M83, Midnight City
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Just When I Start To Lose Faith In Music
I listen to X96, and a great song comes on that I haven't heard before. I don't know why I don't listen to X96 more often. They play a greater variety of songs than any other station. Yes, it is all alternative rock, but there's a huge range within that genre to keep me interested. A much larger range than say, what 97.1 and my99.5 play (not to demean the last one. I really do like my99.5. They give me free stuff every now and then). Here's what I came across last night. Everyone's probably already heard it before me, but I really like it.
M83, Midnight City
Enjoy the music, my friends.
M83, Midnight City
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Things I've Seriously Thought About, and You Should Too
1. Liposuction. I seriously thought about this when I was coming to terms with being overweight. Sure, a bit expensive, but definitely a quick fix for my problems. However, I know that a lot of people do this and then quickly go back to looking like they did before because they don't change their eating and exercise habits. So I decided to change my habits and then look at liposuction again. I now eat healthy food and try to exercise twice a week or more. I'll admit that at one point I was obsessed with exercise.
Once I got that under control, I looked at liposuction again. I have what people like to call love handles. This really bothered me at first, especially because it is something that I have guys comment on occasionally. I've had people tell me I needed to exercise, and I didn't, and still don't, like it. The quick fix seemed really appealing again. I had to take a step back and ask myself, "Why do you want to look like that?" If it was for my own satisfaction it would be one thing, but it wasn't for my own satisfaction. I wanted to look that way so guys would want me. Seems like a terrible reason to get liposuction. I've decided that if a guy wants me to go under the knife for him, then he isn't the right guy. The guy for me will be one that loves me if I have love handles or not, and he will always be there to encourage me to exercise for fun, and try new, healthy meals because it's fun.
2. The military. Anyone who knows me (or has read the posts about the military on this blog) knows that I've railed against the whole idea of the military my entire life. It has taken me a long time to be laid back about the whole thing. Let me tell you how I did it.
I went through the reasons I don't like the military. Bureaucracy made the list, but I realized how necessary it was to keep things functioning. Another problem I have with the military is what happens to the soldiers once they're in. They're desensitized about nearly everything. They're often mean and aggressive. I can't take that, especially after what I went though with my husband. And of course I have a problem with the pornography that plays all over. It's just generally accepted as necessary for soldiers. That really bothers me. Violence is the main reason I dislike the military. However, this just extends to human indecency and barbarism. As long as there are people around who want to take over the world and oppress people, there will be militaries. And I would rather my country have one to protect me than be taken over by someone else's. I decided that I can be a peace loving flower child and still accept the military for what it is because of that main reason.
3. The USA. If anyone who reads this is completely comfortable with this country, I invite them to start thinking about the United States of America, and I'm not talking about current politics, although one could definitely go there. I'm talking about our history as a nation. I love and hate America at the same time. I love and hate presidents at the same time. I invite everyone to pick up a good book about history. A great place to start is with author Sarah Vowell. Her collection of personal essays Take the Cannoli is one of the main reasons I really have mixed feelings about the country I live in. Take a look at her essay "What I See When I Look At The Face On The $20 Bill," and you'll know what I am feeling. My ancestors on my mother's side are Cherokee. The man on the $20 bill committed genocide, and America let him do it. There are lots of other examples, like the annexation of Hawaii. I'd like you to explore them for yourself. If I've done my job, you'll be more certain about the truth of your country, yet more uncomfortable with it.
I have more, but I don't have time to write them down right now. Would anyone be interested in another post with things like these? Maybe should I make it a once a month series? Comments are, as always, appreciated.
Once I got that under control, I looked at liposuction again. I have what people like to call love handles. This really bothered me at first, especially because it is something that I have guys comment on occasionally. I've had people tell me I needed to exercise, and I didn't, and still don't, like it. The quick fix seemed really appealing again. I had to take a step back and ask myself, "Why do you want to look like that?" If it was for my own satisfaction it would be one thing, but it wasn't for my own satisfaction. I wanted to look that way so guys would want me. Seems like a terrible reason to get liposuction. I've decided that if a guy wants me to go under the knife for him, then he isn't the right guy. The guy for me will be one that loves me if I have love handles or not, and he will always be there to encourage me to exercise for fun, and try new, healthy meals because it's fun.
2. The military. Anyone who knows me (or has read the posts about the military on this blog) knows that I've railed against the whole idea of the military my entire life. It has taken me a long time to be laid back about the whole thing. Let me tell you how I did it.
