One was named Yin, the other Yang. They were Best Friends, forever and ever. Sometimes Yang would try to eat Yin but Yin would yell out "Don't forget who you are! You are Goodness." At other times Yin would run away and hide in fear until Yang would call out to her saying "Don't forget to show your smile to the world. Don't hide as if they have won."
...but don't worry, I'm still here. I'm thriving in my second day of being a whopping two decades old! I'm twenty years old. How did that happen? I'm sitting here thinking back on my life, wondering where did it go. I'm wondering "Did I enjoy it? Did I really live the last twenty years? Or did I just survive?" Well, it's time to stop surviving and start living. I need to let go but grab on at the same time. Let go of everything that is holding me back, forgive everything that is holding me down. I need to grab on to being the woman that I want to be. I need to grab ahold of the gospel and let it help me fly.
On Monday this week Cami and I planned an incredible double date for Tom and I and Her and Richard. We spent all afternoon getting ready for it and, with the help of her Dad we pulled of the most incredible date ever.
Her Dad made shrimp skewers and pasta salad. We ordered the guys' favorite pizzas. Ham an pineapple for Richard and chicken/bacon and white sauce for Tom. We used some nice looking plastic dishes that Cami had laying around.
After we got everything packed up and picked up the pizza, we picked up the boys and were on our way to a park in Logan for the picnic part of the date. We blindfolded the guys so that they wouldnt know where we were headed and what we were setting up.
After the picnic portion of the date we headed over to the zoo to see all the animals.
Most of the animals were different types of birds. Lots of ducks.
Cami saw a peacock and decided to chase it. She wanted to scare it enought for it to open it's tail.
It didn't work very well though.
And she was eventually defeated.
Tom is looking at the turtle. The turtle that I didnt get to poke.
Fish/Duck food. It was fun to see them fight for it =)
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The last part of the date was ice cream and cake and a movie at Richard's house.
All in all it was a pretty incredible night. Both Tom and Richard really had a great time which was always the main goal. If I ever have the chance to plan a date again, I'mnot sure how I will be able to top this one.
Everything changes as some point in time or another. Time, seasons, weather. The colors of the trees. The foods we like, the foods we hate. We go through phases. Today I may like cottage cheese although 3 years ago I didnt.
Choosing where to get an education is a difficult desicion to make. There are an overwhelming amount of options in any given state, not to mention the rest of the world. How does one figure out how which to attend. Pros and cons list? Ya that might help. But like everything else in the world that changes, pros and cons change as well.
I had never realized until I moved here to Utah just how much my Grandma loves me. A check every birthday and ever Christmas is nice but spending time with her and hearing her stories. Her stories are almost as good as the one's my Mom told me as a child.
My Grandma's stories all seem to have a point to them, besides the pure entertainment that came with the stories I love to hear from my Mom. Sitting in the living room talking with me Grandma I learn so many things that I had never realized before. First of all I knew she was Canadian but I had never before known that she was born and raised in Canada. She didnt move to the USA until around when she went to college. I learned that she went to college at BYU. She met my Grandpa there. He was working as a janitor to be able to pay for the tuition. He was friends with her roomates. One of them even had a crush on him. She sure got her heart broken, huh?
I've learned that my Great-Grandmother, Zina Smith, served a mission. Her, my Great-Grandpa Smith and one of their sons all served in the same mission, the Eastern States Mission. Back when it was called that. It covered everything east of Iowa, according to my Grandma.
I've learned that despite what some ignorant people may think, I am in fact extremly German.
I've learned that sometimes after cancer, hair comes back the opposite of what it was. My Uncle got a rare form of cancer and once his hair started to grow back, it came back curly instead of its usual straight.
I've learned that I have an incredible little sister that is the smartest baby I know.
I've learned that, without realizing it, I talk and make gestures the same way that my Mom does. I want to look just like her if I ever grow up.
(Thank you to Professional Photographers)
I've learned that I am good at the things I enjoy doing.
I've learned that I have people that notice when I'm not around.
I've learned that if I could turn back time and redo my life, I wouldnt change a single thing. I've learned that I am grateful for every experience I've had. I've learned that everything I have done and everything that has been done to me has made the the strong, independent, caring girl that knows if she sets her mind to it, she willchange the world.
Oh I completly forgot to mention that I had a phone interview for a job yesterday. Awesome. It was only about ten minutes long and not as stressful as I built it up to be. I was told I would hear back within a week about it. To my surprise I woke up to a phone call from my new boss!!! I got the job!!! I'm so excited!!!! Can't wait to start!!!
