. People have benefited from them since before the reign of pharaohs in Ancient Egypt. Through the different forms of application (externally and internally) each oil can be used to help in its own unique way. Now that we have quickly taken you through the basics of Essential oils, we hope you more fully understand what they are, how they fit into history, and how we can properly use them today, in our daily lives.

An Up to Date...ish

2009-01-28T22:02:00.005-07:00

An excerpt from a recent email to friend is below to fill you in on the recent happenings of my life (Reader's Digest Version.... haha).

I've loved almost every moment of Christmas Break. I'm sad to see it coming to an end. I know, I know... I should be glad for the lengthy amount of time that I had off (especially when [blogging to people] who [have probably had] less time than me) and I am, but it is just that school is not the most pleasant of thoughts after such a glorious vacation! Do you now what I mean?

I read, spent time with buddies and family, slept, and filled the Brookometer back to full. Oh, and guess what?!?!?! Patrick and Christine are going to have a baby!!! I'm going to have another niece or nephew by August. [My family] is getting bigger everyday!

During the past few weeks, I've done a lot of buying and selling books on half.com. * $$$* It has been as fun as selling and buying books can be. I've been needing to get rid of my old textbooks. They were beginning to take over my closet and book shelves. It feels good to have a few of them out of my hands and to have space for the new-comers that are assigned with this semester's slew of classes. I'm signed up for 12 credits (the bare minimum that I need in order to have financial aid). I'm hoping that cutting down my load will help me do better in my classes. I've had some not lovely past semesters and want this one to be all about the good grades.

I'm still teaching piano/violin lessons and love it!!!!! I'm trying to plan a recital for February, but we'll see if I can organize one with all of the varying schedules that I have to deal with. Haha. It should be fun! I'm also still working for E.N.C.O.R.E by playing for musicals. I've accompanied "Sleeping Beauty" and "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and am lined up for "Seussical the Musical" in the spring. I can't wait! I love being able to use music in my life and jobs. Good times, let me tell you!

Of Good Choices and Great Opportunities

2009-01-17T00:19:00.001-07:00

Being in a singles' branch, I am reminded constantly of the importance of dating and getting married. I know that marriage should be the ultimate goal of an individual attending a branch of this type, but-- in my case (at least originally)-- the singles' branch was simply an opportunity to socialize with people who were and are in similar circumstances of life and learning as me.

My choice to associate with singles, like all choices, has been accompanied by consequences. It has been wonderful to be able to make friends and feel like, for the first time in my life, that I fit in! And yet, I also feel like I am growing up too fast. Being in college and surrounded by older single adults has given me experience that would have been shielded from me, had I stayed in high school for the usual amount of time.

I have dated all sorts of men (hey, I've even had a few marriage proposals!) and I've been attending a singles ward, institute, and college for three years now. All of this should be new to me, since I am only an 18-year-old girl, but it is not. I am used to all of it. In fact, I am starting to get tired of it all.

People often ask me, "Brooke, if you could go back in time, would you decided to stay in high school?" My reply is always the same, " No. The choice to go to college has given me some hard consequences, but it has been the best decision of my life. If I had the chance to go back in time, even with the knowledge that I have about how it would all turn out, I would choose college over high school, any day." And I would, too! After all, I prayed about that decision and felt like attending college was what I needed to do. As hard as it may be, at times, I still feel comforted in my choice.

With that said, I return to the idea of growing myself up too fast. I have one more year until I graduate with a BA, when a normal girl my age would be barely starting off at a new school as a Freshman-- the world of college being new, fresh, and exciting. It is insane to think about! I am excited to think of how far ahead I am in the world in comparison to that little freshman girl, though.

I have the advantage of a few years of experience. I'll be able to graduate, before I marry (that is, if I ever marry). I'll be able to get a nice, stable job and start really supporting myself (hopefully, anyhow... haha). I'll also probably be able to go to Graduate school. There is so much I can do with my life! Thousands of doors are wide open for me-- each one filled with a dozen fabulous opportunities. I am one lucky girl! I just hope that I can make the most of it.

I haven't done my best, in the past, but today is a new day and a bright future can be mine, if I give it my all and always rely upon the Lord to make up for the difference.

I know...

2009-01-16T23:05:00.005-07:00

[If there are any questions about the below please ask me, check out http://www.mormon.org/, http://www.lds.net/, http://www.lds.org/, or talk with your friendly neighborhood LDS missionaries. :) ]

I am a woman with strong christian beliefs, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (in other words... I'm Mormon), and I know that by the power of prayer anyone can obtain a knowledge of loving heavenly parents and a brother, the Savior, Jesus Christ. How do I know this? Well, let me tell you my story...

I was born into an LDS (Latter-day Saint) family and raised in the church. I remember going to church every week. Sundays were very special.

I loved getting up early and having my mom and grandma (we lived with my grandparents for the first five years of my life) help me curl my long blonde hair and put on a pretty dress. My Grandma would sometimes make us breakfast and she would turn on reverent music (usually the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) as she cooked and finished getting ready for the day. This would set such a peaceful mood.

Primary was amazing! Being with other little kids, to sing songs and learn about the gospel was a very sweet experience. To this day, primary songs have a tender spot in my heart.

When I turned eight-years-old, I was old enough to make my own decision as to whether or not I wanted to be baptized. Looking back on it, I'm not sure that I fully understood the hugeness of the covenants that I was undertaking, but I knew enough. I knew that I wanted to be good and to choose the right. I knew that Christ was baptized and, since he was the perfect example, I knew that I should be baptized, as well.

At my baptism, I remember that, once I had come back out of the water, I felt clean. It was like I was shining from head to toe. I felt warm and cozy-- as if I had received the best hug ever! The next Sunday, I was confirmed and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. This gift has been a major comfort and guide in my life. I have continued to grow and it has helped me make wise decisions and be comforted when things get tough.

The years went by and, eventually, I turned twelve. At this age girls and boys graduated from primary and moved into Young Men's and Young Women's (otherwise known as Youth Group or Mutual). Activities, leaders, and friends were there to help and support me.

The summer after I turned 13, I found a Book of Mormon with my older brother's testimony in the back of it. He first read the whole thing, cover to cover, at the age of 12. Seeing this, I decided to read the Book of Mormon, too. I'd heard some of its stories in Sunday School classes and Sacrament meeting talks.

At first, that was all it was to me-- stories. I read nonchalantly until I reached the book of Enos. That day, my mom and I were driving around and running errands when my progress with reading became the topic of conversation. I told her how much I'd read and she responded with a question that changed everything.

"So... Do you know it's true, yet?" she asked.

At this, I was hit with a realization. "No," I admitted. I had no idea whether or not it was true. I'd heard it was true from family members and church leaders, but I-- for the first time in my life-- didn't want to blindly rely on their words. I wanted to know for myself! After all, if the Book of Mormon wasn't true, then that meant that Joseph Smith didn't translate it correctly. For all I knew, he could have made up the whole thing! If this was the case, then he must not have been an inspired man of God; and if he wasn't a prophet, then the whole church that was supposedly restored through him would have to not be true, as well. This would mean that everything I had been taught throughout my whole life (concerning religion) would have to be wrong. With this train of thought, I began to doubt and question everything. If none of this was true, then I needed to find out for myself so that I could move on with my life. I didn't want to continue "wasting my time" with an untrue church. That would have been pointless.

Reading the Book of Mormon, from that day on, became a quest for knowledge and truth. I prayed to know, without a doubt, whether or not its writings were true, whether or not all of its doctrines were true, and if the prophets and church leaders were are all called of God. I needed to know! Not knowing was driving me insane.

This process of searching for an answer took time. My life consisted of nothing else but reading, praying and searching for answers. Finally, one day, I came across a scripture in Moroni that promised that through the whisperings of the Holy Ghost, a person could know and understand all things. Moroni states:

Behold, I exort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been to the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. (Moroni 10:3-5)

When I read this, my resolve to discover the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and everything having to do with the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was strengthened for a final push. I was in the concluding chapter of the book and my faith was beginning to wane. I needed to know, I yearned to know.

At church, during the sacrament hymn, I tried focusing on the words as the congregation sang about the Savior. The words pounded into my head-- words about a man who had supposedly suffered the Atonement for me and for everyone. My mind turned to my recent readings about the Savior. In the book of 3 Nephi, in The Book of Mormon, he comes to visit the people on the American continent after his resurrection. They were the lost sheep that he spoke of in The New Testament. It all made sense. It had to be true, but I wasn't sure, yet. I wanted to be sure so that if anyone asked me if I knew, I could honestly answer them. I closed my eyes and silently offered up one more prayer. I pled with God to know-- to know so that I couldn't question!

All of the sudden, I was filled with warmth. It was as if a light bulb had gone off in my head and in my heart. The clouds of uncertainty lifted and I just knew. The Book of Mormon is true! Jesus is the Christ! God is my father in Heaven! Joseph Smith was a prophet! Gordon B. Hinckley was the president of the church, then, and he was a true prophet, too! Everything came together in a rush of knowledge. The Holy Ghost spoke to my heart of the truthfulness of all of it and my chest burned with emotion. I was crying because the experience was so overpowering. I felt such joy and gratitude for a Heavenly Father who listened to my many prayers and answered every single one. It was amazing!

I gained my own testimony that day and am glad to say that I do know, now. I carried this knowledge with me through the remainder of my jr. high and high school years. It has gone with me to college and I am constantly reminded of the sweetness and truth of the gospel through my studies, prayers, and attendance in my singles' ward and institute classes. I pray to always remember this knowledge and to have the courage to share it with others so that they might come to know, as well.

I know...

I know that Jesus was born to Mary about 2000 years ago. I know that he lived a perfect life, suffered the Atonement, bled from every pore, was crucified, and was resurrected for me and for every person who ever lived and who ever will live. He knows and loves me. He suffered through all of my pains and has atoned for all of my sins so that I might not be alone through the trials of this life and so that I can repent and be clean again. Oh, how I love the Savior!!!!

I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet. Before that, though, he was a young boy who lived at a time of great religious excitement. He questioned truth and had the faith to ask, in prayer, about which of the churches he should join. In a grove of trees, he knelt in prayer. His prayer was answered! Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father appeared to him and told him to join none of them.
It was through this young boy's faith, that the gospel was restored upon the earth in all of its fullness. Through the authority/keys of the Priesthood, the church of Christ and the ordinances, doctrines, revelations, scriptures, and etc. are once again upon the earth!

I know that the Book of Mormon is true scripture. I have read it and have felt the beautiful promptings of the Holy ghost while doing so. It, alongside the Bible, is another testament of Christ. It is a record of a people who lived on the American continent-- their dealings with God, the Savior, and each other. It was translated by Joseph Smith with the assistance of the Urim and Thummim. Though it be a record of ancient inhabitants, its writings have the ability to change lives for the better, comfort hearts, and inspire those who read it, today.

I know that temples are holy places, houses of the Lord. I know that the ordinances done in temples (for the living and dead) make it possible for families to be together forever.

I know that God loves me, that I am his daughter, and that he wants me to be happy. He listens to my prayers and answers each and everyone of them. Prayer is powerful! Miracles happen everyday because of simple prayers. I know that "with God, nothing is impossible" (Luke 1:37).

I know that anyone can come to this knowledge and find answers to any question through careful study and earnest prayer.

I know these things and so much more.... It is so wonderful!!!!! and I thank my God for all of it!

I testify of these things and close this blog entry in Jesus Christ's sacred name. Amen. :)

Drivin' in style..

2008-10-13T18:03:00.005-06:00

March 18th, 2008

Today, I checked out a book on tape called Joan of Ark by Mark Twain. I'm tired of the same old music that is played on the raido and i'm hoping that listening to a book, while i drive, will make the long commute to and from school more interesting. Who knows, eh? It's worth a try.

9th Grade Somethings

2008-02-24T00:14:00.010-07:00

Today, I received an email from my friend, Stephanie. She had been looking through old word files on her computer and came across one of our crazy 9th grade English projects. Reading this brought back an infinite number of memories. We were definitely on the weird side, back in the day. Heck! We still are... :) If you so choose to read this be sure and picture a set of teenage girls in totally awesome Renaissance garb. Enjoy!

Fashion and Dress Script

Stephanie: This is the Fashion and Dress Booth, and we will be giving you a little bit of information about the Renaissance Period and the way they dressed. We will demonstrate to you how the Fashion and Dress of that time was extremely important to everyone, as it helped separate those of the different classes: Upper, Middle and Lower.

