5 Days in 6 and a half Minutes!

As promised, here's a little peek at my Colorado adventure in video form! Enjoy!

I Throw My Hands up in the Air Sometimes

So Breanna and I actually made a second video. You can tell this one is her creation as she is more editing savvy (plus she actually has editing software besides windows movie maker). Don't be offended windows movie maker. I still love you.

Anyway, this one is a music video to Dynamite. All I had to do for the video was fail at everything. Ha ha. Enjoy!

Video Idea

You know how I mentioned that I made a video while I was at Breanna's? Well, I've finished editing it just now! Take a look!

November Adventures

I know it's late, but I don't have to work tomorrow and I don't really feel like going to bed yet. Besides, I'm overdue for a blog post.

I hope you all have had a wonderful November. We didn't go anywhere for Thanksgiving this year. Just hung out at home with each other. Megan and I had to work on Black Friday thus keeping us here. We also had some snow so it was probably better that we didn't travel anyway. I hope you all took some time to think of what you're thankful for. I'm grateful I was able to spend the day with my family. The only thing I can actual remember voicing that I am thankful for on Thanksgiving was toilet paper. Silly me, but it's true nonetheless.

Anyway, the week before Thanksgiving, I got to go on a little adventure. I went to visit a friend of mine in Colorado for a few days. It was so much fun! It turns out I took a bunch of video, so you know what that means! I've got to put all the bits together to a form a little video travel log which I may or may not post on here.

I'd only been to Colorado once before, but I remembered liking it and it helped that I was going to see a friend. While I was there, it struck me how beautiful a place it was even though it was so different from my home. I'm convinced that you can find beauty wherever you go.

While I was there, we did all sorts of adventurous things like go to the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (which was awesome by the way), make videos, eat junk food, shop, watch movies, and go up to the mountains where we had a nice little encounter with some elk, a frozen lake, and some icicles.

Also, because of the trip and Thanksgiving and Black Friday, I pretty much fell behind on NaNoWriMo. There's very little chance of me being a winner this year, but that's all right. There's always next year, and just because life happened and I wasn't able to complete 50,000 words in 30 days doesn't mean I'm going to quit. Besides, I feel like I've learned a bit about myself and writing with this experience. Good things! I suppose I'll touch more on that in a couple days. I'm still writing just to see how far I can make it, and I do plan on finishing the novel. Woot! Woot!

Today was a good day. It was like a little reunion, and who doesn't like reunions? Okay. Yes. There are some exceptions... But this was a good reunion. I'm about to talk in church lingo, so I hope you're ready for this.

I went to my parent's ward for church today, the same ward I grew up in. Why? Because two of the guys I grew up with just returned from their missions, and although they don't live in this area anymore, they came to speak in church. So a couple friends and I all made sure we'd be there to support them and welcome them back. After all, we haven't seen them for two whole years. It was good to catch up a little with them and their families. I was so happy and excited to see everyone, I was probably a little more boisterous than I needed to be. Ha ha. It happens. Hopefully I didn't scare any small children. After church, I came home, played some games with the fam, and watched Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. It doesn't get much better than that.

So life is good. I just found out that I can apply for early registration in a publishing program I want to get into. Wish me luck! I've just got to get all the paperwork together and cross my fingers that they'll accept me. If they do, I'll be heading back to Colorado!

To Do List

Things I've done today:

- Made a video
- Played some hangman
- Wrote a couple paragraphs for NaNoWriMo
- Ate some delicious white chicken chili
- Made a playlist I chose to entitle "The Happy List"

Things I still have to do today:
- Write about 5,000 words to catch up with NaNoWriMo
- Get dressed
- Put a way the clean clotes that have been sitting on my bed for three days
- Read some Harry Potter
- Finish this blog post

What a productive day off from work.

P.S. Happy Veteran's Day!

If My Life Were A Musical...

The other day I was having a conversation with a friend and I all of a sudden burst out (as much as you can burst out through typed text that it), "Gah! I'm so amazed at the truly awesome power and potential of music!"

Want to know what I was listening to at the time? Of course you do. So I'll tell you, but I'll also let you listen to it so you can agree with me about how awesome it is. I was listening to the track "Overture and Prisoner of the Crusades" from the Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves soundtrack (composer Michael Kamen). I know most of you have heard a portion of this tune because although you might not have seen the movie, the tune has been used in a Disney advertisement. So, without further ado, here's a little snippet of one of my favorite bits of composition ever.





This idea of the potential of music had been going through my mind for the las few days. It's true isn't it? Any movie with a good soundtrack should bare testimony to that. I find that the music plays a big part in creating the appropriate emotion for a scene.

I think we can sometimes see evidence of the power of music based on our own emotion and what music we choose to listen to at that time. When your sad do you listen to sad music? When your significant other just broke up with you do you listen to breakup songs (maybe even ones with a tone of vengence to them)? When you're extremely happy, do you listen to music that just makes you want to jump around and scream with happiness?

I'm probably making blanket statements. Perhaps I'm completely off the mark, but hopefully you understand what I'm saying.

One thing that amazes me about music is how you can take the same tune and play it a little differently (such as, with other instruments) and get a different effect.

Hopefully, you all have figured out how much of a nerd I am by now, so what comes next will not surprise you in any way. The one example I've had of the same tune played differently effect is with video game music. A lot of it has been orchestrated or done on piano and various other things. Here are a couple examples:







I'm just in love with music :)


P.S. Sorry the Robin Hood footage kind of sucks. It didn't look that bad on my computer. Ha ha just close your eyes and listen to it :)

In Case You Haven't Had Enough of Our Political Campaign...

Here are some bloopers!

Angelica Christianson Versus Damien Diablo

Instead of reading the fourth Harry Potter book today, I've been spending my time editing a video that Megan and I filmed a few days ago. We've been seeing a bunch of political campaign ads on the TV and we decided to make one of our own. Enjoy!

Hello. My Name is Danielle, And I'm a Harry Potter Fanatic

There is only a month until the next Harry Potter movie comes out and I am SO excited. It looks awesome. Have you seen the trailer? Watch the trailer. I command you.




Yeah, so I'm a little bit nerdy. But at least I'm happy.