So I've been here in Utah for about four days now and its going better than I thought it be. I like having my space here and trust me there is a lot of it. I also have been spending a lot of time over at my cousins house since I got out here. I've actually been over there everyday since I got here. Except today. Today I have been able to get laundry and dishes done. It feels great to be able to take care of myself and depend on myself. Loving life.
"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."
— Marjorie Pay Hinckley
This is said so perfectly and i completly agree with her. I want to grow to be this woman. I hope to become like her.
“THE SITUATION – In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.
About 4 minutes later: The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk. At 6 minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
At 10 minutes: A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent – without exception – forced their children to move on quickly.
At 45 minutes: The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
After 1 hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities. This experiment raised several questions: *In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? *If so, do we stop to appreciate it? *Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made . . . How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?”
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It is an amazing blog and I encourage you to read it if your ever get the chance. It is amazing to me that we as people are able to pass by all the things of beauty that surround us. It makes me want to cry that we don't notice the wonderful things that God wants us to enjoy, experiance or just plain take notice of. I myself am going to set the goal to realy notice the small joys and little wonders of the world I live in. Will you?
So it's been a while since I've been on here. I've been pretty busy. My mom got to come and visit me for a few days and it was really fun. It wasn't real to me until she got here. I haven't seen her in so long (5 months) and it was so hard to see her leave again until Thanksgiving. While she was here I had planned to take lots of pictures. However I've learned that sometimes I would rather enjoy the moment than record the moment. I had such a great time spending time with her and having her get to know my friends and see where I spend my time. It's means a lot to me to have her as a part of my life and be included in every part of it. I love my mommy so much!
My half birthday has come and gone. It was good. I got to enjoy a wonderful institute class and then got to play volleyball for a little over 2 hours.
To me half birthdays are not about presents or parties or well wishes. To me they are about remembering to enjoy life and remembering to be grateful for all the time and all the days we have been given upon this earth. I am so grateful for my life. I truly hope I am granted to gift and the ability to live life to the max
Yesterday was a blast. It sucks that i have no pictures of it.
I woke up at 12:25 (5 min before my alarm) to Chaiya calling to wake me up. Not s exciting until I hard the reason. It was time to go to the movies. Letters To Juliet was incredible. I really and truly love every part of it. Her fiance was an absolute jerk. Claire was such an adorable grama figure.
After the movie and a few tears we got to go eat at Sonic It's weird how I don't have much of an appetite these days. Kinda sucks since every time I eat I generally get nauseous. Anyways, at Sonic I had a stroke of brilliance. It as pretty warm out and I felt like washing cars. So why not turn it into doing something nice for someone?
We decided to get Dylan to bring us his Mom's van so w could wash it and surprise her. We got balloons and cookie dough and headed back home to get started. The cookies are the most amazing ever! The Nestle Toll House tub of cookie dough makes the best darned chocolate chip cookies I have ever had. We baked cookies and waited around for Dylan to bring the car.
Once he showed up we pulled out the hose and cleaning supplies and got started. I started of course by beginning the soakage of my car cleaning colleagues. After we first washed the soda soaked hood of Chaiya's car we decided to wash our hair. Wish shampoo. With the hose. All three of us. Awesome.
After we had washed the car and sufficiently soaked one another completely we decided we all wanted some toaster strudel. Naturally we didn't change first. Cuz, you know, who wouldn't want to walk into Walmart sopping wet and dripping. Only sane people would enjoy a lame "adventure" like that. But we three are true adventurers.
Low and behold we get to the story and as I'm getting out I hear "uhhhhh" coming from Dylan. He had forgotten to grab his shoes before we left. Smart one. Luckily Chaiya a.k.a. Wise One came to the rescue. Dylan used Chaiya's shoes since her pants were long enough that no one could tell she was barefoot.
And so, there we were. Soaked to the marrow of our bones. Chaiya barefoot. Oh the things we do in Walmart.
I never knew how freeing it would be to actually howl at the moon. Have you ever done it? Driving down the rode in a car with the top down, the wind streaming through your hair, throwing your head back and letting loose. Not yelling but howling. At the moon. It's exhilirating. Freeing. Fun. Try it some time. You will feel the freedom running through your viens.
Short note today. Can't sleep but i'm getting tired now. And not feeling so hot. Turns out that Berry Colosal Crunch at 3:30 am doesnt exactly sooth the stomach. Not sure what the second bowl was for. I'm trying to put out happy lots to the universe. I wonder what it will help. I just have a feeling it will. I love you all. Goodnight
Did you hear about the girl in the tower? With her hair so long and luscious? How about the farmers daughter that spun spools of string to gold? And then there was the one that lost her shoe, ever heard that one? Ya, me either. But it's ok, I'm getting along fine without the stories told to young girls around the world. At least I dont have false hopes of soft golden locks, glass high heels and a "Prince Charming" coming to my rescue. I for one know that I must rescue myself. I know that no strappy, good looking, broad shouldered man-boy is just going to come and sweep me off my feet and take me to his castle on a mountaintop. At least not without an alterior motive. I have the power to love myself without pretending. It may be hard at times but is what I need to aim for.
