I am one of those people who just love to learn. I strive to learn something new every day. The thing I learned most recently is that there are giant arrows on the ground all over the United States that used to be for directing air traffic (it's kind of cool actually, look it up!).
Therefore, I can honestly tell you that I think education is very important so long as the point of that education is to learn, teach and be taught. I have the greatest respect for teachers who don't treat their students like their just a check mark, but rather as a person who has so much to learn. The teachers who actually teach are the best!
Ever since I was a little girl (and got past the nerves of the first day of kindergarten...we've all been there, right?), I have loved to go to school. I love enhancing my knowledge and often have animated discussions with my husband after every college class I attend about what information I gathered in that time (and he even pretends to be interested, what a great husband :P).
I don't really know what else to say without being redundant so I will end with this final thought. Without education of some kind (I don't care if you're homeschooled, public schooled, private schooled, or self-taught), we do not learn as much...Without learning and acquiring knowledge, we could be in danger of ignorance and ignorance breeds all sorts of awful things...so seek to learn every day and keep being awesome, followers!
Completely random side note: Next week, I plan on starting my new blog, "Concert Diaries of a Girl Found in Music." Let me know if you'd like to know about updates for it!
Monday, September 28, 2015
Sunday, September 20, 2015
What I Ate Today (Both Literally and Figuratively)
Today, as it is only 10:05AM as I write this, I have eaten two small and very healthy, apple pie-flavored muffins. They were homemade by yours truly with ingredients like oat flour, Greek yogurt and you guessed it, apples. However, I tell My Fitness Pal every day what I have to eat and it usually yells at me to eat more protein or something to that effect.
Therefore, today I want to write about how I figuratively ate crow. The expression apparently originated in 1812 when an American soldier shot a crow out of the sky. A British soldier caught him, and despite complimenting him on his skill as a marksman, punished the American for killing the creature by making him eat the crow. It was apparently quite unpalatable (Atlanta Constitution article, 1888). Nowadays, the idiom of eating crow means to admit when you were wrong...and I have some things to admit to.
I started off my evening in Salt Lake City with two very good friends and my sister-in-law at a Tyler Ward concert (seriously, check him out on YouTube...he's fantastic). I expected an evening of light and easy fun. I joked about how cute the singer was. The whole time I ignored a situation with a friend that was just easier not to talk about or deal with.
Well, this amazing thing happened where Tyler's power supplies wouldn't work. It totally threw off his whole set but instead of postponing or cancelling the show, he rolled with the punches and decided to play acoustically. As a lot of Tyler's set depended on the power, he had some time to play around with. Somehow, he decided to bare his soul to us...and I am so glad he did. He talked about some regrets he had, some battles he had fought, and the power of God to help us get through such situations. He invited the crowd to reflect on themselves and their lives, and to determine if there was anything we needed to let go of. If we did, he asked that we get a pen and paper, that we write down that/those thing/s, and that we put it in a box just outside the venue. He promised he would burn them at his next show as a symbol of our letting those things go. Always game for such challenges, I pulled out a pad of Mickey Mouse stationery and my friend pulled out a pen. I first passed the supplies to my dear sister-in-law so that I could think for a minute. Then, I knew...I knew what I needed to let go of: hate, insecurities, and grudges. I filled out the paper and then decided to share with the crowd (side note: it was a really cool experience to pass out a pad with almost 100 pieces of paper and see the remaining 3 pages on a table at the end of the night).
As I held that paper in my hand and listened to Tyler and the crowd sing, I anxiously waited to drop it in the box at the end of the night. That's when I realized how much I had weighing on me. The way I saw it, I had three major problems outside of the normal stresses of life (e.g. school, work, household/church/social responsibilities).