So my family, in preparations for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 have been watching one Harry Potter film a week so we will end with the sixth one right before we can go see number seven part one.

Also, I spontaneously decided on either Thursday or Friday night (so long ago...how could I honestly remember what day?) that I was going to read the entire series over again before November 19th, the day the movie is released. As more things start to pile on my plate, some may think it's a crazy notion, but I still have a month to finish 4-7 plus the 100 pages of Prisoner of Azkaban that I'll probably finish the moment I finish this blog post. This is totally doable!

Besides, I'm reminded over and over that I don't remember half the things that occur in books 6 and 7. I remember everyone who dies... That's something at least.

So there you go. That's what I've been doing. Also I got a job! Huzzah! I haven't actually started yet, but that will definitely interfere with my HP time. Not to mention I just started an account for National Novel Writing Month. Oh dear. So many projects. But again, doable.

That's all for now. Time to get reading!

(I wonder how many people read this and think I could finish all seven books in a day! Well I like to take time to eat, sleep, and use the toilet whenever I feel necessary so...a month it is! Ha ha just kidding. You know I love all you crazy Harry Potter types.)

Spiralstaircase Books Short Story Contest

Hello there! I'm holding my first contest for my bookstore. Check out the site or watch this little video for more information. Please enter and encourage your friends to do the same! Eventually the word will spread enough that I can have more contests with bigger and better prizes! Have I created enough insentive for you? :)

Well, don't just sit there. Check it out!

Yesterday's Over, Go Ahead

I have this great ability to stress myself out to the point of tears/want to give up on everything.

I'm ashamed to admit, that seems to be happening a lot lately. I seem to be in this limbo state, and most of the time, I can deal with that. But sometimes, I really let things frustrate me when they shouldn't. I should just take a deep breath, remind myself that everything's going to be okay, and move on.

I think it comes down to negative thinking.

So I've been taking a yoga class twice a week for the past few weeks. Our last class was on Friday, and I must say, I'm going to miss it. In that short amount off time I was able to gain some more flexibility. Plus, it just got me thinking a bit.

One thing our instructor would tell us everyday as we were warming up was something to the effect of, we need to remind ourselves not to hold any judgements, and to realize that we've got to work with what we can do today instead of dwelling on the past. I remember one day of yoga, I was getting so frustrated with myself. Something had already been bothering me that morning, so my mind wasn't as focused as it should have been. I seemed to be struggling more than usual with the poses that day, and one thing kept going through my head, "I can't do it. I can't do it."

I would let myself come down to my knees so I could relax for a moment as I fought the urge to cry.

The next time I went to yoga, I had a much better experience, and as our instructor once again urged us to let go of judgement, I realized that part of my problem that day had been that I wasn't focusing on what I could do in that last session. I was focusing on what I couldn't do, thus creating a worse situation and outlook on myself. The rest of our yoga classes were a lot more enjoyable for me as I came to except that you have to listen to your body and make adjustments sometimes and that's okay. You go day by day, doing the best you can for that day.

I came to realize today that I've been doing the same thing in my life. I try to do something, but then I let frustration overcome me and I again think to myself, " I can't do it. I can't do it."

I was doing that today in fact. But thankfully I have an awesome mom and sister who urged me to stopped stressing myself out and to move forward. You see, I need to stop focusing on the things I can't do and instead focus on the things I can. I want to gain more confidence in myself. Things will work out. I just got to keeping working on it and not stress myself out to the point of ulcers and other bad things. I can be happy. I can be confident. I can influence someone's life for the better.

I know some people seem to have things against yoga, but my experiences with it have always been positive (except maybe when I try to do it on the wii. That does not make me a happy person.)

Our instructor liked to create her own acronyms. Her acronym for yoga is Yesterday's Over, Go Ahead. Again it plays off of that idea of letting go of judgements (and even too high of expectations I think) and allowing yourself to move forward.

Another thing I love about yoga is ending the session with the phrase nameste, which by definition means the divine (or greatness) in me honors the divine in you. That's something that I've always thought was so powerful. We all have qualities of greatness in us, and we have the opportunity to use that greatness (hopefully) for good in our lives and those around us.

So my message for you today: Don't bring yourself down because of your failures or inadequacies. Instead, lift your spirit and focus on the things you are capable of.

Happy adventuring! And Happy Columbus Day!

Getting in the Halloween Spirit

So my friend Breanna is getting in the Halloween sprit via jibjab! She honored Megan and me by including us in the video. Can you pick us out?

Bringing a Little Etsy to My Life

I have started an etsy account. Woot! Woot! While I was at school, I took a book arts class, so I decided to continue making books. I'm kind of in a leather-bound mode so those are the only types of books I have up for sale right now, but if I may toot my own horn, they are pretty awesome. Don't believe me? Click here to see for yourself.

I'm Just Hanging Out, Building Character

I've neglected my dear ole blog the last couple weeks. I've been trying to work on some projects, and laziness probably has something to do with :)


I've been working on getting Spiral Staircase Books up and running (check out the tab up top!). And I've been watching a lot of The Mentalist and Heroes (yep, I did just use T.V. as an excuse).

So let me tell you a little bit of what's been going on.


Laura and Stuart came to visit!

I always enjoy having them around. Laura mentioned that it felt like they'd never left. Because of that, it was a little weird when their trip ended after just a week. I'm excited to see them again in December. We played games, ate delicious foods, and enjoyed each others company. The end.

As you know, I've been filling out a bunch of job applications. Last week, I had two interviews and I was pretty nervous/excited. I was like, "I'm finally catching a break!" But things didn't quite work out. It's all good though. Every interview is good experience. And one of them told me there were 125 applicants but only 7 were chosen for the interview process. So I made first cut but not second. Therefore, I'm atleast half awesome :) Way to boost my own ego.

So now there's more job applications in store for me. Something will work out eventually.

Last Friday, I went to a place called Sky High fo a church activity. Sky High is pretty much a huge room filled with trampolines. Even the walls have trampolines! It was a lot of fun! And there were only two casualties.

One of them being my sister, Megan.

Now I affectionately refer to her as Crutchy as she sprained her ankle. She's doing well though. She should be up and walking in no time.

