What I Call Heaven

It had all the trappings of The. Lamest. Day.  But it wasn't.  And this is why.

I spent hours (this is not an exaggeration, it was literally hours, notwithstanding the umpteen times that the call was dropped and we had to dial back, and "umpteen" is only slightly exaggerated) talking to my sister.  It's been a while since we've just talked.  We laughed.  We mused.  We were sisters. 

Then, the next morning, I woke up to a clean house.  Pristine, you may even say.  I could walk into my kitchen and find not a single dirty dish.  It was positively glorious.  Which inspired me to cook.  Clean kitchens can have that effect.  A little counter-intuitive, really, because cooking tends to make Clean Kitchen quickly degenerate into Dirty Kitchen.  But, thanks to some training from friends, I cleaned as I went. 

I made muffins.  Delicious, healthy muffins that weren't overly sweet and used some stuff in the fridge that needed to be used soon.  I opened my oven and proudly looked upon muffins that were pretty.  (This is important, because I tried to recreate that magic and confronted Total Failure instead.  Stupid muffins ungratefully fell.)  They were rounded and browned and just positively unshameful.  Yes, I could admit that I made them.  I could even, you won't believe it, SHARE them.

Then, upon seeing my kitchen still clean and generally amazing, I was not afraid to embark on an adventure.  I busted out the crock pot.  I am so delighted we even HAVE that crock pot.  It was happiness just getting to use it.  Then I cleaned and cut and seeded a bunch of pears.  I tried out a recipe for pear butter.  I favored this over pear jam because I didn't have any pectin at home.  Then, the long process of crockpottery began.

Then I sat down and had some breakfast, because seriously it was still pretty early in the day.  On a Saturday.  I was productive, and the house was still clean.

So I took a nap.  I love naps.  It seemed like the right thing to do on a sunny but chill Saturday of productivity at noon.  Delightful.

Afterwards, I got to hang out with my brother and his family.  We celebrated a birthday and had a good time.

Then back home, to relax and be cheerful and relish what was a wonderful day.

30 Days -- Analyzed

I took up the challenge to blog for 30 days straight.  I felt that if I had a commitment, moreover one of which others were aware, I would complete it and this would somehow help me find my writing mojo.  I was partially correct.

I felt obligated to comply with a 30-day writing scheme.  I had a different topic for each day, although some were admittedly lamer than others.  I am writing now to share what I have learned from this challenge.

First.  I hated it.  There is something perfectly dreadful about making yourself do something you love.  It takes the pleasure out of it and leaves little more than drudgery.  Yuck.

Secondly.  I frequently take a paragraph to express what could have been communicated in a sentence.  This goes long for the readers.  They lose interest.  Stink.

Thirdly.  Closely related to the previous note, due to the frequency of the writing and the overbearing quantity of words, feedback is limited.  Low feedback means that I feel more frustrated writing because I think nobody else is reading.  Unfortunate.

Fourthly.  The topics are sometimes stretching me to talk about things about which I would never talk.  I suppose that could also be considered a perk.  But sometimes, all a girl really wants is her comfy jeans and t-shirt, y'know what I mean?  Uncomfortable.

And there you have it.  I think I would simply do better to aim to write at least a couple of times a month.

From an observer's point of view, what were the highlights?  The drawbacks?  Were there specific posts you enjoyed more than others?

I Wish You Success

It is so easy to get wrapped up in the stifling net of negativity.  There are reasons to be glum.  There are disappointments and unexpectations and a myriad of provocateurs of unpleasantness.  But not curbing this emotional espionage leaves only one's own happiness dangling upon a noose.

And so, I wish you success.  You, the you who are reading this.  I desire for you the fulfillment of your richest, most profound hopes that bring you closer to the Savior and to your true happiness.  Cut the noose and run from the flow of negativity.

I am trying to build my own dams that hold back the tide of that which blots out the light of happiness.  I will share one with you.

"Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Draw nigh to God and He will draw night to you." (part of James 4: 7-8)

I read and reread this verse, I try to memorize it.  It offers me strength and it stills the surge that suffocates my happiness.  I delight in the peace that comes with this knowledge, and I am brightened by it.

Day 30

Define "Well-Read"

I like to think myself a decently well-read individual.  Surely there are quite a few books whose pages I have yet to turn, and should, but I have read many books.  I love books.  I devour books.  And like anything I truly love, I also find myself not engaging in it as often as I would like.  I thought I could be more well-read.  I wanted to know what would constitute a well-read person, an.  Having recalled an email from some time ago that you were supposed to indicate which books you have read, I searched for a measuring stick to measure my own exposure to the literary universe.  There are lots of lists, of course.  I got bored searching for one that was easy to copy/paste.  This comes from Buzzle.com (I know absolutely nothing about this website.)

 Books I've read are in bold.  Books I'm mostly certain I've read are in bold and italics.  Books I've begun but not completed have an 'x' in front of them.  Books that I've read excerpts (likely for classes) are marked with a '^'.  And just for the record, if the author originally wrote it in a different language that I can understand, I'd prefer to read it in the original language.

1.Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

2.A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
^3.Moby Dick by Herman Melville
4.Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
5.Where I'm Calling From by Raymond Carver
6.The Trial by Franz Kafka
7.The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
8.The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
9.The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald
10.A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

11.The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
12.1984 by George Orwell
13.Other Voices, Other Rooms by Truman Capote
14.Working by Studs Terkel
15.Rabbit, Run by John Updike
16.To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
17.Herzog by Saul Bellow
18.The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad
19.The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer
20.Birdsong by Sebastian Faulk

21.All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
22.Lord of the Flies by William Golding
23.Post Office by Charles Bukowski
24.The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
25.Persuasion by Jane Austen
26.The Call of the Wild by Jack London
27.Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
28.Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
29.Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth
30.The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

31.The Godfather by Mario Puzo
32.The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury
33.The Lady in the Lake by Raymond Chandler
34.Go Down, Moses by William Faulkner
35.Lizard Music by D. Manus Pinkwater
36.The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
37.Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller
38.The Stranger by Albert Camus
39.Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger
40.The Secret Garden by Frances Burnett

41.Mythology by Edith Hamilton
42.100 Great Science Fiction Short Stories edited by Isaac Asimov
43.Comet in Moominland by Tove Jansson
44.The Real Frank Zappa Book by Frank Zappa
45.Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
46.The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
47.A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
48.The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
49.Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
50.The Nick Adams Stories by Ernest Hemingway

51.The Annotated Alice by Lewis Caroll (notes by Martin Gardner)
52.Call it Sleep by Henry Roth
53.Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
54.The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster
55.Foundation by Isaac Asimov
56.A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
57.The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
58.The Shining by Stephen King
59.Animal Farm by George Orwell
60.The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum

61.The Tenants by Bernard Malamud
62.Papillon by Henri Charriere
63.The Happy Prince and Other Stories by Oscar Wilde
64.The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
65.Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis De Bernieres
66.Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke
67.The Quiet American by Graham Greene
68.James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
69.Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling
70.Women by Charles Bukowski

