Redeeming Qualities

So. The last little bit I have been feeling a little gross on the inside. For the last little bit lots of stupid things have been happening and I just keep thinking, "Really? I swear I have redeeming qualities somewhere inside me. Right? Right! I totally do! Somewhere. Probably." Tonight is one of those nights. Just a junky day where I just keep thinking, "Really?" But guess what world! I totally have good things about me! I am worth good things even when it doesn't feel like it!
Most of my new coworkers are pretty openly unfriendly towards me no matter how hard I try to talk to them. But guess what?! The Mexican cooks in the back think I'm super funny even though we can't actually communicate with words.
My classmates wouldn't remember my name if I wore a shirt with it on it. But I have gone out of my way to talk to new people in my classes every week even though it is super hard for me. Persistence and resiliency! I have those! I suck at social-dom but I still try and that's really what matters.
I haven't been on a date with anyone with but my ex in like 9 months. But ya know what? I am a nice person. I have lots of things to offer and if guys don't care for that, then fine. I get to keep all my awesomeness to myself. I like myself. I also kind of hate dating but I know I'm supposed to do it so I'm not actually super mad about this one.
I tore my last pair of good fitting jeans on Saturday. Ok that one is pretty lame but my mommy gave me money to go clothes shopping a little while ago for my Christmas present from her so I can afford to get some new ones. They were also ripped in an epic game of broomball so they were just a casualty to the awesomeness of the game. Curse my overly competitive nature! I also body-slammed my bishop during this game. Several times. Oops.
No matter how many hours I study, I still get bad scores on test. I'm a bad tester but I really do learn a lot so I still am fine with that. Frustrated. But hey, I'm doing all I can.
I feel like I've gotten super fat this semester. I eat pretty junky though so I can't really be mad about that one. I have been trying to eat healthier and I work out lots so it will get better. Eventually.
I don't have to nickles to rub together. Literally. I hate nickles so I get rid of them as soon as possible. Anyway. I work like a bajillion hours a week and I still have to budget like crazy. But I have 2 jobs and one of them I make bank at. The second one isn't guaranteed lots of money, but generally I do pretty well. I am just always worried about money and I have plenty of savings.
See world?! To quote the wise words of some singer person, "You get knocked down, but I get up again, so you're never gonna keep me down". I have redeeming qualities! I am a nice person with lots of other things that are good about me! Stop trying to make me feel bad about myself world because I'm super awesome. Hear that world?!


I AM SUPER AWESOME

Crunchy leaves

Oh boy! Crunchy leaves!
I like to step on you lots.
I love crunchy leaves.

Happiness

Yesterday in my lab I was working in a group with two other people. Yes, that class is long and tiring. But I was so amazed how much complaining was coming out of those two people! They were tired. They were hungry. They thought the cadavers smelled bad. They hated their jobs and on and on and on and on. As they were blathering on about nothing constructive at all, I was thinking about all the things I am grateful for. I was also tired, hungry, smelling yucky things and I hate my job but there are so many wonderful things in this world and I don't like focusing on all the bad all the time! So. Let's talk about the nice things.

I have an amazing family that loves me very much and supports me 100% in all of my (non-retarded) efforts.

It was warm outside today.

I have all of my appendages. And they all function! Bonus!

I get to live with my sister and two super cute roommates.

I know who I am and where I fit into the universe.

I got to have a missionary experience a few days ago at work.

Conference is this weekend!

It is my sister's birthday and I got to decorate cupcakes about it.

I don't have a beard.

I have someone I could call if I were in trouble or just needed a friend.

I made a delicious smoothie today.

Spell-check. Enough said.

I have the opportunity to go to college and better myself.

My name is not Orangejello.

I got to dress up for Harry Potter.

I have a comfy couch.

I have tootsie-rolls on my table.

I am about to watch a movie.

Speaking out which....peace out.

Invisible Children

Today, I watched a documentary called, "Invisible Children". It is about the children in Northern Uganda. There is a war going on in Sudan that I honestly had no idea about that has been going on for 17 years. Over 17 years. Did you know that? I didn't. The people have been basically herded out of Sudan and into Northern Uganda because of the war and the lack of government involvement.

Ready for the worst part? The solders are children. Kids ranging from ages 5-12 are being taken from their homes and forced into the rebel movement.

That is all my nephews but one.

Why these ages? They are old enough to hold a gun but young enough to brainwash without much effort. They are forced to watch other children being tortured and killed till they are numb enough to do it themselves.

The kids are scared. They gather in hospitals to sleep at night so they have a greater chance of being safe. Safety in numbers. Many of their parents are dead. They have no food and no one to keep them safe. They have hopes and dreams, but no one is there to hear them. A war is being fought with children and that is wrong.

At the end of the video they ask for our help. I have no money to give or ideas to share, but I can spread the word.

Watch the Video.

