Over the past 2 or so years I've gotten some fantastic letters from some fantastic people. But here's a little something I never thought I would say: I think letters from sister missionaries are 10 million times better than letters from other missionaries. (No offense to my boys. They wrote some dang good letters.)
On Friday I got a letter from my dear friend Katie. She's eventually going to Hong Kong. (Yes, this is the Katie who inspired this post and the one I went October wakeboarding with.) The letter really wasn't anything that special. There were no crazy stories or experiences shared. But it was so wonderful to hear from her. She's been gone less than a month but I know it'll be weird going back to school and not having the opportunity to randomly run into her on campus. Somehow we always would and it made the days brighter.
I've gotten out of the habit of checking the mail ever since Jordan got home because his arrival meant the arrival of basically everyone else in the months soon after. There wasn't much chance of getting a letter in the last month or two before any of my friends came home. Checking the mail was one of very few constants I had from May 2010 to May 2012. It's interesting how things like that just become a part of you. In some ways I felt like a piece of me was lost when Jordan got home because suddenly there was no need to do the thing I had done for two whole years. And as John Green once wrote and Colin Singleton once said, "I don't think your missing pieces ever fit inside you again once they go missing." Usually I would agree, but in this case I think it has.
Getting that letter from Katie was exhilarating. I love doing semi-irresponsible things (longboarding, wakeboarding, climbing things, staying up until ridiculous o'clock w/ friends etc.) but there's a nifty kind of exhilaration that comes from opening a letter from a close friend. I didn't think I would ever really experience it again, even though I have a number of friends who are girls going off for 18 months, people I'll only communicate with through letters. This exhilaration does come in different forms, depending on who the letter is from, but it is always there in some way. Letter writing is a lost art and I'm so happy that I get to keep changing that.
T-minus 18 days until I return to Utah. Get excited, Utah friends.
Last YouTube video I watched: Rivers and Roads
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Monday, June 11, 2012
Accomplished: spring term
Today is the last day of classes. I am all done with spring term. Time is a crazy thing. When I got home from my last class of "junior" year, I went for a 15 minute run and then I did an ab workout for 15 minutes. There's this really cool app called Nike Training Club that has all sorts of workouts to do that focus on all different things. They last anywhere between 15 and 45 minutes, all depending on what you want to do. While doing my abs I started watching more Euro Cup! (This is what I've been doing every day before the past few days.) Ukraine and Sweden are plying right now. (Carson served his mission in Ukraine so I really hope Sweden wins so I can trash talk him.) I love Sweden. They were the first national team I ever saw play so I will always love the Swedes. Also, they are all very good-looking; well, except maybe Ibrahimovic. If matches were decided on how good-looking the players are, I'm pretty sure Sweden would win unanimously.
But since spring term is over now, not counting exams (I only have one so it hardly counts anyway), I am officially in summer. So I present:
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| Finding "wetlands" in Provo |
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Watching Grant be a sea lion
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| Riding the train to SF between these hooligans |
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| Matching with Stacy |
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| Being Trent's favorite, meaning I always got the front seat |
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Celebrating Maddie's wedding
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This week will bring more awesomeness since I'll probably see Matthew McKay soon(!) and Mikaela's wedding reception is Saturday(!) and the California road trip crew (Grant, Phillip, Emily and Trent) are leaving for Canada to run the Tough Mudder so I'm probably going to hang out w/ those boys one last time before we go our separate ways for the summer. At the very least Trent and I will be getting lunch like old times, and by old times I mean like we did three weeks ago and for most of spring term.
So eight days from now I will be headed home. That'll be lovely.
Last YouTube video I watched: The Green Bean Gelatin Plan
Saturday, May 5, 2012
It feels like college
Last night/in the wee hours of this morning I felt more collegiate than I have in a long time. The last time I felt that young and carefree was probably when Hank and I went to play tennis outside at 11 at night back in October. Last night definitely beat out late night tennis, though.