*Start Skit*

Molly: Abigail sits and sighs, saying,

Brooke: Gown, Gown, where art thou, Gown?

Molly: Suddenly, Diana jumps out, sounding somewhat excited and guilty.

Stephanie: Abigail! There is something I have been meaning to tell you! *sniff* I have your father’s gown!!!!

*Gasps from all*

Ashley: Men of the early Renaissance wore gowns, which were long jackets that reached the floor. The gowns had long sleeves that were puffed out, and both men and women wore very pointed shoes and tight hats,

Molly: Let’s rewind that a little.

Stephanie: I have your father’s gown!!!!

*Gasps from all*

Molly: Abigail looks distraught, and screams,

Brooke: NOOOOOOOOOO! You killed my father’s gown!!!

Molly: Diana smiles evil-like.

Stephanie: No, I AM your father’s gown!

Molly: Abigail, with a confused look, says,

Brooke: that can’t be so! You look more like a cloak!

Ashley: After about 15 years, gowns were discarded, and men now adorned cloaks, which were wider, but much shorter, and revealed the adopted tight pants of a man.

Molly: Diana smiles,

Stephanie: My dear, I think your eyes deceive you! For you must be blinded by your bright jewelry, which shows of your high class!

Ashley: Wealthy women of the Renaissance wore large gowns which usually had pearls or gems sown into them. Also, women wore a lot of jewelry around their necks, wrists, fingers, and even in their hair.

Molly: Abigail laughs,

Brooke: This is not so! Sunglasses have been invented! *whips out sunglasses*

Stephanie: You lie!!!!

Brooke: I don’t! They’re on my bloody face! Now what, pray tell, did my father’s gown look like??

Molly: Diana looks scared.

Stephanie: Uh…ahem…Well, it had…a…FARTHINGALE!! Yes! And a chemise!

Ashley: A farthingale is a hooped skirt spread over wire to give the outer skirts a ‘poor’ and a chemise is a slip-like undergarment to protect out skirts from wear and bodily perspiration and such.

Brooke: No!

Molly: screams Abigail.

Brooke: that is from my mother’s wardrobe! You are a lying, beef-witted footlicker! Don’t you know the penalty for dressing above your social class?

Molly: Diana looks down.

Stephanie: No, I really do have the gown!

Brooke: and you say I lie! Leave my sight immediately, you *begins to sing* Riff Raff, Street rat!-

Stephanie: I don’t buy that! If only they’d look closer! Would they see a peasant?

Stephanie and Brooke together: No ser-ie: they’d find out, there’s so much more to me (you)!

Molly: Abigail looked surprised.

Brooke: Well, what about you?

Stephanie: Well…I know a lot about our history and fashion!!

Brooke: Really? Let’s be friends!

*All Prance off Happily*

.... like I said, "weird."

Bubble Sheet Blues

2008-02-23T23:56:00.006-07:00

[As you have probably already guessed... I'm a fan of using my other sources of writing to create blogs. I lack a sense of creativity, I suppose. Hehe. Sooo yeah.... Below is an excerpt of an email that I sent my friend, yesterday. If you're reading this, dear friend, I hope you don't mind me snatching this from our correspondence. Thanks!]

Guess what? *sigh* (and I really did just sigh, too) I had an econ test today, for which I studied hardcore (and by studied hardcore I mean that I seriously crammed) I even stayed on campus until midnight, last night. It was awesome!. I felt prepared, I'm pretty sure that I was prepared, and I think that, answer-wise, I did pretty well on the exam this morning. I took the full hour and was feeling pretty good about the whole situation (I knew that I'd probably missed a few, but hey... this was the best I'd ever felt after an econ exam), and then I turned in the bubble sheet and suddenly every happy emotion I had previously been feeling was replaced with heart-dropping nastiness.

I had forgotten to fill in the bubbles of my name and ID number! My teacher, after noticing this, transformed from her happy nice self into a monster. "You know you're losing 75 points for turning it in like this!" she angrily piped. What am I supposed to say to that? " Yup! I know, I planned it that way. I figured that failing my first test would be the way to go!" Yeah right! I felt retarded. My name was on the bubble sheet line on the opposite side of the paper. Who designed bubble sheets anyhow? The identification bubbles should be on the front so that forgetful/loserish people, like myself, will remember to fill them in. AHHH!

I apologized and asked if she would pity me. Her reply, "It's not my sorry it is your sorry." I was like "I know. Hence why I said I'm sorry not you're sorry." I actually said that, can you believe?!? It was definitely not the best moment of my life. Even with my dumb remark, she did eventually give in to my pleas by letting me buy an opportunity to fill in the stupid bubbles. I ended up sacrificing 15 glorious points!!!!! That is an automatic 85 % ( if I aced the exam... and I know that didn't happen.) I should be grateful for the second chance. 15 points is definitely better than 75!!!!! Stupid bubble sheet. I had my name on everything, even the bubble sheet... just not in the bubbles. :(

After this annoying escapade, I ended up losing control of my emotions and bawling in the girl's restroom. It was pathetic. I couldn't stop crying and I'm not an attractive crier. I managed to pull myself together enough so that I was only a few minutes late to my next class. I think my teacher forgave me for being late the instant I walked through the door, due to my red face, blood-shot eyes, and puffy cheeks. I received the "are you alright?" look from everyone. It was nice to know that they all care about my well being, but still... Crying because of a bad grade-- a total Brooke thing to do and yet very embarrassing. I hate it when high hopes are crushed so unexpectedly.

Road Trip Creativity

2008-02-23T22:53:00.002-07:00

Road trip ideas are always the best. I'm the only writer in my family so our creative genius comes out in film productions instead of novels. We make crappily amazing movies and have a lot of fun. I know that some of our best movie scenes were thought up on long car rides to family reunions (and other vacation spots). Such epics include: Lord of the Toe Ring, Attack of Sponge Bob, The pioneers, Thumpdrag, Guess that Film, The War, Saving Private Ryan II, and the list goes on.

Love...A Very Short Summation of the Good the Bad

2008-02-15T16:37:00.009-07:00

The Good

Romance is nice, but only if both parties are "in like" or "in love" with each other. There is nothing as exciting as having someone you are attracted to be attracted to you. It is definitely a self-esteem booster. This may be an amazing experience, but...

The Bad

I've experienced many a heartbreak because I chose to fall for guys who didn't feel the same way about me. I don't care who says it or how it is said, but the "let's just be friends"/"I like you, but not like that" speech always hurts. Dating, I've decided, trains young people to expect rejection. What else is a person supposed to expect after putting his or her heart out there over and over, just to get it ripped to shreds every time.

Burning Money

2008-02-15T16:21:00.006-07:00

07/04/07

My fourth of July was pretty good, this year. A bunch of family got together, at the grandparents' house (as usual...). The food was good, the company was even better, and of course the fireworks were explosive. We (my siblings, cousins, and I) basically spent the evening hours "burning our money". <--- That is what my mom calls our little pirotechinc display. We bought a few boxes of pop its, about 100 sparklers, and two show boxes. With the clever usage of duct tape and a hammer, several prodigious bombs were constructed. It was some ear throbbing/eye blinding goodness....

Passion

2008-02-15T16:15:00.006-07:00

I really need to be more passionate about giving my all in everything that I do. Lately, it feels like I've been thoughtlessly and carelessly going through the actions of life. I used to be so excited to be alive and to learn new things. Now, I feel numb to the world and everyone/thing in it.

This past weekend, at my friend's house, my friend's dad went on for about 20 minutes about a book he has been reading and the history that goes along with it. He seemed so intrigued and exited to share what he had been learning. It was amazing and I loved every moment! His enthusiasm made me realize how much I need to change. Because of this, a bit of passion has been aroused from within me and it has made me want to try and be more excited about my daily tasks and hobbies. Haha, whenever I say the word "try", I hear Yoda's voice in my head stating his famous line:"Do or do not, there is no try." Such wisdom :) . So much for try, I'm gonna do.

Verb, it's what ya do...

And More of My Past...

2008-02-15T16:06:00.007-07:00

6/25/07

At Dave's wedding (which was in California), I had as much fun as girl could have.... I suppose. My new sister-in-law was pretty much a scary bridezilla, towards the end of the festivities the poor thing was probably stressed out of her mind). Throughout the whole planning process, she has wanted everything to be just right (and by "right" I mean that everything had to be the perfect shade of baby blue). It was nice to get away from my everyday surroundings and see a few relatives, though.

My parents, grandparents, and siblings shared two rooms at a really cheap motel. When we weren't helping out with reception preparations, we got a chance to do our own thing. During the beginning of our Californian adventure, we did a lot of window shopping. Chino certainly has a collection of little malls!

Also, My eldest brother, his wife, and I skipped church to go to the San Diego Zoo, see the ocean, and party. I hardly ever get to see those two and it was awesome to finally have a chance to hang with 'em (<--- is my rationalization for breaking the sabbath day, haha). The next day, before we headed back on the plane, we (the same siblings just mentioned, my parents, grandparents, and I) took a quick run through of Downtown Disney. My mom and I even looked through the ticket gates, into Disneyland. We couldn't see much, if anything, but it was a free bit of excitement. Okay, okay. It wasn't exactly free. After all, I did end up spending some mula on a Tinkerbell key chain. I wasn't going to spend a dime (I'm trying to save up enough cash for a car, ya know?), but it was gorgeous and I figured that I might not get to go back to LA (let alone Disneyland... not that I was even inside the real thing, but hey...) and I wanted a little souvenir.

We were home for about three days when my pop decided that we should go to the Lott family reunion. So, that is where I have been all weekend. My grandparents have a ranch up in northern Washington (basically on the border of Canada). Every family reunion, that I can remember, has been held there. I have so many good memories of hiking up the mountain, messing around with my cousins, playing on the beach of the Colombian River, shopping in Canada, running around the RV park (that my grandparents own), having bonfires, going on hayrides, doing service projects, feeding the animals, watching and being apart of family musical ensembles and skits, making movies (of course... :)), and the list is pretty much infinite. This trip just wasn't the same, though. All of my brothers are grown up and couldn't come (due to jobs and honeymoons) and all of the cousins, that I am close to, weren't there (except for a few who showed up on Saturday). I had a hard time connecting with most of the kids. I did, however, enjoy my time with all of the adults, which is a new thing (for that side of the family). It is good that-- because I am constantly around adults-- I can now enjoy real conversations with my aunts and uncles, but I seriously need to keep in better contact with my little cousins. I hate awkwardness, especially with members of my own family!

We left Boise on Friday morning, bright and early, and arrived about 10 hours later. The car ride to North Port is hard on person's rear-end and legs... "ouch". I was crammed in the back of my dad's pickup truck. By the end of the road, my southern half was starting to go numb! It was a long trip to have only stayed one full day, but that is just we did. Saturday was slam packed day full of the usual family reunion activities. And on Sunday, before everyone went to church we had a family photo, picked up a piano (my dad is never way from his job, I swear), tied it down in the back of the truck, and headed home (for a long 13 hours of travel time). With the piano in the back, we had to be extra careful, and so... "put, put, put," we went, around the windy mountain roads. "Slow and steady wins the race", or-- at least-- that is what they say. :)

Anyways... Like I mentioned previously, it feels like heaven to be home.

Variety = Quite a Task

2008-02-15T15:59:00.007-07:00

6/20/07

The one problem I face, with reading, is that I seem to get stuck in a genre of books that has one basic format. For example: all of the Jane Austen novels have young women looking for love, who fall for lying "evil" men or face great opposition in love, but every single one of them ends with a perfect match-- gallant and handsome chaps who have been in the stories all along. Similar forms are alright, I suppose. After all, I do enjoy a good happily ever after plot line, but I wish that writers would a get a bit more creative and less obvious. I, being a writer, am probably going to eat my own words. I know that coming up with a story bursting with edge and intrigue is most likely not an easy task. Seeing as how I've never finished any of my stories, I'm not one to be talking, now am I? :)

Also... I really need to broaden my horizons in the genre department. If i don't like a particular type of story or am annoyed by an author's choice of words or plot lines, then I need to go out there and find something else to read. haha.