Did you here about the girl who drowned the whole world with her tears? Ya, I've definetly heard that one. It's a hard road but in the end it will be worth it.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
How does one express true emotion when it isn't clear exactly what that is? How does one love when the art of loving another has never been taught? How is one honest with another when unable to be honest with oneself? How does one know what to say when the powers of speech have never been learned? How does one trust when one's heart is still broken?
I still have chills running through me from playing water baseball about 5 hours ago. It was so windy but it was so much fun! I wish I had been able to take pictures but at the same time I'm so glad that I was able to just enjoy myself and have fun =) I didn't realize how much I missed the feeling of the wind running through my hair as I run from base to base. So exhilirating!
In a few hours I get to go star gazing with Chaiya, Cayden and Dylan. I havn't gone stargazing in a long while so I'm pretty excited about that. I'm going to try to get some cool pictures with flash lights. I just have to figure out how to do it with my new camera. I learned about light photography in my highscool photography class. Its so cool and I've been meaning to try it for a while.
Here are a couple pictures I took the other day. Enjoy.
So from now on, since i dont need this blog for english class, it really will be my own. Not sure how often i will get to it but I will for sure try my best to post frequently.
Friday, April 30, 2010
A creative writer can help a person escape from the dullness of everyday life. Open up a book and think about how much work went into that, how much time and effort has been poured onto those pages. Creative Writing is an art form.
There are many programs for creative writers. Here at Yavapai Community College there is a creative writing certificate. Another type of program offered at many different locations are workshops. A writer can post their work on a blog and get feedback about what does and doesn’t work. Yet another program for creative writers is an MFA (Master of Fine Arts) with a focus on creative writing.
An MFA program “is the way community is created now. With community we can learn from one another as well as support one another. In our day and age it takes intention to build community, and mentors are essential and MFA’s allow that to happen... (BelleIt gives writers a group of people they can share their work with and that will help them where help is needed. Many believe that an MFA is a necessary tool when trying to get published. However a writer’s work should not be judged on the education they have received but rather the quality of their work.
There are many examples of brilliant authors that didn’t get the kind of education that is incorporated in an MFA program. Some that even received no education whatsoever. For example the author of both Malcolm X and Roots: The Saga of an American Family, Alex Haley, never graduated from college. (Alex Haley) And yet without such higher education, he was able to co-write Malcolm X with Malcolm X himself. He also spent many years researching his family history and in doing so was able to write Roots which “Many activists viewed…to be an important part of the Civil Rights Movement” (Alex Haley Bio) and even years later, the story of Roots having been turned into a video series, continues to have a great impact for many people including myself.
Another, more modern, example would be J.K. Rowling. She too didn’t receive any formal creative writing education. In fact her studies in college were focused mainly on French (Rowling). However she is incredibly successful and her Harry Potter series is famous worldwide.
I wouldn’t say that getting published is as easy as one – two – three but it doesn’t require as much education as most other careers. Don’t get me wrong, being educated is definitely helpful but a person doesn’t have to go through ten years of schooling just to be a writer. “Any one that writes it a writer (Belle).” While learning more about the methods can help with the technicalities and the writing technique, education such as an MFA program can’t create the talent needed. “…Many of the MFA novels I see are better written than they are better books it’s too much about showing off and not enough about trying to please the reader (Ferrari-Adler).”
Just because MFA programs aren’t a necessary tool for getting published that doesn’t mean that they aren’t helpful in other ways. That’s not to say that what MFA programs can teach you is essential for a writer but it isn’t at all detrimental to an authors work. One thing that the Spaulding MFA program in particular focuses on is “specific crafting issues (Belle). That program has students read the work of other writers and focus on how it either uses a certain craft exceptionally well or how it doesn’t do a good job using that specific craft at all. “Focusing on an accomplished writer’s skills and processing it for a paper helps [one to] see clearer how to use it. (Belle)” If you read books and focus not only on the story but also the authors craft a writer will be more able to apply a similar craft and talent to their own writing.
Some MFA programs, such as the one at Colombia, have programs that help graduates get connected to the publishing network. The one at Columbia is called the “‘Life After the MFA’ program.” Another such program meant to set up connections is at the University of Arizona. They have created an anthology of students writing called “Look Book.” The “Look Book” was put together to showcase the talent of the students to the editors and agents that are out there searching for talent (Rawlinson). Having a degree from an MFA program shows the education you have received in writing. Some MFA programs offer a Terminal Degree. This type of degree makes a person eligible to teach creative writing.