71.Edie: An American Biography by Jean Stein
72.Blubber by Judy Blume
73.The Book of Lists by David Wallenchinsky
74.Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
75.To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer
76.The Stories of John Cheever by John Cheever
77.The Bronx Zoo by Sparky Lyle and Peter Golenbock
78.A Separate Peace by John Knowles
79.Oh Human Bondage By W. Somerset Maughm
80.The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley

81.Zen and the Art of Mortocycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig
82.In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
83.Side Effects by Woody Allen
84.A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony
85.A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories by Flannery O'Connor
86.Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
87.The Great Brain at the Academy by John D. Fitzgerald
88.Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
89.Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
90.Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

91.Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now by Barry Miles
92.Nausea by Jean-Paul Sartre
93.Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler
94.The Movie-goer by Walker Percy
95.Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
96.Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
97.On the Road by Jack Kerouac
98.One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
99.The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge by Carlos Casteneda
100.Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Wow... only 22 out of 100.  That's an F if this is a true scale of one's literary exposure.  What books do YOU think one should read to gain deeper insight or enjoyment?

Day 29

When Doing Things "My Way" Means I Don't Get What I Want

Last night I logged into my social media account and noticed that it was painfully slow.  No, seriously, so slow in fact that I wasn't sure if it was even functional or if it had frozen.  It would only partially load pages, to add insult to injury.  I was not pleased.  So, while I waited for a page to load, I opened my blogger so I could work on Day 27.  I had no idea about what to write, so I decided to use one of the questions I least liked on the list of possible blog topics.  To do so, I would need a few pictures.  It took me a while (and in the meantime I think I did at least get to respond to somebody's post in the social media website), but I was able to find two.  I was on the third and final picture, trying to find the perfect one, when all of a sudden my whole system stops and just looks at me.  It tells me that the web pages aren't responding.  I'm miffed now, because I've been trying to blog for an hour.  And it's time to watch our Monday night show (which we do via the internet.)  I have the Grumpy Face going on.  I ask, out loud, "why does it work for you and not for me?!?"  Silently I curse the web.  Stupid internet.  Grrr.

The whole thing has to be restarted, we go through the process, and then my computer kindly asks me if I would like to reopen the browser pages that I was using before the internet crashed and my computer hated me.  Sure.  At least I can sign out of stuff.

That's when the Voice of Reason looks at the screen and says, "how many pages do you have open?!  No wonder you couldn't get the pages to load." 

Okay, so there was the page we were keeping open to be able to watch the show, the social media page, the blogger page and a search engine.  But that's not really too much, is it?

And in my logic, instead of noting that I was actively trying to use 3 pages at once, I only found fault with the page I wasn't using. 

Sigh.  Good thing other people can bring me to my senses.  Way to be, Voice of Reason.

Day 28

Television Shows I Like

How far back are we going? I loved watching mysteries: Matlock, Perry Mason, Diagnosis Murder, Murder She Wrote. Loved them. I enjoyed the genre and the generation.

There are other shows I watched a lot since then but at some point lost the desire to watch. I've watched Heroes in its entirety. I watch House and caught up through the season previous to this current one. I could go for Stargate SG1 any day.  I enjoy Numb3rs and Psych.

So does that answer the question?

Day 27

Nostalgia

As I was riding in the car this weekend, on a foggy morning, along a freeway. . . I thought of Chile.
Not long afterward, I found myself on an escalator. I looked behind me with a smile on my face out of habit but found myself alone. Instead, I looked out the window where the sky was still visible and the day looked embraced in clouds. I was reminded of how I felt in the Chilean airport. I miss those days. I miss Chile.

Day 26

God Must Think I'm Really Strong

When I think I can't take another single step in a particular direction, the wind seems to blow harder and make that step all the more precious.  How do I take it?  By leaning on Him, I presume, and having faith that He will carry me through it.  Where much is given, much is expected.

Day 25

O'Reilly's Law: Murphy was an Optimist

Or in other words, sometimes the even best laid plans still have kinks in the works and unexpected turns in the path.

But the amazing thing is that a little voice (an audible, human one) keeps telling me that it'll get better.  Things work out.  Fun is had.  Life is good.  And I believe him. 

So, let's see this weekend's adventures!!

Day 24

When heart's desires work out

I once daydreamed about being able to speak Spanish.  I could not fathom how people could THINK in another language.  So I would think about it.  Then I studied.  And studied.  And studied some more.  Yet, still, it was this thing I had to do actively.  I would hear things in Spanish and have to think through the translation in my head.  Then, when I wanted to say something back, I'd have to translate my thoughts from English to Spanish to say it.  When I decided to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I hoped and literally prayed that I would have the opportunity to serve in a Spanish-speaking area.

At that time, I thought it was the miracle of an answered prayer that my mission was in Argentina.  This moved me from studying and being passionate about Spanish to thinking, eating, sleeping, breathing Spanish.  It was the concession of my heart's desire.

Since then, I have seen how God has used my heart's desire, to be able to communicate freely in Spanish, to serve purposes that have blessed my life even more.  It is amazing to me how He has transformed what I wanted so much into something that continues to bless me.

Day 23

A Proud Moment

Today at work we had visitors from a company in Mexico who were getting to know our company better.  I was involved in the process in case a translator would be necessary.  I joined our visitors during all of the meetings and also for a plant tour.  Every time we go on a tour with prospective or current customers, I feel a sense of pride.  I love our company.  We have our faults, to be sure, but the products we provide are quality.  The people who work there are neat people.  I really feel that our products are top of the line and that our customers can be pleased with the level of service.  I think we are the best avaiable in the industry.  It sounds sappy, I guess, but I really am proud to be a part of this team.

Day 22

Secret Obsession

Now to be less secret, obviously.

Recently I developed this obsession about Craigslist.  It is far less exciting than it would be near Manhattan, for example, but I have this thing where I look to see what's available on the famous list.  Sometimes I look at the jobs, to see if there are any for people I know who need one.  Sometimes I look at the electronics, because I sorta think that somebody may offer a wii at a super discount price that will somehow make me feel less guilty about having ANOTHER console at my house and for not remaining loyal to Sony.  Occassionally I look at the books, because I like reading.  But mostly, I surf the free section.  Why?  Because it's free.  And that is enticing.  And I think it's ok to "upgrade" some stuff, if I'm doing it for free and then passing along my replaced items to someone else.

If you ask, "how often do you 'upgrade' or pick up items off the free section in Craigslist?" I will tell you the truth.  Practically never.  But for the last couple of weeks, I look anyway.

Day 21

Halloween

I miss the days when you could dress up with wreckless abandon, go around having fun in your costume, and come home with no greater repercussions than a sugar high.  I thought about this, how I've more than definitely reached the age that I can't even pretend that I'm of the age of trick-or-treaters.  I don't miss the candy.  I miss the fun.  Next year there needs to be an awesome party.  Just sayin'.  That way even the adults can have fun!

Day 20

Success!