Another Look Back: Nerdy Registration

2008-02-15T15:54:00.005-07:00

6/11/07

My life is still crazy-- awesome, but crazy. I am getting all sorts of calls and e-mails from prospective music students. My tutoring job is on hold until school starts up again, though. My piano teacher decided that he was too far behind, before we even had one session, and dropped the class. I like math, but I wouldn't consider myself a whizz. Speaking of math, what think ye of the following: I have to take 4 more credits of an area III course. I am scheduled, right now, to take a Physics class entitled: Planets and Astrobiology. I also could take Calculus (with my brother). Both will be hard classes... "Argg!" Would homework every night (for a math class ) be worse than the lab write-ups and etc. (for a science class)? I'm not sure. It probably doesn't matter, one way or the other, and I'll end up hating myself for choosing either. I enjoy science, and find space/planets very fascinating, and yet I have a strange desire to to tackle Calculus (Perhaps, this is because I would have taken Calc, in high school, and I don't want to miss out on anything.... Nerdy, I know).

Goodbyes

2008-02-15T15:49:00.007-07:00

I hate saying goodbye to loved ones. I'm one for waterworks when it comes to an adios. It is so hard to live far away from everyone (or a lot of people). You know the saying/song, "it's a small world...?" Well, I am of the opinion (at times of parting) that the world couldn't be any bigger or more spread out. *Sigh.*

Also, losing loved ones hurts sooo much! Even if you know that they are in a better place, it is still painful. Death is such a reality check. I sometimes forget that this life doesn't go on forever. No one knows how long they have to live. I guess that I tend to picture myself living to be an old woman, when in truth, I could very well die tomorrow. Wow... I guess all we can do is hope to be ready. *Sigh* (yet again).

A Look Back: It's Summer Again

2008-02-15T15:28:00.007-07:00

5/14/07

I'm glad school is out! I'm not sure that the reality of summer has actually sunk in. Maybe it is that I'm afraid to see my final grades and am in a state of denial. I've been avoiding broncoweb/blackboard, all weekend. It is not like I can do much about my grade, at this point, but I'd rather not know my test scores, if said test scores are disgusting. You know the old saying, "ignorance is bliss?" Yeah... touche' goes out to whomever first spoke such wisdom. Not that its original meaning had anything to do with college finals. Ha, I laugh. Okay, so I probably did fine. *Sigh.* It is just that my motivation level had dropped into the negatives, during the last few weeks of school and it is extremely hard to do anything, let alone study, during such dips of will power. Then again, it is not like I didn't study... I DID, but I feel like I could have done better. Oh well... WOOHOO!!! SCHOOL'S OUT, FOR THE SUMMER!!! I'll be happy now... :).

What's in a Name?

2008-02-15T15:15:00.009-07:00

5/11/07

Don't ya love how friends tend to give out random endearments. I've been called all sorts of things (Brookie, Brokee, Brooklynne, Brook-a-lyn, Brooklynnderson, Bond, Burp, Zipper, Jessica, Magdalena, Schmookie ,and etc.). The list just keeps getting bigger. Good times? Sure, why not. Do I have a favorite nickname? Not really. As long as the person using the nickname and the nickname, itself, are a decent combination, all is well. I'm going to have to say, though, that Brooklynnderson has a creative zing to it. :)

Why do we give nicknames, anyhow? Any ideas? In the words of Shakespeare: "What's in a name?" After all, "a rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet."

I have a cousin who's parents gave him the middle name of Korky. It was, though, recently changed to Johann Henry, a common family name on his father's side. He went from a little strange name to one that is now monstrously long. Who's to say which is worse? What do you think? How would you like to bubble in the following (on forms and such), the rest of your life? My cousin's new name is 88888 88888 88888 888888888-888888888. Phew, just typing it makes me want to take a nap!

My middle name has no genealogical significance, but it is lovely. In fact, once or twice, I almost considered having people call me by my middle name. What would that be like? Hmmm... I don't know. I was blessed with three very nice names and will respond gladly to any of them. What can I say, my parents did well. :)

You're How Old?

2008-02-15T14:53:00.007-07:00

5/5/07

People tend to think that I am older than I really am. I suppose it is probably just assumed, because of my collegiate circumstances. At least, hopefully this is so. I would rather not simply look older, especially in the latter years of my life. Being a 40-year-old with an 80-year-old's appearance does not sound very appealing.

General Eds

2008-02-15T14:49:00.009-07:00

3/14/07

General Eds have not been my favorite aspect of college, but it is certainly nice to nibble on a wide selection of fields and topics. I have a feeling that I'm going to miss the variety, when my focus is completely on my chosen degree. I'll have English coming out my eyeballs!

Declaring a major does seem almost too concrete (kind of intimidating (not that a slab of concrete is intimidating... Unless, of course, you are randomly falling to your death)). I am pretty sure I've decided on a good one, for myself, but a shade of doubt makes its way through my thoughts, every once in a while. A person can change his or her major, of course, but I'd rather not take "forever" to get through school because of such indecision. Ya know?

The Ups and Downs of Me

2008-02-15T14:03:00.016-07:00

3/6/07
Remember how I told you about my mood issues, and how sugar makes me feel diseased, etc.. Well, as of late, the diseased feeling has been extra terrible, and I've been shaky with heart spasms, and such. It has not been very enjoyable, to say the least. Thyroid issues, and blood sugar level problems have a history of occurring in folks from both sides of my family. Because of this information, and the pure fact that my issues were really rubbing on my nerves, I headed to the good old doctor's office. I told him my symptoms and he agreed that it could be the two problems mentioned previously. For testing purposes, I had an EKG and my blood drawn. I'm a wuss when it comes to needles, and almost passed out. I had a good nurse, though, and she only needed to jab me once. THANK GOODNESS! With the test results, we've decided that I am hypoglycemic. This explains a lot. My hard past months, with bipolar mood swings, were probably caused by low blood sugar. I'd go and buy a blood sugar level tester but I'd never use it because of my insane phobia of needles. I can handle other people poking me (if I have to, I guess) but when it comes to the stabbing of myself... such thoughts are NO GOOD. "The horror!" I mean I've tried to do the poke your finger thing. It failed miserably, and I ended up in tears. It sounds ridiculous, and it is ridiculous, but it is true.

*Anyways*

As i was sayin'... I am starting up a "Happy Brookie" food schedule. This schedule requires that I eat something about every two hours. It is kind of annoying, but totally worth it. Snacks that contain a mother-load of protein have become my best friends. It is amazing how much a person's health affects everything else in life.

Early Morning Predicaments: Segment III

2008-01-15T17:36:00.004-07:00

Here Cometh the Flood

Falling in and out of a freezing and uncomfortable slumber, Brooke began to dream. She could the see headlights of a car coming up the road. It was stopping in front of her house! In the haze of her subconsciousness, she excitedly watched as a young man walked up to the truck. Jason, one of Brooke's friends (who was leaving for BYU), had come to her rescue!

"Hey!" He said. "So... I kept getting this really random image of you dressed as Princess Leah and calling out, 'Jason, you are my only hope.' I figured that, since I couldn't get your princess Leah-ness out of my head and the roads are kind of slick, I'd better check to see if you made it home okay."

"Jason! Princess Leah, huh? Telepathy really does work!!!" she happily spouted.

"What about Telepathy?"

"Umm, never mind"

"Ok...?" he replied, looking slightly confused. "But, if you don't mind my asking, what are you doing in there?"

"Oh, you know," she sarcastically answered. "A girl can't help but enjoy the luxury of sleeping in a Ford pick-up, once in a while. The Ameritel Inn charges a bank-load for one night in their 'Hitch-hiker's Abode' room, but I'm all about doing the real thing for free. First class dirty towels, old t-shirt coverlets, plastic arm-rest pillows, a glorious windshield view of the night sky.... It's the perfect sleeping arrangement!! NOT!"

She explained the truth of her situation to him and they shared a laugh as he proceeded to open her door. She was free, at last! Stepping down onto the icy pavement, she thanked him. "What a gallant thing for you to do, kind Sir... opening a lady's door and all." She giggled and enthusiastically hugged her liberator.

After their joyous embrace, Jason's nose suddenly began to shine. It beamed brighter and brighter, until his whole body was gone. It was as if, due to a case of spontaneous combustion, he had been reduced to nothing but fire. The next thing she knew, the setting and objects in her mind mutated until the ceiling of the truck blurred into view.

Waking from her dream, Brooke was glad to know that Jason hadn't really burst into flame. All lovely thoughts of him and his rescuing her were smothered, though, by the sad reality of her early morning predicament. Having found tape, in the jockey box, she had decided that sticking a piece of cardboard over the cab light would block most of the glare. This had assisted her in sleeping more comfortably. Apparently, though, her tape job had failed and the cardboard barely dangled above her. Having the light revealed again, disturbed her dream and she was anything but pleased. "So much for sleeping in darkness, not that I was really getting much sleep."

The inside of the car was cold enough, when she was exerting energy, but the chill worsened as she lay still. Wondering if a change in position would do her any good, she sat up. The vertical movement brought an unexpected pressure upon her bladder and she knew that, unless she could find some way to relieve herself in the next minute or two, the future of her dad's truck interior would not look or smell very pretty. She had managed to forget about her full bladder, until now. At this point, though, no manner of mind-control tactics could spare her.

With crossed legs, she looked about for some sort of container that would be suitable for the task that she dearly wished to perform. Boxes would not do; she was not about to deal with soggy cardboard. Plus, thoughts of the stench from an open box full of urine was enough to trigger her gag reflexes. The cranks of her creative brain were turning at high speed. Every object in sight suddenly became a science project. Could she somehow transform a flashlight into a toilet... ish... object. "No." How about a camera case? "Not really." Perhaps, a water bottle would do the job. "Or not," she snapped, wishing-- for the first time in her life-- that she was a boy. "If I could only aim!"

Concluding that her inventive skills lacked, she decided to give prayer another chance. After all, she had done what she could and was now in need of a serious miracle. "Please, Heavenly Father, I need your help!" she whispered. "Surely you love my daddy enough to save his car from an explosion of my bladder. I need to pee, like no other, and I need you to help me get out of this car before it happens! PLEASE!!!!!!!" She closed her little prayer in the name of the Savior and then tried her lot at using faith. Grabbing the handle, she took a deep breath, and pushed against the door.

Even without the use of thee's and thou's, Brooke's prayer was answered and the door flew open as if it were never jammed! Her response: "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!!!! I'm free... I have to pee, but I'm free! Yes!!! Bathroom, here I come!"

It may be hard to believe, but-- with the stinging wind-- the temperature outside of the truck felt lower than that of her previous imprisonment. She would almost prefer to remain huddled on the seat of the truck, but she knew that she needed only to trek to the backyard, through the sliding door and into the house to be warm and one step closer to emptying her gallons.

"I'm almost there" she encouraged herself, as she waddled over the icy ground. As she reached patio, snow began to fall. "Please be open," she pleaded, yanking on the sliding glass door. It flew open as easily as did the door to the truck (after her final prayer, anyways) and she felt a hint of warmth as heat found its way past the blinds. Her hands reached in, to move the blinds out of the way, and felt that a chair was blocking her path. "Are you kidding me?" she murmured. "Honestly!" Crouched on the ground, with every muscle in her body devoting itself to the cause, she wasn't sure if she could spare enough strength to push anything out of the way, without losing control.

Figuring that the chair would need to be moved for her to enter the house, whether she wet herself while moving it or not, she stood up. In a matter of seconds her muscles seemed to give up the fight. It was as if a dam had broken! A flood of pee burst forth with great force and in one full and continuous flow! A warm wetness rushed down her legs, darkening her jeans and forming a yellowish puddle in the snow. She was sure she'd never urinated so much in her life. If she hadn't stopped soon, her back yard might have become one very large frozen pond!

She was much relieved, when her tank had fully emptied and-- looking down at herself-- she easily converted feelings of embarrassment into gratitude. She would have preferred the comforts of her warm bathroom, but decided that it was definitely better to have a puddle of frozen Brooke Pee on the patio as opposed to a mess of nastiness on the carpet of the hallway.

The extra warmth felt nice, at first, but her clothes soon started freezing to her skin. Before any icicles had a chance to form, she stripped off her soaked clothes, pushed the chair out of her way, and streaked upstairs. Desperately, she hoped to remain unseen. In her opinion, running into her father (while sporting nothing but her birthday suit) would have been quite disturbing. "No thanks!" she thought, quickly tip-toeing to her bathroom. "I have had enough excitement for one morning."

After tossing her dirty clothes into the tub, she rinsed them and herself off with soap and water. She then readied herself for bed, peeled out her hardened contacts, and jumped into her gloriously soft bed. "It's over," she sighed with relief.