On Sunday, Mom, Megan, and I traveled south a little ways to go to a missionary farewell of a guy who's family used to live up here. It was fun to see him and his family again and take part in the excitement. He'll be leaving for Utah soon and then off he'll go to Flordia to serve the Lord for two years. Pretty darn awesome if you ask me!

That's pretty much all for now.

Happy adventuring!

Cross Your Fingers!

Okay. I'm trying something, and I realize that it could trip on it's own shoelaces and land face first in a pile of mud (or worse), but I figured, I had to try and see what happens. Scrapes and bruises are easy mended anyhow.

I've started an online used bookstore and blog. Right now my stock is little, but it's already started to grow! I'm hoping it will work out and people will actually take an interest in it. So here's where you come in. Take a look at what I've got (http://spiralstaircasebooks.blogspot.com/). Maybe even follow it on Twitter. Maybe I should make a Facebook page...

Anyway, take a look, give me suggestions, spread the word, and help me get this thing up and running. You can even be a part of the blogs greatness! Send in book reviews. Tell me about what you read this summer. What you loved. What you hated. Whatever you want!

I'll have contests up soon with some sort of awesome prize. I'm not sure what though. I want to reach out to different areas of creativity. So I'll have writing contests. That much I know. But I want to reach out to other mediums too (video, photography, art, etc.). I was just thinking right now that it would be fun to have a photoshoot contest where you dress up as some of your favorite characters. Would anyone be interested in that?

Please take a look and spread the word! I'll be your best friend forever :)

Until next time!

Peach Cobbler

We have this big box of sweet, delicious peaches. So the other day I did something that I've never done before: I made peach cobbler! I was very proud of myself and it turned out so good! I'll share the recipe with you so you too can enjoy the greatness of this peach cobbler.

Megan was sitting in the other room applying for jobs whilse I was peeling and cutting peaches to my heart's content. I told her she was actually preparing to go out in the world and provide for herself while I was learning how to be a good house wife with my new found knowledge of peach cobbler making. She loving pointed out that I need a man before I can be a good house wife.

Rude. But true.

Still, I now have mad peach cobbler skills. You know you liked it, Megan. I saw you eat like half of it. Ok maybe that was Mom.

Here's the recipe!

Ingredients

· ½ cup unsalted butter, melted

· 1 cup all-purpose flour

· 2 cups sugar

· 3 tsps baking powder

· Pinch salt

· 1 cup milk

· 4 cups peeled, pitted and thinly sliced fresh peaches (5-6 medium peaches)

· 1 tbs fresh lemon juice

· Several dashes ground cinnamon or ground nutmeg (optional)

o I used ½ tsp of cinnamon and ¼ tsp of nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Pour the melted butter into a 9 by 13 pan

3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder, and the salt and mix well. Stir in the milk, mixing until just combined. Pour this batter over the butter but DO NOT stir them together.

4. In a small saucepan (ok, more like medium saucepan to fit all those scrumptious peaches), combine peaches, lemon juice, and remaining cup of sugar and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Pour the peaches over the batter, but DO NOT stir them together.

5. Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg if desired

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden-brown. Serve warm or cold.

It will look something like this right before you bake it.

And once it's all done it will look something like this!

It's easy and delicious. Make some for yourself and have fun doing it!

Until next time!

It's Alive!

Good news, folks!

Lappy was not successful in his attempts to off himself. For the first time in what feels like forevever, I am viewing and posting on the internet via lappy instead of the our old computer sitting quite comfortably in our family room. Now that I have Lappy back, that poor computer will probably sit down there unused for another five or so years.

Poor computer.

That's all for now. I've got to apply for more jobs....because...I've been slacking...and working on a whole bunch of side projects, which hopefully you'll get to witness sometime.

Maybe.

Also big news! I'm getting a haircut today. This probably all isn't as exciting for you as it is for me. Ha ha!

More exciting adventures to follow.

Have an awesome Thursday!

Ode to JanSport and My Good Friend Lappy

It's official. I've been laid off.

So long JanSport. Don't worry. I'm still planning on finishing that ballad for you to the tune of "Livin' on a Prayer." Don't cry for me okay? No seriously.... Stop it.

So what now? Well, I've started applying for more jobs that's what! I'm really hoping to get hired on at a bookstore. Cross your fingers! I've been thinking about getting a publishing certificate to help boost my street cred... More like, up my chances of someday working for a publishing company. Say what? That's right. Be jealous.

Other possibilities: Whilst at BYU-I, I took a book arts class. Once again, feel free to be jealous. It's a skill I want to keep up, so for the last few days I've been gathering supplies so I can make books like crazy. I'm planning on opening an Etsy account, so you can enjoy them too! I'm almost done with one that features Darth Vader on the covers, and it has leather binding. How can you pass that up? The answer is you can't. I'm also practicing my Jedi mind skills to force you to love/buy all my awesome crafty crafts (aka handmade books).

I'm such a nerd...

This just in concerning the well beloved laptop affectionately called Lappy....

He's trying to off himself.

I'm not sure why. Nor did I realize until this moment that my computer is male... I'm currently using meine mutti's computer. Bless her heart. Also, bless my father's heart for trying to resuscitate poor Lappy. One of the first things I was asked when I said, "Um... Lappy's sick," was "Is everything backed up on your computer?"

Nope. The last time I backed stuff up was in December... which was also the last time Lappy tried to off himself. My life is on that thing... Also the makings of my future novel that is sure to make trillions!!! (Take a private moment to lol, ha ha, or even rofl for my over enthusiasm/not complete seriousness).

My dear father says that all my files should be fine. Once again... cross your fingers! Hopefully he'll get everything sorted out and then I'll back up my files like I should have done earlier. Also, I'll probably finally get around to installing windows 7.

Once Lappy is feeling better, I'll post pictures or videos or something for your delight so you won't be blinded by all these words.

Until then, happy trails, may the force be with you, and don't forget to enter the Harry Potter contest mentioned previously! A new video has been posted showing off the prizes for all the winners. Check it out!

Adieu!

