Despite all the strangeness of this year, especially how it didn't feel like Christmas at all, I think that this year was one of the best as far as spending time with the ones I love goes :) I found out this Christmas that I really have about 4 or 5 families, each of which want to spend time with me. It was pretty crazy to have people who really want me around. That was the main difference about this year, and I think I like it.
It's crazy to me that as each year goes by I find that I want less and less as far as material things go. I remember a time when that was pretty much all that went through my head when Christmas came around. I'm not sure where the change came from, but I do know that I really like the new way of thinking. It makes Christmas mean a lot more than it used to to me, and I really enjoy the feeling of just being happy with being around the people I love most in life.
Merry Christmas all, and I hope this year was just as good for you guys as it was for me :)
December 25, 2010
December 23, 2010
The Sing-off
I just discovered this show not too long ago, and I loved it from the first time that I had the pleasure of viewing it! The talent that these people have on the show is incredible, and it's very hard to pick favorites. Every performance was simply spectacular, and I am excited to see the next season already! But a fair warning: these videos are actually pretty long, so you might want to either make sure you have enough time to view them, or simply watch them in part(s).
The first video is actually the second full episode of the second season, since I couldn't get the first episode for embedding, and the video below is the finale, it's pretty cool to be able to see the close-to-beginning paralleled with the ending to see how far the final contenders have come.
I hope you guys enjoy these amazing A Capella groups!
Christmas Time
I realized that Christmas is merely days away, and it occurred to me that this year really doesn't have the normal Christmas feel to it. I find it hard to believe that Christmas is in a couple days, and even if I did believe it fully, it saddens me to realize that I wouldn't care as much as I would like to.
However, in light of the decorations and lights and the colors on peoples' ugly Christmas sweaters, I have found the Christmas spirit quite late, and dressed in my green and red today, though it was really only because I was told that I needed to for the volunteer work I had signed up for, haha. I watched the merry shoppers come and go from shops in the mall as I wrapped gifts for random people. I wonder what goes on in their lives. How many of these people are losing their homes or buying on credit?
A year or so ago, I wouldn't have given much thought to the financial lives of people, but as I become more and more independent and pay for more and more things, I find that I feel more and more grown up, looking back on the good ol' days, rather than enjoying the new and coming years and saying that they are the best ones so far, like I used to.
I remember turning 15 and saying to myself that this was the age I wanted to stay for the rest of my life, then I turned 16, I liked that year too, but when I turned 17, I found that I loved that year best. Towards the end of year 17, I decided that I needed legal freedom, and yearned for age 18. Freedom was the word I focused on. I liked turning 18, it was liberating. Then, I grew up some in the short time it has been since I turned 18, and I realized that I liked being a kid. Granted, I am still very young, but I miss the good ol' days, when my biggest worries included staying up all night to get an English assignment done, or whether or not someone liked me at school. These days, my worries include where I am going to get a job, where I am going to live, how I am going to afford food every month, when I am going to get married, how I am going to be able to afford a car and the insurance needed to cover it, how I am going to learn to cook meals that someone other than myself can live through eating, and other random stuff like that.
I realize that life is merely beginning now; responsibility is falling on my shoulders to live my life and to support myself. I suddenly have to figure out what I want to be, who I want to spend the rest of my life with, and whether my dreams are going to be worth following anymore. I have to remember that many the choices I make these days have greater consequences than simply whether or not I am going to get in trouble when my parents find out.
Perhaps these are the reasons Christmas seems so different this year. I am becoming an adult, and the reality of it all is finally settling in. It's not a bad thing, no matter how bad it may have come across from what I said earlier, but it is new. Hopefully, I'll go beyond everyone's expectations for me, and I'll become a great young woman of God in the process. God-willing I will go far in this life, and I can't wait to get there :)
However, in light of the decorations and lights and the colors on peoples' ugly Christmas sweaters, I have found the Christmas spirit quite late, and dressed in my green and red today, though it was really only because I was told that I needed to for the volunteer work I had signed up for, haha. I watched the merry shoppers come and go from shops in the mall as I wrapped gifts for random people. I wonder what goes on in their lives. How many of these people are losing their homes or buying on credit?