The clock on her bedside table read 6:04 a.m.. It had been hours since she had said goodbye to her friends and headed home. As she lay there, wrapped in three fluffy comforters, her thoughts replayed all of the events of the night. She smiled as she remembered how God had heard and answered her prayers. She had been very blessed. And what a story she would have to tell, if ever she was to give a talk on the power of prayer!!! Closing her eyes, she could picture her frozen puddle of pee and it made her laugh. "Try and catch me complaining about cold toilet seats, ever again," she whispered to her pillow as she hugged it tight and slipped peacefully into a restful sleep.

The End.

Early Morning Predicaments: Segment II

2008-01-15T17:34:00.006-07:00

Failed Attempts at Telepathy

"Well this is quite the situation; now, isn't it? What more am I supposed to do?" Brooke piped, feeling more and more annoyed at herself (for getting locked in the car), her dad (for having a car with useless doors), and everyone/everything in the world (simply because she was not in a good mood).

She was sure that her parents would eventually stir (to go to the bathroom or something of the like), notice that the lights were left on and the door not locked, and decide to check on her. All, but the latter, of these thoughts were correct. As she sat in the lit truck, feeling like a fish in a fish tank, Brooke watched the house as the lights were switched off. Neither her mom nor dad came out to retrieve her and she was saddened as a bit of hope faded. Her parents must have seen her things and figured that, because it was so late, she had forgotten to lock the door and turn out the lights.

Many cars sped past and she tried to signal them. Sadly, though, no amount of flailing her arms or endeavors at flashlight Morse Code brought any of them to a stop. She thought about honking the horn and, as an omniscient narrator, I say that she definitely should have. For some reason (low blood sugar, exhaustion, or just plain old stupidity), she decided against the idea and focused on other things.

She began to pray for help: for the door to miraculously open, for someone to come to the rescue, for faith that things would turn out alright, and for some brilliant idea. Nothing seemed to happen-- even with her continuous attempts at slamming against the door, fitting keys, and channeling someone telepathically.

The scene from Star Wars, where Princess Leah is seen recording the message: "Obi-Wan Kenobi, you are my only hope," popped into her head. Surely she could send out some kind of thought wave. "Aren't all humans supposed to be connected spiritually , somehow? Come on, Heavenly Father, help a woman out. Send the Holy Ghost to inform others that I'm having issues, please." With that, she began to focus. She was bent on reaching possible rescuers with her thoughts. "Mike Lott" she said, trying to connect with her dad, "I know you're awake because I just saw you turn off the porch light. Now this may sound ridiculous, but I'm sitting out in your car and would be ever so grateful, if you could come and save me. Please, come and find me!" She repeated this process about a dozen times with several different people and then waited for results.

For what seemed like an eternity, nothing happened. Frustration welled up inside her and, all of the sudden, she burst into tears. Every harsh emotion she had been feeling (the stress of an up-and-coming music competition, the emptiness of having her friends leave for school, and etc.) seemed to combine until an emotional bomb formed and exploded. She hadn't had a good cry in ages and her negative energy had found a reason to surface. After a bout of sobs, she luckily found a roll of toilet paper and was able to take care of the after effects of crying .She then resumed her efforts at escape.

Having lost most of her motivation and noticing a dull ache in her shoulder, she decided to give up on body-slamming the stubborn door and turned her focus in another direction.--Sleep. She didn't have access to a clock, but she was sure that quite a bit of time had passed. And besides, she had been partying, non-stop, the past couple of weeks and her young body was yearning for some shut-eye.

Digging through her father's work supplies (piano hammers, tuning kits, and the like), she scrummaged up an old t-shirt and a dirty towel. Covering herself with these, she lay across the seat. Every position she formed was uncomfortable in some way or another, but she didn't care anymore. It was not like she had much of a choice and, seeing as how she was definitely spending the night in her dad's truck, she was determined to get some shut-eye!

Early Morning Predicaments: Segment I

2008-01-15T17:06:00.003-07:00

This piece took longer to compose than I thought it would, but (as you can see) the below chunk of writing is rather lengthy (I hope that it isn't too long). At first, this story was to be sent to a friend, through email, but I decided that I'd spice it up by transforming it into an actual story in three parts. Writing about myself in the third person was harder than I originally thought it would be; though, I definitely enjoyed the challenge.

Anyways... Pull up a chair, pop some corn, and prepare yourself for my week's most interesting (if nothing else) adventure.

*clears throat*

Keys to Self-Confinement

Brooke clumsily fumbled through her purse. The air was cold and her hands, searching desperately for her keys, trembled while her body shivered. Her light jacket was barely able to keep the chill out, let alone, the warmth of her body in. Key now in hand, she unlocked her car and jumped in, closing the door behind her. Inserting the key into the ignition, she started the engine and instantly turned up the heat.

The car ride home was one of silence. Her mind was racing-- full of memories of the past and thoughts of the future. After pulling into the driveway, for a moment, she sat there and savored the heat as it rushed out of the vents and brushed against her skin.

Closing her eyes, she leaned her head against the steering wheel,as images from the past few weeks rolled into view. Christmas break had come and gone, for most of her friends, and it was time for them to go back to school. Because of this, she couldn't help feeling a bit depressed. It had been so wonderful to see her old chums and now the time for goodbyes had returned. She hated the thought of not being with them and equally loved the idea of their return. "Then again," she whispered to herself, "it seems like the more I'm with them, the more I become attached, and the harder it is to say goodbye."

At this, she sighed, turned off her car, got out, locked it, and headed into her house. Before she made it up the drive, though, something caught her eye. Turning around, she saw that her dad had left on his truck lights! She laughed, remembering other examples of his forgetfulness/ADHD and then went on into the house to snag a key to his car.

It was about midnight and her parents had already gone to bed. The Christmas tree gave a dim glow, but it was not enough light to assist her in such a quest. Hoping not to disturb her family, she flipped on a few lights, stashed her purse on the counter and began to look for her father's lunchbox (his basic man purse). Due to the fact that he usually carried it with him everywhere and used it to hold all of his things, she figured that it would be a good place to start. It would have been perfect, indeed, had the lunch box been in its usual location.

Instead of a pile of work clothes nestling it against the wall, next to the bathroom. Brooke found only carpet. Seeing the bathroom, though, she realized that it was about time to empty her bladder, but-- because there were more important things to accomplish, first-- she pushed this thought to the back of her mind and continued walking.

Being unsuccessful in spotting her dad's keys out in the open, she decided to check a few drawers and cupboards. Finally, in the kitchen, she came upon a bunch of random solo keys. "I've found the mother load," she sarcastically said as she gathered a handful and headed back out into the cold. "One of these had better work or his lights will just have to stay the way they are." Endeavoring to fit the key into the lock she urged every one of them on, in hope of a match. "Ugg! Come on, little buddy, please work... I have to pee and it's insanely cold out here!"

Finally, just as she was about to give up on the whole charade, the last key of her plethora actually fit into the lock. "I'm in!" she exclaimed. "Now, lets get down to business." Up and in she climbed. After habitually closing the door to her side, she noticed that it was mutilated and momentarily freaked. Reassuring herself, she recalled how her dad had rolled down his window each time he needed to open the door. Doing this made it possible for him to reach the handle from the outside. "No problem," she thought, "I'll turn on the car, fix the lights, and then roll down my window like Dad always does." She then reached into her pocket and grabbed the key that had let her into the truck. After jabbing it into the ignition, she was shocked to find that it wouldn't allow her to start the engine.

"Well, crap... Now what am I supposed to do?" Since it was impossible for her to unroll the window without having the truck running, she was forced to try the other door. It wouldn't let her out, either. The passenger-side door was open enough to keep the dome light lit, but not enough to be of any service. Remembering that she had only unlocked the one door, Brooke quickly clicked the button to unlock the passenger's side door, too. This didn't change a thing.

Pushing and pulling, she used every ounce of her strength to try and move the door enough so that it would either close or break open. She even attempted a few donkey-styled kicks with her feet. Nothing seemed to jar the door more than half and inch. Not even holding the handle and ramming her body against the door did much for her situation. Feeling completely helpless, she pulled out every single key from the pocket of her jacket and tried to squeeze them into the ignition. It was no use and, to her despair, none of them would fit well enough to start the car. As pathetic as it may seem, Brooke had locked herself in her dad's pick-up; she had opened and closed the door to her own self-confinement!

It's Been Awhile

2007-12-04T14:12:00.001-07:00

Since my last entry, there have been many moons and seasons. Summer has come and gone and I am about to finish up the first semester of my Sophomore year at BSU. Can you believe it? CRAZINESS!!!

"I'm a Big Girl, Now!"

2007-07-10T13:33:00.001-06:00

I remember, when I was a little girl, that I'd crawl up on the counter tops and stand as high as I could. I wanted to know what a big person's view of the world looked like. At the time, it was pretty scary. I'm glad we, as humans, grow a little bit at a time. Can you imagine the torture of one huge growing pain, the disgustingness of the stretch marks, and the awkwardness of growing tall-- all at once?

Another memory just popped into my head! When I was still a little girl (probably around the same time that I crawled up on the counter) I had a dream that my family was going out to eat at a Burger King when, all of the sudden, I started to grow! It was the weirdest thing (kind of like when Alice (in Alice in Wonderland) eats the pastry and grows really huge). I remember saying "Hold on guys, I'm growing. Wait for me!" like it was a normal, everyday, little kid thing to do. I'm glad we don't all shoot up in a matter of minutes. It would be fast, yes, but I like doing some things bit by bit. I'm not sure I could have handled one huge zip to 5'7". The elevation change would have killed me and I'm afraid of heights enough, as it is.... hehe.

Los Libros

2007-07-10T13:29:00.001-06:00

Do I have any favorite books? Yes. I love books and am in love with the idea of books. Having the chance to read makes for a lovely get-a-way. Nothing compares to being able to picture the scenery, characters, and basically everything that is within the pages of a well written piece of literature.

How does one go about envisioning a story? All it takes is a wee bit of an imagination. It is like going to the movies only better because it broadens one's vocabulary, there is no positive or negative influence of a movie director, and it is just better.... :)

Peter Pan is my all time favorite book.

J.M Barrie's idea about kids not having to grow up fascinates me, I guess. Staying young forever and growing old both could be considered curses and blessings.... I like to think about all of the different factors and then try and picture myself as Wendy. I often wonder, if I were her, whether or not I would have stayed in Never Never Land or decided to grow up.

Anyways, it is such a magical little story and every time I read it, I feel like I am reconnected to my childhood. It is a nice little reminder that I don't ever want to lose such a connection, ya know?

Plus... Any story with pirates, mermaids, fairies, flying, magic, and fabulous word usage (i.e. "Proud and insolent youth, prepare to meet thy doom!" "Dark and sinister man, have at thee!" (doesn't that just make you want to whip out a sword???)) is bound to win my favor.

My Spirit's Nocturn

2007-07-10T13:19:00.000-06:00

Stars are shining above me

The wind tickles my skin

And I smile 'cause my heart's free

Beating and soaring within

Home Sweet Home

2007-06-20T19:37:00.000-06:00

I am finally back from from my summer travels and have decided that there is definitely no place like home! I enjoyed the majority of my trips to California and Washington, but they both had their stressful moments.

As I mentioned, in a previous post, my brother decided to get hitched. Little Davey is now a married man! Can you believe it? I wouldn't be able to, were it not for my presence at the temple and their receptions.

...Sorry, but this post is being cut short and by "cut short" I mean that it is done.

Would you like an explanation? Well, let me just say that time's been a tickin' and I've been a slackin'. Because of the amount of time that has lapsed from when I first started typing, my creative juices are pulling me on to bigger and better (or, at least, more recent) topics.

Inspired Compositions

2007-06-06T21:27:00.001-06:00

What is it about some music that makes a person's heart stir? I swear, from my own experience, that some pieces of music give me goose bumps, bring tears to my eyes, and take my breath away. Why is it that music can enter our very souls with such ease and magnificent power?

I adore music. I always have and assuredly always shall. I love to sing and play instruments. One day, I hope to be able to compose my own works of music. How amazing it would be to portray the whole spectrum of emotion through the perfect usage of melodies, motifs, key signatures, cadences, dynamics, and similar devices.

I have started several pieces and am planning on completing (or at least furthering my efforts) on each, throughout the rest of the summer. Any advice for an experimenting musician?

To the Lake and Back Again: A Boating Tale

2007-06-02T18:25:00.002-06:00

I fried myself at the lake, today. You may be asking, "Brooke, is this a good thing?" Of course it is! In fact, I had a blast while doing so. I know, I know, I need to be careful about too much sun. Skin cancer is a very real disease and one that I would prefer to only hear about (and even that is disheartening).