How Harry Potter Changed Your Life Contest

Okay, peeps. I know some of you are fans of the Harry Potter franchise. Don't be ashamed. Now is the time to let your nerdiness and creativity merge into one for the entertainment of others and for the possibility of winnings an awesome prize! Trust me... It's going to be totally awesome!

My friend, Breanna Angus, who writes about young adult fiction for examiner.com has created a companion blog for her articles. It is there that she has started posting contests. She's asked me to help out and spread the news! Her latest contest, 'How Harry Potter Changed Your Life', can be viewed here.

The rules are quite simple, and although I'm not allowed to reveal the grand prize, I can tell you that it is a product from http://www.alivans.com/.

All you have to do is come up with a creative video about Harry Potter and you! It's that simple! You must be between the ages of 10 and 29 to be eligible for prizes. You can have friends help with your video, but you'll have to share the prize. You must become a follower of the Good Young Adult Fiction blog as well as subscribe to the youtube channel.

THE DEADLINE IS AUGUST 31st!!!!

Here is an example video we put together. Please spread the word. We want as many people to get involved as possible!

Independence Day

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th! We had a lot of fun. Plus we ate pie and smores... You can't top that!

Eclipse 8-Bit Style!

I found this incredibly entertaining. It's interactive! You get to choose the fate of every one's favorite vampire, werewolf, and...um...teenage girl. Enjoy!

No Regrets

Hello, hello, and happy Sunday!

Meet my wonderful sister-in-law, Laura. She is awesome, and one of the things I like about her is the advice she gives. One piece of advice that always comes back to my mind is "no regrets." Great advice to be sure, and it's certainly helped me during certain parts of my life. These last few days, I've been thinking about what it really means to live life with no regrets. Here are my thoughts:

Living with no regrets doesn't mean you lead a perfect life or that you won't make mistakes along the way. Making mistakes is part of being human. And there are always outside sources that will impact our vision for our perfect world. So part of living with no regrets is to be able to bring yourself back up when bad things happen--it's about being able to move on and set things right as much as you can. There are some things that are out of our control, so we can't harbor bad feelings that will prevent us from moving on and being happy. No regrets.

I also think part of living with no regrets means we have to be willing to take some risks. I'm not saying everyone should go skydiving or something like that (although, if you've always wanted to then go for it!). I'm thinking more along the lines of emotional risks--risks that won't kill you... Anyway, if those risks turn out poorly, then pull yourself back up again. Don't let hurt feelings stand in your way of moving on and doing bigger and better things.

Sometimes I wonder if I make sense... But there you have it. A brief overview of my thoughts.

Have a wonderful day!

Oregon Adventure

Hello one and all! I just got back from a trip to Oregon! I got to hang out with family! It was loads of fun! Want to see some of what I saw? Of course you do :) Enjoy!

On day two, we went to the coast.

On day four, we went out to breakfast then hung out all day. Huzzah!

I have some other footage to sort through, so I'll probably post another video. Have a great day!

Cleanliness Is Conducive To Getting A Man

I haven't had any big adventures like my Seattle trip of late, but as I've said before, everyday is full of it's own adventure!

In case I haven't told you yet, I'm back working at JanSport for the time being. The amount of work has been fluctuating between absolutely nothing and a whole lot of something from a bunch of different factors that determine when we get our product and then ship it. So right now, we have a whole bunch of something and I'm working overtime! I might whine about that sometimes, but the money will be nice! And really, it's just one more hour each day and maybe work on Saturday... That last bit is what kills me. But work is work, and I'm truly very grateful to have that right now!

One day after work, I got in the car and the first thing I said to Megan was, "Today I potentially saved a life. But he probably died anyway." The look on her face was priceless. So the life I potentially saved was that of a frog. I never would have thought I would find a frog in the warehouse, but there he was, hopping along like nobodys business. I decided that instead of waiting to see if he got hit by a forklift, I should help him out. He didn't really like the fact that I was trying to touch him... But evenutally I got him safely cupped in my hands and rushed him outside.

Afterwards it occured to me that he'd been all covered in dust, which probably wasn't very healthy for him as they breathe through their skin or something like that. Megan said that maybe the rain washed it all off, and he made it to safety... I, being the sick person that I am, couldn't help imagining him getting eaten by a seagull... or some other like fate. Megan's answer is happier. We'll say that's what happened.

Yesterday I made a huge accomplishment! I don't know if you will realize how big of a deal this is, but... it is! I CLEANED MY ROOM! Simple task I suppose, but for me it's a big deal. When I got home from school, I was overwhelmed by all the mess and all the stuff I'd gathered over the last few years. I had no idea where to put it all! But now, I'm happy to say, I've gotten things sorted out for the most part. I've prepared a little video for you to help demonstrate the transformation...

Oh, to explain my title for this post, before I started my endeavor to make my room a happier place, I told Dad and Megan that I didn't want to be messy anymore, and I was going to start the change by fixing up my room. Then the conversation went a little like this:

Me: A messy room is just not conducive to.... (couldn't think of what I was trying to say)

Dad: Getting a man?

Megan: Yeah, Danielle. Men don't like woman without homemaking skills.

I guess that's been my problem all along. Ha ha!

Anyway, I hope you all have been enjoying life's adventures. Welcome to June! I hope it's started to look like summer where ever you are. It's having a hard time figuring that out here! Until next time!

Seattle Adventure

On Thursday, Megan and I took a little day trip to Seattle. I finally achieved my lifelong dream of meeting the Fremont Troll! Also, I got to see the gum wall! It was a good day. Perhaps you'd like to see for yourself...

It was really nice to get out for a day. And the weather was nice!

What Every Marriage Needs

Today is May 4th

Time for a quick update. I've been back home for a couple weeks now, but last night was the first night I actually slept in my bed. I've been dog sitting for someone and spent the night at their house every night. It's nice to be back in my room! Although it still needs some tidying... I got my old job back at Jansport. Woot! People always ask me what I do exactly. I'm in a warehouse all day essentially looking at labels and taking backpacks from one box and putting them into another, and then I tape that box! Exciting, no? I actually don't mind it. I like the people I work with and it pays well. I promise it's not as bad as it sounds. I'm also looking into more permanent jobs...one that will actually use my degree! Hopefully. I'm not a big fan of writing cover letters, but I'm going to do it anyway so I can get a job and not mooch off my parents forever. Thanks Mom and Dad for letting me be a moocher. I love you.