It is, at least as far as I recall, a Halloween tradition.  I remember making no bake cookies for Halloween.  I love no bakes.  I have the recipe, and have tried to make them several times over.  I notice that there are a couple of things that I tend to do differently.  I add more vanilla, peanut butter and cocoa than the recipe requests.  And I never add the nuts.  And it is never until I actually start making it that I realize that it isn't just the caro syrup that I don't have.  I always, always forget that I am supposed to have shortening.

Generally when I make no bakes, the come out a little "special."  By which I mean, the flavor is intact, but the consistency is not.  Does that have anything to do with my blatant disregard for following the recipe?  Quite possibly.  But I've found myself content with a spoon to eat my non-solidifying cookies.  They're a bit mushy, but still delightful.

Imagine, then, that today I actually tried to be a bit better about following the recipe.   I still omitted the nuts.  And guess what?  They firmed up quite nicely!

Happy Halloween!!  And don't worry, I have enough to share!

Day 19

Have I seen His hand in my day?

There are some days that have the most gigantic, gloomy rain cloud hovering over them.  Not even the best radar system can navigate through it.  Perhaps it seems that there will be no end to the storm.

And then I see His hand. 

I was checking up on the walls of friends, just to see if there is news that I've missed, and came across an uplifting video which I have since reposted on my own social media wall.  The message was one that I needed.  It reminded me that I am not set in stone, and my weaknesses and shortcomings and sins are swallowed up in the Savior's Atonement when I will allow Him to carry me.

At about the same point, my sister chatted with me for a few moments.  This was not a conversation of profound philosophies.  This was the conversation of two sisters of things that were applicable in the moment.  It was meaningful to me, and I left it feeling a little better.  A little earlier my mom had responded to an updated status, just a quick note, but it let me know that she is reading my messages and thinking of me.

I continued watching similarly themed videos, and continued to draw strength from them.  I was reminded that I am not alone, though I feel like I am sometimes.  I was reminded that when I am having a hard time, He listens.  I learned that when I am low, and my rain cloud is particularly blustery, there is someone else to whom I ought to reach and help.  I learned that each day I should pause to see His hand in my life.

I see Him there, guiding me.  Sometimes the cloud stays.  But He is always there, if I will not close my eyes to His merciful hand which is outstretched still.

Day 18

Count your Many Blessings

I am having a hard time keeping up with this blog challenge.  I'm past the half-way mark, but I still see there are a lot of days left!  So, instead of feeling overwhelmed by a challenge I picked for myself, I am going to count my blessings.

I have awesome coworkers
I have an awesome boss
I have a home
My landlord and his wife are really kind people
I have a car that runs
I have a job
I have lots of warm blankets
There is food in my house
Fall is beautiful
The view on the way home from work made me smile, with the mulitude of colors that were all taken together from one angle while driving over a hill
The beautiful bright yellow tree, and the red tree, and various individual trees that stood out in the macro image
The single leaf of variegated color
The crunch of leaves underfoot
Books that I can read
Family who loves me
A comfy sweater for a cold day
Internet at home
The knowledge that I can pray as many times as I want in a day, I will not get billed for over-praying
The scriptures

There are really lots of blessings.  =)

Day 17

Morning Adventures

I woke up late.  Technically, I woke up early, about an hour before my alarm was supposed to go off.  Then about 10 minutes before my alarm was supposed to go off.  Then 40 minutes after it was supposed to go off, but didn't.  Stink.

This means that as I listen to the morning radio program, I am able to pay attention more clearly to the challenge.  They play the voice of a celebrity, and the first three callers who are already on the line get a chance at it.  If they don't get it, a second clue is played and it's a free for all.  First clue, my first guess was Lindsay Lohan.  My excuse, she sounded like she was coming off a chemical-induced euforia.  (No offense.)  After the second clue, I was sure it was Miley Cyrus.  The Mr. tells me I should call it in.  I'm thinking, whatever.  Think of the embarrassment of actually making it through!  But I dial the number anyway.  Bizarrely, I have the number memorized.

Call.  Busy signal.  Hang up.  "It's busy," I say aloud.  But I call back anyway.  Busy.  Hang up.  It only took a couple of repetitions in the process before I mastered it.  I have it down to an art.  Then the Mr. busts out his cell phone.  Now we're both calling.  We agree to call until I get to work.  It's the busy signal in stereo.  Then, shockingly, a dial tone.  It's ringing.  It's ringing!  Oh my goodness, it's ringing!!  He hands me his phone.  I am there with baited breath.  I'm nervous.  Then, "we're sorry, but all circuits are busy.  Please hand up and try again."  Are you kidding me?!?!?

In the end, we never made it.  But we did hear the answer.  We felt less sad that we weren't able to make it through.  It was Britney Spears.

It was silliness to the max, but it was fun!

Day 16

Books!

I checked out three books on Saturday.  I read Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and today.  I probably would have finished the third book yesterday, had I realized that I was further than I thought in the story.

Brave New World

I think I already blogged about this. I didn't like it. I feel somewhat sad to say it like that, because I do not think my reception of the book is based on Huxley's lack of writing talent.  Rather, I think he acquired what he sought, and the emotion was one I did not enjoy.  The ending was even less enjoyable.
Four Perfect Pebbles
This is a biography about a family during the Holocaust.   This family had it's hopes of escape repeatedly dashed.  The daughter of the family had a superstition that if she could find four identical, perfect pebbles, she would be able to save her whole family.  It is a sad book, as may be expected.  It is simple in its delivery.  The message is not oppresive.  It is one that is told in a way that says, "this is what it was, and this is who we became afterwards."

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
I believe that at some point I must have started this story and did not finish it.  I do not know why.  I am unsure of the author's intentions with the story, but I think that it is an interesting view of what we nurture in ourselves. 

Day 15

What's in your purse?

Chapstick, pendrive, wallet, keys, perfume, smaller purse with stuff like tweezers and nailclippers and deodorant and toothbrush and bandaids, other emergency essentials, two different things of lip gloss, scriptures, pen, pencil, checkbook, mp3 player in a case and with earphones, my work badge and probably a whole lot of other random things.  If the book I'm reading would fit (currently I'm reading The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), it'd be in there too.  The same with my journal, but the one I am using now will not fit in that bag.

Day 14

Someplace you would like to live or visit

I want to pick avocados on a kibbutz in Israel.  Or something to that effect.  I'd love to go there for a month and just live it up and enjoy it.  I think it would be a great language immersion experience.  I've wanted to go to Israel for a long time.  I think it'd be a way more interesting way to spend time than going to tourist sites, though those obviously are enjoyable as well.  Oh man, this is gonna stay on my list of things I'd like to do someday.  Too bad there aren't any vegetarian kibbutzim.

Day 13

What did you learn today?

I had the privilege of watching the first part of a three-segment series on the efforts to bring forth what has become the King James version of the Bible.  I found it to be not only informative, but uplifting.  Considering that I rarely truly appreciate history, I felt it was important to note that.

