Woah, I accomplished that much?

What a year this has been!  Today as I was going through old blog posts I came across my list of New Year's Resolutions for 2011 from my old blog. I'm actually pretty impressed at how much I accomplished this year.  I set some goals that were definitely in reach, and though I felt like I wasn't accomplishing much for the longest period of time, looking back I did accomplish all but one.

"Be active."  I have been a lot more active this year than in past years.  As you know, I'm training for a half marathon, and I have actually been able to keep myself on track for the most part (not 100%, but I'll be ready January 29th!)

"Eat right."  I've been eating a lot more healthily this year than before.  I do suffer from low points and I'll get a fatty burger, but it's not a usual occurrence.  I've incorporated a lot more fruits and vegetables into my diet.  I've been cooking for myself, which means I've been paying more attention to what goes into the food I've been eating.

"Make friends!"  I have grown a lot more confident over the year, especially from summer to now.  I owe a lot to friends in the ward for that:  Charlee, Larisa, and Sheyene.  These three have pulled me out of my comfort zone and pulled me into social situations.  They've taught me how to make friends instead of relying on old friendships.  For that, I thank them so much!
Along with the goal to make friends, I know that I had also had in mind to gain relationships and go on more dates.  I can also say that has happened this year!  Summer was good to me.  I started going on dates that weren't set up by other people- guys started asking me out more, and that gave me a lot more confidence as well.  It didn't end with summer.  There were many dates since, and for the past couple weeks I've spent a lot of time with Jonathan - a guy from the ward.  It's nothing too serious right now, but I like him. :)
"Do well in classes."  This one took some time off to get going.  Fall semester was great!  Granted I only took a few classes, my GPA improved quite a bit.

"Save money!"  Well, this was the one goal that I did not meet, and one I plan to retry this coming year.  Even with my 2 jobs over the summer, I failed at saving.

Well the New Year is coming up and it's time to set some new goals:

Run a Walt Disney World race.  Because I'm already signed up for my Disneyland Half Marathon which I KNOW I will accomplish, I am setting a new goal to accomplish another race.  I want this!  My sister, Corinne is going to try to convince me to run a race with her, probably a marathon.  I don't know if I'm quite there yet, but I'm not ruling that out either.

Meet a goal weight by the end of winter semester.  I'm not posting the numbers here, but I plan on losing a good amount of weight by summer time!  I want to be able to feel better about going to the public pool and wearing shorts this summer.

Keep the grades up.  I hope I can maintain and improve my GPA.  I've decided that this semester wasn't difficult to do that, hopefully I'll be able to do well continually!

Save money.  I'm going to try this one again.  I've got some plans in the works as far as summer goes to make a better income, and that could lead to more saving opportunities!  We'll just see how it all goes.

Most importantly:  Grow in my relationship with my Heavenly Father and Savior.  I do pray and read scriptures everyday, but it's not quite enough.  I need to be a lot better at studying, not just reading.  No matter where your testimony is, there is always room for growth.  :)

This should be another great year.  I am looking forward to all the opportunities I will have in 2012!

Christmas is Coming!

It's almost Christmas; just 5 more days until it's actually here!  I am definitely excited about it, but with the lack of snow, it just doesn't feel like it should already be December 20th.  Before Thanksgiving I was so grateful that the snow was absent, but now I'm wishing it was here now, and even sooner.  Crazy.

I've been keeping myself busy, trying to get into the Christmas spirit, but without the snow there's so much I can't do that I wish I could!  I have been watching any and all Christmas movies I can get my hands on, I've blown up my iPod with Christmas music (at least 30% of all my music is now Christmas music!).  I've decorated my apartment, I built and set up my advent calandar a month ago... but it still doesn't feel right.

It probably won't actually hit me until Saturday night.  I can't wait til the Nydegger party - that's what I look forward to every year!  Unfortunately, this could very well be the last year we do it on Christmas Eve.  :(  It's just one of those traditions that I love more than anything and will be devastated when it's over.  Ah.....

Farewell to a Legend

To the world, he may not be the most famous actor, but to me he was one of the greats.  Harry Morgan is one of those who inspired the best.  Harry Morgan is one who I've learned so much from.  Whether he's Colonel Sherman T. Potter commanding Hawkeye and Radar in the Army, or he's the Angel "Roy Zerney" helping out a man named Charley find some balance in his life, or even Mayor Olly Perkins looking for a respectable Sheriff to bring justice to the town, Harry Morgan delivered a great message.

I don't really have a great way with words, but a picture's worth a thousand words, so here are a few of my favorite roles he plays:





Colonel Sherman T. Potter (from M*A*S*H)





Homer McCoy (from The Apple Dumpling Gang)





The Angel, Roy Zerney (from Charley and the Angel)



Mayor Olly Perkins (from Support Your Local Sheriff!)



 



As in the words of Colonel Sherman T. Potter, "Too-da-loo"

Don't "Leaf" Me, Autumn!

Alright, that was a little more than cheesy, but I love autumn!  Around Provo I always hear people asking and begging for the snow.  Why?!  The snow will stay around long enough once it gets here, can't we enjoy what autumn time we have?  I feel much more at peace with the rain than the snow.  The snow brings cold.  I don't like that.

I will be the first to admit that I've been listening to Christmas music since September, I've brought all my Christmas decor out of storage and I've just waiting on Thanksgiving to start setting up.  I've got all of my Christmas presents either purchased or planned, I've come up with a killer idea for an advent calandar for myself and my roommates (I hope it will work out!), and I was a major contributor to the paperchain countdown we made at work (by major contributor I mean that I co-decided to do it, brought in all the supplies, made most links, and set it up myself).  I've been on pinterest daily to find DIY Christmas projects.  Obviously I am SO ready for Christmas season!

However, Thanksgiving still has not made its arrival, so I don't want the snow... yet.  It can snow all it wants up in the mountains - satisfy the skiiers, look at the beauty, and get ready to tromp around on Black Friday to cut down a Christmas tree.  I love it!  In the valley, let's not rush this.  This is my favorite kind of weather - Hear that wind whistle, look out and see the leaves flying around and watch them fall to the earth where they stick, wet with rain. Don't leave me yet, autumn!! Old Man Winter will get his in due time...

I just added this picture because I can't wait to get this stuff!

It's been a while since I posted an actual lemon, but here's one for you - masks.  I hate them, everything about them.  I used to think clowns were my biggest irrational fear, but I've discovered that masks are much worse.

The other night some girls in the ward came out of their apartment wearing these while everyone was meeting up to play night games.  I flipped out and booked it back to the apartment - one chased me, not realizing that I was seriously scared to death.  Over the next few weeks she kept apologizing for scaring me so badly.  Of course I forgave her because she didn't know what she was doing.