A year or so ago, I wouldn't have given much thought to the financial lives of people, but as I become more and more independent and pay for more and more things, I find that I feel more and more grown up, looking back on the good ol' days, rather than enjoying the new and coming years and saying that they are the best ones so far, like I used to.
I remember turning 15 and saying to myself that this was the age I wanted to stay for the rest of my life, then I turned 16, I liked that year too, but when I turned 17, I found that I loved that year best. Towards the end of year 17, I decided that I needed legal freedom, and yearned for age 18. Freedom was the word I focused on. I liked turning 18, it was liberating. Then, I grew up some in the short time it has been since I turned 18, and I realized that I liked being a kid. Granted, I am still very young, but I miss the good ol' days, when my biggest worries included staying up all night to get an English assignment done, or whether or not someone liked me at school. These days, my worries include where I am going to get a job, where I am going to live, how I am going to afford food every month, when I am going to get married, how I am going to be able to afford a car and the insurance needed to cover it, how I am going to learn to cook meals that someone other than myself can live through eating, and other random stuff like that.
I realize that life is merely beginning now; responsibility is falling on my shoulders to live my life and to support myself. I suddenly have to figure out what I want to be, who I want to spend the rest of my life with, and whether my dreams are going to be worth following anymore. I have to remember that many the choices I make these days have greater consequences than simply whether or not I am going to get in trouble when my parents find out.
Perhaps these are the reasons Christmas seems so different this year. I am becoming an adult, and the reality of it all is finally settling in. It's not a bad thing, no matter how bad it may have come across from what I said earlier, but it is new. Hopefully, I'll go beyond everyone's expectations for me, and I'll become a great young woman of God in the process. God-willing I will go far in this life, and I can't wait to get there :)
December 14, 2010
The best in life
Great memories... great regrets. So easy to see the missed opportunities, little mistakes, and long-lost never-agains, yet it is often difficult to see the true beauty of moments shared, the lasting effects of a single night, the awe struck within us when we look over a majestic landscape... It only goes to show that sometimes the best moments may come easily, but holding on to those moments is where the challenge lies
December 8, 2010
Story of the Day - Prom King Fails
I got the following article from a new part of The Arbiter paper called The Dirty Potato, from Boise, ID. I in no way claim any credit for the following quoted material.
Former Prom King Now Struggles to Score Date
Rebecca De León
Once the proud ruler of Chief Joseph High School in Moses Lake, Wash., Chad Russell now lives a peaceful life among the commoners as Boise State University. Although his crown still rests proudly on his mother's mantle, Russell chose to humbly attend school and live a life outside of royalty.
Now, the former king of Chief Joseph's A Night at the Oscars Prom 2007 finds himself facing challenges he never dealt with during his reign in Washington. The female populace at this university does not bow to His Highness the way it did when he ruled his high school.
"I'm the same guy, but now, I just keep getting shot down," Russell said.
In high school, if a female attracted Russell's gaze, all he had to do was send one of his loyal minions to deliver an official message from the king expressing interest. Since it is frowned upon to turn down such a request from His Majesty, it was easy for Russell to have at times even many lady friends.
"That doesn't really work here," Russell said. "It's like nobody even knows I'm king of anything."
Russell's mother, Grace Norris, remains loyal to her son and his empire.
"He'll always be a king to me," she said. "Especially since he doesn't take after his father."
Former students from Chief Joseph High School have mixed feelings about their king's downfall.
"He was always a douchebag," said Alex Meeler, who lost the crown to Russell. "And he said I stole his girl, but I wouldn't touch her with a 10-foot pole. No way."
The elected prom queen differed.
"He was a gentleman," Stacy Peterson said. "But I don't really remember much after the first hour of prom. I think someone spiked the punch."
Although is seems his reputation does not precede him, Russell valiantly keeps his head up and his spirits high.
"I'm sure it'll be fine," he said. "I mean, I've put on a few pounds since them, but it's what's inside that really counts, right?"
This article is fake.
Former Prom King Now Struggles to Score Date
Rebecca De León
Once the proud ruler of Chief Joseph High School in Moses Lake, Wash., Chad Russell now lives a peaceful life among the commoners as Boise State University. Although his crown still rests proudly on his mother's mantle, Russell chose to humbly attend school and live a life outside of royalty.