I am impressed that so many sacrificed so much so that I would be able to have a copy of the scriptures and be able to read and study them for myself.  So many faithful followers of Jesus Christ wrote their testimonies and experiences with the intent to share them.  I think of how many answers have come through a personal study of the scriptures, and how many moments have been improved by thoughts coming to my mind of verses that I had read.  I also thought of times when I do not give the scriptures their proper place in my life, and how in a way that is also rejecting the sacrifice of so many.  It is humbling to know that we live in a time when the scriptures are so easy to acquire, be it through hard copies, the internet, and downloadable applications for hand-held devices.  This, in comparison to a time when possessing a copy was tantamount to terrorism.  I do not have to wait until the next Sunday services to hear verses read in a language I cannot understand and of which I only obtain the comprehension that the sermon-giver wants me to obtain.  I am grateful for my own scriptures. When I have questions, I can turn to personal study and personal prayer.  My moral agency is not limited to someone else's interpretations, rather I am able to choose for myself because I can know for myself.  To these brave men, of whom I knew little but their names and that they had been monumental in the Reformation, I offer my thanks.

Fires of Faith is available online.  Watch it.  You just may feel your own faithful fire burn a little brighter thanks to the examples of these valiant men.

Fires of Faith trailer

(Sorry, because it's not in YouTube I couldn't figure out how to embed it so you can watch it here.)

Day 12

What did you do today?

I woke up super early and couldn't go back to sleep. So I went through my wardrobe and got
rid of some clothes. Later I went to the library for the first time in a long time. I was honestly disappointed (again) by the absence of so much. But I checked out three books and came home. I began and finished Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World". I didn't particularly care for it. Then World Series! Watching baseball for the first time in a while. I totally want to go see one in person. But for now I'll just go back to cheering the Cardinals from a distance. :-)  It was fun to watch them win.

Day 11

Where do you turn for peace?

If it's been a stressful day, there are things that I enjoy.  Don't be a hater.  These are true.

Sometimes, all I need is to be able to rest, and I awake refreshed and ready to take on the world. 

Other times, just some salty delightfulness and I am already in a mood that is better suited to friendly romps in non-peaceful land.

I find that it is helpful at times to place my brain in extreme think mode... about something else.  Video games provide a fairly good outlet for that.  I am called upon to think about things that don't matter at all.

Truly, I love to delve into a good book.  Some may say that this is something of an addiction.  I am capable of forgetting the rest of the world and getting entirely wrapped up in a novel.  I love having a book in my hands, the smell of the pages, the act of turning pages, the sound as the pages turn.  Oh how I love books.

Writing, now that is an amazing thing.  Watching a story unfold, and knowing that the continuance depends on YOU.  The act of moving a pen across paper.  The scent of the ink.  The mission to find the right words.  The completed work.  Heaven.

Related, but different, is writing in a journal.  I can capture the things I feel, the lessons I've learned, the miracles and challenges.  I love journals.  I love how each one is different, just like life.  It never stays the same.

Additionally, I will check emails and social media and the mailbox for communications to me.  I like to have notes from friends and family.  Truthfully, I prefer letters.  I am old school (as you may have noticed) and part of the pleasure is the tactile experience of reading.  I like to see stamps, open envelopes, have handwriting and a page to open and flip.  But I also enjoy emails and messages.

Music calms the savage beast.  I am no exception.  My talents may be limited, but I will sing.  Or play the flute.  Or jam out to my mp3 player or online radios.  This brings me less stress.

And finally, when I am truly hungering after peace, I seek inspired words.  I turn to the scriptures or to other revelations and find in them answers.  The Spirit comes and sits with me, and I am calm.  I wish that is the sort of peace I could have all the time.  It is always shocking to me to notice that although this is a guaranteed means of obtaining peace, I am often reticent to partake of it.  Well, to some degree that is true of finding peace anyway.  But I love quiet moments to myself, where the world is on pause, and the only thing I have is the tranquility that accompanies inspirational works.

Blog Challenge - Day 10

Place your mp3 player on shuffle.  Name the first 20 songs and give 3 details about each.

I think this post is something of a cheat, but I also think it kind of reveals something about people to know what they listen to.  And a little of what it means.  I'm going to tell you straight up that I will probably skip some songs, because there are some on my mp3 player that are only on there because I haven't remembered to take them off, but I never listen to them.  I figure those don't count.

Time to Pray - Sirusho, Elena & Boaz: This song is by Israeli artists, sung in Hebrew and English.  It is a pop song.  I am reminded of how much I would love to go to Israel when I hear it, or at least speak Hebrew fluently.

En Donde Estas Tu - Christian Castro: This is a romantic song.  It is on my mp3 player because I received it as a gift.  It is a song of sadness and hope.

You're the Only Place - Josh Groban: I love this song.  It brings back many memories, namely from Santiago.  One night it was part of the soundtrack to a beautiful walk in the rain.

Per Te - Josh Groban: The video to this song is sad to me.  The lyrics are remarkably beautiful, though I do not speak Italian.  It truly is random that two Groban songs would be side by side in a shuffle list.

Nights in White Satin... - Mario Frangoulis: There is a pretty musical introduction to the song.  It is soothing.  The artist is from Greece.

We Are - Deux: This is a song from a dance video game.  I always see a dude with a 'fro in my mind when I hear it, probably from the video.  This is one of the Mr.'s most fun to watch, when he goes more freestyle.

A Dios le Pido - Juanes: I tried to memorize the lyrics to this song, but I think I always had a hard time with the a couple of sections.  The song was used in a teleserie while I lived in Santiago.  It makes me wish I had dancing skills.

Battle Theme 1 - Yoko Shimomura: This is from Kingdom Hearts (Birth by Sleep)G.  The composer is FREAKING AWESOME.  I feel like I am in the middle of something monumentally important when it comes on while I drive.

See Through (I think) - Girly Berry: The song is in Thai.  It was the intro song for a radio talk show in Santiago.  I hear it, and I think of riding in a taxi to get to the subway on the way to work while sharing earphones to hear the show.

Everlasting Love - Akitaka Tohyama, ...: This is from We love Katamari.  Only the title and parts of the song are in English, the rest is in Japanese.  I hear it and I smile.

Ecuchame - Carlos Ponce: This is a song for lovers.  "I am a perfectly failed clumsy fool, to show myself so stupidly in love, but it's impossible to deceive you with that look...."  It seems like the perfect song for slow dancing.

Cu'Mme: Mario Frangoulis +: The female artist who accompanies him is only about 12 or 13, but seems quite a bit older with her voice.  She sings in Spanish; he in Greek and Spanish.  This song tells my hips that they need to move.

Anatevka - Fiddler on the Roof soundtrack: I have played this song on the flute.  I have the version from the musical pictures in my wishlist from my last post.  I enjoy the sad, lilting rhythm.

Deep Anxiety - Yoko Shimomura: You cannot stop me from peddling like a madwoman when this comes on during my workout.  It is also from Kingdom Hearts.  I seem to recall it coming from a travelling segment.

