The Christmas list this year was a bit more difficult to come up with to send off to “Santa.” I never thought I would ask for tights, boots, and sweaters in one year, but the climate of this fantastic university called for desperate measures.
My favorite Christmas wish I heard this year came from a roommates grandma, she told us of a time when she was here at school (yes these dorms are THAT OLD!). In one window girls had put up a sign saying:
Dear Santa,
I ask nothing for myself, I simply ask that you bring my mother a son-in-law.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
8 Cow apartment
In the dorm rooms I live there are three bedrooms and with two girls in each. I have become the best of friends with the girls in my dorm. We were meant to live with each other!! Though moments we do get on each other’s nerves, we’ve learned how to deal it the little things and except the person for who they are. But something seemed to be missing… well two somethings actually. Two girls from the our neighboring apartment have become our adoptive roommates. One night in during our traditional laughter and all around good times we decided to give our apartment a nickname that acknowledged our two new roomies. The 8 Cow Apartment was born. Don’t be fooled though, we’re not calling ourselves heifers; we are simply recognizing not only our newest members, but our worth as well. For each and every one of us is an 8 cow kind of a girl!!! (confused, look up jonny lingo)
Monday, December 7, 2009
SNOW
I can't decided if I love or hate the crystallized precipitation. Don't get me wrong, the white blanket of freshly fallen snow is enchanting, can will inevitably put you in the Christmas spirit as you catch yourself humming "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas.." But when the white turns to gray slush, and the frigid wetness seeps into your shoes, your pants, your gloves and your coat, I begin chanting a different phrase, "Bah humbug!"
But living in this western state I knew this white stuff was coming sooner or later. ( though at times I was praying for later.. MUCH later!!)
Since I haven't lived in a snowy place for so long, it has been enjoyable to re-experience it, not to mention watching my Hawaiian roommate experience it for the first time!! In those moments when she is frolicking in the snow in bare feet, just to run back inside claiming her toes are Popsicles, you can't help but smile.
I'm just afraid the snow is going to get REALLY old, REALLY fast!!!!!
But living in this western state I knew this white stuff was coming sooner or later. ( though at times I was praying for later.. MUCH later!!)
Since I haven't lived in a snowy place for so long, it has been enjoyable to re-experience it, not to mention watching my Hawaiian roommate experience it for the first time!! In those moments when she is frolicking in the snow in bare feet, just to run back inside claiming her toes are Popsicles, you can't help but smile.
I'm just afraid the snow is going to get REALLY old, REALLY fast!!!!!
The gullible one: the things I do for my sisters...
I am the youngest of four kids. I have two sisters and a brother. Though my siblings are a few years older then me, we are very close! We love to hang out, to laugh and joke and do silly things... I think we get it from our parents.
People say that the youngest child is the most spoiled, and they always get there way. Well my friends, that is a LIE!!! I am not spoiled and I most certainly do not get my way! My lot is life has made me the brunt of many of these silly moments and situations. Though as I have gotten older and have learned to fight back with comments of whit myself, it seems I have one flaw. I'm gullible!! I admit it! But we warned, it seems that my sisters are the only ones that have a complete grip on how to manipulate me to do their bidding, so don't try to pull anything on me. I'm smarter then you think.
The moments I catch myself doing something for my sister to get a good laugh (though I must say that I laugh with them, they aren't as evil as I'm making them out to be, promise)always seems to be in a moment when they have a camera. Though some moments aren't THAT terrible, it can still be quite.. interesting
Its healthy to laugh at yourself and others every now and then, so here are some pictures of my willingness to give in for your pure entertainment...
1. "Do the sweater people!"
2. "pretend to be a rock"
3. "pretend like you're falling off the bridge"
4. sign reads "no pets on grass"
5. "Go stand in the really short bathroom stalls"
6 and 7. "Lets go to down town memphis so we can find really run down places to take pictures of you in a prom dress!"
8. "go stand and smile under Wendy's hair!"
... the things I do for my siblings...
Types and Shadows
For one of my classes we had to visit the new art exhibit entitled Types and Shadows. The artifacts displayed with in the exhibit were there to uniquely and respectfully describe our Savior, Jesus Christ. Here is my reflection on one particular painting that stood out in my mind:
I have always been a fan of art and museums. I find it fascinating to walk around taking in all the exhibits and try to drive into the mind of the artist to see how they saw, and to understand the meaning of the piece they worked so hard and long to create. In my Book of Mormon class we had discussed types and shadows and how the Law of Moses is a shadow of things that were to come and be fulfilled, meaning Christ ministry and the atonement. While walking through the Art Museum’s exhibit, also entitled Types and Shadows, I was drawn to a more modern painting. The painting by Ron Richmond, entitled Exchange No. 8 really struck a chord in me. The painting is of two chairs, one draped in white, and the other in red. The chair in red has fallen to the feet of the chair in white. The main portion of the painting is within a box, but very faintly around the box you see a circle, the sign for eternity or endless continuum. Around the painting the exhibitioners put possible definitions of the elements that the painting contains, also called folksonomies. As I read their definitions, I began to see the types and shadows presented in the painting. The erected chair, a mercy seat, a throne; the white cloth, cloth meaning covering, protection, the atonement and white being purity, light, truth, holiness. The standing chair is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The fallen chair may represent sin, transgression, mortality, our life here on earth as we battle the natural man. The red cloth, blood, lineage, sacrifice again covers the fallen chair, just as the atonement of Christ is there to cover our sins, to allow us to wipe clean those transgressions if we are humbled, fallen at our Savior’s feet. And finally, the circle surrounding the painting and all that it depicts, it is the symbol of eternity. The circle is endless, just like the atonement and our Savior’s mercy is endless. Though we must do our part to live righteously and be able to humble ourselves to accept the atonement, it is always there, it is always covering our fallen shoulders. This particular painting just gives me shivers, I love the meaning of these chairs because I have the knowledge of the atonement and my Savior’s love.
words
"The anatomical juxtaposition of two orbicular muscles in a state of contraction"- William Bradshaw
I love words! I love using my words to convince people, I enjoy using my words to describe situations. Though I am better at vocalizing my words, I find writing fun as well.