Anyway, a few of my friends have a boat and all of the needed gear for hours of playin' in the water. After getting up early, readying things for the day, and traveling out of town, there is nothing like lathering on the sunscreen and hanging out on the lake.

We packed some scrumptious food. So... if we weren't on the boat, we could gobble down all sorts of goodies. On the boat, though, was where the real excitement occurred. We took turns tubing, wake boarding, and water skiing. I have had some not so enjoyable experiences with water skiing, though, and ended up opting out of that particular activity. I need to take a jump of courage and get rid of this little fear. Maybe, on my next boat outing, I'll be brave.

Story time...

A long time ago, when I first attempted to water ski, my small body was nothing but skin and bones. That's right, I had no meat and by meat I mean muscle. I was one weak little girl, that is for sure! I could have gained some muscles, I suppose, had I continued my efforts in perfecting the art of water skiing, but one try was all the sport got out of me.

Because of a lack of muscles, I could hardly lift myself up enough to even really ride on the skis. As quickly as I was up, I was back down. In my youthful stupidity (or, perhaps, it was the shock of my crash into the cold water....take your pick), I clung to the rope and was dragged behind the boat. I remember being in a really pathetic state and thinking (as gallons of diseased water entered my sinus cavities), "why aren't they stopping?" Luckily, my logic kicked in and I was able to let go. Let me just say that that trip to Lucky Peak is not on my list of favorites.

Every time since has been lovely, but (like I already said) I never again tried on the water skis. The idea of wake boarding also has a bit of a bite to it. I'm sure, by now, that I have matured enough to pull myself up and/or let go of the rope. I do need to get over my issues. Yes, yes I do. Okay...Ready, set, go! I am, as of this moment, setting a goal to overcome the previously mentioned retardedness. I will take on a set of water skis/wake boards. I love tubing and am now determined to spread such feelings to other boating activities. Wish me luck!

...And we're back from one of my tangents.

Today, we arrived at the Lucky Peak Reservoir early enough to snag an awesome dock. Along with being able to gorge down gobs of grub, our dock provided us with many other surprises and luxuries. We were attached to a spot of land that had a shack. Complete with toilet holes and paper, it was quite the edifice (that is if you were able to look past the broken bear bottles, the animal/insect habitations, and the bullet holes). Ah bathrooms (or outhouses, in this case)! Ya gotta love 'em.

Our dock was the home of many beautiful butterflies. I was fortunate enough to have three huge monarchs land on me. I think they were attracted to the bright colored polka dots of my swim suit. Then again, maybe I'm just amazing like that. If I were a butterfly, I'd want to land on the gorgeous Miss Brooke-- especially if she was in a swim suite. Ooh la la... ;)

We were also visited by two families of geese. I know that humans aren't supposed to feed wildlife, but I couldn't resist the temptation and ended up breaking apart a few pieces of bread and tossing them, one by one, into the rippling water. I love the enthusiasm of animals, when it comes to food intake. They always rush to the catch and fight over the crumbs.

We, as wealthy humans, take advantage of the abundance of food and other resources. Can you imagine life without the comforts of a grocery store? If we were to take care of ourselves, like animals, fighting for our lives would be a battle of survival. In my mind, I can picture my own family as a flock of geese. It is an interesting scene and meal time would definitely be exciting-- feathers flying and everything... Weird.

So basically, it has been a grand day. This blog is as blogged as it is going to get and I am now off to go and coat my soar skin with aloe vera. MMM good.

"you are my density. I mean..."

2007-06-01T20:23:00.000-06:00

Do you believe in signs? Do you believe in destiny? Hows about soul mates, do you believe in them? Are we here on earth for a specific reason, a mission, or a special purpose (whatever you wish to call it)?

Let's Elope, Darling

2007-06-01T19:09:00.001-06:00

I have always been a romantic. I love happily ever after, guy falls for girl (or the other way around) stories. Every little girl watches at least one movie, or reads at least one book filled with a heart warming love story that makes her dream and wish to find her own prince charming.

I have witnessed several relationships grow and turn into marriages. It is marvelous to have so many good examples of happy couples, even through the hard times. The only thing that has always bugged me about the whole marriage thing, though, is the prodigious size of wedding celebrations. So much money and worry go into the planning and pulling together of ring ceremonies, receptions, and open houses. Ugg. It is all well and good to have a nice party for family and friends, but I think that a lot of people overdo it. There is the life after the party to remember, after all.

I have been a bride's maid for all of my siblings' weddings and will be one again, in just a few weeks. I am so tired of wedding preparations and I'm not even a major part of the ordeal. It is ridiculous. I don't think I am going to have bride's maids at my wedding... that is, if I ever marry. You know the saying, "always a bride's maid, never a bride." DUN DUN Dun... just kidding. ;) Bride's maids are a cause of useless worry. The girls I know wouldn't care one way or the other whether I asked them to be a part of my wedding or not. If I were to choose a special person to stand by my side, it would be a maid of honor and I would choose my cousin Kahli. This is because she is like my sister and my best friend. Still having bride's maids, at a Mormon reception, seems pointless. It is not like we have isles to march down (unless there is a ring ceremony performed), rings and bouquets to be carried, or any of that jazz.

The point of this blog = wedding receptions tend to be too huge! I want a small reception, if i have to have one. If my future hubby is out there and reading this.... "Let's elope, darling!"

The Secret

2007-06-01T17:31:00.001-06:00

As most of you know, I am a fan of positive thinking. I have several books that emphasize the power of intention and the like. Recently, my mother and I were watching Oprah and a lady was on the show who was advertising a book called The Secret. The contents,of this book pretty much fit perfectly with all that I have previously learned about changing life for the better. We bought the book and a DVD that goes a long with it.

As the Costco cashier said, "Once you get past the weird music and whispering" it is an amazing DVD filled with the basic truths of the universe. The main truth discussed is the law of attraction. Basically, people attract people, places, experiences, and things into their lives. Quoting from the movie: "thoughts become things." If our thoughts and feelings are positive, then good things come into our lives and vis versa. Using an example from my own life: when I'm running late, it seems like I hit every red light. This is because I am constantly thinking, "I'm going to be late." I am thinking about being late and so I end up being late. Yeah... This stuff is disgusting, if your a pessimistic individual. On the flip side, though, knowing how to harness your positive thoughts and feelings assists you in money matters, relationships, health, goals, dreams, and an infinite number of things. Check the website at http://thesecret.tv/!

Good quotes that agree with all self-help/positive thinking material:

"Imagination is the key to all things" ~Albert Einstein

"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" ~Luke 11:9

"What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality" ~Otto Rank

"Empires of the mind are empires of the future" ~Winston Churchill

"I think therefore I am" ~René Descartes

Tips From the Pink Bible

2007-05-08T12:57:00.003-06:00

"The clever huntress always looks her best. She never knows when big game will pass her way" ~ The Pink Bible.

What do y'all think about that? If you have no clue what The Pink Bible is, look up http://www.pinkbible.com/. In the Mormon version of Pride and Prejudice, this little book is used and referred to by the many characters (a bunch of girlie college students on the hunt for men).

Anyways, the above quote has been running through my head, a lot, as of late. It seems to me that--even though it is a bit (or extremely) naive of a girl to follow the advice of silly books that supply the do's and dont's of dating--this bit of advice strikes true.

People really should love one another for their inner beauty, but there has to be an initial physical attraction. Am I right or am I right? A guy is not even going to give a girl a second look (unless she is abominable...) if she doesn't look half-way decent. Without even a second glance, a girl wouldn't be able to get small talk, a hang out session, a date, marriage, and/or any form of a relationship from a guy. As shallow as it may seem, looks do matter.

From my experience, this can be really annoying. Whenever I look like a neanderthal woman, handsome guys are everywhere. I swear it is like my ugliness attracts 'em. Sigh. I do try to look pretty, most of the time, but it requires a lot of effort. Okay, okay, it isn't a lot, but sometimes it is more than I care to put forth. There are a bunch of steps that go into the beautification process (basic hygiene, shaving and plucking unwanted hair, contacts, makeup, nail care, clothes, curling/straitening/just doing one's hair, and etc.).

There is a quote circling about random conversations that goes something like, "there are no ugly women in the world, just lazy one's." With a bit of effort, every female has the capability to look like a glamour girl. The thing is, though, I hate dolling up for no reason. If only people had built in or natural abilities to sense a need to look impressive. Wouldn't you agree? I mean, honestly! I don't always want to look like Beautiful Brooke, especially if I am not going to run into a Handsome Henry. A little warning would be lovely.

Oh Ye of Little Faith

2007-05-03T14:12:00.001-06:00

"There's no more faith in thee than in a stewed prune"~ Henry V.

The above is quite a quote, wouldn't you agree? On my Google homepage I have a Shakespearean insulter. It usually provides me with nothing more than a daily giggle, but today's actually started to turn the rusty cranks of my brain. It brought up several thoughts and memories.

Thought/Memory #1

I have a piano student who has serious ADHD and a form of autism. At his last lesson, the student's father took 5 minutes to inform me of his child's disabilities. It would have been better to know about such things, at an earlier time, if he had to tell me at all. I had basically figured the boy's issues out (through the past weeks), anyway. I thought and still think that the kid progresses well. His father, on the other hand, made sure that I understood his minimal expectations. He didn't want much more than the basics for his kid. "I'm just glad he is playing the piano, quoth he.

It is good to be glad about such things, but HONESTLY! Where is this man's faith? If he doesn't have faith in the kid, the kid won't have faith in himself. It will definitely be harder for a person with disabilities to do anything, but all things are possible (for everyone). From what I can see, learning and continuing in music could only help the boy. He improves each week and will continue to learn like I learned and all of my other students are learning.

If a person is going to put forth the time and money to learn how to play the piano (or any instrument!), that individual should learn properly. He or she shouldn't just leave lessons barely knowing how to play. Anyone can teach themselves how to barely play an instrument! I am of the opinion that technique, memorization, theory, and etc. are all necessary aspects of piano lessons. He's handled what I've required, so far, and (with little steps) he'll grow to handle more. All it takes is a little effort and faith!

My brother is having some health issues. Throughout the whole of his life, he's spent many a day in the hospital. In fact, it seemed like (for awhile) every other week he'd take a trip to the emergency room.

Through the years, my family has come across several sources of assistance. The books, Feelings Buried Alive Never Die [by Karol Truman] and Remembering Wholeness [by Caroll Tuttle], introduced the power of positive thinking into our household. Because of these books I have seen and experienced many amazing miracles. I have, also, come to know that the words "I am" are powerful. Thoughts about ourselves, our lives, and etc. play a big role in what happens to us. If we constantly think negative thoughts, negative things will happen. It is a law of attraction; negative attracts negative, positive attracts positive.

Once we discovered the above mentioned, my brother slowly started to do better. His health progression continued for a long time. The act of positive thinking was healing him! Recently, though, he has become very frustrated with life. His positivity has been on the down-ward slide. Being around him, one can feel the negativity. It is almost tangible! I talked to him about this, the other day. It was a very sad conversation. I love my brother, want the best for him, and (because of this) it hurts to see him giving up. "I don't believe in that stuff, anymore. It doesn't work!" he muttered, annoyed. He went on to mention that God had given him trials and that only God could take them from him.

To me, this doesn't fully make sense. Yes, God can take our pain away, through the Savior's Atonement. After all, with God nothing is impossible. We can't forget, though, that He wants us to try our hardest to overcome our issues and live happily. We have to supply some effort and faith! Positive thinking worked before, why should it suddenly not be "God's way." He loves and wants us to be happy. Even if it didn't have a healing power, it is not like positive thinking is gonna make matters any worse... it could only help. *Sigh.*

"tick-tock" w/ a "ching-ching"

2007-05-01T18:11:00.001-06:00

Tis' a shame that wasting time isn't a profession. If I were to gain one dollar for every minute of my life used "unwisely," I'd be good to go (economically, if in no other way). Quite frankly, I'd be one rich woman!

Finals are a comin', and I feel like I'm in a rut of procrastination. I suppose, in a sense, life goes through cycles of entropy; through time, a need to clean out and start over arises. I have my moments of serious self-discipline/motivation and then the function of my life oscillates. My highs often tend to hit lows. Perhaps, it's time for a "self-clean."

I read once that the cleanliness and organizational patterns of a person reflect how that person is dealing with the stresses of life. I have found this to be true, in my own experiences. When things are hectic, my room (and the whole of the upstairs, really) is comparable to a pig's pen. Cleaning at times like this can be very therapeutic.