Tonight, however, 2 people came over to a friend's apartment where we were playing games wearing masks.  One came in the sliding glass door, the other was outside the apartment at the front door - I was trapped.  I hid my eyes until they left but my heart was still racing.  Finally I was able to calm down and continue playing games with the group.  About 30 minutes later they came back.  I looked away but I heard them walk in and say my name.  I laid down on the couch with my head behind another girl's back hoping they'd take a hint and leave.  Someone started rubbing my back saying "Charity, just look, you don't even know who this is."  Honestly, do you think I wanted to know?!  I don't care what the mask looks like.  If I can't see your face/read your emotions I will NOT look at you.  I beat her arms away and finally they all left.

Long story short - if you think you're funny and you're trying to get a laugh out of me, don't wear a mask.  There's nothing funny about it.  I will not laugh, I will probably not look at you.  I will not easily forgive if it's been done more than once, I will probably hold a grudge.  People - DON'T DO IT!!!!

Ferguson

This summer a couple in my ward took in an orphaned duckling.  They christened her "Ninety-five Guns'n'Ammo Bobsled".  She was such an adorable duckling and loved to get to know everyone in the ward.  She'd come to ward activities, ward prayer, even a ward pancake dinner.  After a while she got pretty independent and stopped going inside at night.  One night she disappeared.

Ninety-Five Guns'n'Ammo Bobsled

After a while I noticed these two other ducks around Raintree - one brown one grey.  I wasn't too fond of these ducks because I thought they chased Ninety-Five away; one day I actually caught them in the act of chasing away a duck that I thought must have been Ninety-Five!  I hated these two.  Everytime I would walk past them I would hiss or yell at them.  One night, while I was out of town, the brown duck was killed by a stray cat.  Now it was only the grey duck at Raintree and how happy I was!  I would walk past and tell it how I wish it would leave too so Ninety-Five could come back and live in peace.

One day while sitting on the balcony reading (during the summer my balcony was right next to the pond) this grey duck looked up at me and started quacking.  What on earth did it want with me?  This duck knew that I hated him, was he just quacking to disturb my reading?  I decided the only way to shut him up would be to go down and feed him some bread.  I guess he wasn't that bad.

That's what began a beautiful relationship!  We would bond; I'd feed him bread and he'd follow me.  I decided he needed a name; I christened him Ferguson.  Sometimes when no one was home to talk to I'd go out and tell Ferguson about my troubles.  He was a great listener.  Ferguson and I grew to be best friends - he was MY pet duck and just about everyone knew it.

When summer was over and I had to move back to the outside of the building I knew it would be a little more difficult to see him on a regular basis.  I had to make time to go out and visit Ferg, but it wasn't as if it was a laborious thing - I loved to see him!  Just seeing him, having him follow me around gave me such great joy.

My roommate Charlee and I were worried about what would happen to him when winter rolled around.  Neither of us had ever seen him fly, and when ducks would come and go we hoped they'd teach him to fly, but he never left.

Ferg had his downside though - he quacked every morning around 6:00 - at sunrise.  It never bothered me, but I had neighbors that absolutely hated him.  One in particular threatened to turn him into Thanksgiving dinner.  Now I couldn't have that.  I was protective of him.  I found him being chased on multiple occasions and I would yell at his predators, do whatever I could to get them to leave my duck alone.  Last night I found him under attack again.  This afternoon I went out to visit him.  I took him a couple slices of bread, he came and sat by me and let me pet him.  Then I had to leave to take a test.

When I got back Ferguson was nowhere to be seen; I searched all over for him.  Immediately I texted those two who attacked him last night, but they didn't respond.  Eventually, through other means, I found out that Ferguson had been caught by those two and taken to the Duck Pond south of campus.  It was good to know he was safe, but I am still very upset that they never even told me where they'd be taking him.  Ferguson just disappeared!

I went to visit him at his new home today; he loves it.  When living at Raintree, Ferguson was quite lonely.  He never had friends here that stayed very long.  There are always ducks at the pond, so I'm sure he'll be happy there.  I love him, and I hear that if you love someone, then let them go.

Disney College Program round 2!

Tonight I applied once again for the Disney College Program, but this time there was a very special surprise in store!  At the meeting they told us that in the past you were only allowed to apply for Walt Disney World OR the Disneyland Resort; but for the first time in history they opened it up to where you can now apply for both programs!  The really cool thing about that is the fact that you don't have to apply for the same roles in both resorts!

Walt Disney World
I've never been to Walt Disney World, so it would be really fun to work there, but there are only 2 roles I'd accept there; I applied for Character and Character Host!  Tomorrow I have my audition to be a character and I am so excited!  There I'll get to learn a choreographed routine (I think from a parade) and do some character work.  I can't even put into words how excited I am!

Another great point about working in Walt Disney World instead of Disneyland is the fact that I could work there just for summer (April to August)!  That means I wouldn't have to miss a semester of classes, I wouldn't have to try to sell my housing contract, and I wouldn't have to leave my roommates and my amazing ward for more than 4 months.

Disneyland
I would absolutely LOVE to go back to Disneyland - it's really my dream to work there again!  I'd love to just make a career out of it, but I think for now I'll just go for the college program and possibly continue as a cast member as a Campus Rep.  Oh man, I've forgotton how much I really enjoyed it last time!  Though I would have to take school time off to work at Disneyland (they only offer the program January-August) I would just love it!  I just can't get over my excitement!!!  I can't even put into words what I'm feeling right now... if someone walked into my apartment they'd be so confused... oh my!


The biggest obstacle in my path is the down payment.  If I have to pay my first month rent upfront, I just don't see it happening.  Right now I'm such a broke, poor college student.  I really wish I could get around it somehow though... We'll just see what happens!

I know this blog post has been all over the place and I apologize for that, but I am so flustered and excited about the college program again!!!

A Good Chat and a Great Song

The other day as I was walking around the courtyard feeding Ferguson the Duck, and picking up the mail I ran into a guy from the ward.  He said he was craving a Jamba Juice smoothie ever since I told him I worked there so he invited me to go get one.  After we stopped by we walked back to Raintree and we sat by the stream and talked for a while.  We got to talking about how Facebook is a destroyer of lives, how I wish I could cancel my account but in reality it's not really an option.  We talked about how texting is the lazy, easy way out of really talking and getting to know someone.  We talked about the girl who was writing to him while he was on his mission and how that didn't work out when he got back home and they went on a date - there was just no "spark" for either of them, so they fell out of contact again.  We talked about the fact that I'm not dating anyone or really going on many dates.  He told me he was surprised by that.