You could say I'm a book worm. When I read a book, I remember it forever!! I remember the characters, what they looked like, how they spoke and their personalities. I remember the locations so eloquently described, with the laws that governed that place of fiction and the monuments that immortalized its place in history. I when I reread the beloved words of a book I remember the where I was at, the smells that surrounded me and the sounds that I tuned out as I submersed myself in a new world. When I write about the books that I have read, I feel like I take on the voice of the author, and the characters they so lovingly created. As I type the words, it feels like someone else is creating them in my mind. I'm not crazy, I realize it is still me, but the author has influenced me.
The correctly selected words can paint a picture and not just share a message. You shouldn't have to just read something, you should feel like you experienced it.
"The anatomical juxtaposition of two orbicular muscles in a state of contraction"
- A Kiss
I love words! I love using my words to convince people, I enjoy using my words to describe situations. Though I am better at vocalizing my words, I find writing fun as well.
You could say I'm a book worm. When I read a book, I remember it forever!! I remember the characters, what they looked like, how they spoke and their personalities. I remember the locations so eloquently described, with the laws that governed that place of fiction and the monuments that immortalized its place in history. I when I reread the beloved words of a book I remember the where I was at, the smells that surrounded me and the sounds that I tuned out as I submersed myself in a new world. When I write about the books that I have read, I feel like I take on the voice of the author, and the characters they so lovingly created. As I type the words, it feels like someone else is creating them in my mind. I'm not crazy, I realize it is still me, but the author has influenced me.
The correctly selected words can paint a picture and not just share a message. You shouldn't have to just read something, you should feel like you experienced it.
"The anatomical juxtaposition of two orbicular muscles in a state of contraction"
- A Kiss
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thanksgiving
What a week!! I never thought taking a break from school would feel so fantastic! Finally this past week for Thanksgiving my college gave its students a much needed break.
I didn't get to go home for Thanksgiving, but I was able to spend the time with my sisters in Salt Lake as well as eating Thanksgiving dinner at my aunt's house.
Now don't get me wrong, I love my family dearly, but aunts and uncles are never the same as your own parents. Though the food was delicious, and the time there was enjoyable I really missed my parents and brother. I think a big part of that had to do with having my roommate there. She's from Hawaii, and it's too expensive to fly home for a couple days, so she became an honorary member of my family. I love her dearly, and I think of her as another one of my sisters, but you could tell that being in a strange house full of strange people, that she really missed her family most of all. That's another reason why I missed my parents. Though the aunts and uncles were nice to my roommate, none of them really sat down and had a conversation with her. They of course asked the typical questions any Hawaiian would've received, but knowing my parents, they would have really went out of their way to make her feel comfortable.
Though I know none of that really bothered my roommate, it bothered me for her, it's hard being away from your family during a holiday. And I wish that my whole family could have been there to make you feel more comfortable without her family being there.
Besides that, the break was awesome! I got to read read read!! I just sat down on the couch and read books till 5 AM one morning and it was fantastic. I love reading, and to have that comfort and that time to relax before these last couple weeds of school was perfect. I ended up reading 3 books this weekend, all about 300 pages or so and I could not have asked for a better way to wrap up the weekend.
Now there are only two Sundays left till I'm in my home ward, I only hope that I will survive through finals!!!!
I didn't get to go home for Thanksgiving, but I was able to spend the time with my sisters in Salt Lake as well as eating Thanksgiving dinner at my aunt's house.
Now don't get me wrong, I love my family dearly, but aunts and uncles are never the same as your own parents. Though the food was delicious, and the time there was enjoyable I really missed my parents and brother. I think a big part of that had to do with having my roommate there. She's from Hawaii, and it's too expensive to fly home for a couple days, so she became an honorary member of my family. I love her dearly, and I think of her as another one of my sisters, but you could tell that being in a strange house full of strange people, that she really missed her family most of all. That's another reason why I missed my parents. Though the aunts and uncles were nice to my roommate, none of them really sat down and had a conversation with her. They of course asked the typical questions any Hawaiian would've received, but knowing my parents, they would have really went out of their way to make her feel comfortable.
Though I know none of that really bothered my roommate, it bothered me for her, it's hard being away from your family during a holiday. And I wish that my whole family could have been there to make you feel more comfortable without her family being there.
Besides that, the break was awesome! I got to read read read!! I just sat down on the couch and read books till 5 AM one morning and it was fantastic. I love reading, and to have that comfort and that time to relax before these last couple weeds of school was perfect. I ended up reading 3 books this weekend, all about 300 pages or so and I could not have asked for a better way to wrap up the weekend.
Now there are only two Sundays left till I'm in my home ward, I only hope that I will survive through finals!!!!
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