First there was a wedding reception for a dear friend from freshman year. I got to see a bunch of awesome friends so that was lovely. There was also a Cold Stone ice cream bar dealio. It was delicious, of course. My favorite part, besides seeing my now-married friend, was reuniting with SJ.
As for today? I'm just studying for a test and reading books for fun. I might go disc golfing with Hank and some other people but he hasn't gotten back to me yet on a time. And Jeff might come over? Question mark because I don't know what time/if he really will. All in all, I just need a relaxing day to recover from being so college.
Last YouTube video I watched: The Empire - Jason Munday (May the Fourth Be With You)
First there was a wedding reception for a dear friend from freshman year. I got to see a bunch of awesome friends so that was lovely. There was also a Cold Stone ice cream bar dealio. It was delicious, of course. My favorite part, besides seeing my now-married friend, was reuniting with SJ.
After the reception, Lorraine went right to bed since she had to run a half marathon this morning and the bus for the start of the race left at 5:30, so she had to be up around 4:30. I, on the other hand, went over to my friend Trent's house. He'd called earlier that evening and wanted to know if I would care to come roast marshmallows with him and his roommates.
So I went over there and to my surprise were we not only roasting marshmallows for s'mores, we were legitimately grilling. That day Trent's roommate Chris bought a little Weber grill, and so of course they had to use it that very night. Mind you this was around 10 or 10:30 at night. And we were grilling pork ribs and pork chops and asparagus. It was all wonderful, and we had some rice too for good measure. Later in the night, around 11:30, we did roast marshmallows for s'mores. Trent was lovely enough to give me a Reese's peanut butter cup to use instead of a Hershey bar. (Because he is awesome.)
Eventually Grant found the movie he wanted, the first Sherlock Holmes, and we watched that. I was pretty awake at the beginning of it. Then I kind of started falling asleep. But in the last twenty minutes or so of it, I was quite awake once again. I was not tired. At all. Grant walked Becca and me home and then I ended up staying awake until around 3 or 3:30. Totally irresponsible? Yes. Completely great decision at the same time? Also yes.
I had an absolutely fantastic time with all of my friends last night, both at the reception and at Grant and Trent's house. The best part of it all? We don't even need alcohol to have that much fun. It was so chill and fun and relaxing and exciting all at the same time. Something was always going on but just being around those people made it feel as if nothing was happening at all. That's always interesting to me, the idea of party schools and drinking alcohol of some sort to have fun. I don't understand that type of party/partying. The possibility of not remembering those incredible nights is so unappealing. The only reason I can't remember certain parties is because all the fun and excitement just runs together into a blur of awesomeness from the various times I'm with my friends.
As for today? I'm just studying for a test and reading books for fun. I might go disc golfing with Hank and some other people but he hasn't gotten back to me yet on a time. And Jeff might come over? Question mark because I don't know what time/if he really will. All in all, I just need a relaxing day to recover from being so college.
Last YouTube video I watched: The Empire - Jason Munday (May the Fourth Be With You)
Oh tomorrow (which is now technically today) & favorite things
It's the FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Liverpool. Obviously I want Liverpool to win. I just don't know how I'm going to watch the game, if at all. It doesn't seem like it will be broadcast in the United States. At all. On any station. That's a bummer. And it's not going to be online w/ ESPN3 either. It's very disappointing. Over the last week I've gotten back into soccer stuff again, mostly because I have the time to watch it online while I'm on campus. And the UEFA Cup is almost here too! That will give me plenty to watch, as long as I can find some place that broadcasts it.
The rest of this post is inspired by my dear friend Kaitlin. She made a post about a few of her favorite things. So I'm going to do the same through use of Internet pictures. (Just a side note: it's now 3 am on Saturrday . . . I started this post around 4 in the afternoon on Friday.) Here are six of my favorite things in life right now.