I know I'm a tree-hugger and kind of a sap, but I did what I can do for these little kids. What can you do?

100 Goals

So for my psych class we had to make a list of 100 goals. I found it quite interesting. So here are mine in no particular order.

100 Goals

1. Graduate

2. Learn to meditate

3. Read more

4. Do a good dead daily

5. Pray daily

6. Foster better relationships

7. Listen more

8. Open up

9. Learn to sew

10. Sing more

11. Learn Spanish

12. Go to Europe

13. Wake up earlier

14. Call family more

15. Love what I do

16. Be more trusting

17. Learn the piano

18. Go to all the continents

19. Go to grad school

20. Invent something worthwhile

21. Read all the C.S. Lewis books

22. Know the words to all the Beatles songs

23. Get married to someone who love me back

24. Have kids

25. Never get fat

26. Get a good job that I love

27. Learn to cook

28. Learn the cello

29. Always have money in my savings account

30. Skydive

31. Repel

32. Go on a church history tour

33. Get better at photography

34. Learn to skateboard

35. Learn to do Latin dance

36. Learn Latin

37. Keep a journal

38. Run a 5k

39. Learn to ride a motorcycle

40. Climb a volcano

41. Ride a camel

42. Go shark diving

43. Be paid to sing at something

44. See the pyramids in Egypt

45. See the Eiffel tower

46. Go to the Smithsonian

47. Decorate a home

48. Ride an elephant

49. Pet a lion

50. Learn astronomy

51. Go to all 50 states

52. Ride a gondola in Venice

53. Serve a mission

54. Go to Harry Potter World

55. Go to Michael Jacksons House

56. Own a Zebra

57. Learn to fix my own car

58. Ride a hot air balloon

59. Go backpacking for 2 weeks

60. Take a class in cake decorating

61. Take a class in flower arranging

62. Learn more about neurology

63. Live a week in complete silence

64. Mud wrestle

65. Be on a radio show

66. Be a person other people look up to

67. Do someone’s hair for their wedding

68. Go paintballing

69. Go to a masquerade

70. Have a reason to own a fancy dress

71. Make a difference

72. Street-perform and make $100

73. Get an awesome scar for doing something cool

74. Go on the world’s longest zip-line

75. Be part of a flash mob

76. Go on a cruise

77. Save someone’s life

78. Eat kangaroo jerky

79. See something on Broadway

80. Never have a zit again

81. Be someone worth remembering

82. Cry because something is so beautiful

83. Make enough money to support myself and others

84. Hug a bear

85. Make something cool

86. Do a handstand

87. Write a song

88. Love unconditionally

89. Save an animal

90. See Cirque de Soleil

91. Live somewhere warm

92. Learn to snowboard

93. Not be ashamed

94. Blow up something

95. Do a triathlon

96. Make my own art

97. Ride a Segway

98. Have a garden

99. Restore a piece a furniture

Make more goals

Ode to Moving

I hear people complaining about moving all the time and I think they are all on crack. I love moving! Sure lugging four billion pounds of junk up and down a bunch of stairs isn't exactly a picnic but the rest is fun! I lived at my last place for almost a year. Do you want to know how much crap I accumulate in a year? It's a big amount turns out. I found so much fun stuff! I threw away two huge bags of stuff away and I have another big one for DI in the morning. I found a bunch of clothes that are cute that I didn't even remember I owned! I found a cool green unicorn that I thought I had lost and a thing of really nice conditioner that I'm excited to use. Tomorrow I plan on scrubbing the dickens out of my bathroom and the kitchen. Yay! I love clean things. From this move I am inheriting a TV (with earflaps), lots of dishes, silverware, pots and a kite. And I'm not even done yet! See? Moving IS awesome. Doubters.

That is just the moving out part. The moving in part is just as great. Again, not in love with the stairs but it is a good workout for sure. Moving in is great because you get to organize everything in a new way, make an empty space your own. You get to learn new things about where you live and how to fit into that space. You get new roommates. For better or for worse, they always make for good stories and split utility bills. A new ward is always fun. New people to get to know and lots more outfits to evaluate when the speaker gets boring. In this new ward, I think I actually get to meet in a meetinghouse instead of a classroom. Yay!

There are so many fun things about moving. I don't know why we don't do it more often. We all should. I bet you doubters feel sheepish now because you know I'm right.

The Numbers Game

I have lots of numbers in my life these days. Here they are.

4-Hours left on this shift.

13- Days till I move out of Roman Gardens

96- Amount I love yogurt

1- Sundays I have left in my current ward

142- Days till Christmas

94- Days till my birthday. I expect lots of gifts.

2- Seconds till I get to put another bite in my mouth. Yum. Stir-fry.

5- My current level of sunburn

400- My current level of awesomeness

24- Days till school starts again. Yay!!

14- Days till I get to go to Michigan. Double Yay!!

Those are all the number things I can think of. So....that's it.