Stories

I love stories, don't you? The other day my brilliant little sister found Jim Henson's Storyteller on Netflix. It was great.

So anyways, here's a story or two of ma'own:

Last night I came home a wee bit late....lets just say it was 1 O'clock (which it was). I share a room with my two little sisters, and coming home late has never been a problem. For some reason they don't have a problem sleeping with the lights completely on. In fact, usually that is what I come home to. But, by some random chance, the lights were off last night and they were asleep. I should mention there was a freak wind storm in Las Vegas last night, like crazy town windy. But I digress, I walked into my room and my littlest sister had been awakened. She got up and immediately grabbed her school pants and started walking to the bathroom. I asked what she was doing, she responded "getting ready for school." I said, its still night time! And she said, "I always get up this time." My little sister is so used to waking up before the sun that she honestly thought 1am was the time to get up! Sick.

All throughout high school I would wake up between 4:30 and 5:00am every morning to either catch the bus or go to early morning seminary. But since going to college, that is unthinkable to me! The average time I wake up when I'm in school is around 7...The point of all this is, I love sleep.

What I've Learned So Far

Everyone tells me college is a place to discover what we love and what we want to do. I was thinking about it yesterday and realized I've learned a few things. So here's another list.

I'm afraid I don't have what it takes to be a teacher for anyone grades 0-12 (not ruling out college though)

I love cultures

I find myself researching other religions and countries in my spare time more than researching photography techniques

I hate editing pictures

I love film art

I have very little patience for shallow movies

Considering changing my minor to International Studies

I love to learn

I love school

I do not want a career I have to take home with me, I want work to be left at work

I do not want to start my own business 

Anyways, just some thoughts. Now here is a Sigur Ros song, just because I'm still in a Sigur Ros phase alright!

Favorite lyrics: 

Ó, góðan daginn

Ég úr þér ríf ísjaka
og grýlukertin 
og harðfenni
og hendi út á haf
Þar sem sjórinn flæðir
og salt ísinn bræðir

English Translation:

Oh, good morning
I pull from you icebergs
and icicles 
and frozen snow 
and throw out to the sea
Where the sea flows
and salt melts the ice

Gratitude

Last week in my Institute class we studied in Joshua (can't quite remember the exact references, sorry about that) about how seriously the Lord takes gratitude. He very much expects us to be grateful. This all brings to mind President Uchtdorf's Relief Society address where he implored the women of the church to recoginze small victories. Since last Tuesday I've made a much more concentrated effort to find gratitude everywhere in my life. So I'm going to actually count my blessings and share them with you right now :)

-Iceland
-Two great jobs
-Being friends with the people I work with
-Having 10+ incredible friends all serving missions for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
-Diversity
-Being an American
-The state of Idaho
-The city of Rexburg
-Snow
-Clouds
-The desert (it took me a VERY long time to be grateful for this, but I'm finally beginning to see its beauty)
-Las Vegas lights at night
-Sigur Ros
-A home where I feel comfortable and loved always
-Great parents
-Awesome siblings who will laugh hysterically during The Muppets movie, even if we're the only ones
-The Old Testament
-France
-BYU-Idaho
-An incredible extended family
-Cousins who are more like sisters
-California
-Ice Cream
-Sunday dinners with my family
-Simon and Garfunkel
-Holidays
-Centennial Hills Singles Ward
-My new calling as New Member Committee

Alright, so this seems like a slightly exhaustive list, but I'm just getting started. I'll leave you with one of my favorite Sigur Ros songs from the extremely touching documentary Heima.

 
"Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet." Bob Marley

Sprawl

Reading the blogs of others I've realized some things they have in common: goals they actively work toward, marriage (either working toward or recently), exciting trips, big events, etc. My blog consists of none of those things. In fact, I'm afraid my life consists of none of those things...unless you count the goal of saving for college (in which case I'm doing very poorly). For the past few days I've listed to Arcade Fire's newest album The Suburbs. Its pure genius. Driving last night I've declared it the "anthem of my rebellion." My current favorite song is right here for you to enjoy! This is the part I sing every day before I go to work:

They heard me singing and they told me to stop
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock
These days my life, I feel it has no purpose
But late at night the feelings swim to the surface


In other news, my friends are leading wild and exciting lives! They've been called on missions to Ogden, Hawaii, Finland, and France! And one of my best friends was married last night. It was a gorgeous reception.

Also today was an awesome day at work! One lady really liked the shoes I helped her find! She gave me a hug and asked to speak to my manager to let her know how much she appreciated the help! Hopefully she calls customer service (like she said she would) and I get a "people's choice award," in which I could use on future resumes!