I went through the reasons I don't like the military. Bureaucracy made the list, but I realized how necessary it was to keep things functioning. Another problem I have with the military is what happens to the soldiers once they're in. They're desensitized about nearly everything. They're often mean and aggressive. I can't take that, especially after what I went though with my husband. And of course I have a problem with the pornography that plays all over. It's just generally accepted as necessary for soldiers. That really bothers me. Violence is the main reason I dislike the military. However, this just extends to human indecency and barbarism. As long as there are people around who want to take over the world and oppress people, there will be militaries. And I would rather my country have one to protect me than be taken over by someone else's. I decided that I can be a peace loving flower child and still accept the military for what it is because of that main reason.
3. The USA. If anyone who reads this is completely comfortable with this country, I invite them to start thinking about the United States of America, and I'm not talking about current politics, although one could definitely go there. I'm talking about our history as a nation. I love and hate America at the same time. I love and hate presidents at the same time. I invite everyone to pick up a good book about history. A great place to start is with author Sarah Vowell. Her collection of personal essays Take the Cannoli is one of the main reasons I really have mixed feelings about the country I live in. Take a look at her essay "What I See When I Look At The Face On The $20 Bill," and you'll know what I am feeling. My ancestors on my mother's side are Cherokee. The man on the $20 bill committed genocide, and America let him do it. There are lots of other examples, like the annexation of Hawaii. I'd like you to explore them for yourself. If I've done my job, you'll be more certain about the truth of your country, yet more uncomfortable with it.
I have more, but I don't have time to write them down right now. Would anyone be interested in another post with things like these? Maybe should I make it a once a month series? Comments are, as always, appreciated.
Monday, January 2, 2012
New Year's Resolutions 2012
In the past week or so, I've heard a lot of people rag on making New Year's Resolutions. It actually made me feel bad, because I've never looked at New Year's Resolutions as a trendy, I-must-do-this-to-be-like-everyone-else thing. I've always looked at it as a fresh start, a time to make myself determined to be better. Last year, this worked really well. Some of you may remember, last year I set 20 goals. Here's what I accomplished because of them.
1. I made a good friend, Kim Welch, and I just had the pleasure of seeing her married to a wonderful man. And I made another good friend, Jenessa Halliday, in my Arabic class.
2. I wanted at least a 3.4 GPA. I have a 3.45.
3. I took a social dance class, and a country swing dance class, and this semester I'm taking three more dance classes.
4. I weigh 125 pounds, and I'm a size 2. I like the way I look, and I don't feel like I need to be any smaller. Exercising has become purely a recreational thing now. I do it because it makes me feel better.
5. I'm learning to live with my mistakes.
6. All my afghans got crocheted, as did lots of other projects.
7. I learned to cook a lot of new things, and it helped me learn to eat healthier.
8. I learned to take more things on faith, and to be a nicer person.
9. I planted lots of new vegetables in my vegetable garden (this also helped with number 7).
10. I learned that it is good not to overwork yourself, and to be happy with your personal best.
11. I read over 24 books.
I got 13 of 20 goals accomplished. I'd say that's fantastic. So it hurts when people tell me that it is stupid and ridiculous to set New Year's Resolutions because everyone does it. I'm going to do it anyway, because I can see a huge difference in my life from when I set these goals last year.
My goals for 2012:
1. Exercise twice a week.
2. Crochet something for myself, and an afghan for my Grandma Alice.
3. Have a 3.55 GPA by the end of the year.
4. Finish sewing my dress (yes it's on the list again. I actually hope to accomplish this this summer).
5. Have all 12 music events checked off my great works list (and this will get accomplished because I have a music class that requires me to see 8 musical performances this semester).
6. Start working on my Honors Thesis.
7. Get an editing job/internship.
8. Have at least two great works papers written (this seems more realistic than what I had last year, and I hope I can accomplish it in my spare time, since I don't have any English classes this semester).
9. Learn to cook one new thing each month.
10. Repack all my things so my parents can move it into their new home when they get it built.
11. Spend less time on the internet.
12. Keep headphones out of my ears two days of every week.
13. Have all 12 art events checked off my great works list (I made a good go at this one, but didn't quite make it, so I'm going to hope it'll get done this year).
14. Be nicer to my family.
15. Budget my money better (I do this pretty well, but I'd like to be able to save at least $50 a month so I can occasionally get myself something nice).