Last YouTube video I watched: Kids / MGMT / Heyhihello / Poppy
The rest of this post is inspired by my dear friend Kaitlin. She made a post about a few of her favorite things. So I'm going to do the same through use of Internet pictures. (Just a side note: it's now 3 am on Saturrday . . . I started this post around 4 in the afternoon on Friday.) Here are six of my favorite things in life right now.
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| always good for a smile & plenty of laughs. |
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| Gryffindor pride. |
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| Self-explanatory |
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| All we need to do. |
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| coined by CS Lewis |
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| Had one tonight. |
Last YouTube video I watched: Kids / MGMT / Heyhihello / Poppy
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
SORRY
It's technically Wednesday but since I haven't gone to bed yet it doesn't count as Wednesday in my book since my Tuesday has not ended.
I took my last final this evening.
After lots of crazy fun stuff happened. That'll be included in tomorrow's REAL post. Just know that I ate a ton of food.
Last YouTube video I watched: Brief History of Baker Street
I took my last final this evening.
After lots of crazy fun stuff happened. That'll be included in tomorrow's REAL post. Just know that I ate a ton of food.
Last YouTube video I watched: Brief History of Baker Street
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Thai deliciousness & musicality
Tonight my friend Trent, who is Thai, made authentic Thai food for some friends and myself. You may remember me mentioning my love of such food after Hank introduced me to it last October. I haven't had it since then but tonight did not disappoint. There is something so fantastic about a finely made curry. Just having dinner made for you is lovely, and not something that happens very often at college. It's nice having friends who cook ethnic foods. It's nice having a college family of sorts.
I could go on for ages about this food but I've also been inspired to talk about musical tastes and how crucial they are to relationships, both between friends and romantic interests.
While I listen to a lot of different kinds of music, I usually try to narrow it down for people. At the very least, I tell them I'll listen to basically anything but rap or country. Unless it's George Watsky; I like when he raps. But I digress . . . For the sake of many conversations I limit myself to categories like indie-folk or piano or jazz, when really the music I listen to is all of those things combined at times. A lot of the time my descriptions of music include specific instruments. These days it's often banjo, ukulele; and it's always included piano. Beyond the chill folk type music I love, I'm also kind of into electronic/alternative stuff, like Passion Pit. And then there is a'capella, which is unlike anything else and more fantastic than most music.
I've been thinking about music a lot as the time draws near that Jordan, who is basically my musical soulmate, returns from Scotland. I'm pretty sure the only thing regarding music Jordan and I have disagreed on is that I kind of like Iron and Wine's version of Such Great Heights almost more than I like The Postal Service's.
Music does so much to change relationships of all sorts. You can obviously be friends w/ people who have different musical tastes. I sure do. But I must acknowledge the fact that my perceptions of people and my respect for them can be lowered exponentially upon finding out their musical tastes are, well, different than mine. Yes, I do, at times, exhibit the behaviors of music snobs. I try to avoid it as much as possible, but I cannot always help myself. It's especially disappointing when I find myself attracted to a boy who seems incredibly wonderful and then I find out what he listens to and it becomes difficult to sustain the previous level of attraction. These things can be worked through, usually by focusing on the music you both happen to like, but life is just easier when you share the same musical loves. The music people like either heightens my respect for them or causes it to drop. There is no space for plateaus in my world of music. It's a weird concept, that my thoughts on someone could change so drastically because of something like music. I sometimes wish it wasn't that way, that I wouldn't use music as such a guide, but then I realize some people probably think my music is crap and are probably doing the same thing to me. Yet I don't care that they do.
At times I find myself feeling very hipster-ish because of my affinity for music basically no one else listens to. I don't do it on purpose. I just happen to spend a lot of time on YouTube where there happen to be an incredible number of talented musicians. This is not to say I don't listen to mainstream music, because I do, though it usually is limited to Coldplay. (I love Coldplay terribly and will never not, no matter what people say about them.) I made a playlist for a dance party Lorraine and I wanted to have. More than half the artists on that playlist I discovered through YouTube and no one would have heard of. It doesn't help that over Christmas break I seemed to have become some weird type of hipster/nerd/athlete combo.