1. I had made my sweet and wonderful husband feel insecure by talking about Tyler Ward.
2. I was holding on to a lot of grudges, and not taking accountability to make things better.
3. I was shutting out a friend because he had made me feel betrayed, insecure, and vulnerable.
So, let's address things one at a time as too much crow at once could kill a girl. First, my awesome and amazing husband... I have this problem and I honestly think a lot of women do where when we see a very handsome man, we comment on it...no matter who's around. Irresponsibly, I had made my husband feel jealous of this person I was going to see perform. Fangirls (and fanboys, sometimes) say a lot of things about the unattainable celebrity and everything they love about them...when the truth is, we don't know that person at all. I will tell you that Tyler Ward was not the cookie cutter musician type I had him pegged for. He has admirable story and an inspiring testimony of the Lord. He is far more than some flippy hair and the ability to play the guitar. For him and the world to know, I love my husband more than words can describe. Every love song I have ever heard somehow reminds me of him...and the best ones could have been written about us. I was wrong to discuss another man, even a somewhat celebrity, in a way that made my husband feel insecure...because the truth is, at the end of the night, the only person's cuteness that I care about is my husband's. He is the only man that I want forever. He is the only man that I want period, in all honesty. So girls, please don't make the mistake I did...make sure your husbands/boyfriends know they always come first, when it comes to your heart or anything else for that matter.
Okay, one helping of crow down and two more to go. So let's talk about my second of all... It's no secret that I've faced a lot of disappointment and regret in my life. Who hasn't? However, I made the mistake of even temporarily letting those things and those events define me. You know what else I've had a lot of in my life? Happiness. Love. Acceptance. Forgiveness. It's time to focus on the brighter things....because I'd rather be able to blame my behavior on my optimistic heart than my pessimistic brain. I mean, just think about how different the outcome would be. We all live with insecurities. They will sometimes rear their ugly heads...but I won't let that define me anymore. I am not my insecurities. I am the strength that I gained from overcoming them...and so are you.
This last serving of crow seems to be the most raw. I had a friend, who shall remain nameless, that had what essentially amounted to a hate file about me. When I saw it on his computer and read it, it broke my heart. I could feel the metaphorical knife slipping in to my back. Then, to make matters worse, he lied to me about it in that really obvious way that you know there's no way what that person is saying could be true. Then, to top it all off, he attempted to place the blame on my husband. While none of that was okay, and it really wasn't, neither was my reaction. As quickly as you can meet someone, I cut him out of my life without even allowing him to explain himself. It was a deleted Facebook friendship, an order to not speak to me or my husband, and hours of venting later that I recognized what I was feeling...it was the bubbles of the poison that is hate beginning to intoxicate me. Rather than recognize my wrongdoing, I decided to shut down instead. It's far easier to be a shoulder for your best friend and husband to cry on if you don't allow yourself to feel anything (yes, it is possible...easy even...it's turning everything back on that is the most painful and the most difficult). It's far easier to go to class and to work if you pretend it doesn't bother you that you were feeling like your spleen just got ripped out. Then, my husband texted me a message: Proverbs 17:17. It says, in a more updated form of speaking: "A friend is loving at all times, and becomes a brother in times of trouble." While my friend should have addressed his concerns out of love instead of hiding them for whatever reason....while he shouldn't have lied....while he should have taken accountability instead of playing the blame game....I ran. In times of trouble, when I was meant to become his sister, I ran because I was hurt. I was scared. I was more protective over my other friend/his wife, and my husband. I left him alone, and without love. This...this act of returned betrayal...coming from me, the girl who spouts off random quotes all the time like "Friends are the family you get to choose." I made it my motto and I abandoned myself to hide.
Today, I let that go. When Tyler burns that slip of paper I dropped into a box, it will really only be a symbol for what I have already let go. I ate my crow...I admitted my wrong. Now, I focus on a brighter tomorrow and making things better. I decide what defines me, and I choose words like love and family, not insecurity and betrayal.
Therefore, today I want to write about how I figuratively ate crow. The expression apparently originated in 1812 when an American soldier shot a crow out of the sky. A British soldier caught him, and despite complimenting him on his skill as a marksman, punished the American for killing the creature by making him eat the crow. It was apparently quite unpalatable (Atlanta Constitution article, 1888). Nowadays, the idiom of eating crow means to admit when you were wrong...and I have some things to admit to.