Despite how nice it is to get praise, sometimes I just get really frustrated with work.  It makes me feel suffocated to think I work 2-3 jobs now and will continue to do so after I reach my goal. There will never be any rest from work for my entire life until I die. I really am afraid I'm not living my life. Call it a college-age-life-crisis if you will, but I'm concerned. Most of my friends have done awesome things like missions, marriage, traveling, volunteering, etc. by now. All I do is go to school and work. I haven't had time to volunteer for a single thing since graduating high school. Anyways, its disheartening at times.

But I am grateful to have the opportunity to move out and spread my wings, even if it is in Idaho! And I'm grateful for my family, they are my best friends and I love living with them. Also I'm grateful for employment, because even though its not my dream life, its what I need right now. And I really have great friends who are wonderful examples to me.

Anyways, thanks for listening to my rant. I am really content with life right now!

Wild Horses

K folks, your not going to believe this, but I have two more sons with the same title that are my favorite (well almost the same title). Once again the links are provided below.

And now, for some of my thoughts...

At work they play jazzy elevatory versions of popular "pop" songs like Easy like Sunday Morning (except its a techno version) Beat It by Michael Jackson, and Creep by Radiohead. I have to say...I'm not a fan...At first Beat It was disturbing, but Creep...thats just wrong. I have a lot of thinking time while I repeatedly fix shoes and occasionally help customers and I can't help but think "What the crap is Creep doing playing in a shoe store, what kind of message is that?" Lyrics include: "I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo, I don't belong here." If I was the average customer with time to listen to the lyrics I would be a little off put by such lyrics. In fact the song "Creep" was what finally pushed me over the edge and realize I really didn't belong at LVA...anyways, just a thought...

In other news, I've seen multiple people in the last month that I haven't seen since I've graduated from high school. I realize its only been about three years, but its still a little weird and kind of exciting.

Lastly, I've got myself a Pinterest. Its my downfall. I love it so much. I saw a picture on facebook that I found awesome, I dragged my mouse over it to repin it, only to discover that I wasn't on Pinterest and I may have a problem.

PS My favorite line from "Wild Horses" by The Rolling Stones is "Lets do some living after we die."

Trouble

Just the other day I realized something. Not one, not two, but THREE of my favorite songs have the same title: TROUBLE! Pretty wild, eh? You can listen to all three with the fancy youtube links provided below!

I've been reading other peoples blogs and boy they sure are great! I hope I can come up with some more interesting content. 

So I work at a shoe store by the name of DSW. We have a diverse staff at DSW. There is one cross dresser who I enjoy working with a lot, she's really nice, some gay guys; you know, just diverse. But today at closing I heard my coworkers laughing to each other.They said "I thought I saw you at Fremont, I recognized your smile!" to my manager. I asked what was going on? She said oh he dresses in drag! BUT, here's the thing. I could not tell if they were kidding. Seriously, half the drive home this is all I could think about. My manager could be gay, but I never thought a drag queen. And they sounded so jokey! How could it be real! But I do already work with a cross dresser! These are the mysteries of life. 

In other news! I have really been watched out for as of late. I feel so blessed. Recently I actually have been troubled. Worries about how I will pay for the next year of college plagued my every thought and consumed all chance of a positive hopeful attitude. Within two days, though, all these things have happened: two government loan offers (exactly enough for school), my job officially back at the library when I return to school, another housing discount at The Ridge that I hadn't realized before, a semi-commitment from the Photography company for full time work, and this week four jobs! I feel so blessed.

I've been considering progression as of late. Buddhists believe in reincarnation. Your reincarnated according to your level of progression, so if someone isn't doing as well Buddhists simply realize they have not progressed as much. I love that concept. Life is progression. I wish I could sit back and have complete faith that everything will work out (because really, it always does), but instead I mostly get seriously worried and restless. But you know what? Thats ok, because I'm learning and progressing. 

And now for a favorite quote: "The Dalai Lama when asked him what surprised him most about humanity he answered, 'Man. Becuase he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money in order to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then does having never really lived." 

Happy Sunday Everybody!

Its been a successful Sunday if you ask me! I went to an Interfaith Community forum. They are my absolute favorite. I get giddy about them! Last week was sexual morality, today the topic was evolution. It was kind of confusing for the most part; much too vast of a subject to cover in a few minutes per religion. Nonetheless it was a fascinating experience as always. I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with the Baha'i faith representative. He was so sincere, truthful, and purely awesome.

Also today was the Primary Program. Bishop Rose explained the reason we have the primary program once a year is to remind us who we need to become like, little children. I loved that. In my singles ward my testimony was confirmed once again of the power of the scriptures. Also I am so exciting to have a visiting teaching companion more proactive than I am! So sweet!

I am hoping to take up French again. J'adore cette language (English, whatevs).