I've also been working on team imagi-nation. See the previous post for details. If you haven't checked it out yet, you should! I will be posting a new video for it tomorrow. And I'm pretty entertaining...and probably prideful? Anyway, check it out!

So that's basically it. I'm doing some other little projects such as working exercise into my daily routine, but I won't bore you with those details. Have a wonderful Tuesday, and don't forget that Mother's Day is this Sunday! Do something nice for your mom! That's my assignment for you. The end.

We Want You For The Imagi-Nation

Do you have a love for words? Do you write just for the heck of it and/or you dream to become a bestselling author? Do you love to read so much your closes friends are fictional characters? Than Imagi-Nation is the place for you!

Okay, that's my dramatic intro to it. But really, come learn more about Imagi-Nation and become a part of the awesomeness.

Imagi-Nation is something that I'm putting together with a couple friends of mine (Breanna and Liz). We are just beginning, so we don't have much yet. Our goal is to create a network of readers and writers alike where they can come together, get feedback, have fun, and even participate in contests. You have the opportunity to win free books! How can you pass that up?

Right now we only have a youtube channel on which Breanna, Liz, and I will make weekly vlogs according to theme or questions we receive. This week, we are doing introduction videos. To see our channel, go to www.youtube.com/user/teamimaginnation. We will be getting our website up soon so you can participate more in the festivities! We want to make you a part of this! Come take a look. I'll post Breanna's explination of the Imagi-Nation here for you to look at. Right now, only her intro video is up. She will post every Monday, I will post every Wednesday, and Liz will post every Friday. Without further ado, here's Breanna.

This is a picture at mount diablo state park from yesterday. That be my dad. I don't think he even knew i took the picture. It was a long, windy, narrow road up there with nothing to keep us from going right over the edge but my dad's expert driving skills. We didn't actually go into the state park as you had to pay to go in. Dad made a u-turn right in front of the booth. I'm pretty sure the driver in the car behind us was laughing at us. We got a great view nonetheless. Today, we stopped by japanese garden not far from stuart's house on the way home from church. It was nice to walk around and look at all the fish and turtles. So it's been a nice day thus far. Tomorrow we leave for oregon to stay with my grandparents for a bit. Then it's back home and back to work! I've got my old job at janpsport all lined up. Now all i have to do is pee in a cup! The adventures never cease! Well,
enjoy your sunday. Until next time!

Well, our adventures in disneyland are over now. We met and with my brother, stuart, and we're chilling with him for a bit. We just visited the jelly belly factory, which was awesome. Plus we got free samples! My mom was kind enough to buy me some of my favorite, juicy pear. I know some of you are now disgusted with me. Oh well. You probably were already. Ha ha. While i was browsing the shop, i found some chocolate dinosaurs! I was very excited. It's probably a good thing i didn't buy them though. I would have had way too much fun with them. Anyway, we are now continuing our adventure by stopping by diablo something or other. Perhaps i should be concerned.... Well, until next time, friends. Happy adventures!

Today is our first day at disneyland! We cre in line for the indiana jones ride for the second time today! Later tonight we are going to watch fireworks and then chillax before going to bed and then coming back to disneyland tomorrow! Life is good :) As always, good luck on all your adventures!

Megan and i are heading to graduation! Wish up luck!

How to Offend Women in Five Syllables or Less

So I’ve been giving some thought to guys and gals and relationships. I don’t always consider myself that experienced when it comes to dating and all that jazz, but I have learned some things that I thought should be shared. Some of these things I thought were common sense, and maybe you will too, but people make mistakes. So while you may think some of these rules or concepts are obvious, there’s a reason why I’m including them. I’d like to hear what you would add to the list as well, so if you have anything to add, leave a comment, and we will make an edited list. Mostly, this is a list to help those poor men out there trying to understand what women are thinking. I’m giving you an opportunity of a lifetime! Here are some of my suggestions based on my own experience or observation. I hope they are helpful!

· Walk her to the door. If you walked somewhere instead of drove or if she walked to your apartment, walk her back home.

· Open doors for her. All kinds of doors!

· If you pay her a compliment or tell her that you love her, don’t do it because you feel it’s what’s expected of you. Be sincere. We like compliments, sure, but we don’t want empty compliments.

· Speaking of empty compliments, don’t give empty promises either.

· Don’t bail out on her all the time. Sometimes things come up and so you have to rearrange plans, but if you make rearranging plans a habit, she may start to lost faith in you. Plus, if she’s really into you that’s like a constant building up of hope and crushing them when you continuously tell her at the last minute that things aren’t going to work out after all.

· If she says your relationship is done, it’s done. You can give it one more go after a few days. You know, tell her “you want to talk.” But if she still says the answer is no, it’s time to move on. You aren’t doing either of you a favor by becoming her personal stalker.

· Don’t kiss a girl for the first time one day then not even talk to her the next day. If you feel nothing’s going to come from it, at least confess that to her. Girl’s have a tendency to overanalyze and jump to conclusions, more often than not the wrong conclusions. Most of the time, even if it will hurt, they’d rather know the truth than sit around wondering what is going through your head. Like compliments and saying I love you, don’t kiss unless you mean it.

· If you’re on a date, offer to pay for her. Some girls prefer to pay for themselves, but they’ll appreciate the gesture. If you want to go Dutch, make sure she knows that’s the plan.

· Treat her family with respect. I didn’t say you have to like them, but at least treat them with respect.

· Clean up after yourself or offer to help around the house (help with dishes, offer to take out the garbage, etc.).

· Watch your tone.

· Even after marriage, continue to treat her with respect. If you can treat her well while you are in public, you are perfectly capable of treating her well at home.

· Don’t have serious conversations via text message or facebook. No technological romance. If you are going to break up with her or propose or something, don’t do it electronically. That’s a cop out, my friend, and it’s just lame.

· Don’t spend your entire date texting. This goes for you too girls. When you’re on a date, you’re meant to spend time with each other, not with your texting buddies. It’s best to not even take out that phone. Trust me, you can live without your phone for a couple hours.