Molly Malone - Skully: I will blare this on the radio and sing along.  It is a depressing sort of rendition to what is apparently a drinking song.  I downloaded it (free, legally) as a part of background music for a St. Patrick's Day/Birthday party.

Pienso en ti - Carolina Nissen: The artist is Chilean.  She plays many instruments, as well as composes her own music.  I knew nothing of her until I left Chile.

Explosive - Bond: Three violins and a chelo.  The video to the song depicts a revolution through music in an unnamed Latin American location.  It is music that inspires movement.

Always - RyanDan: The singers are twins who harmonize well.  They are Canadians living in London.  This song is good, but I like "High" probably a little more.

Dark Comet's Reign - Luca Turilli: The artist is also part of a group.  This music, as well as the music performed by the group, are of the same genre that I am unsure of how to name.  The music is intense, but the lyrics are clean.

Runaway Train - Soul Asylum: I love this song but tend to skip it after only hearing a few bars since it is a bummer of a song.  It remember it from Junior High/High School.  I still enjoy the lyrics.

Blog Challenge - Day 9

What is on your covet list?

There are things I want.  There are likely more things that I want that are not yet on remembered list.  These objects are the ones that I recall most easily, though a less tangible item would be a trip to do something fun, like visit Chile again or go to Argentina again or tickets to the World Cup or tickets to a cool event or a fun road trip like we had in January.  But for now, the items I want:

I really like herbal tea.  This is the one I like the best.  Perhaps because it is unique.  It is possible that I want it more because I fell in love with it in New Jersey and can't find it anywhere out here.  I look at every store.  Every. Single. Store.  Nobody carries it.  Only online, at ridiculous prices.

I really want a new set of scriptures that can fit in my purse so I can tote them around wherever I want.  I want the compact set, mostly for sure.  The snap or no snap is not so sure.  I don't really care if it comes with the indexed pages or not, but I want them super bad.  Blue, if I have a choice.  With my name on the outside.  The snap question is about whether or not the scriptures would be better protected that way, or if I should just have a carry case.

I really covet, but will likely never spring for, a grain grinder that can be operated by hand (in case there is no electricity) and will let me mill beans, too.  They are super pricey, and the truth is that I do not do a lot of grinding.  But I would CERTAINLY do more if I had one of these nifty gadgets.

I want to be able to crochet.  I'm not so great at this, but I have fun inventing things.  Besides, I really want to try a project for crocheting supermarket bags into a bag with handles that is a bit longer-lasting.  I think that a set of hooks would be nice, and I really want a K hook.  Because I like the letter K.

I am missing this Pez dispenser.  It is, possibly, vital to my existence.  I have a Pez dispenser fetish anyway, but this one is missing in a set of my own creation.  Last.  One.  To.  Complete.  Set.  I must have it, you see.  I've seen that there are more than one styles for Goofy.  If I had my d'ruthers, I'd pick the blue base.  But truly, every time I see Pez, I go through them.  In fact, I spent a lot of time searching through every single one at the local dollar store.  No Goofy, though.  ;(

This is a must have.  I want the jacket for Kingdom Heart's Organization XIII, particularly for Xion, as pictured.  Last year, I could have bought one that was already made, but it was nearly $40 and I just couldn't justify it.  I went to the mall today to see if they still carried it, even though that is a bit pricey.  But they don't sell it anymore, due to some copyright infringement issue.  Now, the cheapest one is over $100 and is online.  No way, dude.  So now I want one super mucho, and I can't have it, and I'm sad.  Do you see what happens when you are responsible?

Okay, and one more.  I do not own this, and I don't know why.  I want to own it.  I love this musical.  It is my favorite.  Once again, why don't I own it?

Blog Challenge - Day 8

What is your Dora the Explorer "We Did It" moment?

Alright, so I don't actually know the lyrics to the song.  But I know that at the end of the episode, after having to go through several challenges, when Dora accomplishes her task she does a victory song and dance.  And frankly, I'm all about victory dances.

Nearly three-and-a-half years ago we (yes, the collective we, the Mr. and the Mrs.) received a gift from a mission friend.  It was a book.  This is almost always a guaranteed success as far as gifts are concerned with me.  Unbeknownst to the gift-giver, the author is related to me, albeit distantly.  So, because the gift was a) a gift to us as a couple b) from a cherished friend c) a book d) written by a relative and e) written about the Church, I felt like I must read it.  As they say in Spanish, Si-o-si.  (Yes or yes, there is no other option.)

The unfortunate truth is that the book was a history book.  Soooo hard for me.  But I was determined to read it just the same.

I finally finished it last night!

Yeah, okay, I am capable of doing the math, too.  It took me a really long time.  I have some excuses, like the fact that the book and I were in separate countries for a year.  And I've been busy.  And in the meantime I read another book of a similar topic by the same author (some of which was repeated in this text.)  And it is, by the way, super long.  And it's history.

I made this one of my Sabbath activities, though I neither read every Sunday nor exclusively on Sundays.  And I learned a great deal.  Some of it was so deep and meaningful, some of it not so poignant, and some of it left me with questions.  But it was a wonderful gift and I have gratitude for having had the opportunity to learn and grow. 

Last night, when I finally closed the cover and had no need for a bookmark, I was elated.  I announced my accomplishment in glee.  I nearly demanded a high five.  And it may be possible that I would have sung, "We did it, yeah, lo hicimos!"

Blog Challenge - Day 7

What characteristic of video games would you like your life to have?


At the risk of having two blog posts side-by-side that speak of videogaming and therefore make me look like an addict, I am going to answer this question anyway.

I have no desire for one-upping abilities, since I figure one life is good enough for me.  Kind of like that scripture that says "sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."  But.
Have you ever had in your life one of those moments where you just think, "doh!  Can we get a second take on that?"  You know you botched it, and you want a redo.  I have had PLENTY of those moments.  So, if my life were equipped with any of the attributes of a video game, it would be this.  The ability to hit the reset button without saving. 
 
Is that cheating?  Yes.  Do I care?  No. 
 
Here is the idea.  If I could just hit the reset button when I mess up, then I could have a do-over and would be able to run through a scenario without botching it.  Theortetically.  If I mess up again, I could just keep hitting the reset button until I get it right.  And it isn't that I wouldn't be learning my lesson, because of course I would.  I'd have all those attempts to get it right.  Except that other people wouldn't remember that I messed it up in the first place.  I wouldn't use it for things like tests and competitions, since that WOULD be cheating and unethical.  But I think of the times that I've really hurt somebody's feelings, and to repair that so they aren't hurt AND learning my lesson at the same time.  Who can't see the value in that?

Blog Challenge - Day 6

If you called into Kidd Kraddick's radio segment, "Does that make me crazy?" what would be your crazy attribute?

If I play a video game for a while, and then go to read a book, my vision bounces around on the page like I'm still trying to master the video game.  Does that make me crazy?

I am sure I have other crazy attributes, but that was the first one that came to mind.  And unlike yesterday's blog, I am fine with answering this question with one single option rather than multiple responses.