I'm not saying that this guy wants to date me, and I don't think I'd want to date him.  We're friends, and I like the fact that we can talk about stuff like this without there being a desire on either side, we're both neutral parties.

I'm not really one to take a compliment gracefully.  Normally I'll reject and rebuttle; I'll tear myself down and point out my faults.  This time, I just listened to what he had to say.  He said I have a happiness and warmth just radiate from me and that it's something most people would like to be around; that it's a quality that people seek.  I told him about this past summer and how there were so many wonderful people in my life who really helped me gain a self-confidence.  I told him about how I haven't always radiated that warmth that draws people - how I used to be much more introverted.

This got me thinking - what was it that changed this summer?  How did I become the woman I am today instead of the girl I used to be?  Where did that confidence really come from?  Is it because I worked in retail where I was forced to be more outgoing?  I don't think so, because I worked the same way while in California.  Was it because Charlee got me out of the apartment?  I don't think so, because she was often with her boyfriend and I got out on my own a lot.  Was it because I started working out more?  I do think that had much to do with it.  I felt like I was accomplishing something everyday I was able to go to the gym, but I don't think that was really the root of it.  I think so much of it had to do with praying for confidence.  It came little by little, but it has grown and I still feel it growing.

Last night my roommates sat around discussing past boyfriends and dates they've been on.  I sat there feeling as though I had nothing to add to the conversation.  I felt ashamed by the fact that I haven't really been in a serious relationship.  I thought back to freshman year - my first roommates.  Stephanie is married, Arielle is getting married in December, and that just leaves me.  Arielle used to think that I'd be the first of the three of us to get hitched, though I never thought so.  I knew that I was still so introverted that it was going to take time for me to break out of my shell.  It's now 2 years later and I'm still searching - trying to figure out who I am and where I want to be.  Last night I was down on myself because I realized that it's taken me so long to just get into the dating pool.  I thought that because it's already taken me so long that it wouldn't come around for a while, still. 

As I sat there with my head on the table Charlee asked us what song we wanted to listen to.  I was in no mood to listen to anything sappy which is what I was sure Amy or Heather would choose based on the conversation.  Instead Amy chose a song by Josh Groban called "You Are Loved".  Listen to it now.  It talks about never giving up.  Everyone wants to be understood, everyone wants to be loved.  It's almost as though it's sung from Christ's point of view.  He loves us, and he always will.  He understands us.  We are loved.

Home for an Entire Year

As I was browsing through Facebook a few days ago I noticed on the sidebar where there are usually advertisements I was shown what my status was on August 12, 2010:  "My last shift at the Happiest Place on Earth."  That means that I've been back home in Utah for an entire year, and oh what a year it has been!

I've had many ups and downs this year.  I've had moments where I've dwelt in the past - just wishing I could return to live in Anaheim and work at Disneyland.  I've had moments when I've looked to the future - graduating from BYU and establishing a career.  I've been torn up inside to have been home alone many nights during the winter while my roommates were out with friends or on dates and I figured there must be something wrong with me - why wasn't I going on dates or making good friends?  Finally I got out of that funk when springtime started creeping in and I got out of the apartment a little more with Charlee and her friends. 

By the time Summer hit and I switched apartments to be on the courtyard side of the building I felt more at home in the ward and got to know people better.  I started hanging out with people a lot more, I started going on more dates - things overall just started falling into place!  What had suddenly changed?  Me.  I had grown a lot more confident in a short space of time.  I became a lot more outgoing myself - I hosted movie nights and asked others if they were doing game nights, I was more forward in my dating attempts, and I was outside a lot more so when people would pass by they'd notice me and invite me to hang out.  I also made some great friends that were determined to pull me even more out of my shell.  If there was ever a group something-or-other going on and I opted out they'd bug me until I said I'd go.

Now fall is approaching.  Tomorrow I move out of my apartment back around to the outside of the building.  Soon classes will start up again and schedules will change.  I will have to put in more of an effort to see and hang out with people.  It will be a test of my strength.  It will be a test to see just how much I really have grown in the past few months.  Will I be able to continue my social life without having other people try to persuade me to join in?  Only time will tell, but I am going to try as hard as I can to keep my outgoing attitude alive.  I'm going to work at being forward and learn how to better get to know people and establish better friendships and relationships. 

There have been many times over the year when I've wanted to give up this life to move back to where I was a year and a half ago - I just wanted to work at Disneyland.  Today I don't quite have that same desire.  Yes, someday I'd love to return to the Magic Kingdom to spread happiness, but right now I love where I am!  I am truly happy!  I'm making great friends and getting to know people.  My happiness at Disneyland came from my work, not from people.  I didn't have many great friends in Anaheim.  I had a couple roommates I enjoyed spending time with, but I was usually a loner.  After this summer I couldn't go back to that lifestyle.  I love where I am now.  This year back home has changed me so much.  I love who I am and what I'm doing!  I can't look back on the past anymore; I will continue to keep moving forward.

Every time the rain begins to fall I can't help but start to smile.  When it turns into a full-blown thunderstorm and downpour of rain I get really excited!

Rain isn't the typical favorite kind of weather.  For many it can be a least favorite because it disrupts plans to be outside for the day, takes a toll on travel, and just looks gloomy.  There are many songs dedicated to rain as being a bad thing; Bring on the Rain, Come on Rain, and Rainy Days and Mondays just to name a few.  Poor rain, it gets such a bad reputation.

I, for one, absolutely love the rain.  It really is my favorite weather.  When I tell that to my friends and family they give me a strange look and say "Ya, I like the rain, but I'd much rather have sun."  I tell them I'm the other way around.  When it rains I feel calm.  I love being outside during a rainstorm - taking a walk, reading on my balcony, whatever it takes to get me near that water that falls from the heavens.  It's beautiful, crisp, and clear. 

I can't explain it completely, but it's just perfect.  Besides, you can never have the rainbow without a little rain.

"I Open at the Close"

This morning I went to see the final installment of the Harry Potter series.  It's over.  It began for me 12 years ago - I was in elementary school and everyone was reading the Harry Potter books.  I was (like I am now) a non-conformist and didn't want to read the books because everyone else was so absorbed in them.  I was busy reading other books that weren't quite as popular anyway.

One day my mom took me grocery shopping at Sam's Club and when we first entered the store there was a HUGE stack of Harry Potter books 1-3.  My mom knew that I loved reading, so she grabbed a copy of each and told me she'd just heard about them and thought I might enjoy it.  I rolled my eyes, but didn't object to her buying them.  That day when we got home my curiosity got the better of me and I sat down to read The Sorcerer's Stone.  The first chapter didn't quite do it for me, though I know that a lot of other people were immediately hooked.  I decided to continue reading anyway.  Once Harry finally got to school I became fascinated!  I probably finished the book in a week (which is saying something since I was in 2nd grade!)  I turned to the second and third books and fell in love with the series!  I guess it wasn't popular just because people decided to jump on the bandwagon - it was actually really good!