· If you have a problem or don’t understand why she’s upset, talk to her about it. Don’t talk to everyone besides her.

· If you’ve made a commitment to each other, don’t go after other girls. And girls, don’t go after other guys.

A lot of these things are about respect, and you don’t have to be “in a relationship” with a girl to do some of them. I love it when my guy friends walk me to the door, for example, and we’re nothing more than friends. Girls like to feel special or respected, and it doesn’t take a whole lot to do that. You don’t have to shower us with gifts and compliments all the time. No girl wants to feel like she’s second best, but that doesn’t mean you have to work your butt off all the time to make us happy. If you have to try too hard, then there’s a good possibility that she’s not the one for you. You do have to make an effort. Relationships aren’t easy. But you don’t need to break the bank or think of elaborate things for us all the time.

Now it’s your turn. What are some things you wish or like guys to do for you? Also, for all you guys out there, feel free to contribute to a list of things you wish or like girls to do. Because, let’s face it, a lot of the time we wonder what’s going through your head just as much as you wonder what’s going through ours.

In the meantime, ladies, if you would like some tips right now, taking a look at Bringing Lady Back. The blog, managed by Bethany Simmons, gives some great advice.

Ashira L'adonai Ki Ga'oh Ga'ah

Not going to lie, the last two days have been a bit rough. I'm pulling through though. No worries. Plus it helped that I got cookies from Megan yesterday. Yum! I actually saved them for this morning and ate them for breakfast! Best breakfast ever! Not nutrition wise... Anyhow, I don't know if you've figured this out already, but I can be quite random. Sometimes I just wonder random things and won't rest until I can find the answer. For instance, I've started wondering where certain phrases come from, so when I hear them used I take a mental note and look them up. Did you know that "how 'bout them apples" originated during one of the world wars (I can't remember which one now ha ha) and is in reference to what the British called the "candy apple mortar?" Well now you know. Random fact of the day. Consider yourself educated.

This weekend, I've been reflecting on some bible stories mostly because I saw the musical "Children of Eden" (which I thought was beautiful and inspiring for the most part) and yesterday's Sunday school lesson was on the exodus from Egypt. So for the past few days I've had songs from "Children of Eden," "Prince of Egypt," and randomly, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolored Dreamcoat" going through my head. So besides randomly discussing these stories with people I know, I've been humming random tunes from these productions. One bit that's been going through my head is the Hebrew portion of the song "When You Believe" from "The Prince of Egypt." I'd looked up the words before and tried to learn them because I'm a nerd like that and I really like it. I'm sure I butcher it... But I'm okay with that. So you can be a nerd like me, I'm going to post the words here--first the Hebrew and then the English translation.

Ashira l'adonai ki ga'oh ga'ah
Ashira l'adonai ki ga'oh ga'ah
Michamocha, ba-elim adonai
Michamocha nedar-bakodesh
Nachitah v'chasd'cha, am zu ga'alta
Nachitah v'chasd'cha, am zu gaalta
Ashira, Ashira, Ashira...


Translation:
I will sing unto Adonai for He has triumphed gloriously.
I will sing unto Adonai for He has triumphed gloriously.
Who is like You, O Adondai, among the gods?
Who is like You, glorious in holiness?
In Your mercy, you lead the people You redeemed.
In Your mercy, you lead the people You redeemed.
I will sing, I will sing, I will sing...

Adonai is the Hebrew word for Lord basically, if I understand correctly. Anyway, music can be a good tool to helping you feel better. My suggestion: when you are in the worst of moods, pick a nice peppy song--one that makes you feel like dancing. Crazy sad emo songs will not make you feel better silly. One of my happy songs of late has been "Hot Air Balloon" by Owl City. Listen to it, learn it, embrace it, and love it. Good. We can now officially be friends.

So like me, this post has been very random...and pictureless... I've been doing that to you a lot lately haven't I? Hmm... Perhapsly I should change that. That's right. I just said perhapsly.

In conclusion, there are only eleven days until I graduate, which means ten more until I get to see these weirdos...

A.K.A. my parents, who I love!!!! I am so excited! Well, my friends, as always I wish you the best of luck in all your adventures! Farewell!

The Celtic Festival

The past few days have been very stressful! I had two big projects due today: one a ten page paper on the formation of Kansas and how it impacted the Civil War and the second was a presentation on Orson Scott Card's Characters and Viewpoint (a great book by the way). I should have worked on them sooner...but alas, I'm one of those people who thinks I still and so I put stuff off until it's too late. This time was killer! A lot of my time was taken up last week because of the Celtic Festival. We had dress rehearsals on Tuesday and Wednesday and perfromances Thursday-Saturday.





It was a lot of fun and it turned out really well. We sold out all three nights. In fact, the first night, we were oversold by 77 seats. We had to set up a bunch more seats to accomadate everyone. It was nice that we had really good audiences, and everyone I talked to said they enjoyed our production. Huzzah!

Here are a few pictures from backstage. These are all from the reader's theater I was a part of called "The Specter Widow."

This is Kimball. She played a witch on the moor! She also played the stranger who came to help me and my husband from the crazy widow woman who was trying to off me so she could have my man. Haha true story!

Here is Kimball and the writer of the script (who also is my storytelling professor), Omar Hansen.

That's Kimball, me, and Breanna (the widow). Our prompt for this picture: tigers. So there you go. We gave it a shot!

So now the Celtic Festival is over and I somehow managed to survive both my big projects! And now I'm taking some time to relax before I have to get back to work. 16 days until graduation! Speaking of which, I picked up my cap and gown today! It's all sorts of official now!

Until next time! Good luck on all your adventures!

26 Days...

I can hardly believe it! Less than a month and I'll have my degree and I'll be on my way to Disneyland! I think this is the only thing I talk about now...

Anyway, it's all rather exciting and little bit frightening at the same time. I applied for an internship and didn't get it. I was really bummed out at first, but then came to the conclusion that there's something else out there for me to do. I finally started looking for some more options this weekend. So I need to start applying like crazy! I found a bunch of internships with publishing companies which would be an excellent experience and give me the knowledge I need to continue in that industry. Most of them are in New York, which is a little bit nerve wracking for me, but I have a friend going to school in New York who has agreed to let me be her roommate if I end up heading over there. That will definitely help with the transition.