Blog Challenge - Day 5

Questions to which you do not have an answer

Why is the sky blue?

Okay, I know this is something about water reflecting into the atmosphere, and the earth is a huge percentage of water, but I am still from the desert and part of me wonders why the sky is blue where there is no water.  One of you intelligent people who get it, don't try to explain.  I will nod and agree, and then I will still think, "but why is it blue over the Sahara or the Atacama?"

Do you talk at home/think/dream in English or Spanish?

Yes, yes I do.  That isn't the answer, and yet, it's the answer.  I answered "I don't know" once, and the other person followed up with, "oh, so the thoughts were just transmitted from one brain to the other without the need for verbal communication?"  Well, of course not, silly.  All I know in retrospect is that I understood it.  Does it MATTER which of the two languages was used?  So here is what I understand.  With English speakers, typically English comes first.  With Spanish speakers, that language usually comes first.  But not always.  In bilingual settings, I use whichever.  There is no rule like, "if I am happy it's Spanish and if I'm sad it's English."  No, really, it just is whatever that moment brings.  I pray in both, and have caught myself changing languages mid-sentence.  Perhaps it is laziness on my part, and I could improve on remaining in one language all the way through a single thought process.  Kind of like how I need to stop using "usted" and "tu" and "vos" all in one sentence when at home.  I just use the path of least resistence.  It's similar to asking "do you use the word 'small' or 'little'?" or any other singular option out of a list of synonyms.  Don't you use the one that best expresses what you mean to say in the moment?

What is your favorite _fill_in_the_blank_?

I have no idea.  Less so if I must pick only one.  It is just asking too much of me.  I go into Taco Bell and know that there are only about three items on the entire menu that I am able to eat because I am a vegetarian.  It still takes me longer than anyone else to figure out what I want to eat.  So it is with favorites.  What if I change my mind later?  Then I'll already have said one thing, and will contradict myself!  Or what if my "favorite" band releases a lousy song, and you hear it, and you think, "oh my goodness, how could she like this terrible song?"  I can give an opinion on nearly any topic, but that doesn't mean I am capable of CHOOSING something.  Nearly equally mortal enemy to my psyche is having to pick where to eat or what to do, particularly in open-ended questions.  Give me a few choices you already like, and I will select from one of those and we will both be happy.

Blog Challenge - Day 4

To How Many of the 50 States Have you Been?

This is a fairly unabashed idea rip off, really.  Except that I didn't technically steal the idea.  I was trying to figure out what I should use for my blog topic, and for inspiration visited other blogs.  One of my cousins had a blog today about the states in which she and her husband would like to live, and not to live.  They color coded their own maps (they colored five in the NO color and five in the YES color, then compared notes).  I don't think that I would be very successful at this kind of project.  I don't have many states in which I would not like to live (Minnesota is one of them, no offense to my mission companion from there). Nor do I really have any "I must live here" states.

At work we have a map of the United States.  It's huge.  It takes up an entire small wall.  When I pass it, I contemplate standing and counting how many states of the United States of America I have actually seen.  But for whatever reason, like the fact that I ought to be working, I don't generally proceed with this thought.  Today, however, I thought it would be interesting to indicate the states in which I have lived, the states in which I have spent a fair amount of time, and states which I only know as one who is passing through and not staying.

Yellow indicates the states in which I have lived, which include New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, New Jersey and Missouri.  Blue indicates states in which I have spent at least more than a couple of quick visits, namely California, Nevada, Kansas, Arkansas, and New York.  Red diagonal lines mark the states that I have been to or through, but without any significant time, showing Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Oklahoma and Texas.

I've also been in the state of Florida, but I didn't figure that counted since I never left the airport.  Maybe there should have been a color just for that. 

All of them together (not counting Florida) makes 17 of the 50 states.  It's interesting to see the map colored in that way.  It makes me think that there are places I would like to see.  I am sad that having lived in New Jersey for two years, there are so many places near there that I never had the opportunity to visit.  I would like to truly do something in Florida.  I would love to go to Oregon and Washington State.  Though it is not a state, I want to visit the nation's capital someday.  I think it would be a neat experience to visit the Southern States.  I have been to all the states of the great Southwest.  I have no compelling motivations to see either Alaska or Hawaii.  I removed Puerto Rico from this map because it is not a State.  Although, while in Argentina as a missionary, with limited access to the news, a landlady did inform my two companions and I (all three from the United States), that Puerto Rico had become a state.  We celebrated the 51st state that evening, and debated how to add an additional star to the flag, and then were disabused of our false belief the next day.

Beyond which states I have and have not seen, what is certainly true is that I love this country, appreciate its diversity, and hope she long stands honorable and true.

Blog Challenge - Day 3

DIY Project You Would Like to Do

I know that this kind of post typically requires a picture. It serves to explain what 1000 words cannot. There are at least two reasons why words will have to be sufficient. I searched and searched for a picture and could not find one of this specific idea. Also, I am typing a rough draft from my cell phone which means I can't post pictures anyway.

While I was in Argentina I saw many variations on the same idea. People would make covers for their scriptures and hymnals using cardboard and tape and pictures. The book would then slide into the
case, binding side out. This protects the pages from being bent or torn or stained.

I want to do this! I carry scriptures in my purse and I'd like to protect them. They are already well used and not so gently loved. I want to preserve them. I also think it'd be nice to have a tangible reminder of something that I learned from people I love, in a pleasant place I love.

Blog Challenge - Day 2

Use a random photo generator search, choose a picture, and write something related to that photograph

Photo thanks to Murray Newell via a photo gallery.  http://www.pbase.com/image/134217113

Two trees, long time friends, overlook the lake from their peninsula.  Like twin souls they have stood, inseparable and stalwart.  It seemed like such an unlikely pair.  The one was bereft of leaves, old and wizened in appearance.  Its slender branches bear the weight of many passing seasons.  The other, full of live and leaves and promises of a peaceful shady place to rest on hot summer days.  Both reach heavenward. 

Their friendship is the sort that allows them to remain in silence for hours or days, with no word exchanged between them.  They contemplate the azure sky so beautifully reflected in the placid lake and the juxtaposed image of bounty and barrenness.  The one offers revived energy and hope in the future to come, the other shares strength and wisdom from years now gone.  When one is weak, the other strengthens her.  They laugh at the clouds and revel in the carresses of the breeze and the kisses of the rain.

When one looks at these two trees, they cannot help to hear the message they are silently sharing.  Have strength, as we two, in whatever conditions you may find yourself.  Find a friend to share the load and the road.  And never forget to look and stretch towards heaven.

Blog Challenge - Day 1

Something you love to hate

There is a song I hate.  I change radio stations every time it plays.  Even if that means sitting on a station with commercials.  And I hate commercials.  But no matter what, it comes on the radio and bam!  I change it.  Every. Single. Time.

You are asking yourself right now, so what song is it?  Do you really think I'm going to put that song on here, to haunt me?  (Okay, it actually did occur to me, too. But then I realized that I hate it so much that I have no idea who sings it or the song title.)