16. Compete in DanceSport.
17. Get my mom's New York scrapbook pages done.
18. Go to the temple once a week.
19. Read a General Conference talk each month, and focus on becoming better about doing what the Church Leaders ask.
20. Find at least one Cherokee ancestor and do her temple work.
21. Read 24 books for fun.
1. I made a good friend, Kim Welch, and I just had the pleasure of seeing her married to a wonderful man. And I made another good friend, Jenessa Halliday, in my Arabic class.
2. I wanted at least a 3.4 GPA. I have a 3.45.
3. I took a social dance class, and a country swing dance class, and this semester I'm taking three more dance classes.
4. I weigh 125 pounds, and I'm a size 2. I like the way I look, and I don't feel like I need to be any smaller. Exercising has become purely a recreational thing now. I do it because it makes me feel better.
5. I'm learning to live with my mistakes.
6. All my afghans got crocheted, as did lots of other projects.
7. I learned to cook a lot of new things, and it helped me learn to eat healthier.
8. I learned to take more things on faith, and to be a nicer person.
9. I planted lots of new vegetables in my vegetable garden (this also helped with number 7).
10. I learned that it is good not to overwork yourself, and to be happy with your personal best.
11. I read over 24 books.
I got 13 of 20 goals accomplished. I'd say that's fantastic. So it hurts when people tell me that it is stupid and ridiculous to set New Year's Resolutions because everyone does it. I'm going to do it anyway, because I can see a huge difference in my life from when I set these goals last year.
My goals for 2012:
1. Exercise twice a week.
2. Crochet something for myself, and an afghan for my Grandma Alice.
3. Have a 3.55 GPA by the end of the year.
4. Finish sewing my dress (yes it's on the list again. I actually hope to accomplish this this summer).
5. Have all 12 music events checked off my great works list (and this will get accomplished because I have a music class that requires me to see 8 musical performances this semester).
6. Start working on my Honors Thesis.
7. Get an editing job/internship.
8. Have at least two great works papers written (this seems more realistic than what I had last year, and I hope I can accomplish it in my spare time, since I don't have any English classes this semester).
9. Learn to cook one new thing each month.
10. Repack all my things so my parents can move it into their new home when they get it built.
11. Spend less time on the internet.
12. Keep headphones out of my ears two days of every week.
13. Have all 12 art events checked off my great works list (I made a good go at this one, but didn't quite make it, so I'm going to hope it'll get done this year).
14. Be nicer to my family.
15. Budget my money better (I do this pretty well, but I'd like to be able to save at least $50 a month so I can occasionally get myself something nice).
16. Compete in DanceSport.
17. Get my mom's New York scrapbook pages done.
18. Go to the temple once a week.
19. Read a General Conference talk each month, and focus on becoming better about doing what the Church Leaders ask.
20. Find at least one Cherokee ancestor and do her temple work.
21. Read 24 books for fun.
One more goal than last year. Let's see how good I do. I think I'll post my progress each month again, as that seemed to help me keep my goals.
The Holiday Projects
I really enjoyed this holiday season. I made a lot of stuff, a bunch of which I didn't get pictures of, but a bunch that I did. No pictures of Christmas Day, though. Everyone forgot to get their cameras out. And I spent New Years Eve as usual, lounging around my house and reading a good book. I did go out to eat at Maddox with my parents; Maddox is the only place for a good hamburger. I'll miss it when I have to go back to school.
Without further ado, here's my slew of pictures.
Hope you all had as great a holiday season as I did.
Without further ado, here's my slew of pictures.
No slew of pictures would be complete without some of my cat. He got in the Christmas spirit, too. The picture directly above this text is him sitting on my mom's sewing chair in my mom's sewing room, where I finished up a bunch of my projects, and he sat and watched.
I crocheted my Grandma Alice a rug. I crocheted so much in a week that my hand hurt this year.
On my way to pick up my brother for the Jazz game, I snapped this picture of Temple Square Lights.
My mom had surgery last week, and the Relief Society brought over dinner for two nights in a row, so I made thank you cards.
Then came something I'm really proud of. I made my mom a calendar for the first time ever. My brother and I avoided buying a calendar like the plague this year because last Christmas we both bought her the exact same calendar. I made him take his back because mine was already wrapped and under the tree, unlike his. So this year, when I found out neither of us had purchased a calendar for my mom, I went about making her one. It got finished yesterday.
This is possibly my favorite page.
Hope you all had as great a holiday season as I did.
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