Normal

Sometimes the best parts of life are the normal things:

holiday traditions, 

cleaning a kitchen after a huge meal,

chilling with family, 

or driving with a friend.

It was kinda funny to step into a different life this past week. No school to rush around to. I filled my day with whatever I chose. Lots of food, lots of games, lots of family :)

Made me remember that less-structured days require me to be more intentional about accomplishing my goals. Otherwise they just get swept out the door by everything else that happens.

The power of priorities.

Whoa. Talk about a tangent. When I got on to write, what I was really thinking is how incredible life's daily adventures are.

...which is a very ordinary thought.

But for some reason it doesn't feel like it is ha. 

I'm just struck by extraordinary joy from ordinary moments. 

:)

Like this:

(Well...I guess constructing a false ancient temple 

[complete with a roasting frog for sacrifice]

 out of graham crackers isn't exactly normal....)

---

We just had Thanksgiving. I guess I'm most grateful for the people in my life 

(like this guy) 

who make every normal moment incredible. 

:)

Totally Rad

What a fabulous weekend :)

Paint dance, 

Sammys, 

wheelchair basketball and rugby (I still say murder ball--wheelchair rugby--is the best sport ever invented), 

and Provo High's production of Les Miserables :) 

Ooh and chimichanga Sunday, w/guac! 

We may or may not have had a small kitchen fire....very exciting ;)

(Pre-Paint Guns... "Totally Rad," as the background graffiti shows)

This weekend was especially good because it followed one of the craziest weeks ever! I was slammed by school--I honestly didn't know if I'd be able to get everything done--and I was sick. I even called in sick to work (I have never done that before!).

And I thought a lot this week.

• One thing I thought about was how dang blessed I am with amazing friends and family. Super cliche, I know, but there were several times throughout the week when I was just dumbstruck when I thought of how lucky I am. 

• This week, the organization I helped work on launched. Meaning it is running and you should
  go to http://one-thought.org/ and check it out :) Let me know if you have any questions!

At the launch, there was a speaker who was, simply put, inspiring. I was reminded that:

--"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him." (I've see this type of quote attributed to many people...so I'm gonna put Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, but don't bank on that ha.)

This isn't just talking about professions, where you are nice to someone to get a raise/good reviews/more money. 

Real life, people! Are you kind to people even when they don't have the qualities you think might make a good friend for you?

Hopefully it is a given in your life that your family members are your friends; isn't it funny that sometimes it is hardest to treat them even as well as you treat your other friends? 

Part of that is probably that when you are around people so frequently you know all sides of them much better (more likely to have things come up where you are bugged). 

But also, you don't have to impress them; you don't pick your family. 

So treat them nice anyway :) (For some reason, it seems this is much easier as you grow up more and more.)

--There is so much good you can do in your sphere of influence right now. It is good to have big dreams. But give all you've got to what you have in front of you too.

Maybe there is a reason you are where you are when you are. (say that ten times fast)

--People first. At the end of life, your regrets won't be that you didn't travel as much as you wanted, or didn't make as much money, etc. Take advantage of opportunities but don't lose your focus on people. 

Anyhoo.. :)

• Being cold is always worst at the very beginning of winter. It doesn't feel as miserable now (knock on wood)

• I believe "Baby It's Cold Outside" is one of the creepiest songs I've ever heard. Santa Baby is a very close second. Shudder.

• I sooo need this Thanksgiving break. I am quite grateful for it ;)

Have a good one! 

:)

Snowy Sunday

I don't like this:

"One can promise actions, but not feelings, for the latter are involuntary. He who promises to love or hate forever or be forever faithful to someone is promising something that is not in his power." 

This is in the book "Human, All Too Human" by Friedrich Nietzsche.
(I haven't read it. I just saw this quote. I hope it is out of context, because it is so downright gloomy!)

Now...to some extent I kind of agree with the quote.
Who knows what could happen to change your feelings/attitudes about something/someone?

Hopefully that is for the better.

But. I think our actions, the places in life where we put our effort and energies, play a large role in how we feel about things and people!

And, according to Nietzsche, we can be more certain in promising actions than feelings. I think they feed each other.

Maybe you can't swear undying, unchanging love for someone. Maybe you can't say you'll always feel peace in a certain setting....

But maybe you can decide to take the proper actions that precipitate such feelings.

In serving someone and doing your best to act selflessly, your regard toward them becomes more positive and loving. (Usually ;))

You can influence things/situations to better promote whatever feeling you most desire to get from them.

Just some thoughts.

:)

Never

"The day may dawn when fair play, love for one's fellow men, respect for justice and freedom, will enable tormented generations to march forth triumphant from the hideous epoch in which we have to dwell.
Meanwhile, never flinch, never weary, never despair."
-Winston Churchill

:)