As it turns out, having this habit of not listening to the song and changing stations at all costs is somewhat noticeable if there is anyone else with me.  I almost always hear it in the car, on the way to being dropped off at work.  This means that my carpool buddy is now quite clear on my deep loathing of the song.  Knowledge is power.

The lyrics, whatever they may be, may or may not use offensive vocabulary or address offensive topics  Honestly, the song is very very fast rap, which is kind of amusing in and of itself and might otherwise be a song I would endure.  BUT.  There is an undeniably obnoxious noise as part of the song which, in my estimation, entirely dessimates whatever redeeming qualities the song may otherwise possess.  (Nobody else feels similarly, apparently.)

So this is how it goes.  The song comes on.  I cringe.  In the nanosecond that it takes for my hand to reach the button on the car stereo, my eye is twitching and it is quite feasible that I will suffer a brain aneurysm.  This is even more the case if we are on a different station, and change over to one playing this song in the middle and Obnoxious Sound is being played.  Psychologists are now studying this effect.  You may have seen it in cartoons.  Kind of like on American Tails: Fievel Goes West, when the cat is trying to learn how to give the lazy eye and in reality has his face totally tweak out.  Like that.

(For those of you who are either of the wrong generation to know of what I am speaking, or those of you who do not have any recollection of this classic moment of animated awesomeness:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqPykv2vajQ&noredirect=1 )

At this point, it is a matter of who has the faster reaction.  There is now a challenge in place.  We try changing the station vs. keeping it.  Turning the radio off entirely or keeping it on.  Adjusting the volume (all the way down vs. all the way up).  Obviously, I am choosing the option that separates me from having a allergic reaction, Tiger style.  In the driver's seat you will find my nemesis, who is seeing how much of the song he can make me endure.  It is a friendly little game.  I've only dislocated three of his fingers. ;)

Then one day I get a call while at work. "Hey, check this out!" And what could it be? The phone placed next to the car speakers, max volume... the evil song.  I bust out laughing.  Loudly.  I hate that song!  At this point it is hard to tell if the laughter is a sign of anaphylactic shock, or possible (dare I say it?) enjoyment.  I prefer to say the former, though, honestly, it has provided some cheerful laughter.  Okay, lots of laughter.  Which, in it's own bizarre way, sort of makes the song more endearing.

But lest we get the wrong idea here, I still hate that song.

Taking the Challenge

I love writing.  It is my passion.  It brings me joy.  And I rarely do it.  That, well, it's just bizarre.  I can never quite figure that out about myself.  I think I wait until I am in the "proper mood." 

I have friends who ask, "when are you going to blog next?" Um... about that...  And I keep thinking, but I don't have anything to say, really, that we could consider blog-worthy.  Yet, I have a cousin who is taking a 30 day blogging challenge, and I thought, hey, that's a good idea!!  But anyone who knows me knows that I have committment issues.  I don't want to decide today what I'll write about in 30 days.  So I compiled a list, only a few of which are my own ideas.  I figure I'll pick one I'm in the mood to address.  It's a long list, but for those of you who don't want to have to google for over a half hour, here are enough choices for over a year.  I'm grouping them in sets of ten.  There may be some semi-duplicates, though I did try my best to eradicate those.  If you are looking for a motivation to blog, to write in your journal (as I do esteem some to be far more personal-journal-material than blogosphere-material), maybe these will give you a jumping off point?  Yes?

If you have some ideas that you would like to see me address, or topics that you have enjoyed for yourself, or random ideas, by all means share away.  I don't promise that they will make it into my 30 day challenge, but they may come up sometime when you least expect it.

Five ways to win your heart

Something about which you feel strongly
Bullet your whole day
Things you want to say to an ex
Your views on mainstream music
Five pet peeves
What you ate today
How important you think education is
Your family
Five guys whom you find attractive

Your opinion about your body and how comfortable you are with it
What you wore today
Write a letter to someone you miss.
Something about which you think "what if?"
Something about which you are proud
A problem you have had
Five items you lust after
Your fears
How you hope your future will be like
Your academics

Five words/phrases that make you laugh
Something that currently worries you
Things you like and dislike about yourself
A quote you try to live by
Somewhere you'd like to live or visit
Five weird things you like/things nobody would suspect
One thing about which you are excited
A recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself
The meaning behind your Blogger name
A picture of you and your friends

A habit that you wish you didn't have, or something that you are looking forward to.
A picture of somewhere you’ve been to
Favorite super hero and why
A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you
Short term goals for this month and why
Songs you listen to when you are Happy, Sad, Bored, Hyped, Mad
A person you would love to meet.
Your Blog Story.
A letter to someone who has hurt you recently
A letter to someone you have hurt recently

A picture of you and your family
Put your mp3 player on shuffle: First 10 songs that play
Another picture of yourself (baby pic!)
Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
Plans/dreams/goals you have
Nicknames you have; why do you have them
What does your future hold/where would you like to be?
A picture of something that makes you happy
What makes you different from everyone else
Something you crave for a lot

A letter to your parents
What I would find in your bag
What you think about your friends
Why are you doing this 30 day challenge
A picture of you last year and now, how have you changed since then?
In this past month, what have you learned
Who are you?
Something you're looking forward to this year.
Something you regret not having done last year.
Something with which you struggle.

Something that is part of your routine that you enjoy.
Something in life that gives you balance.
Something that excites you and fills you with joy.
Something at which you've been a champion or the best.
Something about which people seem to compliment you.
Something you hope to change about yourself and why.
Discuss some of the things on your bucket list.
Someone who has made your life worth living.
A band/musical artist whose music impacted your life.
A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.

Someone with whom you shared a friendship/relationship that simply drifted out of your life.
Someone you met randomly that's made an impact on your life.
Something that shook your belief system to its core (a big disappointment in your life).
Discuss your favorite movie and why it's so special to you.
Write about your best friend (not significant other) and what makes them special.
Describe a dark/turbulent moment in your life.
Describe a truly spiritual moment in your life.
Discuss a spontaneous moment in your life that that turned out to be fantastic.
Discuss something you planned that ended up not being what you expected.
How do you handle/deal with both success and failure?

What is your vocation (why are you here on earth)?
What is your biggest dream in life (what one great thing do you want to accomplish)?
What WAS your biggest dream in life (you wanted to do as a kid but no longer can)?
Someone in your family that means so much to you.
Write a letter to yourself.
Your favourite pair of shoes.
A photograph of your mobile phone.
A photograph of yourself two years ago.
A day in the life, photographs taken throughout your day.
A photograph of a hairstyle you’d like to have.

A photo of yourself, not taken by you.
A photo of someone you fancy at the moment.
The contents of your fridge, MTV Cribs style.
Your dream wedding.
A photo of the item you last purchased.
Your favourite movie.
What you want more than anything right now.
Your current wishlist..
Something you regret.
The most beautiful picture of your best friend.