I started off my evening in Salt Lake City with two very good friends and my sister-in-law at a Tyler Ward concert (seriously, check him out on YouTube...he's fantastic). I expected an evening of light and easy fun. I joked about how cute the singer was. The whole time I ignored a situation with a friend that was just easier not to talk about or deal with.
Well, this amazing thing happened where Tyler's power supplies wouldn't work. It totally threw off his whole set but instead of postponing or cancelling the show, he rolled with the punches and decided to play acoustically. As a lot of Tyler's set depended on the power, he had some time to play around with. Somehow, he decided to bare his soul to us...and I am so glad he did. He talked about some regrets he had, some battles he had fought, and the power of God to help us get through such situations. He invited the crowd to reflect on themselves and their lives, and to determine if there was anything we needed to let go of. If we did, he asked that we get a pen and paper, that we write down that/those thing/s, and that we put it in a box just outside the venue. He promised he would burn them at his next show as a symbol of our letting those things go. Always game for such challenges, I pulled out a pad of Mickey Mouse stationery and my friend pulled out a pen. I first passed the supplies to my dear sister-in-law so that I could think for a minute. Then, I knew...I knew what I needed to let go of: hate, insecurities, and grudges. I filled out the paper and then decided to share with the crowd (side note: it was a really cool experience to pass out a pad with almost 100 pieces of paper and see the remaining 3 pages on a table at the end of the night).
As I held that paper in my hand and listened to Tyler and the crowd sing, I anxiously waited to drop it in the box at the end of the night. That's when I realized how much I had weighing on me. The way I saw it, I had three major problems outside of the normal stresses of life (e.g. school, work, household/church/social responsibilities).
1. I had made my sweet and wonderful husband feel insecure by talking about Tyler Ward.
2. I was holding on to a lot of grudges, and not taking accountability to make things better.
3. I was shutting out a friend because he had made me feel betrayed, insecure, and vulnerable.
So, let's address things one at a time as too much crow at once could kill a girl. First, my awesome and amazing husband... I have this problem and I honestly think a lot of women do where when we see a very handsome man, we comment on it...no matter who's around. Irresponsibly, I had made my husband feel jealous of this person I was going to see perform. Fangirls (and fanboys, sometimes) say a lot of things about the unattainable celebrity and everything they love about them...when the truth is, we don't know that person at all. I will tell you that Tyler Ward was not the cookie cutter musician type I had him pegged for. He has admirable story and an inspiring testimony of the Lord. He is far more than some flippy hair and the ability to play the guitar. For him and the world to know, I love my husband more than words can describe. Every love song I have ever heard somehow reminds me of him...and the best ones could have been written about us. I was wrong to discuss another man, even a somewhat celebrity, in a way that made my husband feel insecure...because the truth is, at the end of the night, the only person's cuteness that I care about is my husband's. He is the only man that I want forever. He is the only man that I want period, in all honesty. So girls, please don't make the mistake I did...make sure your husbands/boyfriends know they always come first, when it comes to your heart or anything else for that matter.
Okay, one helping of crow down and two more to go. So let's talk about my second of all... It's no secret that I've faced a lot of disappointment and regret in my life. Who hasn't? However, I made the mistake of even temporarily letting those things and those events define me. You know what else I've had a lot of in my life? Happiness. Love. Acceptance. Forgiveness. It's time to focus on the brighter things....because I'd rather be able to blame my behavior on my optimistic heart than my pessimistic brain. I mean, just think about how different the outcome would be. We all live with insecurities. They will sometimes rear their ugly heads...but I won't let that define me anymore. I am not my insecurities. I am the strength that I gained from overcoming them...and so are you.