For a taste of what I listen to on a general basis, I suggest reading my 25 songs of 2011 post. It is not comprehensive by any means, but it might give you an idea of what I enjoy. For example, it includes no big band or jazz music, which I was practically raised on, so just know I love things of that sort. For a truly comprehensive look at the music I love, I suggest examining my last.fm profile. That shows basically everything I've listened to since May 2007. (The song count is probably off since I forget to scrobble my iPod all the time but the most listened to artists is very accurate.)
Last YouTube video I watched: 4AM Monday (I also love running to this song.)
I could go on for ages about this food but I've also been inspired to talk about musical tastes and how crucial they are to relationships, both between friends and romantic interests.
While I listen to a lot of different kinds of music, I usually try to narrow it down for people. At the very least, I tell them I'll listen to basically anything but rap or country. Unless it's George Watsky; I like when he raps. But I digress . . . For the sake of many conversations I limit myself to categories like indie-folk or piano or jazz, when really the music I listen to is all of those things combined at times. A lot of the time my descriptions of music include specific instruments. These days it's often banjo, ukulele; and it's always included piano. Beyond the chill folk type music I love, I'm also kind of into electronic/alternative stuff, like Passion Pit. And then there is a'capella, which is unlike anything else and more fantastic than most music.
I've been thinking about music a lot as the time draws near that Jordan, who is basically my musical soulmate, returns from Scotland. I'm pretty sure the only thing regarding music Jordan and I have disagreed on is that I kind of like Iron and Wine's version of Such Great Heights almost more than I like The Postal Service's.
Music does so much to change relationships of all sorts. You can obviously be friends w/ people who have different musical tastes. I sure do. But I must acknowledge the fact that my perceptions of people and my respect for them can be lowered exponentially upon finding out their musical tastes are, well, different than mine. Yes, I do, at times, exhibit the behaviors of music snobs. I try to avoid it as much as possible, but I cannot always help myself. It's especially disappointing when I find myself attracted to a boy who seems incredibly wonderful and then I find out what he listens to and it becomes difficult to sustain the previous level of attraction. These things can be worked through, usually by focusing on the music you both happen to like, but life is just easier when you share the same musical loves. The music people like either heightens my respect for them or causes it to drop. There is no space for plateaus in my world of music. It's a weird concept, that my thoughts on someone could change so drastically because of something like music. I sometimes wish it wasn't that way, that I wouldn't use music as such a guide, but then I realize some people probably think my music is crap and are probably doing the same thing to me. Yet I don't care that they do.
At times I find myself feeling very hipster-ish because of my affinity for music basically no one else listens to. I don't do it on purpose. I just happen to spend a lot of time on YouTube where there happen to be an incredible number of talented musicians. This is not to say I don't listen to mainstream music, because I do, though it usually is limited to Coldplay. (I love Coldplay terribly and will never not, no matter what people say about them.) I made a playlist for a dance party Lorraine and I wanted to have. More than half the artists on that playlist I discovered through YouTube and no one would have heard of. It doesn't help that over Christmas break I seemed to have become some weird type of hipster/nerd/athlete combo.
For a taste of what I listen to on a general basis, I suggest reading my 25 songs of 2011 post. It is not comprehensive by any means, but it might give you an idea of what I enjoy. For example, it includes no big band or jazz music, which I was practically raised on, so just know I love things of that sort. For a truly comprehensive look at the music I love, I suggest examining my last.fm profile. That shows basically everything I've listened to since May 2007. (The song count is probably off since I forget to scrobble my iPod all the time but the most listened to artists is very accurate.)
Last YouTube video I watched: 4AM Monday (I also love running to this song.)
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
On friends and keeping them
This semester I have committed myself to a large amount of responsibility. I have a very full 15 credit schedule and one class that's basically a part time job for which I don't get paid. Upon my return to Utah, I'd even kind of sworn off irresponsibility, at least on weeknights. I need to and even more so want to do really well this semester.