A TV show you’re currently addicted to.
A photo of your house/apartment.
A photo of your handwriting.
A band/artist not many people know of, but you think should.
A photograph of the part of you that you dislike the most.
A photograph of the part of you that you like the most
The next plan you have coming up that you’re really excited for.
A song to match your mood.
A photograph of the town you live in.
A celebrity you don’t like, and why.

A photo of your favourite item of clothing.
A cartoon character that you’d love to meet in real life.
The place you want to live.
A photograph of yourself taken today + three good things that have happened in the past 30 days
Write an article worthy of eHow
If you called in Kidd Kraddick to play "Does that make me crazy?" what would be your crazy atribute?
Something you love to hate
Something about which you don't really feel that strongly, but you pretend like you do and why
Comfort clothes
Who do you stalk on social media/blogs?

A project you are working on
Rewrite children story
A recent inspring discourse/sermon
A scripture that stood out to you
Memories of a holiday as a child
What characteristic of video games would you like your life to have?
A super power you would like to have
Something that you thought you'd never do/have that is now irreplaceable
A current project
Things you are good at

I am looking forward to …
Week/Weekend Goals
Least favorite words
Favorite websites and blogs
Date night ideas
Weekly rituals
My 3 Wishes
DIYs I want to try
Things I love about _______
On my shopping list

Places to see in your town
Words that are hard to spell
Favorite Childhood Memory
Recipes I want to try
Celebrity crushes
Things to do Winter
Today I saw...
Guilty pleasures
I make lists for...
Things I’d rather be doing right now

Books I’d like to read this year
Vacations to take
Favorite foods
Today’s to-do list
Your favorite movie
Your favorite television program
Your favorite quote
Whatever tickles your fancy
A photo that makes you happy
A photo that makes you angry/sad

A photo you took
A photo of you taken over ten years ago
A photo of you taken recently
A non-fictional book
A fanfic
A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Write about any particular habits/mannerisms that you have.
Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Your Spouse

A song to match your mood
Favorite movies
Favorite tv shows
Something you’re afraid of
Something you don’t leave the house without
Dream house
Something you’re looking forward to
Favorite Place to Eat
Favorite Picture of yourself of all time and Why?
Something you’ve learned

Your Wedding
Something that stresses you out
If you have tattoos, show them. If not, talk about the tattoos you want or why you don’t think they are right for you
Your favorite song
Your favorite quote
Say something to your 15 year old self
A hobby of yours
A recipe
A website
A YouTube video

Your day, in great detail
Your week, in great detail
This month, in great detail
This year, in great detail
Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Something you ate today
An animal you’d love to keep as a pet
The item you last purchased
Something you would like to do but are afraid to do it!
The last thing that made you cry

Talk about the last “random act of kindness” you encountered
Something you crave a lot
A photo of something that means a lot to you.
How have you changed since last year
Something you could never get tired of doing
Talk about a regret you have
Explain how you got one of your scars
How do you think others view you
A poem you wrote
Tell us about your best friend

A talent of yours.
Your deepest fear
5 good things that happened since you started the challenge
How many languages can you speak?
Top 5 favorite Board Games
Do you believe in soul mates?
What is the best piece of advice you've received?
Were you ever a boy/girl scout?
Summer or Winter?
Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of a bees?

What would you do if you only had 24 hours left to live?
What is the first thing you notice about people?
Top 5 favorite bloggers you like to read
What is your favorite food?
Top 5 favorite Sports players (male or female)
What was the last movie you've seen?
What was your most recent trip of more than 50 miles?
What is your favorite pizza topping?
What is the worst thing that happened to you during the past week?
What's your favorite Broadway musical?

Write about your last birthday and how you plan to spend your upcoming birthday.
Who's your favorite Care Bear?
What do your parents do for a living?
Computer or television?
If you could go to Disney World with any celebrity alive today, who would it be?
Post one confession/secret
Mountain hideaway or beach house?
What is on your mouse pad?
Hugs or Kisses?
What was a changing moment in your life?

Has a painful experience ever had a positive impact in your life?
What are three of your biggest passions?
What is your dream career?
What in life is most beautiful to you?
Describe a specific moment where God obviously was working in your life.
What is your place of refuge?
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? What about now?
What song has moved you recently?
Who is your "best self"?
What is your favorite age?

If you knew you would die in two weeks, would you change anything about your life now?
Why do you keep a blog? What is your favorite part of keeping a blog? Least favorite?
When do you feel most alive?
Have you ever regretted something you DIDN'T do?
How do you spend time alone?
What kind of impact do you want to make on the world?
If you had a friend who talked to you like you talk to yourself, how long would you allow that person to be your friend?
What is your favorite Bible verse and why?
Are you an optimist, a realist, or a pessimist? Which would you rather be?
What do you miss most about your childhood?

How are you inspired?
What is a quality about yourself that you like? That you're striving to change?
Who is someone who changed your life for the better?
How is God working in your life right now?
If you could write a letter to your thirteen-year-old self, what would you say?
What do you like best about each member of your family?
If you could do one thing to make the world a better place, what would you do?
At this time in your life, do you think you're fulfilling God's plans for you?
Share your testimony.
Something you hate about yourself.

Something you love about yourself.
Something you have to forgive yourself for.
Something you have to forgive someone for.
Something you hope you never have to do.
Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like trash.
Someone you didn't want to let go, but just drifted.
Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn't know.
Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Something you never get compliments on.

A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough days. (write a letter.)
A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Something or someone you couldn't live without, because you've tried living without it.
Someone or something you definitely could live without.
A book you've read that changed your views on something.
Your views on same-sex marriage.
What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Your views on drugs and alcohol.
(scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
The reason you believe you're still alive today.
Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
What's the best thing going for you right now?
What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Top 5 Websites you like to visit
Top 5 Desserts
Top 5 TV shows
Top 5 Fast Food outlets
Top 5 Things you’re looking forward to in April
Top 5 Clothing stores
Top 5 Female bloggers you like to read
Top 5 Home improvement projects you’d like to complete
Top 5 Countries You’d Like To Visit
Top 5 Female names that you like
Top 5 Actresses
Top 5 Gigs/Concerts You’ve seen or would like to see.
Top 5 Albums
Top 5 Video Games
Top 5 Animated Films
Top 5 Actors

Top 5 Cities (either visited or would like to visit)
Top 5 Favorite memories from high school.
Top 5 Meals/Recipes
Top 5 Male Bloggers you like to read.
Top 5 Gadgets you own.
Top 5 Chocolate/Sweets
Top 5 Drinks
Top 5 Celebrities (Web, TV, Film, Music, Other?)
Write about the best friends you’ve had over the years.
Look up your horoscope for today and tell us how accurate you think it is.
Write about a period of time in your life where things seemed to be constantly going good.
Write about a period of time in your life where things were not so good.
How do you feel today?
What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to you?
What’s the meanest thing anyone has ever said to you?
A TV show, book, song and artist you’re currently addicted to.
Upload a picture of your room and talk about your room.
How has your life changed over the past year?
What made you smile the most today?
Describe what you spend most of your time on.

Write about something you once loved, but now despise.
Where do you think you’ll be in 5 years?