This last serving of crow seems to be the most raw. I had a friend, who shall remain nameless, that had what essentially amounted to a hate file about me. When I saw it on his computer and read it, it broke my heart. I could feel the metaphorical knife slipping in to my back. Then, to make matters worse, he lied to me about it in that really obvious way that you know there's no way what that person is saying could be true. Then, to top it all off, he attempted to place the blame on my husband. While none of that was okay, and it really wasn't, neither was my reaction. As quickly as you can meet someone, I cut him out of my life without even allowing him to explain himself. It was a deleted Facebook friendship, an order to not speak to me or my husband, and hours of venting later that I recognized what I was feeling...it was the bubbles of the poison that is hate beginning to intoxicate me. Rather than recognize my wrongdoing, I decided to shut down instead. It's far easier to be a shoulder for your best friend and husband to cry on if you don't allow yourself to feel anything (yes, it is possible...easy even...it's turning everything back on that is the most painful and the most difficult). It's far easier to go to class and to work if you pretend it doesn't bother you that you were feeling like your spleen just got ripped out. Then, my husband texted me a message: Proverbs 17:17. It says, in a more updated form of speaking: "A friend is loving at all times, and becomes a brother in times of trouble." While my friend should have addressed his concerns out of love instead of hiding them for whatever reason....while he shouldn't have lied....while he should have taken accountability instead of playing the blame game....I ran. In times of trouble, when I was meant to become his sister, I ran because I was hurt. I was scared. I was more protective over my other friend/his wife, and my husband. I left him alone, and without love. This...this act of returned betrayal...coming from me, the girl who spouts off random quotes all the time like "Friends are the family you get to choose." I made it my motto and I abandoned myself to hide.
Today, I let that go. When Tyler burns that slip of paper I dropped into a box, it will really only be a symbol for what I have already let go. I ate my crow...I admitted my wrong. Now, I focus on a brighter tomorrow and making things better. I decide what defines me, and I choose words like love and family, not insecurity and betrayal.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Five Pet Peeves
Boy, it sure has been a long time since I got on here to write. For those interested, I had a lovely 7 week break with my mother, stepfather and siblings in PA. Now, it's back with nose to the grindstone for fall semester...starting tomorrow. However, I have decided that I will commit to a blog every Sunday. For now, I will still be sticking with challenges, which brings us to....pet peeves, ta da!
Pet peeves are an interesting concept. An old acquaintance of mine pointed out the other day that pet peeves are literally being described as our cherished annoyances. As I do not cherish the idea of being annoyed, I will be listing these pet peeves of mine in order from least annoyance to most annoyance and not least cherished to most cherished.
5. Being a walking, talking mess.
Okay, so this is the lesser of my pet peeves but it is still in the top 5 because...well, let's just say that my friends have diagnosed me (jokingly) as having OCD...including a friend who probably really does have OCD. I can't stand messes. I can't stand disorder. I am the organizing queen, and if somehow I have let my apartment go without a good cleaning for too long, I just won't go home until it's livable again (luckily, I have a very nice husband who picks up my slack). However, at the uppermost pinpoint of this pet peeve are people who come into my clean or organized space and make a mess out of it. It's bad enough when I'm the one to blame...you see, I'm not very nice to myself if my DVDs aren't ordered by genre or if the couch doesn't smell like flowers. Therefore, it is very hard to remain calm when I find the after remnants of a guest to be pluckings from my feather pillows, trash not in the trash can, etc. It's not to say that to be a guest in my home you have to be like me. Of course not. If the whole world were like me, there would be ZERO messes...and messes can be turned into things like art. It's just that I would love for you to use a coaster and remove your shoes. In all seriousness, even if you leave rings on my furniture or break something, I still love you. I just may need to go to my happy place for a while. Ah, the mind vacations I take to the Bahamas.
4. Being so cheap that you either end up a mooch or a recluse.So, I have this thing where I like to organize get togethers and parties. For those of you who have seen the hit sitcom Friends, my lovely buddies call me "the Monica." I am all about Pinterest, and movie nights, and organized events. I am all about Friendsgiving, White Elephant Christmas parties, and ringing the New Year in with streamers, confetti, and kisses. In order to fulfill my craving for a good, well-organized time so frequently, I usually ask people to chip in with food or monetary contributions. We like to go Dutch when we go out with our friends, etcetera etcetera. What gets under my collar here is when someone will specifically not go out or join the party because they don't want to contribute. Now, myself and a lot of my friends are college students so I'm not talking about those hard times we all have between paychecks where we can't contribute. I always back my friends in those situations if I can, and they do the same for me. I'm talking about having the money and wanting to go, but not wanting to spend your money. Everyone likes to treat each other now and again, including me. However, this is not the automatic norm and friends should not expect other friends to foot all their social bills. Neither should family members. Or freaky vampires that sparkle. Okay, even I don't know where that last one came from. It's 3:54 in the morning and I'm still at work so....yeah.