When I first heard that they were going to make a movie I wanted to be in it, of course.  I was just turning 11 that year - perfect age to play Hermione (though many people said since I have red hair I should have wanted to be Ginny).  Unfortunately I found out a week later that they were already halfway done with filming - wow I guess I missed the boat completely on that one.  No matter - I went to see the movie on opening day with my sister and brother-in-law.  The entire time I was whispering to her "Oh no!  They left out that part?!"  Looking back, I don't miss too much of what was left out; the movie would have gone on for at least 5 hours if everything was included!

Today - 12 years later, having read each book 9 times, I saw the final movie.  It's interesting to wonder - with Harry Potter being such a huge piece of our culture, what will the world's attention turn to now?  Sure Twilight (something I still refuse to read/watch) has had its moments in the sun, but it has never captivated so much of the world as Harry Potter had.

It's over.  More than half my lifetime was spent in the company of Harry, Ron, and Hermione.  I will still continue to re-read the books and watch the movies occasionally, but there will be nothing more added.  My memories will live on, but the characters will cease to develop and there will be no more adventures within the Hogwarts castle.

Today I lift my wand in the air in tribute to Harry Potter, "the Boy Who Lived" and to J.K. Rowling for creating a masterpiece, a timeless classic that will continue to live on in memory, and something that will be read and watched time and time again.  Long live Harry Potter!

Happy Thoughts

The opening shifts at Jamba Juice are my favorite shifts for many reasons.  The opening crew is great - these people are just happy people.  Of course we all have our bad days or bad moments, but these people get over those bad moments rather than dwelling on them and bringing their problems to work.  Whether it's blasting Disney music in the store or playing "Guess that Disney song/character" it's hard to stay down in an atmosphere that is so positive.

Yesterday my friend, Susan, introduced me to a game she's played many times - the "Happy Thoughts" game.  Every 15 minutes you write down something that makes you happy.  To make it even more challenging for us, after we were an hour or two into the game we decided we couldn't use any more Disney happy thoughts.  It was more fun to come up with things unrelated to Disney, because then we notice how truly blessed we are.

My list included things such as:  rain, reading, ukuleles, going on walks, and writing in my journal.  Susan's list included:  cooking, anything that smells like pumpkin, and cutting out paper snowflakes.  Nick's list was probably the most entertaining because he played it off as more of a joke, but still happy thoughts:  Covering and uncovering his ears while vacuuming (making funny noises), orange carrot juice, and looking (out-of-focus) at Christmas lights.

All of these happy thoughts, whether on my own list or on theirs, could have been on my own.  There are so many things that I could have written, but there just wasn't enough time to list them all.  This is definitely a game I'd like to play throughout each day.  It's kind of like finding those simple pleasures in life and just going with it.  There are so many little things in life that can make a person happy, it's hard to understand why there is so much sadness in the world.

Happy Independence Day!  There are times when we all moan and gripe about the government, but when it comes right down to it, we have more freedom than most countries - freedoms some dare not even dream about.  I'm proud to be an American!

Workaholic

This week I've been working like crazy!  I got almost 45 hours of work at Jamba Juice, and about 15 hours at maurices.  That's almost 60 hours.  The other day I picked up another employees shift at Jamba - giving me a 12-hour day there.

My good friend Taylor Dugger keeps asking when we're going to be able to get together for lunch or a movie night and due to work I keep blowing her off.  She's called me a workaholic on more than one occasion.

I tell myself that I work so much so that I can start building up my savings account.  It would be worth all the work if I were seeing some of my money go into my savings account, but I've had some expenses lately that have drawn a lot from my account.  I've needed to build my wardrobe for work at maurices.  Before I started working there I didn't have a lot of cute clothes, and I've needed to wear cute things to work - "wear what you sell."  Even with my amazing employee discount I'm still spending more than I should.

The other day my phone keeled over, so I had to buy a new one.  I was torn between two models - The HTC freestyle ($100) and another model (I can't remember the name, but it was $40).  I went with the HTC.  It's a sweet phone, but it did cost a pretty penny!  This week I have rent to pay.  I have a gym membership to pay (which, due to my heavy workload I haven't been able to use a whole lot since I started my second job!).  And soon my friends and I are planning a trip to Disneyland which I've got to pay for.  We're getting a steal of a deal splitting the costs, but it's still a chunk of change!

So what is the real reason I work so much if it's costing me almost as much as I earn? 

I do enjoy my work!  I like the fact that I'm not at my apartment sitting around doing nothing.  I'm out and about.  I'm "socializing" at work.  While I'm outside of the apartment I can talk and get to know more people - even if it's not quite the same as hanging out with people, it's still an opportunity to be out and talking to co-workers and customers.

I also enjoy that I'm not constantly eating while I'm at work.  At Jamba sure I get my free shift meal (which I could usually go without, but it's free, so why not take it?) but I'm not constantly grazing on whatever snacks seem to be lying around.  I drink more water because I'm talking and my mouth gets dry.

I'm moving around!  Although it's not a replacement for the gym, it's a little extra movement which burns a few extra calories.

Work is just so good for me, I'm glad I have it!  I wish I had a little more time to spend with friends, but I'm not usually hanging out during the day with anyone, so I'm glad to be doing what I'm doing.

Today I had an entirely work-free day!  No Jamba, no maurices so I'm took time to visit Temple Square and do baptisms for the dead at the Salt Lake Temple.  I went with my oldest sister, Brittany, who I haven't been able to bond with in years, so this was a good "sisters" day for us. 

Work is good, but having a day off occasionally is even better.

I didn't get the guy I wanted, but I knew all along that he wouldn't make me happy

A few weeks ago I was "dating" a guy in my ward.  I really enjoyed spending time with him - we always did fun things together - Hostess raids, nerf dart attacks on his roommates, movie nights, just fun stuff!  Eventually we kind of dissolved.  I should have known it was coming from the start because we never really talked - all along we were just friends/cuddle buddies.  When we actually talked about everything I wasn't upset about just being friends though.  The only time I was upset about the situation was during the day when I had nothing else to think about - I thought about him.  I thought about other girls in the ward going after him and vice versa.  I was jealous when I had those thoughts, but everytime I would actually see him I was happy to call him my friend.

We're more like Harry and Hermione

Yesterday I saw him with his new girlfriend - someone not in the ward.  I was happy for him!  The girl he was with looked very nice - looked like someone who has and will make him happy.  I know it sounds weird, but I am genuinely happy for him and I hope he'll be happy with her.