Now, the former king of Chief Joseph's A Night at the Oscars Prom 2007 finds himself facing challenges he never dealt with during his reign in Washington. The female populace at this university does not bow to His Highness the way it did when he ruled his high school.
"I'm the same guy, but now, I just keep getting shot down," Russell said.
In high school, if a female attracted Russell's gaze, all he had to do was send one of his loyal minions to deliver an official message from the king expressing interest. Since it is frowned upon to turn down such a request from His Majesty, it was easy for Russell to have at times even many lady friends.
"That doesn't really work here," Russell said. "It's like nobody even knows I'm king of anything."
Russell's mother, Grace Norris, remains loyal to her son and his empire.
"He'll always be a king to me," she said. "Especially since he doesn't take after his father."
Former students from Chief Joseph High School have mixed feelings about their king's downfall.
"He was always a douchebag," said Alex Meeler, who lost the crown to Russell. "And he said I stole his girl, but I wouldn't touch her with a 10-foot pole. No way."
The elected prom queen differed.
"He was a gentleman," Stacy Peterson said. "But I don't really remember much after the first hour of prom. I think someone spiked the punch."
Although is seems his reputation does not precede him, Russell valiantly keeps his head up and his spirits high.
"I'm sure it'll be fine," he said. "I mean, I've put on a few pounds since them, but it's what's inside that really counts, right?"
This article is fake.
December 2, 2010
Snow Days - Meet Maxwell :)
There was a snow day for basically everyone in the Treasure Valley schools here in good ol' Idaho yesterday. I had driven to campus anyway that day so I found out once I had arrived and already braved the treacherous roads that there weren't any classes. I suppose most people would be upset; I was excited to just hang out on campus for a while and not have anything to do. I was able to hang out with a friend for most of the time that I was on campus, we ate Chick-fil-A and had white chocolate mochas, then we went over to a park and built a snowman. He's pretty awesome I must say, and I'm not just saying that because we made him and I'm biased haha. I really mean it! We set him on a bench so people could sit with him and take pictures if they wanted to, and he had shoes and legs and ear muffs and a cute little face. My friend named him Maxwell and I helped come up with the middle and last name, haha.
While we were there in making Maxwell come alive in the snow, we saw a guy a little ways from us also making a sculpture in the snow. His was a dragon with three heads and pretty good details all over it. I really liked it; it was pretty stunning to look at as it stood there frozen in the snow.
I thought about the art we had just created in the park, and I realized that there would be many people who would walk by Maxwell and this crazy and amazing looking dragon and take pictures either with them or around them. It was cool to think that we might have made someone's day later on when we had left to go back to our lives at school. Rarely do I get the chance to do something remarkable, and even if things are small like our snowman on the park bench, I think that they have the ability to make a difference in someone's life that day. :)
As we left the park, we turned back to give our final farewells to our frostbitten friend, and we saw the first people to take pictures with good ol' Maxwell C. Frostbite. Hopefully, I'll be given the opportunity to change lives for the better more often and in bigger ways. Perhaps this is something that I could look for in a career someday. Or maybe this is a simple gift that I will bring to the world as my own personal touch on the communities I come in contact with in my life.
While we were there in making Maxwell come alive in the snow, we saw a guy a little ways from us also making a sculpture in the snow. His was a dragon with three heads and pretty good details all over it. I really liked it; it was pretty stunning to look at as it stood there frozen in the snow.
I thought about the art we had just created in the park, and I realized that there would be many people who would walk by Maxwell and this crazy and amazing looking dragon and take pictures either with them or around them. It was cool to think that we might have made someone's day later on when we had left to go back to our lives at school. Rarely do I get the chance to do something remarkable, and even if things are small like our snowman on the park bench, I think that they have the ability to make a difference in someone's life that day. :)
As we left the park, we turned back to give our final farewells to our frostbitten friend, and we saw the first people to take pictures with good ol' Maxwell C. Frostbite. Hopefully, I'll be given the opportunity to change lives for the better more often and in bigger ways. Perhaps this is something that I could look for in a career someday. Or maybe this is a simple gift that I will bring to the world as my own personal touch on the communities I come in contact with in my life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