*Brooke has changed her status to busy. She will return to blog mode at a later time.*

The Vacuum and my Phys Anth notes call! "Bla."

Weak.

2007-04-27T14:05:00.001-06:00

The ROTC had a big shebang goin' on, today. I was walking to the SUB, observing the craziness, when I caught sight of one of my friends. He, being one of the ROTC guys attempting to get people involved, convinced me to head over to the activities and get some free stuff. Free stuff! What college student isn't always up for free stuff?!?! He led me over and hooked me up. The thing is, though, the "free stuff" wasn't exactly free (besides a selection of camouflage pencils). To get the good stuff, a person was to do some sort of physical activity. I decided to go for a T-shirt by busting out 78 sit-ups and 48 push-ups.

To keep things simple, let's just say that I could have done better. My attempt was pitiful. I did do enough of each to get a nifty U.S. Army water-bottle... Woohoo! You'd think, with all the junk I've carried around the past two semesters, that I'd be in better shape. Then again, carrying backpacks doesn't really work on a persons abs or biceps. I've pretty much decided that the only thing I've gained, from the months of backpacking around campus is bad posture.

I am determined to exercise more often. I do love running. Perhaps, I'll get back into the habit of jogging around my neighborhood. Yoga is awesome, too. Whatever works... Nonetheless, my push-ups and sit-ups definitely need some help. I am weak! :(.

Falalalala

2007-04-25T21:17:00.001-06:00

I'm beginning to miss Christmas music and it's only April! Today, I caught myself singing "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas." Could this be a some sort of a Freudian slip? Maybe it's not the Christmas music, per se, that I'm missing. Perhaps, I'm simply craving cheery seasonal music, in general. As of this moment, I am of the opinion that there is a need of popular music for every season. I'm sure, if a person was to dig through archives of music, that he or she would eventually come across songs about spring, summer, and fall. I find myself wishing, though, that these songs were as famous and/or as well liked as the classic Christmas carols. I mean, during the winter holidays, certain radio stations are devoted solely to songs about Christ or good old Saint Nick. No one does this for other holidays or seasons. It's not like we get to hear songs about Peter Cotton Tail, or Saint Patrick when Spring comes around the corner (not that they are as important as the Savior by any means). There are always primary songs like "In the Leafy Tree Tops" and "Oh what Do You Do Summer Time " to hum as I walk about, but I think I am going to do some research and learn some new/old songs. Then, even though the radios aren't busting with seasonal music, I'll be as fit as a fiddle (when it comes to spring, summer, and fall-like melodies).

If you have any good seasonal songs up your sleeve, let me know. "Sharing is caring, it can be fun!"

Still Gettin' Older

2007-04-25T15:15:00.001-06:00

My B-day with weak-sauce lungs:
Yesterday was my birthday. "Happy birthday to me!" It was a happy birthday, indeed. You know the years when the celebrations seem to last all week? This is turning out to be one of those years. I had a party at my grandparents' house on Sunday. A lot of my relatives, who live near and around Boise/Meridian, joined us for the festivities. We had cake (well, technically, we had sugar-free cheese cake pudding with gram crackers and strawberries.... mmm), and I attempted to blow out all the candles. You may be wondering why the word attempt made its way into the previous sentence. Blowing out candles seems so simple, right? "Perhaps," you think to yourself, "she had a batch of trick candles to deal with?" Well, not exactly. In all reality, I have never been able to fully complete the said task, properly. I don't have a lot of gusto, apparently, when it comes to blowin' and I always have to take several breaths to get the job done. This is sad, I know. I could probably overcome this deficiency with a bit of practice (EXPAND THAT DIAPHRAGM, WOMAN!!!!) But I don't feel like putting forth the effort. Let's scapegoat this issue and blame the lack of lung capacity (for candle outing) on my asthma, okay? Okay.

Monday:

Monday, felt birthday-ish because I was able to wear a new pair of pants and test out my new rolling backpack. "Goodbye Sir Jansport and Madam Shoulder Bag" [wave of the hand]. No more bad posture! I always thought rolling backpacks were lame, but (with the weight of all of my stuff finally off my shoulders) all bad feelings have flown away. Though the wheels on rough pavement and bricked pathways make quite a racket, I love my new bag and recommend rollers to everyone.

Tuesday:

Tuesday, being my real birthday, was probably one of the best Tuesdays that I've had all semester. I found a strap for my violin case and was able to carry it about, in a more comfortable manner. Briefcase style is a thing of the past, ya know.. ha. Violin lessons were canceled, though, so carrying Betsy (my brother named my violin) around campus was basically pointless. Oh well.

Field trip:

My Biology lab went on a field trip, yesterday (still Tuesday). We had the opportunity to hike around in the desertous foothills of downtown Boise. Three whole hours of bird watching, lizard catching, plant analyzing fun! You should be very jealous. I did obtain a sun burn on my neck and collar bone, though, so the trip wasn't perfect. You'd think that (with all the jazz I stash in my backpack) I'd have sunscreen, somewhere in the depths. I did last semester, for awhile. I suppose a girl can't have a Mary Poppins bag all of the time.

Food, glorious food:

After Lab, mis padres took my brother and me out for lunch. We gorged ourselves (at least I did) full of food, at a Chinese buffet. I ate soo much food that my stomach looked rather stretched out, afterwords. I guess that (because I don't have a lot of meat on my bones) when I fill myself with meat, it's bound to show. Anyways... YUMMY! It was delicious! After this grand feast, Ryan and I hung out at the SUB until our math class. He checked out a laptop and surfed the net/listened to Thai music while I yakked with my cousin, Kahli (who called to give me some birthday lovin'). Yippee for doing anything but math homework at times like these.

Thoughts about the past:

I have recently been contemplating the origin of birthdays and the celebrations that coincide. How long have birthdays been a reason to party? Any ideas? Did Methuselah find time to fiesta, in his 969 years. They obviously kept track of aging. Was a year back then calculated like the modern year? huh...

The Real Man

2007-04-23T16:30:00.002-06:00

What is the definition of a real man? Are there actually real men in the world?

What about those who are considered less than the real man? What is the defining line. Where is the differentiating border that separates the "real men" from the "boys" or "woman folk."

I have several friends who are obsessed with being "real men." It is mostly talked about in a playful manner, but it has caused many a thought to bounce around in my noggin.

This is what I mean...

You can be a man's man and like supposedly feminine things, right? Right.
My dad plants flowers in the garden and my brothers like chick flicks. Does this make them unmanly? No.
I've seen shows discuss/interview gay men. When asked about the circumstances and determining factors of the discovery of their "true" sexuality, ridiculous reasons were usually (if not always) stated. Does liking the color pink distinguish you as a homosexual? It shouldn't. If a man can decorate, good for him. So a guy sings and dances like Gene Kelly, what is so unmanly about that? Etc., etc. Where in Tar Nation did such retarded ideas about men come from? It might not be the norm, but it doesn't have to be warped into gay and lesbian crap.
When did not liking feminine things become a way of getting a dame? Yes, a girl likes to know her man is a stable source of protection, but she also finds it wonderfully attractive when her oh so strong chico shows his soft side.

Random quote/story from my memory bank =

A group of guys are sitting around discussing how to be real men. Guy to guy, they share their manliness. Eventually, the topic of shaving comes up. The fellows take turns going into great depth about how they supposedly shave like real men. As the narratives go on, the stories get more extreme until finally... dun dun dun... the man's man approaches.

"Ya'll got nothin'," he breathed in a deep scratchy voice. "I wrap barbed wire around my fists and punch myself in the face. It takes the skin right along with the hair, but THAT is how a real man shaves."

yeah.. that is my version... it actually goes on more and is slightly different, but hey.

Give me your thoughts and opinions please.

random ramblings

2007-04-11T18:15:00.001-06:00

For a writing exercise, I like to write random paragraphs, poems, and scenes from possible stories. Below are a examples of such. Tell me what you think, please.

Confined

The glass was warm to her touch. With her face against it, she gazed through the window and out into the world. It was a world of which she wished to be a part. If only there was a way. Her heart yearned to run as far as her strength permitted, far from her containment. She knew of nothing else but what lay within the walls of the shelter and what she was able to see through the window. And though it be dirty and covered in dust, she looked out to see as much as she could whenever she had a spare a moment.

Her life hadn’t been bad. She had been provided for, taught to read, write, do arithmetic, and all of the skills that she might need to take care of herself. After her father died, though, that is just what she did; she took care of herself. She was now the only survivor in her family and, for the first time, she felt angry about it. This realization hit and a feeling like fire welled up inside. Emotions engulfed her body, and she couldn’t control them. Tears flowed down her suddenly flushed cheeks. People passed by and she wanted to hide from their pitying eyes. None of them stopped to comfort her and that was just fine. The cause of her pain was loneliness and yet all she wanted, at that moment, was to be left alone.

Little Big Boy

To the average eye Donnelly appeared to be the average child. People couldn’t help but fall in love with his brown curly hair, dark brown eyes, and sandy complexion. Surprisingly, Donnelly was very different from what people thought. The average eye couldn’t think his thoughts, feel his feelings, or experience his experiences. He was more than just an average little boy....

Get off My Lawn

Dream >> girl waken by pebbles on window… when.. CRASH! One breaks the window.

Rubbing her eyes, Ally ran to see who had thrown the rocks and broken her window. She looked outside and saw that a boy stood below. At this, she pushed open the door and ran angrily out onto the balcony.

“What are you doing? It is like midnight!”

This was not at all how he pictured the evening, when he had played it out in his head. “I…I…I…Uh, I love you, “ he squeaked, following through with the original plan.

“What? You just broke my window! What do you want me to say to that! Oh thanks, darling, I love you too.. No! Get off my lawn, I don’t even know who you are! Ugg!”

Growing Up

Blooming

Self-knowledge, self help, self control

Better wisdom which makes good men

Forget and forgive

Under his rough exterior lay some of the manly virtues which we most admire and love

Air of resolution

I’ll stand by you

Good for him

Continue to believe in it, to work for it, and to prove its possibility

You really care to learn something and that is half the battle

It seems hard at first, and you will feel discouraged, but plod away, and things will get easier as you go on

We all need these little helps; so you will try

Splendidest

Work, encouragement, and hope

Passion of love, of shame, and patience

The memory of a wise and tender father, the legacy of an honest name

*Words and phrases taken form Little Men by Louisa M. Alcott. “Growing Up” arranged by Brooke Lott.

Saving Scander

Arrows whizzed passed her uncovered body, as she closed her eyes in anguish. She had no chance of escaping. Was this the end? Thoughts of her life flooded her mind. She wasn’t ready to die! Scander’s hurt face crowded her worries and regret overcame her. She loved him! She had been so stubborn and confused. Now she was to die alone, and he would never know of her true feelings. Suddenly in the midst of her worries silence fell upon her. The war had paused. She slowly opened her eyes to look about her. Wincing at the nastiness of her surroundings she bravely picked herself off the ground and began running. She tripped over the carnage and destruction of the battle, her mind was in a daze. What was going on? Was everybody dead?

Chances

The wind pressed against her cheeks, drying her tears as they fell from her swollen eyes. What had she done? Her opportunity was so obvious and she had blown it! She believed in second chances but what happens after that?

Evening Falls

The sky was darkening, explosions of a colorful sunset beginning to fade, and one star twinkled on the horizon.

Stupid Poem

Tossed back and forth with emotion

My heart is heavy, torn in two

I can’t quite decide if you’ve won

I want to leave but can’t seem to start anew.

Your thoughts are unclear

And your feelings unknown

My truth is open, even through my fear

Timid eyes have ceased, and I have grown.

What would my life be like without you?

What if we never met?

Would I be happy, seeing through

An empty doorway to something that is not yet.

Tallmond

His eyes were pale and fading, his face wet with sweat. She couldn’t take it all in. This couldn’t be happening, Not here! Not now! He couldn’t leave her alone when she needed him the most. Anger boiled up against the enemy. It steamed inside with the fear of losing her beloved Tallmond. ....WAR!!!!

The Unfinished

It was a house without clocks or calendars. Time was not kept, no appointments were made, there was no schedule to follow and nothing of importance seemed to happen. Life continued to roll on but there was no reason for anything that anyone did. Actions were random and nothing was ever accomplished completely. Unfinished Quilts lay scattered upon the furniture that wasn’t fully refurnished. The walls were spattered with paint. One side of a room would be mostly white and the other would be partially covered in old, moldy, wall paper.