I know I'm better off without him.  I wouldn't make him happy, and I've realized he wouldn't have made me happy.  It's not just about having any boyfriend - there really needs to be some chemistry going on.  For us, there never was.  I wanted him because I liked the idea of dating someone, not neccessarily dating him.

I didn't get the guy, but I am so much better off and so much happier!

1937 vs 2011

vs.

I was recently talking with some co-workers about Disney movies when one brought up the fact that she tried to watch Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs the other day, but couldn't handle it because there was only one plot line and it moved too slowly for her.  I've heard it before, and I'll be the next one to say it:  We live in a time where story is no longer enough.  We live in a time where stimulus is everything.  People have no patience today. 

Notice the differences between these posters.  Snow White's poster is filled with pastel colors, a basic background that doesn't draw attention to itself, simple smiles and poses, and virtually every character in the movie.   The poster for Tangled shows bright colors, extremely detailed scenery in the background, a determined look on each of the main 3 characters faces, and they stand in kind of awkward poses to be honest.

Notice the backgrounds specifically.  Snow White's background doesn't draw any attention to itself.  The castle is there to hint that Snow White is royalty, but it isn't there to take away from the focus of the main character.  The castle is done in a lighter ink than the characters.  You don't want to spend much time looking at it, because it really has nothing to do with the story line.  Tangled's background kind of distracts from the main characters.  When looking at this poster my eye travels from Rapunzel's awkward stance in the front to the tower in the back.  There is no dividing line between the scenery and the characters.  The same goes for the entire movie.  Everything is animated with stimulating colors - the only reason your eyes stay focused on Rapunzel and Flynn is because they are the ones moving.

True, Walt Disney was a visionary.  He kept up with the latest technology and took advantage of anything and everything available to him.  Notice that Snow White was filmed in Multiplane Technicolor.  Yes, I have no doubt that Walt, if alive today, would be pursuing computer animation.  In fact, I think he would probably have been the first to use it.  He would have taken advantage of the speed and almost life-like quality that comes from computer animation.  He would have created amazing movies, I'm sure.  But I'm not arguing that Walt's creations were "better" in any way than today's movies.  They're both good - just in different ways.

All-in-all, in the 1930s people were more patient.  They didn't mind taking their time to get to the happily ever after.  They enjoyed the music, the comedy, and the emotion.  Today, that just isn't enough.  It seems like everyone must be hurrying.  Rapunzel and Flynn do a lot of running, fighting, and keep on the move constantly.  Their story isn't the only one we follow.  We see Mother Gothel weave in and out with her own twisted addition to the plot.  Anytime you can tell there is a slow moment between Rapunzel and Flynn we cut to a scene of Mother Gothel's scheming.  We never see Rapunzel and Flynn just walking for more than a minute, there always must be something going on that we need to pay attention to.  If you stop watching for just one minute, you just might get lost in what is happening.

I love that I live in this day and age.  I've said before that I belong in the 1940s.  I still think I would have enjoyed it immensely.  I would have enjoyed taking my time a little more.  I would have enjoyed the patience, but I enjoy living in today's world where I can compare and contrast.  I'm eclectic.  I don't have one specific style.  I like to gather bits and pieces of all kinds of styles from different time periods.  I will always enjoy the classics from the past, but I can't ignore the present and future.

To me, it doesn't matter how the characters get there, how slowly or speedily it arrives, but the one thing I can always be certain of in a Disney movie - there will always be a Happily Ever After.

Patience and Confidence

I may need to change the name of my blog - lately instead of being handed lemons, I've been given blessing after blessing!

Heavenly Father knows my weaknesses and my insecurities; He knows my fears and my sorrows.  I have been doing some deep thinking and sincerely praying and I know He's been listening to me.  For the longest time I think my answers have been "patience and confidence."  I needed to learn patience in this world where everything happens so fast.  I needed to learn to be more confident.  I've felt like I had so much to learn and I needed to take a long time to learn them both.

Today is not the time to go into depth about my personal prayers and my insecurities.  They're not something I want to publish for the world - this is between me and my Father in Heaven.

What this post is meant to say is that if you feel like you're not getting an answer to your prayers don't give up on Him.  Just because He's not answering you in the way you want doesn't mean He's not listening.  Just practice some patience and keep praying!  He is listening; He alone knows exactly what you're going through.

I am so blessed to be a part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I've grown up being taught that He is there and that He listens to me.  I've never doubted the truthfulness of the Gospel, and I never will. 

I thought I missed it...

Today has been one of the greatest days of my life.  After my total downer weekend I've been filled with such joy and love that I can barely keep it all contained!  I love my Heber friends, I love my ward and Bishop, I love my Provo friends... there is so much joy to be had, I can't believe I was too blind to see some of it over the weekend.

This morning I drove to Heber to help out my best friend, Ellen.  She's planning to compete in this year's Miss Wasatch pagaent and is hitting a roadblock with the talent portion of the competition.  Ellen is a very talented person, but so many of those talents that she possesses aren't those that she can showcase well.  She's chosen to sing a Broadway song in a comical way to showcase both her vocal skills as well as her talent for humor.  However, another talent she possesses is humility.  She was too shy to talk to our old high school choir director (who also coaches private voice lessons) for some help in her song selection.  I went to "help" her visit with him.  In reality I just wanted to visit as well.  I miss him and some of the other high school teachers!  Anyway, we were talking with him (just the usual bothering we've done for about 3 or 4 years now) and oh man, it was so much fun.  I remember why he was my favorite teacher.

A little later we went to the famous food place of Heber - Dairy Keen!  Good times were had there.  We caught up about our lives, and I realized just how much I missed my best friend.  I can't believe I've gone so long without really hanging out with her!  There is still so much catching up we've got to do.

After our ice cream and fries were finished we went to Five Penny Floral to visit the owner, and another of my best friends - Joshua Michel Knight.  I can't believe it's been so long since I've talked to him either!  We got some really great laughs in - oh my gosh I miss that guy!! 

As we finally left I thought about just how much I miss my old friends from Heber - how much I miss that small town that I thought I didn't like.  I really do love it.  I love the people (though right now there aren't that many around - but those who matter are still there!)  I pondered for a few minutes why I decided to stay in Provo during the summer.  Why didn't I come home to be with my amazing friends?

The answer came later this evening.  I do love and miss Heber, but I am where I am supposed to be. :)  I met with the Bishop today to get set apart for my new calling (Emergency Preparedness Co-chair - I am so excited about this!)  As I was there I sat around with friends, just waiting as the bishop would ask each of us to go into his office for callings, setting apart, whatever.  After I was finished I decided to stay there and just chat with friends.  I just had this feeling of peace - knowing that's where I needed to be.