Also this weekend, I submitted some of my short stories to some literary journals. I've been wanting to do that for a while now and it's required for one of my classes this semester, so I finally got around to doing it. We'll see what happens there! Chances are I won't be published right away, and that's okay. At least I can say I tried! And I won't give up!

And if none of that stuff works for me...my dad has promised that I can come home and live in the basement. Haha! At least I always know that I'll have a roof over my head! So I guess the key word now is perseverance. I'll find something!

Until next time, good luck in all your ventures!

So it's hard to see but i'm about to see macbeth for the second time and this is a picture of the stage! Shakespeare is awesome...just in case you didn't know! Well, i best be off! Have a good evening!

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I Laugh in the Face of...Uncertainty?

I know I already posted today, but I have been slacking a little...and this is on my mind. So if you'd please continue reading, I'd be much obliged. My last class of the day was creative writing. I was talking with a girl in my peer review group who asked me what my plans were after I graduated. I told her I wasn't quite sure as the thing I had planned on kind of fell through.

For clarification: I applied for an intership and didn't get it. Long story made short.

Anyway, I laughed as I told her this, and she asked me how I could be laughing. I shrugged. I thought about it for a moment and said I could laugh about it because I'd already gone through the "this sucks" stage. I laughed again and explained to her that my dad has also given me permission to live in the basement and become an author/sell handmade books. Thank you, Dad! So I have a backup plan: live with my parents forever. Ha ha okay not really. But it's nice to know that if I ever need time to get on my feet that my parents will help me out the best that they can. I promise I'm not planning on living in my parents' basement forever. I just have some more job searching to do. I'm confident!

I guess the moral of the story is, when times get tough, learn to laugh! And it's also okay to laugh at yourself. We all make stupid mistakes sometimes. I would know. Ha ha!

It's been a long time since I've posted pictures, so I'm going to post one randomly. For my birthday last week, my friend Breanna brought me a pineapple as a reference to the TV show "Psych." We then felt it was necessary to strike some "Psych" inspired poses. Here are a couple.

Oh Monday! You Tease Me So!

Already, today has been quite eventful. I woke up, looked at my alarm clock which said 8:30, and then I got up in a panic. You see, every Monday, Wednesday, Friday I have a class at 7:45... This is the class I'm most concerned about doing well in, so I was unhappy with myself this morning. I'd set two alarms because I'm always paranoid that I won't wake up in time. I was sleeping too deeply it would seem. I never even heard my alarms go off. But a note on the bright side, I haven't felt this refreshed in a long time.

One of the reasons I was freaking out about sleeping in is the fact that I had a participation sheet due today...and I need as many points as I can get. I looked at my professor's office hours which unfortunately are at the same time as another class. So I decided I would run across campus and catch my teacher before he left class. By the time I got out the door, I only had 5 minutes to get to a building that usually takes me 10-15 minutes to get there...

Long story short, I made it, I turned in my paper, and I'm almost positive my professor got a laugh out of my out of breath/pink faced state and the fact that I ran across campus just to give him a sheet of paper. I'm that dedicated...to passing...

It occured to me as I was walking home that one of the tricks to staying optimistic is to take something bad (sleeping through my class) and instead of focusing on the bad in it, think about the good. Count your blessings if you will. So although I did sleep through my class, here's the good: I made it to my teacher to apologize and hand in my paper and it's not "frozen nose hair cold" outside which made it a lot easier to run through. Oh, and a third good thing: I slept very well last night.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to officially get ready for the day... This "just rolled out of bed" look will not do. Happy Monday and March 1st one and all!

Only 47 Days...

Until graduation...

Woot! And then after that...DISNEYLAND FOR ME!

Double woot!

So now I just have to keep on studying and studying and studying so I can pass all my classes so my beautiful plans don't get ruined... Definitely possible.

Other things happening as of late:

1.) I got to see an old friend mine on Friday. She's old and married now and lives near a bus where they sell tacos. It was great to see her again, to reflect on old times as well as the new, and realize that after all this time, we can still be friends and still have a connection. It was really nice! Hopefully we can have some more get togethers before I take off in April.

2.) Lots and lots of eating of Pringles of the sour cream and onion variety. I'm going to get fat off those things. But I suppose I know that I'm loved since I haven't had to buy a single can. Thank you Matt and Sara for blessing my life with Pringle goodness.

3.) I'm officially a part of the Celtic Tales that will be taking place here on campus. Breanna and I are singing a duet. "The Soft Goodbye" in fact as sung by Celtic Woman. It should epic! We performed it for our storytelling class who agreed that our voices sound great together. Sweet!

4.) Procrastinating...as usual.

Speaking of which, I really must get back to mein hausaufgaben...or homework. In half an hours time, I'll be heading to Idaho Falls where I will be fed food. Huzzah for not having to make your own meals! So there's a quick little update! I hope all is well with you out there and that you are enjoying all your adventures.

A Very Twilight Valentine's Day

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's day yesterday! It's been a pretty good weekend, and there's no school today. Huzzah! One thing I did this weekend was help Breanna make a Twilight Valentine's day parody. I think it might actually be one of my favorite videos we've done! So whether or not you like Twilight, you should watch it...mostly because we are awesome :)

Also, continue watching after the credits...that's the best part! Enjoy!

Frustrations and New Loves

I suppose it's been a while since I've actually told you about what's happening in my life right now. Things are good...a little overwhelming at times but still good.

I'm working on putting together a resume and job portfolio for class as well as for an internship I'm really hoping I'll get. Yesterday I had a bit of a breakdown (just a wee one) because I felt like there is so much pressure for me to get this done right so I can get a job...one that doesn't require putting backpacks in boxes like I've done for the past two summers or one that involves any form of fast food like I did the summer before that. All in all, I felt like I couldn't do it. And you know when you are upset about one thing how it makes everything seem horrible? It's easy to put a negative connotation to almost anything when you're in a bad mood.

So, although I'm still under some pressure (does anyone else think of the Brian Reagan sketch when they say the word pressure?), I'm feeling a lot better this morning. Thank you to everyone for your help, by the way. After all, we all need some help once in awhile. Plus my resume is slowly improving! So things are getting better!