...........................All right. That is enough. I've more in my stash, but I am tired and the above is very lengthy.......................... what think ye?

Can You Hear Me Now?

2007-04-11T09:24:00.001-06:00

Cell phones... Remember the days without these little buggers? Now that we have them, I look back and wonder how we ever got a long with out them.
When I leave my phone at home, I'm lost without it. It is like my life, my connection to the world. The more technology moves forward the more reliant we are upon it. It is actually really pathetic and kind of frightening. Then again, I love how easy it makes things.

The Point of No Return

2007-04-11T09:05:00.001-06:00

I think I have used up all of the motivation and self-discipline that has carried me through the last few months. There comes a time, when the end of a semester is nigh and grades are pretty much stable, that I simply don't want to care anymore. I have reached this point and any thought of school makes me want to scream... "AAAAWWWW!" <--- Do you see what I mean? I need some kind of a boost to help me just keep chuggin' along. Ugg! Perhaps, if I make a paper chain (like we did in kindergarten), the thrill of taking off one link every day will do the trick.. ha. It's worth a try, eh? Any advice or prescriptions for my serious case of lackadaisicalness?

In My Own Little Corner

2007-04-06T15:56:00.002-06:00

In the Rogers & Hammerstein musical Cinderella, the lyrics of one of my favorite songs go as follows:

I'm as mild and as meek as a mouse

When I hear a command I obey.

But I know of a spot in my house

where no one can stand in my way.

In my own little corner in my own little chair

I can be whatever I want to be.

On the wings of my fancy I can fly anywhere

and the world will open its arms to me.

I'm a young Norwegian princess or a milkmaid

I'm the greatest Prima Donna in Milan

I'm an heiress who has always had her silk made

By her own flock of silkworms in Japan

I'm a girl men go mad for love's a game I can play

with cool and confident kind of air.

Just as long as I stay in my own little corner

All alone in my own little chair.

I can be whatever I want to be.

I'm a slave from Calcutta, I'm a queen in Peru.

I'm a mermaid dancing upon the sea

I'm a huntress on an African safari...

it's a dangerous type of sport and yet it's fun

In the night I sally forth to seek my quarry

And I find I forgot to bring my gun.

I am lost in the jungle all alone and unarmed

when I meet a lioness in her lair

Then I'm glad to be back in my own little corner,

All alone in my own little chair.

*******

As most of you know, Cinderella is the story of a girl whose father dies and leaves her with horrid step-relations (a mother and two sisters). She sings the above song when she is away from their nagging and in the comforts of her own space. Isn't it splendid?

*******

I'm afraid I am losing the vivid imagination that I once had and am unable to conjure up situations, identities, and places (without assistance from some sort of media) like she does. It is kind of depressing.... sigh. I do have "my own little corner," though. Well, I suppose I have several of them. My refuges are areas, away from the harshness of life, where I can enjoy being me and doing my favorite things .

*******

Wonderful Places in my life (in no particular order):

1.) THE LIBRARY. I spend rather lengthy amounts of time in the BSU library, otherwise known as Albertson's Library. I love libraries and consider any building full of books as a heaven on earth. It would be nice if the homework aspect of my library experience was edited out, but (even with its tortures) I find that my days under the roof of un(a) bibliotec(a), are usually enjoyable and beneficial. Usually, with a book in my hand and a comfortable arm chair (preferably a recliner), I am good to go.

2.)NATURE. My family and I used to live with my grandparents in the Sun Valley area of Idaho. There was a hill in our backyard that dipped down into a forested area. It was beautiful! I remember being a little girl and having a blast with my cousins and brothers by playing night games (no bears are out tonight, jail break, war, etc...). When I wanted time for self-contemplation, on the other hand, the swing-set (in the forest..of course) was the perfect location. I love nature and, with the smell of the river and the landscape of glorious aspen trees, swinging was almost a spiritual experience! I miss that house.

3.)MY ROOM. My room is decorated with an antique/pioneer girl style. I love being in mi dormitorio! When things are spick-and-span, especially, I love to lay on my bed or just sit in my chair. Reading, writing, drawing, listening to music, and thinking about life fill my many hours of joyous alone time. Also, I have a lot of inspirational paintings and poems hanging from my walls. Because of this, it is wonderful to simply look about my room and be uplifted. If I am having issues in my life, it helps to see a picture of the Savior. There has been many a time when an eternal perspective or a feeling of peace have been prompted by simply looking about. Yippee for my room!

That is all I feel like typing, at the moment. There are other wonderful places I could mention but perhaps I'll keep those to myself... :).

Human Brains and Flights of Stairs

2007-04-06T08:24:00.001-06:00

The other day, I noticed something interesting (at least to me). I was in the engineering building, tromping up a few flights of stairs, when I had a moment of realization. The higher the level, the less worn the stairs were. Also, the wearing occurred on the right-hand-side. I thought about causes for such and I could only come up with a few reasons.

First of all, people are naturally lazy. Let's face it; most of us are more likely to take the stairs, if we only have to go to the second floor (notice that I previously said the word "few" when referring to the number of flights I was headed up). The third floor is less likely and above that is a rare occurrence. "Hmmm" is all I have to say to that.

As for the specific location of the wear and tear, this could be due to the fact that our transportation system is set up in such a way that we drive on the right-hand-side of the road. It seems like we are accustomed to choosing the right (ha, CTR... :/). I'm not sure whether this is exactly connected to driving and stair climbing, but I noticed that people tend to stay to their right when walking, as well.

Is this different in other countries? If we were to drive on the left-hand-side of the road would we go up stairs and walk about differently than we do now? Can any of you (who have been on missions or have traveled to to other countries) answer my question? I am very curious. Is there some sort of psychological reason for the above mentioned or topics of the like? Perhaps, I can do a Google search of some sort....

It is fascinating to analyze human kind-- the way we think and our habitual ways. We are definitely an interesting species!

Kindred Spirits and Bosom Friends

2007-03-28T14:08:00.001-06:00

Do you have people, in your life, with whom time and distance do little to affect the relationship that you share? I'm talking about people who click perfectly at the moment of a first meeting, people with whom understanding is mutual, people with whom you can be your crazy self. I DO and I love them dearly. What would a body do without his or her "kindred spirits" and "bosom friends"? (The endearments within quotation marks are lovingly borrowed from a favorite fictional character by the name of Anne Shirley... just in case there was a question.)

One of such friends called me up, yesterday. We've known each other since elementary school and it was nice to catch up. I am not one who likes talking on the phone but it seems like, with certain people, the annoyance totally disappears. Anyways... We spontaneously decided to get party. I called and invited another girl (also a dear friend) and we spent the evening together. It was sooo much fun. We swapped old year books, played trios (me on the piano and mis amigas on their violins), and just visited and laughed-- nonstop.

It isn't often that I have hang out sessions. My life can be extremely busy and friends aren't usually very high on my list of important things to take care of. This shouldn't be the case. I need to be more social. After all, relationships and people are very important! I think, though, that I would rather have alone time (sometimes) rather than put forth the effort to call people up/plan activities. This sounds totally self-centered, but it is true. I like to do my own thing, when I get the chance and not have to worry about what others want and think. Please note: if I don't often hang out with you, it doesn't necessarily mean that I don't love you. I am just a fan of solitude and the productive/wholesome activities that solitude provides.

Even with my social issues (for lack of a better word), I do love people. It is nice to have someone to care about and to know that someone cares about me, too. This may sound a little odd to some but (according to my knowledge and testimony of the teachings and principles of the LDS church) it is my thought that people, in our lives, were close to us in the pre-earth existence. I feel or like to think that our "kindred spirits" are/were just that-- kindred spirits. I'm sure we had close relationships in heaven and that we promised to assist one another during this earthy experience. We knew that it would be difficult, but (with cooperation and love for each other) that we'd be able to come to and accept the gospel/endure to the end.

What are your thoughts on this topic(s)? Anybody?

LOVE GOES OUT TO ALL Y'ALL!... and I'll try and be a better friend/family member, I promise. <3

ch-ch-ch-changes

2007-03-27T13:33:00.001-06:00

It is intriguing, to me, how people are constantly changing. It never stops! The human mind is constantly thinking, even while we sleep. It takes in information from our surroundings, processes it, and incorporates it into our identities. I look at my own self, for example, and in just one day my opinion about something or another changes. I wrote an email about my future life, awhile back. It was out of fun (of course) but as I was reading through it I realized that, in just a few weeks, some of my dreams and goals have and will probably continue to change. With the meeting of new people and the undergoing of new experiences, a person's perspective is bound to reconstruct. I simply hope that I can keep up with myself!

Below is the email I mentioned:

"Your Name,

To spice up our emails -->

What do you want to do with your life? If you could plan out exactly how your life would be, what would you want to happen, and how would you like to be? I look forward to my life and love to just ponder about what the future holds. It is kind of like reading a mystery book about myself. When I go from day to day and experience new things, it is like turning the pages and little by little figuring things out. I often times catch myself thinking, "So this is what its like" as I hit new stages. I love it (mostly)!

Anyway...

YOUNG ADULT- hood
I want to finish up my major. I am planning on transferring with an associates to BYU (I guess I'll see what the only true school is all about, ya know? haha). If my life turns out how I think it will, I will then meet Mr. Amazing who will be just returned from his mission. We shall date the year before I graduate and get married the summer after. A honeymoon in the tropics would be nice but I don't have any preferences. If my hubbie is still in school I will support him by working as an editor. I'd like to go on to grad school, somehow and at some point in time, too.

MOMMY- hood

Then of course comes my little children. I want a lot of energetic little boys, and at least one little darling girl. Of course, being an only girl, I always wanted a sister so perhaps two little girls would be a better arrangement. Kid names I am not sure about, yet. I kind of think it would be better to wait and see what suits the kid when he or she comes. I don't want to pre-name a girl Beth if she looks more like a Kahli. That would never be ideal. haha.

I want a big house with a wrap around porch, and gables. I always liked the big double doors with cut glass windows that open into a big living room with a grand piano. Then there is always the white picket fence and a rose garden (it would be a place where my little girls and I could dress up in old 1900's English style clothes with big hats and gloves. Horray for pretend tea parties!).

I'm also one for gardens full of vegetables. My dad always plants rows of flowers and sunflowers between the food. MMM home grown food!!!! I have many a good memory of peeling potatoes, and shelling peas with my big brothers.

I want to write my own book or books and have them published. I love to write and have always wanted to be an author. Music would be a big part of my life, too. Perhaps I'll teach it, while my kids are at school or something. I'd like to get some of my compositions published, as well.

I think a calling in the church, that I would like, would be playing for the primary. I love the primary songs and the spirit that comes when little kids sing about the Savior. Plus, I hear that when a ward knows that you play you get sucked into playing for everything. If this is to be the case, then my preference is the above. As for a hometown, I think it would be fun to live somewhere other than Idaho, though I do like Boise very much. A fresh start, complete with new people, would be lovely.

GRANDMA-hood

One day, I'm bound to get old. When that day comes, I plan on having old lady parties with my friends who live near by. Perhaps, a book club or something of the like will give us the opportunity to chit and chat about our old lady lives while nibbling on old lady food. Haha, I can see myself now. I'll be a plump little grandma, with a disgustingly awesome perm, a bright green sweater covered in sparkly flamingos, and a matching pair of spandex pants to tie it all together. Eww. I can't wait! :)

REALLY OLD GRANDMA-hood

Then comes life in a retirement center. I'll just have bring my old lady parties with me and add a few thrilling games of bingo. Grandma B. will probably go insane and die there as a widow, since women generally live longer than men. It is a kind of depressing ending, actually. Then again perhaps Christ will come by then and I'll be twinkled. That would be pretty cool, I'm not gonna lie.

Yup! That pretty much sums up the imaginary life that I plan on living, if things work out. They most likely will change, but hey. It should be interesting.

Catch ya later,
Brookie"

I'll supply information about my changing ideas continually, throughout these blogs. If you have any Q's, feel free to let me know. Comments and emails are always welcome!

A Week of Big Plans

2007-03-26T17:59:00.001-06:00

~OYEZ, OYEZ, OYEZ~

Spring Break has finally arrived.

Yippee! Hooray! Hallelujah!

...........................................................................................................

I am one who is constantly making lists. I have lists of words that need to be looked up, lists of "to do's" and goals that need to be accomplished, lists of adventures that need to be written in my journal (when I get behind), lists of positive affirmations that need to be said regularly (positive thinking is awesome!), lists of subjects that I want to learn about, lists of books I want to read, lists of lists I want to/already do make, and so on. It sounds ridiculous and can get completely out of control, but so is my list making fetish.