I thought I wanted to go back to Heber.  I still miss my friends, but they're not far away.  I can visit anytime I want to, but I'm still here in Provo where I can still be in the YSA 154th ward with so many great people in my life.  I love my friends here.  I love everything about it.

I've thought a lot about moving back to California as well for various reasons, but all my doubts have been eliminated.  Provo is where I need to be, so Provo is where I shall stay.

Runner's Roadblocks

After reading a few blogs I've found posted by avid runners I realize I need to step it up a notch or two.  I've given myself a little slack because this is still so new to me and my biggest goal is to lose weight.  This should not be the case.  My biggest goal should be to be ready for the half marathon in January.  I keep kidding myself by getting into the midset that I still have 7 months to prepare and it's only 13.1 miles.  I cannot keep thinking that way!  I need to focus on the fact that I only have 7 months and it is 13.1 miles!  I'll be saying the same thing, but I've got to put it under a harsher light!  I also need to hurry up and get the money to register.  I think once I register I'll be more motivated!  I keep thinking to myself "Oh no!  What if they run out of slots?!"  Am I secretly hoping that they do before I find the funds?  I hope not!  I cannot stress enough how badly I want to shed these pounds, but I won't be motivated unless I find a reason.  The Tinkerbell Half Marathon is my reason.  I need to keep in my reason.  I need to hurry up and sign up so I can have my spot so I can have my motivation!

Don't give up!

When you've been slothful, have poor eating habits, and are generally in bad health it can be frustrating starting to turn everything around at once, but if you start slowly you won't see results as quickly and will get discouraged anyway.  I'd rather be discouraged now and see results sooner.

This morning started well.  I went out and did my running (mostly walking with a little running intermingled) and though it wasn't great exercize right off the bat I felt good about it because I was starting to do SOMETHING.  I wasn't just spending my entire morning trying to sleep while the sun shown in my eyes.  I was up and doing.  I began my new lifestyle.

Not only did I start working out this morning, I also ate healthy foods.  I made some great choices!  Here's how my menu began for the day:

Breakfast - Multigrain cheerios with skim milk and 1/2 of a banana.
Lunch - 1/2 sandwhich (whole wheat bread, refried beans, turkey, swiss cheese, and spinach) with a celery stalk, grapes, and a glass of lemon-lime flavored water.  I had just a couple mini cadbury eggs left over from Easter as a "dessert".
Snack - cottage cheese and peaches

Then the munchies hit.  I knew I still had some Cadbury mini eggs so I took a handful. . . and another handful. . . pretty soon I had eaten half of my Easter basket. :(  Usually when the munchies hit I will pop in a stick of gum, but because I knew I had something sweet in my room I had to have it.  I was trying to space out the candy as after-lunch "desserts" just a couple at a time each day until they were gone, but now they're almost gone and I won't have to worry about that anymore... but I'm still disappointed that I did eat so many today.

However, I'm still working toward my goal because I can't wait to see results!  I'm also so dedicated to my long-term goal (Tinkerbell Half Marathon at Disneyland) that I will NEVER give up!  I want to dominate.  I will not give in!

My Summer 2011 Goals

This summer I'm setting some major goals.  I guess you could say I'm overcoming some lemons that I've had in the past.  I'm going to begin to turn my life around.  Through the past few months I've set goals - some which I have accomplished, some which were completely overlooked.  This time will be different.  Since I'm not going to be taking any classes over the summer I will have no reason not to accomplish these goals.  I won't have homework/studying to interfere, I won't have reason to stress over preparedness . . . I should be able to accomplish that which needs to get done. 

Without further ado here are my goals:

1.  Run.  A simple word, but exhausting to think about.  I want to start training for the "Tinkerbell Half Marathon" in Disneyland next January.  This is something I've thought about doing since I left my job at Disneyland in August, but never really intended to do.  Now I'm thinking more seriously.  It will be a great motivation for me to start getting into shape!  As soon as I get enough money I will register... then there's no turning back!

2.  Go on at least 2 dates each month.  That may not sound like much of a goal to you readers . . . but for me that would be amazing.  That would be more dates this summer than I've been on since high school.  I plan to make that one happen, even if I have to ask the guys out (which I am usually against, but I want this to happen).  I want to be more social, be more proactive about flirting and letting a guy know that I am interested.  I want to become more outgoing and available.

3.  Build up a wardrobe.  I don't have a lot of cute outfits.  I typically wear the same 4 outfits to church every month, at least 2 outfits every week because they are my favorites, and I just had to throw out a couple tops and pairs of jeans because I wore them out completely.  Ya, it's definitely time to get some new clothes. 

4.  Lose at least 25 lbs.  This will go along with running, but I also want to turn my eating habits around, start working out - lifting, running, anything I can do.

5.  Go to the temple at least once a week.  Over the school year I've been such a slacker.  I've only gone to the temple once or twice - that's not okay.  I live less than a 5-minute drive from a temple and less than an hour away from 5 (maybe more) others.  I want to get back into the habit.  It should be habit.  It should be the highlight of my week!  I also want to go visit any within a drivable distance.  I've only been inside 2 temples to do ordinances, but I'd love to go visit as many as I can.

6.  Build up my savings account.  This may seem a bit contradictory to some of my goals which require much spending, but I feel if I can budget and bargain-shop it can be very doable.  I'm going to need to learn now how to find deals, where I can cut costs, and spend money where I need first and let the rest fall into place.

Those are my self-improvement goals.  Those goals are there to help me better my life in aspects physical, social, and spiritual.  Those are the goals that I really, truly, deeply want to make happen and become habits in my life.  These following goals are additional goals that would be enjoyable, but not mandatory.

7.  Go on at least one vacation.  Hopefully this will be to Disneyland, but I won't be absolutely broken-hearted if it's not.  Though I have been craving "Fantasmic!" and the winter fireworks show "Remember . . . Dreams Come True" and I'd like to see that before it disappears for summer.  So if I do make it to Disneyland during the break it will need to be in May, and I don't really see myself being able to afford that.

8.  Get a tan.  Okay Charlee, this may sound like I'm copying your goal, but I really would love some color.  When I got home from California in August I had such a beautiful, healthy glow.  I want that back.  And I've never ever had tan legs (my legs never see the sun because I'm too embarrassed to wear shorts) but I want to get a little color on them as well! 

9.  Go on a group camp trip.  I haven't been on a camping trip with friends (other than YW Girls Camp) since freshman year of high school.  Let's change that.

10.  Learn to play the ukulele.  This one has been on my mind for a few weeks.  I wish I was more musically talented, and I love listening to music with the ukulele playing in the background.  Hey, Soul Sister and Somewhere over the Rainbow are a couple of my favorite songs in the world.