3. Entitlement.Now, when I use the word entitlement, I'm not talking about money again. I'm talking about time, resources, faith, kindness, and the list goes on and on. One of the biggest things that irks me is when people just feel that the world owes them everything. I was raised to work hard for what I wanted, and if I wanted nice things, I had better ensure that I was successful. I was raised to volunteer, network and not find myself above anybody else, any job, etc. The world owes us nothing. We owe the world. God owes us nothing, but has given us everything. We owe God...we owe Him service, love, and so much more. Please do not be the kind of person who throws fits to get your way. Please do not be the kind of person who curses their family, friends or Heavenly Father because something didn't quite go down the path you wanted it to. Instead, cherish each trial as a lesson to become a better person. See hard work and diligence as ways to truly earn what you want and what you have. Don't take the easy road out. Don't let everyone else do it for you. Take accountability. Don't take a pill to lose weight and put all your faith into some money-back guarantee. Work for yourself by eating healthily, engaging in fitness activities, and treating your body better. Don't waste all your money on things you don't need and then just hope that you can borrow the money to pay your rent or car insurance. Use a budget and save. You are worth the investment.
2. Being fake.I feel like this goes without saying. Doesn't everyone have a pet peeve about things or people not being what they pretend to be? Just be who you are, okay? The right people will love you, no matter what flaws you think you have. Nobody is perfect. Doesn't everyone dislike when someone plays nice to your face but goes behind your back in attempts to destroy you? If you have a problem with someone, tell them. Work it out. In the end, revenge or spite will only lead to sorrow. Choose not to let gossip and hateful feelings control you. Instead, choose to spread amity. Choose to be an example of integrity. Choose to be real and honest, no matter how raw that reality may be.
1. Lack of etiquette, manners or just plain kindness.
Okay, so the number 1 thing that gets under my skin is this. Don't be rude just to be rude. Say please, thank you, and you're welcome. RSVP to a party when the invitation asks you to. Use R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Taking the time to use etiquette, manners, and kindness shows that you value your relationship with that person...whether it be a friendship, a marriage, a family relation, or a professional relationship. Failing to do so leads to the opposite, in which the other person feels underappreciated, ignored or not worth your time.
Okay, phew. That was a lot of negativity. I would like to end on a positive note. "Don't get discouraged. Things WILL work out."- Gordon B. Hinckley. No matter what, my husband always tells me "everything is going to be okay" and you know what? In one way or another, he's right. You will go on to another day, so why not fill that day with kindness, honesty, love, and respect?
Pet peeves are an interesting concept. An old acquaintance of mine pointed out the other day that pet peeves are literally being described as our cherished annoyances. As I do not cherish the idea of being annoyed, I will be listing these pet peeves of mine in order from least annoyance to most annoyance and not least cherished to most cherished.
5. Being a walking, talking mess.
Okay, so this is the lesser of my pet peeves but it is still in the top 5 because...well, let's just say that my friends have diagnosed me (jokingly) as having OCD...including a friend who probably really does have OCD. I can't stand messes. I can't stand disorder. I am the organizing queen, and if somehow I have let my apartment go without a good cleaning for too long, I just won't go home until it's livable again (luckily, I have a very nice husband who picks up my slack). However, at the uppermost pinpoint of this pet peeve are people who come into my clean or organized space and make a mess out of it. It's bad enough when I'm the one to blame...you see, I'm not very nice to myself if my DVDs aren't ordered by genre or if the couch doesn't smell like flowers. Therefore, it is very hard to remain calm when I find the after remnants of a guest to be pluckings from my feather pillows, trash not in the trash can, etc. It's not to say that to be a guest in my home you have to be like me. Of course not. If the whole world were like me, there would be ZERO messes...and messes can be turned into things like art. It's just that I would love for you to use a coaster and remove your shoes. In all seriousness, even if you leave rings on my furniture or break something, I still love you. I just may need to go to my happy place for a while. Ah, the mind vacations I take to the Bahamas.