......................................

This can, of course, be a bad thing. Though and thus far, my obsessive habits have tended to come in handy. Because of said lists, I am one who gets things done (or, at least, attempts them). Writing things down on paper provides me with a constant reminder of everything that would otherwise be jumbled about and eventually lost in the abyss of my brain. Also, I shan't be an old lady whose lost her marbles because I will have made a list of every one and its specific location. :) List making could almost be considered a self-made insurance policy, per se. Please take note that the word "almost" is used in the previous sentence. Thank you.

.........................................

Occasions like New Years, the start of a new school year, the start of a new job, the beginning of summer (new beginnings, in general), and breaks (i.g. SPRING BREAK!!!!) are ideal times for list making. All a person has to do is whip out a good writing utensil and a desired paper product. After that, one can chicken scratch to one's heart's content. Its' a simple 1-2-3 step process. Remember the 3 P's:

Pencil/Pen (depending on preference)
Paper
Plan (I was going to say prospectus, but I'm a fan of informal lists)

Let's repeat that... Pencil/Pen, Paper, Plan. Get it? Got it? Good.

.........................................

This week's agenda is full/overflowing with big plans, as is indicated by the title of this blog. Motivation fuels my mindset! I want to allow myself plenty of relaxation time, as well as cross off "to-do" items. I have a couple of midterms to study for, a science paper to rough draft, scholarships to apply for, people (missionaries, friends, relatives) to write, instruments to practice, musical pieces to perfect, journal(s) to catch up on, friends to hang out with, dates to go on, shelves to dust, carpets to vacuum, a house to scrape (in preparation for a new paint job), muscles to exercise, food to eat, air to breath....

............................................

I have big plans, my friends, big plans!

Brain Spasms

2007-03-20T17:16:00.001-06:00

Today is Tuesday. For me, this means a slam packed day full of studying and classes. I am on campus from the early a.m. to the late p.m., carrying around a backpack, a shoulder bag and a violin. I look like the ultimate nerd, trudging along. Plus, (if you are familiar with the stereotypical nerd) because of my scratched eye-ball, I have to wear glasses which give me an extra zing of nerdiness. It is beautiful. :).

The day hasn't been too terrible, which is unusual. I am sure that my attitude has a part (if not the whole shebang) to play in my "terrible Tuesdays." I wake up, remember what day it is and automatically I hate the world and have a mindset that things aren't going to go well. This is not the right way to go about life. I admit it! I could probably use a serious attitude adjustment/kick in the pants. Any one have a good steel-toed boot?

My Physical Anthropology class was out of the norm, this morning. Instead of the usually boring note-taking session, we had a lab! My professor brought in skulls of all sorts of primates. It was exciting to be able to apply the information that we have been learning (dental formulas, sagital crests, post orbital bars/plates, etc.) to real bones!! I think I'll dream I'm a paleontologist, tonight... as if I can choose. Can a person choose what he or she dreams about? Do any of you have such an ability? If so, share you secret por favor. I want to know how!

Violin Lessons were canceled. It is always nice to bring one's fatty instrument case to school, for no reason... Well actually, for canceled reasons. NOT. *Sigh* On the bright side, though, it does strengthen my arm muscles. I killed (In all actuality, it died on its own. I am no murderer!) the shoulder strap and now have to carry it about like an elongated briefcase. Because of such circumstances, I should have Pop-Eye shaped biceps by the end of the year. I am looking forward to and planning on conquering some hardcore arm wrestling matches.

My BIO lab wasn't quite enjoyable. Last week we had the privilege of dissecting cow eyeballs. Today, though, all we did was count beetle populations and discuss a (soon to be due) science paper. In comparison to previous labs, this one just didn't measure up on my list of favorites. I must say, though, I have perfected the skill of beetle counting. It's all in the wrist, baby!

I have a Trig Test in a couple of hours. Wish me luck! I should be fine, hopefully, because I actually studied (amazing, I know.. jk). Plus, my professor has pretty straight forward exams. I aced the last one. Can you believe it? Miss Brooke doing well in math? Such things are unheard of! It was pretty much miraculous, I'm not going to lie. Hopefully, the math gods are still pleased with me.... Not that I am polytheistic or any such nonsense, ha. As for my grade, I suppose only time will tell. "Tick-tock."

I'm gonna go eat some grub, now. I'd better get my blood sugar up so that my mind can function. You know how it is...

Ciao!

Penny For Your Thoughts

2007-03-14T21:14:00.001-06:00

I lounge on a bench and admire the passerby
So many faces, styles, and stories untold
My mind wanders through images and, with such, I sigh
and ponder a question of the young and the old.

"If we could know the thoughts of men
How would life be different, then?
For misunderstandings would never occur
And ladies with gents could finally conquer!

Would such knowledge be of want?
Yes, fear of the unknown no longer would haunt,
But what of the thrill of a lovely surprise
Could this joy no longer arise?"

Should, could, would, may, might, can...

"Let not mercy and truth forsake thee..."

2007-03-10T16:32:00.001-07:00

Below is a blog that a friend of mine posted on myspace.com. Following it is my response.

Saturday, March 10, 2007
7:47 AM - They say our feet were made for dirt, I disagree
I have a confession to make: I don't know the difference between a democrat or a republican.And honestly, I don't care to find out. I don't understand why our government has decided to eliminate our choices, and narrow it down to 2. I know there's the green party, and there's a few other candidates, but they never get enough votes, nor the financial support.Anyway, my point is that I decided I really don't like generalizations such as that. I know, I tell my friends all the time that someone is "emo" or whatever, but that's not what I'm talking about. Sort of.I don't understand why we should be categorized into shit like that. I don't care that Democrats only think this way, and Republicans think that way. I don't agree with what some democrats say, and what some republicans say, so I'm not going to be thrust into either category.But this isn't just a political view. I also feel the same way about religion. If you do not already know, at the moment, I attend the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, aka, I'm Mormon. However, I don't agree with all of their teachings. For example. about November last year I think, I wrote a blog about how I think that Murder is the worse thing you could possibly do. However, the LDS religion believes that completely denying God (not just saying "Oh, I don't believe in God" but actually protesting against him, is the worse thing you could do. I just don't understand how that could be worse. Also, if you don't already know this, I am completely and utterly against any type of murder. No human has the right to take the life of another human.From now on, I no longer consider myself Mormon. However, I do not denounce that what the church teaches is false. There are parts of their doctrine that I do believe, but I don't agree with all of it.I consider myself a human being, who believes in whatever I feel to be justifiably right.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To [name]:

Concerning Labeling:

We, as humans, have a tendency to label the nouns (people, places, things, and ideas). This tendency assists our brains with the process of taking in information. With the quick attachment of a name, we can filter information-- wrong or right-- hence, we categorize, stereotype or what have you. Even saying that humans label, categorize, and stereotype is a form of labeling!

From infancy, we learned to communicate with other humans. We practiced vocalization by zealously saying "mommy" or "doggy" when a woman or animal came into view. We learned the names of colors, body parts, objects, and etc. so that we would be able to describe the world around us. These labels are only descriptions. They are not the whole of whatever is being described but they do play as factors, however minuscule.

When trying to tell your friend about someone you just met, you might end up using words having to do with skin color, body shape, skills, accessories, or religion. Depending on where a person is from and what he or she has learned to categorize as the norm, descriptions may vary. For example: if the person you are describing happens to have dark skin and you live in Idaho (where most of the population is considered "white"), you will probably clarify that he or she is different than the norm by being "black." This is not a racist comment or negative labeling. It is just a description of physical appearance.

The neurological process of labeling has played a role in lives of men, from the beginning. The multiple chapters of history are filled with carnage, hatred, jealously, segregation, and social injustices because this process was used in extremes. Negative connotations made their way into society and when combined with the fear of all things foreign, labeling became more than a means of keeping one's brain from exploding (because of too much info). It transformed into a self-esteem booster (for those wanting to be the better people), a way to scapegoat (for those wanting someone to blame), a form of justification (for those wanting to dehumanize others who are simply different than themselves), and the list goes on.

We all label. These are my labels for you, right now (for further emphasis): you are a human being, a white American, an 18-year-old male, a [his last name], a Boise citizen, a friend, and a W.O.W player (to name a few...).

Concerning Beliefs and Religious Doctrine:

"And honestly, I don't care to find out"~ [his last name].

My man, there's your problem. When you don't understand something, you don't take the time to learn about it. Then you "label" it as crap. Did I say label? I think I did. :) So... about the government and religion, research and pray about them. You don't have to stand for a group, but you should stand for principles. There are eternal truths whether you want to believe it or not. Take, for instance, the law of gravity: (thanks to Newton and a bruise's worth of discovery/ experimentation) we know that what goes up must come down. It is a truth.

You mentioned murder and the denying of God. From my understanding, a person who denies God (on the level of sin worse than murder) is a son of perdition. This person has seen God, Jesus Christ, or both. He or she knows, for a fact, that they exist; therefore, there is no longer faith needed and yet there is denial. This is why (in this sense) denying the existence of God is so terrible, a worse sin than murder. In 2 Thess 2:3-4, it says: "... the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." Saying that you are above God is worse than murder because when a person commits murder, he or she is only attempting to be above another human by taking away that individual's physical existence. Also, a murderer hasn't taken away everything. There is still life, progression, and agency after death. Both sins are bad, but there are levels of evil acts and levels of consequences to go along with them. According to LDS doctrine, murderers still are allowed in the Telestial kingdom, with some level of glory. A son of perdition, though, is cast into outer darkness to endure eternal torment.

Concerning Attachments and Identity:

"Hence, why I do not want to associate myself with anything. I want to be me. Maybe this is just a phase of finding myself, but I don't feel like I need to be included in a religion, a political group, or any of that other bull[@#?*]. All I need is my friends" ~[last name].

Sorry to use you own words against you (again), but...

Saying that you don't want to be associated with anything is like saying you don't want to exist. You can't be [name] with out being attached to the things that have happened in [name]'s life, the things that [name] does, the things that [name] believes in, and the things that [name] loves. Don't be afraid of what people think. Eleanor Roosevelt once said: "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." In essence, you are giving your consent to be labeled as a nobody when you are afraid to be associated with anything or any group that stands for something. If you aren't associated with ideals that can be potentially put down, then you have nothing. I'd rather stand for something and have strong beliefs than be a fence sitter with neutral ideas or ones that change because of the opinions of others.

All you need is your friends, eh? One day your friends will go on missions, move away (to college and such), get married, and (as morbid as it may seem) die. Basically, people and circumstances change. I have seen relationships come and go in my life and in the lives of those around me. I would be careful to tread upon such an unstable foundation. I'm not saying that friends are bad, but you have to be careful. The influence of a friend can be very powerful. There are and always will be both good and bad peer pressures.

You, my dear, need some direction in your life: ideals, values, dreams, goals, and so on.
Such things will make your life experiences so much more complete, happy, and fulfilling.
Figure out who you are, what you believe in, and what you want to be "labeled". It is important! You are hitting/have already hit a very challenging time in your life. Satan and his legions hate that you have so much potential. They don't want you to succeed! They are (and will continue to) pound you with their well developed tactics. They've been around A LONG time and are good at what they do. Don't give in, or go astray. I know you know what is right and what is wrong. So get up and do something about it. Sitting around and waiting for a life/identity to come to you is not the best plan of action. Do you want to leave butt prints in the sand of time? I think not. You can do anything that you put your mind to!!!! You are one of the most academically capable persons of my acquaintance. I'm rootin' for you to figure things out, and will love you through whatever happens, and through all of your choices (whether I agree with them or not).

That is all.

"In the beginning..."

2007-03-10T13:33:00.001-07:00

This shall be the first of many blogs to come. Is this a means for celebration? Yes, I think it is.

I have decided to become a "blogger" because I tend to write in bulk. It is just what I do naturally. My pen hits paper or my fingers strike a keyboard and I am off, in my own world of thought, for hours and paragraphs on end. I do keep a journal, but I like the feel of composing entries on a computer. Spell check, a backspace key, and the like eliminate annoyances such as unreadable handwriting, eraser/white-out smudges, random arrows (for an attempt at organization), and etc.. This page will provide me with a space in which I can write to my heart's content (and in an organized manner). In doing so, I hope to get my mind around my thoughts and come to understand EVERYTHING more fully. It should be fascinating!