11.  Get a motorcycle endorsement on my license.  I've grown up around motorcycles.  My dad has co-owned/worked at Perry Brothers Honda (now Honda World) for my whole life.  I've been off-roading with ATVs often and on a dirt bike once or twice.  I've ridden on those little Metropolitan scooters a couple times, but I've never driven a street bike.  WHY?!  I really want to take a rider's course and get signed off to drive a motorcycle on the streets.  I don't plan to buy a motorcycle right away, but before I renew my driver's license when I turn 21 I want to be able to add that little "M" to that piece of plastic.

12.  Overall, just have FUN!  I want this to be the best summer ever.  I want it to be better than my last summer in Heber when we played pranks on the high school theatre and choir teachers (all in good fun, they enjoyed them, I swear).  I want this to be better than any summer when I've held a Lagoon Season Pass.  I want this to be better than the summer when I got to go to Disneyland everyday for free.  I want this to be the summer where I make friends, where I build relationships, where I actually feel as though I've accomplished something.  I want to be able to look back on this summer with no regrets.

Yes, this applies to my Lemons blog because goals are there to overcome some of life's lemons.  I've been really bad about sticking to goals in the past, so that's been a lemon for me.  This time I'm going to have very few distractions in the way.  I'll have no reason not to accomplish these goals.  It's time to start getting down to business.

Train - Hey, Soul Sister

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - Somewhere Over the Rainbow

My two favorite songs - such great lyrics, such great tunes, such great instruments.

Am I Even an Apple? (Guest Post)

I never wantted to publish a guest post on my blog, but my friend, Erin Evans, wrote this and published it on facebook.  It hit me over the head.  This is how I often feel!  It was just too perfect for this blog for me to ignore. 

Am I Even an Apple? - by Erin

I've heard it said that girls are like apples and that the ones on top hardly ever get picked even though they are some of the juiciest and most delicious apples.  The boys go for the apples on the bottom that are easy to get even though they are not as good, maybe even rotten.  The apples (girls) on the top of the tree are going to have to wait around for a guy brave enough to risk falling to pick them.  But when that happens they will know that he is a really good guy.

I used to believe that I was one of those apples on the top of the tree, because as we all know, nothing ever happens to me.  But lately I've been feeling like maybe I'm not even an apple.  Maybe I'm an orange, something that the guys don't even come to the tree to pick.  They just look at the orange weirdly and move on to the apple that they want.  I could be anywhere on the tree, but I'm not the apple that they are looking for, I'm ignored.

Maybe someone will come up not really wanting an apple, but knowing that he's supposed to pick one.  Maybe then an orange would be a welcome sight.  Or gravity is just going to have to pull me off one of these days so I can fall one some guy's head and he'll decide that an orange is actually okay.

Oranges are just as good as apples.

Charity's Commentary:

Maybe there are some oranges on the apple tree.  Maybe I'm one of those oranges.  Guys come to the tree looking for an apple and are surprised to see an orange there.  Usually they are too taken aback that they look at the orange and move on to get an apple - because that's what they came looking for; they don't think about how good the oranges are.  There's the rare guy out there that is pleasantly surprised.  He comes to the apple tree often, never finding his favorite apple, and is excited to find something new.  Maybe the reason he hasn't found his apple is because he was really looking for an orange, but looking in the wrong place.

Being an orange on an apple tree can be frustrating, but it shouldn't be.  It just means that I stand out from the crowd - not in a bad way, just in a different way.  People obviously notice me.  Some may think I don't belong, some appreciate me for my differences.  Will a guy looking for an apple see me on this tree, in a place I technically don't belong and be frustrated with me?  Will he try to ignore me?  Or will he appreciate my differences?

Oranges are just as good as apples.  All girls are different, and all guys look for something different.  There isn't one perfect woman that every man would love to have.  One girl may be perfect for one guy, but couldn't possibly make another guy perfectly happy.  Just as the Lord created different fruits he created different people with different tastes.

Captain Casey

Today I was watching an episode from the first season of my favorite television series - M*A*S*H.  The episode, titled Dear Dad Again shows the main character, Hawkeye writing a letter home to his family about various happenings around the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in the middle of the Korean War.  In this episode we meet a character named Captain Casey.  He is a new surgeon to the MASH unit who Hawkeye praises (which is rare - Hawkeye usually looks down on most other surgeons, thinking they're not up to his level).  Later Captain Casey goes to see the Chaplain where he confesses that he isn't a surgeon.  Captain Casey admits that he's passed himself off as a lawyer, a surgeon, a teacher, and various other professional careers.  He can do it all, but he's never had the patience to go through the books.

This is where I find myself lately.  I'm not so vain as to think I can do it all, but I would like to do it all.  I can't settle on one major to study - I just don't have the patience to go through the books.  Today I found myself contemplating what I want to do with my life.  Do I want to continue in my current major of Family Life studies, or do I want to pursue a different field?  There are some classes that have taught me so much that I'd enjoy majoring in their departments, but for some reason or another I'm not taking the effort to switch directions.

I'm also losing patience in the work field.  I don't like my job, but I don't have the patience to create a new resume and get back in the job search.  I really don't like being tied down to one job for very long, and I've been working at Jamba Juice for about 9 months consecutively... that's probably the longest I've stayed at one job in my entire life.

I want to see it all, do it all.  I don't like to be tied down -  I don't think I want to be in any one particular major at all.  I think I'd much rather take entry-level classes from all majors.  I like learning at the level, but as soon as I find myself digging deeper into any subject, I'm scared that I'll get trapped and won't be able to get back out and learn other new things.

I'm Captain Casey.  I'd like to know it all, do it all, never have to settle into one career.  I'd like to try my hand at being a doctor, a lawyer, and a teacher.  Why isn't there an option like that?  Why isn't there a career in testing careers?

Answers in Unexpected Ways

My heart is full of sorrow when I look back on this past General Conference and realize how much I need to step up.  I love General Conference.  I love the opportunity to hear from our great Church leaders and to receive the messages they share.  I love that the Church leaders are so on key and answer questions I have personally.  I didn't expect such direct answers to my direct questions this time around ... but there they were, plain as print.

First, I must express my sorrow for not paying attention as well as I should.  General Conference is a time when my family gets together to listen to the Prophet.  Our intentions of being together are pure, but being around my brother, sisters, theirs spouses, and especially their children, I get a little distracted... quite often.  I probably only listened to less than a quarter of the Sunday afternoon session.  Fortunately, one talk I did manage to listen to was Elder Scott's.  I hope to find that same love for a man someday as he had for his sweet wife, Jeanene.