Now that I've told you about the current academic stress in my life, let me tell you about one of my new found loves: book arts!

Here are some of the books I've done so far! It is so fun to make books, and it's really not that hard. Sometimes it can be a little frustrating, and it does take some patience. But all the frustration you may face is completely worth it once you've got the finished product in your hands! As I'm learning to put these different types of books together, they all have little flaws that are probably most apparent to me and my teacher. But when I make a mistake, I just smile and say that it gives the book character. I'm going to have a lot of books with character...

The materials for book making can be a bit expensive at times. Just last week I spent eight dollars on one sheet of paper. Don't worry. It's a good sized piece of paper. I just couldn't resist! It's a Japanese print which I love! And really, eight bucks is a really good price for a Japanese print of that size. So it was totally worth it.

On a completely different note, I've joined the theater council here on campus! It's mostly so I can be a part of a Celtic Festival that they are putting on. My friend, Breanna, and I are potentially singing a duet for the event. Technically, we still have to try out...which will happen next week. It's been a long time since I've been a part of this sort of production. I haven't officially been in a play since my last year of high school. So I'm hoping this will work out so that I can have that experience at least one more time (hmmm....that just put an image from Beauty and the Beast in my head...). Wish me luck!

Well, I've got a bunch of reading, writing, napping? to do. I hope you all have a good President's Day weekend! Oh! Also, Sunday be Valentime's Day! Yes...I did say it/spell it that way on purpose. That was my little shout out to Teen Girl Squad..... Anyway, I'm sure you all remember my sentiments on this particular holiday. But just in case you can't, click here for a little reminder. Remember to celebrate all your loved ones this holiday: friends, family, pets, everyone who's helped you get where you are today. And you don't have to celebrate them by giving them gifts or doing something cheesy (although those moments can be quite awesome). Send someone a message, or make a call, or doing something nice for your roommates, etc. Do something to celebrate people, for I'm sure just as there have been many great people who come in and out of my life that there are some great people in yours. Happy Valentine's Day!

Benefit of the Doubt

We as people have a tendency to grumble about getting older. Perhaps it comes down to a fear of getting old, of losing our usefulness or beauty or intelligence. I can understand this desire to stay young forever, but even so, I'm okay with it. The older I get, the more I learn about life, myself, others, and I suppose whatever subjects I'm taking in school.

One thing I've learned and just reminded myself of is the concept of giving people the benefit of the doubt. I suppose that phrase has become cliche, and yet there's still some truth to it. I've seen in myself as well as in other people this bad habit of assuming the worst of people or I suppose it would be more correct to say we assume something about them that turns into a put down for ourselves. Am I making sense?

Hmm...perhaps an example will illustrate what I'm trying to get at. In a world overcome by text and instant messages (Aw, yes. I too am guilty of that!), it's easy to misinterpret what someone is trying to say. Or maybe they take a long time to respond or don't respond at all. If you're anything like me, on occasion you might think this reflects negatively upon yourself. It's silly I know, and I'm proud to say I've overcome this bad habit for the most part, but I can't deny that it has happened. I'd think myself in those situations that they had some reason for not wanting to talk to me. Again...silly.

While I was having such a conversation months ago now, I decided that instead of assuming the worst, I was going to give them the benefit of the doubt. As soon as I stopped worrying myself over why they weren't talking to me or making up reasons or ideas or emotions that they may be having, I felt a lot better about myself for one thing, and it made talking a lot more enjoyable and less stressful.

I don't know if that's an adequate example, but hopefully you see what I'm getting at.

This sorts of situations don't have to occur over the internet or through texting. We interact with many different people in multile situations everyday. And I think that it's easy sometimes to assume the worst of people, but that won't be beneficial generally. It harbors negative feelings, I think. When we assume good things about people, look for the good in people instead of the bad, we can be happier. Plus it's always interesting to see how our views of people can change, how they appear to us once we've changed our mindset.

So I guess here's my advice for the day (I do like to think I have some sound advice periodically... Hopefullly that's true...), give someone the benefit of the doubt. We don't always know what's on a person's mind or how they are feeling or even why they are acting they way they are at a given moment. We all have struggles in our lives, and sometimes it's harder to deal with those struggles than other times.

I feel like I ramble a lot. Thanks for reading. May you all have a wonderful weekend!

Finding Beauty in Yourself

It's occurred to me recently that some people are under some false impression that to be beautiful or desirable as a friend that you have to be of a certain body, have perfect hair and facial features, be smart, and basically be more than just boring and average, which is how some of us tend to view ourselves.

You are not boring and average. I can tell you that right off the bat. For as silly as this may seem, there is only one of you. Remember my last post on having stories to tell or having your own adventures? Let me reiterate that we all have stories to tell. Everyday is full of adventure if you are willing to see it that way. And because you are unique and in no way whatsoever boring, your adventure will not be the same as anyone else's.

I suppose I'm getting a little off track. This post is about finding the beauty in yourself because just as I can guarantee that life is full of adventures and that you are definitely not average, you are beautiful! Now you may look in the mirror once in a while and think that there isn't anything beautiful about you. I beg to differ.

There's much more to beauty than the outward appearances. I love my family and friends, and when I think about all the qualities I like about them, I can't help but see their beauty. And maybe their face isn't zit free all the time (I know mine isn't!) or maybe they get on my nerves every once in awhile, but I love them for who they are individually.

Sometimes it's a lot easier to find the beauty in someone else than it is to find the beauty in ourselves. We are our worst critics. So how do you find the beauty in yourself? It's rough sometimes...really rough. But we all have beautiful qualities. Sometimes it just takes us forcing ourselves to see those qualities before we can actually accept ourselves for who we are.

So here's my challenge. When you feel like being negative about yourself, stop and list a few things you love about yourself. If you need some help (because we all do on occasion), have a close friend help you out. Seriously.

And don't try to bring yourself up by bringing others down. That won't help you in the long run.

If your still having trouble, do something nice for someone else. Serving someone is one of the best ways to lift your spirits.

Good luck on your adventures! Until next time!