4. Being so cheap that you either end up a mooch or a recluse.So, I have this thing where I like to organize get togethers and parties. For those of you who have seen the hit sitcom Friends, my lovely buddies call me "the Monica." I am all about Pinterest, and movie nights, and organized events. I am all about Friendsgiving, White Elephant Christmas parties, and ringing the New Year in with streamers, confetti, and kisses. In order to fulfill my craving for a good, well-organized time so frequently, I usually ask people to chip in with food or monetary contributions. We like to go Dutch when we go out with our friends, etcetera etcetera. What gets under my collar here is when someone will specifically not go out or join the party because they don't want to contribute. Now, myself and a lot of my friends are college students so I'm not talking about those hard times we all have between paychecks where we can't contribute. I always back my friends in those situations if I can, and they do the same for me. I'm talking about having the money and wanting to go, but not wanting to spend your money. Everyone likes to treat each other now and again, including me. However, this is not the automatic norm and friends should not expect other friends to foot all their social bills. Neither should family members. Or freaky vampires that sparkle. Okay, even I don't know where that last one came from. It's 3:54 in the morning and I'm still at work so....yeah.
3. Entitlement.Now, when I use the word entitlement, I'm not talking about money again. I'm talking about time, resources, faith, kindness, and the list goes on and on. One of the biggest things that irks me is when people just feel that the world owes them everything. I was raised to work hard for what I wanted, and if I wanted nice things, I had better ensure that I was successful. I was raised to volunteer, network and not find myself above anybody else, any job, etc. The world owes us nothing. We owe the world. God owes us nothing, but has given us everything. We owe God...we owe Him service, love, and so much more. Please do not be the kind of person who throws fits to get your way. Please do not be the kind of person who curses their family, friends or Heavenly Father because something didn't quite go down the path you wanted it to. Instead, cherish each trial as a lesson to become a better person. See hard work and diligence as ways to truly earn what you want and what you have. Don't take the easy road out. Don't let everyone else do it for you. Take accountability. Don't take a pill to lose weight and put all your faith into some money-back guarantee. Work for yourself by eating healthily, engaging in fitness activities, and treating your body better. Don't waste all your money on things you don't need and then just hope that you can borrow the money to pay your rent or car insurance. Use a budget and save. You are worth the investment.
2. Being fake.I feel like this goes without saying. Doesn't everyone have a pet peeve about things or people not being what they pretend to be? Just be who you are, okay? The right people will love you, no matter what flaws you think you have. Nobody is perfect. Doesn't everyone dislike when someone plays nice to your face but goes behind your back in attempts to destroy you? If you have a problem with someone, tell them. Work it out. In the end, revenge or spite will only lead to sorrow. Choose not to let gossip and hateful feelings control you. Instead, choose to spread amity. Choose to be an example of integrity. Choose to be real and honest, no matter how raw that reality may be.
1. Lack of etiquette, manners or just plain kindness.
Okay, so the number 1 thing that gets under my skin is this. Don't be rude just to be rude. Say please, thank you, and you're welcome. RSVP to a party when the invitation asks you to. Use R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Taking the time to use etiquette, manners, and kindness shows that you value your relationship with that person...whether it be a friendship, a marriage, a family relation, or a professional relationship. Failing to do so leads to the opposite, in which the other person feels underappreciated, ignored or not worth your time.
Okay, phew. That was a lot of negativity. I would like to end on a positive note. "Don't get discouraged. Things WILL work out."- Gordon B. Hinckley. No matter what, my husband always tells me "everything is going to be okay" and you know what? In one way or another, he's right. You will go on to another day, so why not fill that day with kindness, honesty, love, and respect?
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