Monday night I decided would be my last hurrah of irresponsibility. On about 20 minutes notice I went to a movie w/ one of my friends. We'd wanted to see the movie Moneyball for months and it finally arrived at the dollar theatre. The plan had been to see it on Monday but we'd never really nailed things down as to what time and who was going to come; before he texted me around 9:30 I assumed we'd just be doing it another night. It ended up being the two of us, but I loved that. We hadn't seen each other in weeks due to break and the busyness of the first week of school. I'll be honest, the next day I was extremely tired, more than I had ever been the previous semester even though last semester I stayed up at least that late or later most nights. I'll be honest about this too: it was completely worth it.
Maybe seeing a movie with someone isn't the best way to spend time together but it was enough to remind me how necessary irresponsibility can be at times. The night didn't lend itself to much conversation, but what we had was enough, at least under the circumstances. Just being around a good friend, someone I know is interested in my life and what I'm doing, is perfectly wonderful at times. I think one reason I wasn't worried about talking a lot was because I know we'll have plenty of other opportunities to talk in the near future.
Even though my busy semester hasn't been overwhelming yet, I'm glad to have already been reminded of the great opportunities I have to spend time with friends and to act a little less responsible. Friendship is fantastic. And at college, your friends are your family. You have dinner together and talk about life's problems and shoot the breeze and sit around complaining about how much life can suck and you talk about how awesome life is and somehow the topic of romance and dating always comes up no matter and your favorite Friday nights end up being the ones where you're sitting on a couch watching The Office. Those are the times you don't even have to talk. You just sit and watch and enjoy each other's company, as crazy as that sounds. My parents always used to make my brother and I stay at the table even after we were done eating dinner because they "enjoy our company." It was annoying then because usually I wanted to go watch TV or read a book or start my homework. But in college, enjoying one another's company is an art.
One of my fondest memories from last semester includes me, The Office, my red fleece blanket, and a good friend sitting in (mostly) silence. It was a Friday or Saturday night and sort of late but not terribly so. Despite all of the great things I did last semester and even last year, trying Thai food, getting a package from Jordan completely out of the blue, watching Jimmer, and going on some truly awesome dates, watching The Office that night kind of beats out all the rest. It wasn't irresponsible per se but it's the kind of thing I know would be good for me to do again this year because of how incredibly relaxing it was.
The give and take of friendships has always fascinated me because of the different ways in which people maintain these relationships. Sometimes it's completely effortless on both sides, and other times one person has to nudge things along a little more. By far, the friendships I've valued the most are the ones in which things are what I call effortlessly effortful. Basically, you're both putting in plenty of effort and making things work, whether it be initiating times to hang out or being there for each other when life gets hard, but it doesn't feel like you are. Everything just flows. It just feels natural and nice, despite the fact that at times you might be working hard to keep things how you want them.
At this time I must bid you all farewell. I have some reading to get done and writing this blog post is about as irresponsible as I can get tonight. I hope school is going swimmingly for all of you.
Last YouTube video I watched: Hank and Katherine Play Super Mario Bros. Wii #36
Monday night I decided would be my last hurrah of irresponsibility. On about 20 minutes notice I went to a movie w/ one of my friends. We'd wanted to see the movie Moneyball for months and it finally arrived at the dollar theatre. The plan had been to see it on Monday but we'd never really nailed things down as to what time and who was going to come; before he texted me around 9:30 I assumed we'd just be doing it another night. It ended up being the two of us, but I loved that. We hadn't seen each other in weeks due to break and the busyness of the first week of school. I'll be honest, the next day I was extremely tired, more than I had ever been the previous semester even though last semester I stayed up at least that late or later most nights. I'll be honest about this too: it was completely worth it.
Maybe seeing a movie with someone isn't the best way to spend time together but it was enough to remind me how necessary irresponsibility can be at times. The night didn't lend itself to much conversation, but what we had was enough, at least under the circumstances. Just being around a good friend, someone I know is interested in my life and what I'm doing, is perfectly wonderful at times. I think one reason I wasn't worried about talking a lot was because I know we'll have plenty of other opportunities to talk in the near future.