Then I look back on other messages from Conference.  It's pretty apparent that we, as young adults, need to step up and really start paying more attention to assessing our priorities.  Elder Oaks hit hard.  What are my desires?  My number one has always been marriage... but what kind of priority do I give it, really?  I often complain about not getting dates, about how guys don't notice me.  Whose fault is that?  My own.  Though Elder Oaks may have been addressing the single men more directly, I felt that it was important for me to hear as well.  I've been the proponent of girls not asking guys out, that it's the guy's responsibility, but I notice that I haven't been doing my best to encourage guys to ask me on dates.  I haven't been putting myself out there in the dating pool.  I've been staying at home, watching movies while others are going out to game nights or finding other opportunities to spend time in group activities.

I need to make that effort.  I need to get involved.  I need to put myself out there - take my friend's advice and just "amp up the flirting".  There are some guys in my life I'd like to get to know better, but I'm not doing anything about it.  That's about to change.

My question for General Conference this year, though I did not write it out, has been something on my mind a lot lately.  Should I stay in Utah and finish school, or should I move to California, give up school, and just begin my career?  These talks about marriage are what gave me my answer.

I was talking to my roommate, Arielle, about giving up on school and moving to California to pursue a career at Disneyland.  (Very ambitious, right?)  Her response had nothing to do with school.  It had nothing to do with future work possibilities.  Though that was specifically what I asked, she gave me answers in a very different way, which at the time I had brushed away.  Given these Conference addresses, I look back and see that she gave me the answer I had been looking for.  "I know you're having trouble dating here, and I know that's one reason why you want to give up and leave.  Moving to California isn't going to solve anything.  I know there are good, faithful LDS guys out there, but there are so many more here.  If you go out to California, you'll be giving up the opportunity to be in this dating pool - like the biggest dating pool for Mormons our age.  Working at Disneyland will make you happy, but it won't give you joy."

I didn't ask her about marriage.  That wasn't really the source of my question to her, and it wasn't even something I had thought about ... but she was right.  I realize that no matter how much I love Disneyland, no matter how much I want to move out there, I need to stay here in Utah.  I've lately (even before talking to her) been feeling a strong pull to stay in Utah, but I've been trying to ignore it.  I felt like going out there I could do so much good.  I could spread the Gospel with the people I work with.  In reality I'd be giving up so much more than I'd gain.

Utah is the place I need to be.  It's not just about marriage, but marriage has always been what I've thought of as my number one priority.  I've been pushing it aside for too long - without realizing it.  I thought that it was what I had been striving for.  I thought that it had been on my mind almost too much.  I realize that Disneyland is truly what has been on my mind too much.  I've been putting work ahead of family - something  I never thought I would do (particularly not before I'm even dating anyone).

These answers come so unexpectedly, in ways I don't even imagine.  Life is amazing, and the Gospel is so true!  When I pray, my prayers are answered.  My questions are answered in ways I never imagine.  I love the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I know it is true, and I know that when I have questions, God will answer them.

Live. Laugh. Love.

I've heard this alliteration before, I've seen cute signs in homes, and I decided I wanted that as my motto and I wanted to hang a sign like that in my home.  Today I've been thinking of just how much this "saying" applies in my life right now - at this very moment in time.

Live.
There's a quote in the Disney movie Wall-E that on first hearing it seems an oxymoron, but it's a quote I continue to think about and strive to apply in my life.  "I don't want to survive - I want to live!"  We, as children of God, have been put on this earth to live - to learn through life's experiences.  We were given the gift of agency so that we might make our own mistakes and learn.  We cannot grow unless we face life's challenges, risk the safety of our homes and live!  We were not put on this earth to give up our choices, to do only the things that will keep us alive.  Where's the fun in that? 
Living in Utah, particularly "Happy Valley" we are seen as protected - living in a bubble.  Sometimes people look at us almost as if we are all restricted and not allowed to make our own choices.  I disagree.  I see it more as a choice we make.  We can choose to go party and get drunk, or we can choose to be sober and have fun that we'll remember.  We can choose to be intimate and give all we have to offer, or we can save that most sacred act of love for one person who we are truly devoted to.
Living isn't about partying; it's about getting the most out of life.  "I don't want to survive - I want to live!"  I want to have experiences in my life that will last a lifetime - that I will want to look back on and cherish for the years to come.

Laugh.
The past few weeks have been so great!  After a dry spell of feeling down on myself I've decided to let go of my insecurities and have fun.  It's something I always will need to improve upon - everyone could use a little more fun and laughter in their lives.
Today I had to laugh at myself.  I was in my Interior Design class and I'm not sure what inspired the thought, but I decided that my future home is going to be Disneyland-themed.  Not Disney-themed, but Disneyland-themed.  You may laugh, I sure did!  I often have to take a step back to look at myself and just laugh!  I make all kinds of mistakes and words don't always come out the way I meant.  Sometimes I'll atempt to say "shoelace" and it will come out "toe-lash".  Sometimes I say "the water is melting" instead of "the ice is melting."  Laugh!
In the Disney movie Mary Poppins there is a scene and a song "I Love to Laugh".  We should all make that a motto to keep in our lives.  Love to laugh!  When life gets too serious, too stressful, or too sad find something to laugh about!  Trust me, there's nothing worse than being a Debbie Downer.

Love.
This isn't necessarily a romantic kind of love.  "Love thy neighbor as thyself."  My roommates and I have gotten into a habit of saying "Love you!" instead of just "See ya!" when one of us leaves the apartment.  Don't just tell someone you love them - show it!  Love without actions is nothing.  It's one thing for us to just say "love you", but it's another to invite someone to tag along to game nights; to stay up late talking about struggles and hopes; to show how much you care.  Love your family.  Love your friends.  Love people you don't know - give service!  You can even love your enemies - become the bigger person and you might be able to make a new friend out of an old enemy.
Romantic love is important too.  I see my roommates with their boyfriends and I can't wait until I can find that for myself.  Last night Arielle and Hillary were just casually talking about Ezra (Arielle's boyfriend) and how great he is for her.  Hillary started talking about how she missed Nate (her boyfriend) even though she just saw him the night before.  It wasn't a sappy, lovesick conversation - it was a happy one.  One that didn't make me feel bad about being single, but made me know that there is someone out there that is perfect for me, that will make me happy.  Right now I am happy about being single.  It gives me time to focus on improving myself - to find out who I am and what I want to become.

Even though life isn't always perfect, it is amazing.  To make it even more amazing I plan to live life to the fullest; to laugh out loud; and to love all those around me.  These 3 ingredients are all that we need to become who we want to be.  They will bring us closer to our friends, to our families, and to our Savior.  These are the things we must to do to better ourselves, to give us the quality of life we are searching for.

Life is so good.