Just because some MFA programs offer things like “Life After MFA” and “Look Book” that doesn’t mean you can’t get published without such resources. Simply being self motivated can be all you need to get published. You have to be persistent and, like anything, you have to want it.
Just because a writer is educated doesn’t mean that they have talent. Talent comes from practicing. It comes from sitting down and free writing until your hands, or your mind, goes numb. If nothing else, free writing can produce one sentence that in turn can stem a story worthy of being published. That sentence can come without being taught mechanics and technique. That method comes from self motivation. You can write and write and write with perfect grammar, perfect punctuation and perfect vocabulary but if a story doesn’t have feeling, if it doesn’t have the voice of talent, it’s not worth reading and so in turn, not worth publishing. Having a Terminal degree, just like going through any MFA program doesn’t qualify you as an exceptional and publishable writer. It is a degree for teaching, not a degree for writing. (Spalding)
An MFA is not the only tool for being mentored as a writer. I know many groups that create support for writers. Some are places where writers can share their work and be critiqued in a safe environment. While an MFA program does that as well, Creative Writing groups often cost a great amount less. Seeing as a creative writing isn’t always the most lucrative career choice, MFA programs are out of many authors reach financially. Creative Writing groups can be just as helpful and supportive as MFA programs, without the sacrifice it might take to pay for an MFA program. There is a group right here on Yavapai Campus that gets together every other Thursday or so and discusses the works of other authors and what tools and methods they use. This is incredibly similar to what the Spaulding program does but without the eight page essays. MFA are helpful in that they create a community however that community can be found other places as well.
--- This video has to do with the community that MFA programs offer. I want to mention that in my essay because it my interviewee mentioned it as well. I also am big on community and I believe it is important ---
--- I really wanted to embed the above interview with an actual interview but I couldnt figure how how to do so. I wish it had an editers opinion on MFA programs but it does hve an editor talking about what he would like to see from writers which is a helpful piece of information ---
--- This is another video that talks about what an MFA program can offer ---
First of all the second I finished reading her answers a couple seconds ago, all I wanted to do was write. I wanted to skip right over this part and work on my story for my other class. I really do think that so much of my urge to be a writer as well as my raw talent (if I do say so myself) comes from my mom. But anyways on to the important things. I think it is interesting that she said so simply that ‘no’ a writer does not need an MFA to get published. Also that an MFA doesn’t necessarily mean a writer is more likely to get published. I like that it creates community though. I’m not sure exactly how to approach the essay now though. I have a view that says that an MFA is helpful to get published. I now know for sure that there are articles out there specifically about how MFA do not make a writer publishable. Now I just have to find them, as well as an article or two for the opposite point of view. What exactly is my essay supposed to be answering? I know that my position is going to be the a MFA is not necessary but I not sure how to argued my point or how to create a thesis from that.
i love to have my feet in the water at a pool or a lake or anything (except puddles)
i write my poems in spurts...i will get a thought and just start writing out poems...eventually they start to get really crappy and then i know that it is time to stop
i love typing...the clicking and clacking just sounds so cool to me...i hate keyboards that have sticky keys
i love to take pictures of nature and then use photoshop to make them look cool...i also make pictures of myself into all these weird colors which is also fun
my dreams change freguently
i wish that the kids version of national geographic wasnt so focused on movies and video games
i hate when people think they know you and think that that makes it ok for them to judge you
i think that some teachers need to be more understanding
i believe that i have gone through what i have gone through for a reason
i leave really long voice messages (just ask my friends)
i LOVE to talk on the phone
i love playing monopoly and pretending to be rich
i still play truth or dare like i am 7 years old
i love my family no matter what
i make mistakes and i have regrets
i am not perfect
i am not always happy
i am hopeful
And she was eventually defeated. 
(Thank you to Professional Photographers) 
, never graduated from college. (Alex Haley) And yet without such higher education, he was able to co-write Malcolm X with Malcolm X himself. He also spent many years researching his family history and in doing so was able to write Roots which “Many activists viewed…to be an important part of the Civil Rights Movement” (Alex Haley Bio) and even years later, the story of Roots having been turned into a video series, continues to have a great impact for many people including myself.
She too didn’t receive any formal creative writing education. In fact her studies in college were focused mainly on French (Rowling). However she is incredibly successful and her Harry Potter series is famous worldwide.
While learning more about the methods can help with the technicalities and the writing technique, education such as an MFA program can’t create the talent needed. “…Many of the MFA novels I see are better written than they are better books it’s too much about showing off and not enough about trying to please the reader (Ferrari-Adler).”