Even though my busy semester hasn't been overwhelming yet, I'm glad to have already been reminded of the great opportunities I have to spend time with friends and to act a little less responsible. Friendship is fantastic. And at college, your friends are your family. You have dinner together and talk about life's problems and shoot the breeze and sit around complaining about how much life can suck and you talk about how awesome life is and somehow the topic of romance and dating always comes up no matter and your favorite Friday nights end up being the ones where you're sitting on a couch watching The Office. Those are the times you don't even have to talk. You just sit and watch and enjoy each other's company, as crazy as that sounds. My parents always used to make my brother and I stay at the table even after we were done eating dinner because they "enjoy our company." It was annoying then because usually I wanted to go watch TV or read a book or start my homework. But in college, enjoying one another's company is an art.
One of my fondest memories from last semester includes me, The Office, my red fleece blanket, and a good friend sitting in (mostly) silence. It was a Friday or Saturday night and sort of late but not terribly so. Despite all of the great things I did last semester and even last year, trying Thai food, getting a package from Jordan completely out of the blue, watching Jimmer, and going on some truly awesome dates, watching The Office that night kind of beats out all the rest. It wasn't irresponsible per se but it's the kind of thing I know would be good for me to do again this year because of how incredibly relaxing it was.
The give and take of friendships has always fascinated me because of the different ways in which people maintain these relationships. Sometimes it's completely effortless on both sides, and other times one person has to nudge things along a little more. By far, the friendships I've valued the most are the ones in which things are what I call effortlessly effortful. Basically, you're both putting in plenty of effort and making things work, whether it be initiating times to hang out or being there for each other when life gets hard, but it doesn't feel like you are. Everything just flows. It just feels natural and nice, despite the fact that at times you might be working hard to keep things how you want them.
At this time I must bid you all farewell. I have some reading to get done and writing this blog post is about as irresponsible as I can get tonight. I hope school is going swimmingly for all of you.
Last YouTube video I watched: Hank and Katherine Play Super Mario Bros. Wii #36
Monday, November 7, 2011
Kindness and Caring
Today I experienced one of those little blessings that make life significantly better.
For most of the afternoon I had a pretty bad headache; it started out as a dull throb and eventually turned into me barely staying awake in class. Throughout the day I'd been asking friends if they had any ibuprofen or similar medicine and no one did. I kept thinking that if I just ate something or drank more water I would feel better, and I did for a very short while.
The worst part of the day was when I took a midterm on grammar and style. I wanted to get in and out of the testing center as fast as possible. The test was 65 questions, each question with 2 to 4 options to sort through, and some questions were continuations of others. I was done in 15 minutes. As I walked down the stairs to the scoring screen, I was just happy to be over and done with it. And then I saw my score. I got 100%. I really don't understand how that happened. I feel like I barely read a lot of the questions. But that wasn't even the sweet blessing of the day.
Once I finished the midterm, I went to work with my group for advertising class on the strategy statement for our Converse All-Stars campaign. I felt slightly better, especially after that test, but things slowly went downhill. I couldn't tough it out anymore. After being there for almost an hour, I finally caved and called a friend & asked him to bring me some Tylenol. It's always sort of hard for me to ask for help in a situation like that, especially when "help" means getting a boy to come all the way back up to campus for all of two minutes of interaction before he turns around and goes back. It really is just an inconvenience.
But he came when I asked, inconvenienced or not. And that was wonderful.
It makes me really happy to know that I have friends like him that will do those somewhat inconvenient tasks for me. Friends like that, or even more specifically boys like that, aren't around all that often. It's reassuring, one of those small moments that mean a lot more than would be expected. At the time, it meant pretty much everything because I could finally start feeling better, except I think I ended up feeling better in more than one way.
So thank you again, my friend. You know who you are.
Last YouTube video I watched: In Your Arms
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